diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0f84bec6d..4284578e2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@
   "main"         : "server.js",
   "author"       : "Scotch",
   "dependencies" : {
-    "express"    : "~3.4.4",
-    "mongoose"   : "~3.6.2"
+    "express"         : "~4.6.1",
+    "mongoose"        : "~3.8.13",
+    "morgan"          : "~1.1.1",
+    "body-parser"     : "~1.4.3",
+    "method-override" : "~2.1.1"
   }
 }
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 9f8736fac..40000f1db 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -4,16 +4,20 @@ var app      = express(); 								// create our app w/ express
 var mongoose = require('mongoose'); 					// mongoose for mongodb
 var port  	 = process.env.PORT || 8080; 				// set the port
 var database = require('./config/database'); 			// load the database config
+var morgan   = require('morgan');
+var bodyParser = require('body-parser');
+var methodOverride = require('method-override');
 
 // configuration ===============================================================
 mongoose.connect(database.url); 	// connect to mongoDB database on modulus.io
 
-app.configure(function() {
-	app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public')); 		// set the static files location /public/img will be /img for users
-	app.use(express.logger('dev')); 						// log every request to the console
-	app.use(express.bodyParser()); 							// pull information from html in POST
-	app.use(express.methodOverride()); 						// simulate DELETE and PUT
-});
+app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public')); 		// set the static files location /public/img will be /img for users
+app.use(morgan()); // log every request to the console
+app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({'extended':'true'})); // parse application/x-www-form-urlencoded
+app.use(bodyParser.json()); // parse application/json
+app.use(bodyParser.json({ type: 'application/vnd.api+json' })); // parse application/vnd.api+json as json
+app.use(methodOverride('X-HTTP-Method-Override')); // override with the X-HTTP-Method-Override header in the request
+
 
 // routes ======================================================================
 require('./app/routes.js')(app);