diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 2465d44..02b459d 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -20,13 +20,8 @@
             go
             gopls
             go-tools
-            htmx-lsp2
-            templ
             tailwindcss_4
             tailwindcss-language-server
-            watchman
-            docker-language-server
-            dockerfile-language-server-nodejs
             gcc_multi
             glibc_multi
             nodejs
diff --git a/internal/infrastructure/database/repository/recipe_repository.go b/internal/infrastructure/database/repository/recipe_repository.go
index c31962a..2f6d1d8 100644
--- a/internal/infrastructure/database/repository/recipe_repository.go
+++ b/internal/infrastructure/database/repository/recipe_repository.go
@@ -210,19 +210,41 @@ func (r *RecipeRepository) DeleteRecipe(recipeId, userId int) error {
 // This function will only return recipes that are not deleted. Any recipes marked deleted will be ignored
 // and the standard "not-found" error will be returned.
 func (r *RecipeRepository) GetRecipe(id int, userId *int) (*domain.Recipe, error) {
-	query := `SELECT 
-			id, title, description, instructions, serves, difficulty, duration, category, ingredients, 
-			userid, modified, created, deleted
-		FROM recipes 
-		WHERE id = $1 AND deleted = false;
-	`
+	psql := sq.StatementBuilder.PlaceholderFormat(sq.Dollar)
+
+	query := psql.
+		Select(
+			"id",
+			"title",
+			"description",
+			"instructions",
+			"serves",
+			"difficulty",
+			"duration",
+			"category",
+			"ingredients",
+			"userid",
+			"modified",
+			"created",
+			"deleted",
+		).
+		From("recipes").
+		Where(sq.Eq{
+			"id":      id,
+			"deleted": false,
+		})
+
+	_sql, args, err := query.ToSql()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to construct sql query: %w", err)
+	}
 
 	var durationBytes []byte
 	var instructions pq.StringArray
 	var ingredientBytes []byte
 
 	var recipe domain.Recipe
-	if err := r.db.QueryRow(query, id).Scan(
+	if err := r.db.QueryRowx(_sql, args...).Scan(
 		&recipe.Id,
 		&recipe.Title,
 		&recipe.Description,
@@ -504,51 +526,64 @@ func (r *RecipeRepository) SearchRecipes(filters domain.SearchFilters, userId *i
 // this function successfully, therefore, it must be an existing recipe. Any errors will be bubbled
 // to the caller.
 func (r *RecipeRepository) CreateRecipeTags(recipe domain.Recipe, tags []string) error {
-	tx, err := r.db.Begin()
+	tx, err := r.db.Beginx()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	defer tx.Rollback()
 
-	// Normalize the tag names (lower case with trimmed space)
-	normalized := make(map[string]struct{}) // Use map to disallow duplicates
+	psql := sq.StatementBuilder.
+		PlaceholderFormat(sq.Dollar).
+		RunWith(tx)
+
+	// Normalize tags (lowercase, trimmed, no duplicates)
+	normalized := make(map[string]struct{})
 	for _, tag := range tags {
-		normalized[strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(tag))] = struct{}{}
+		t := strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(tag))
+		if t != "" {
+			normalized[t] = struct{}{}
+		}
 	}
 
-	// Insert the tags into the DB and return their IDS into the tag ID list
-	var tagIds []int
+	// Insert tags and collect IDs
+	var tagIDs []int
 	for tag := range normalized {
-		var tagId int
+		var tagID int
 
-		query := `
-			INSERT INTO tags (name) VALUES ($1)
-			ON CONFLICT (name) DO UPDATE SET name = EXCLUDED.name
-			RETURNING id;
-		`
-
-		err := tx.QueryRow(query, tag).Scan(&tagId)
+		_sql, args, err := psql.
+			Insert("tags").
+			Columns("name").
+			Values(tag).
+			Suffix("ON CONFLICT (name) DO UPDATE SET name = EXCLUDED.name RETURNING id").
+			ToSql()
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to retrieve or create tag. %s\n", err.Error())
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to build tag insert query: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		tagIds = append(tagIds, tagId)
+		if err = tx.QueryRowx(_sql, args...).Scan(&tagID); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve or create tag: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		tagIDs = append(tagIDs, tagID)
 	}
 
-	// Using a prepared statement, execute the mapping insertions one-by-one
-	for _, id := range tagIds {
-		stmt, err := tx.Prepare("INSERT INTO RecipeTags (RecipeId, TagId) VALUES ($1, $2);")
+	// Insert recipe <-> tag mappings
+	for _, tagID := range tagIDs {
+		_sql, args, err := psql.
+			Insert("RecipeTags").
+			Columns("RecipeId", "TagId").
+			Values(recipe.Id, tagID).
+			ToSql()
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to create statement for recipe tag mapping. %s\n", err.Error())
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to build recipe tag mapping query: %w", err)
 		}
-		defer stmt.Close()
 
-		if _, err := stmt.Exec(recipe.Id, id); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to insert tag-recipe-mapping. %s\n", err.Error())
+		if _, err = tx.Exec(_sql, args...); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to insert recipe tag mapping: %w", err)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := tx.Commit(); err != nil {
-		tx.Rollback()
+	if err = tx.Commit(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -560,75 +595,88 @@ func (r *RecipeRepository) CreateRecipeTags(recipe domain.Recipe, tags []string)
 // and creates new associations for the provided tags. The recipe object must contain
 // a valid ID. Any errors will be bubbled to the caller.
 func (r *RecipeRepository) UpdateRecipeTags(recipe domain.Recipe, tags []string) error {
-	tx, err := r.db.Begin()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer tx.Rollback() // Rollback if we don't commit
-
 	if recipe.Id <= 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] Recipe must have a valid ID")
 	}
 
-	// Step 1: Delete all existing tag associations for this recipe
-	deleteQuery := `DELETE FROM RecipeTags WHERE RecipeId = $1;`
-	if _, err := tx.Exec(deleteQuery, recipe.Id); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] Failed to delete existing recipe tags: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	// Step 2: Normalize the tag names (lower case with trimmed space)
-	normalized := make(map[string]struct{}) // Use map to disallow duplicates
-	for _, tag := range tags {
-		trimmed := strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(tag))
-		if trimmed != "" {
-			normalized[trimmed] = struct{}{}
-		}
-	}
-
-	// If no tags provided, we're done (all tags removed)
-	if len(normalized) == 0 {
-		if err := tx.Commit(); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	// Step 3: Insert the tags into the DB and return their IDs into the tag ID list
-	var tagIds []int
-	for tag := range normalized {
-		var tagId int
-		query := `
-			INSERT INTO tags (name) VALUES ($1)
-			ON CONFLICT (name) DO UPDATE SET name = EXCLUDED.name
-			RETURNING id;
-		`
-		err := tx.QueryRow(query, tag).Scan(&tagId)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] Failed to retrieve or create tag: %w", err)
-		}
-		tagIds = append(tagIds, tagId)
-	}
-
-	// Step 4: Insert the new tag associations
-	// Use a single prepared statement for all inserts
-	stmt, err := tx.Prepare("INSERT INTO RecipeTags (RecipeId, TagId) VALUES ($1, $2);")
+	tx, err := r.db.Beginx()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] Failed to create statement for recipe tag mapping: %w", err)
-	}
-	defer stmt.Close()
-
-	for _, id := range tagIds {
-		if _, err := stmt.Exec(recipe.Id, id); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] Failed to insert tag-recipe mapping: %w", err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Commit the transaction
-	if err := tx.Commit(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	defer tx.Rollback()
 
-	return nil
+	psql := sq.StatementBuilder.
+		PlaceholderFormat(sq.Dollar).
+		RunWith(tx)
+
+	// Step 1: delete existing tag mappings
+	{
+		_sql, args, err := psql.
+			Delete("RecipeTags").
+			Where(sq.Eq{"RecipeId": recipe.Id}).
+			ToSql()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] failed to build delete recipe tags query: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		if _, err = tx.Exec(_sql, args...); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] failed to delete existing recipe tags: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Step 2: normalize tags
+	normalized := make(map[string]struct{})
+	for _, tag := range tags {
+		t := strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(tag))
+		if t != "" {
+			normalized[t] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// No tags means "remove all tags" — we’re done
+	if len(normalized) == 0 {
+		return tx.Commit()
+	}
+
+	// Step 3: upsert tags and collect IDs
+	var tagIDs []int
+	for tag := range normalized {
+		var tagID int
+
+		_sql, args, err := psql.
+			Insert("tags").
+			Columns("name").
+			Values(tag).
+			Suffix("ON CONFLICT (name) DO UPDATE SET name = EXCLUDED.name RETURNING id").
+			ToSql()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] failed to build tag upsert query: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		if err = tx.QueryRowx(_sql, args...).Scan(&tagID); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] failed to retrieve or create tag: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		tagIDs = append(tagIDs, tagID)
+	}
+
+	// Step 4: insert new recipe ↔ tag mappings
+	for _, tagID := range tagIDs {
+		_sql, args, err := psql.
+			Insert("RecipeTags").
+			Columns("RecipeId", "TagId").
+			Values(recipe.Id, tagID).
+			ToSql()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] failed to build recipe tag mapping query: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		if _, err = tx.Exec(_sql, args...); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("[ERROR] failed to insert recipe tag mapping: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return tx.Commit()
 }
 
 // GetUserRecipes gets a list of a users owned recipes. This function does not ensure the user is
@@ -709,28 +757,21 @@ func (r *RecipeRepository) GetRecipeTags(recipe *domain.Recipe) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	recipe.Tags = []domain.Tag{}
+	psql := sq.StatementBuilder.PlaceholderFormat(sq.Dollar)
+	query := psql.
+		Select("t.*").
+		From("tags t").
+		Join("recipetags rt on rt.tagid = t.id").
+		Where(sq.Eq{"rt.recipeid": recipe.Id})
 
-	query := `
-		SELECT t.* FROM tags t
-		JOIN recipetags rt ON rt.tagid = t.id
-		WHERE rt.recipeid = $1;
-	`
-	rows, err := r.db.Query(query, recipe.Id)
+	_sql, args, err := query.ToSql()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to get tags for recipe. %s\n", err.Error())
+		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to construct sql query: %w", err)
 	}
-	defer rows.Close()
 
-	for rows.Next() {
-		var tag domain.Tag
-
-		err := rows.Scan(&tag.Id, &tag.Name, &tag.Created)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to scan tag onto domain model. %s\n", err.Error())
-		}
-
-		recipe.Tags = append(recipe.Tags, tag)
+	recipe.Tags = []domain.Tag{}
+	if err := r.db.Select(&recipe.Tags, _sql, args...); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to get recipe tags: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return nil