diff --git a/src/api/lib.zig b/src/api/lib.zig
index fa8990d..ad272fa 100644
--- a/src/api/lib.zig
+++ b/src/api/lib.zig
@@ -13,14 +13,12 @@ const services = struct {
     const notes = @import("./services/notes.zig");
 };
 
-pub const RegistrationRequest = struct {
-    username: []const u8,
-    password: []const u8,
-    invite_code: []const u8,
+pub const RegistrationOptions = struct {
+    invite_code: ?[]const u8 = null,
     email: ?[]const u8 = null,
 };
 
-pub const InviteRequest = struct {
+pub const InviteOptions = struct {
     pub const Kind = services.invites.Kind;
 
     name: ?[]const u8 = null,
@@ -227,7 +225,7 @@ fn ApiConn(comptime DbConn: type) type {
             return community;
         }
 
-        pub fn createInvite(self: *Self, options: InviteRequest) !services.invites.Invite {
+        pub fn createInvite(self: *Self, options: InviteOptions) !services.invites.Invite {
             // Only logged in users can make invites
             const user_id = self.user_id orelse return error.TokenRequired;
 
@@ -251,26 +249,33 @@ fn ApiConn(comptime DbConn: type) type {
             return try services.invites.get(self.db, invite_id, self.arena.allocator());
         }
 
-        pub fn register(self: *Self, request: RegistrationRequest) !UserResponse {
-            std.log.debug("registering user {s} with code {s}", .{ request.username, request.invite_code });
-            const invite = try services.invites.getByCode(self.db, request.invite_code, self.community.id, self.arena.allocator());
+        pub fn register(self: *Self, username: []const u8, password: []const u8, opt: RegistrationOptions) !UserResponse {
+            std.log.debug("registering user {s} with code {?s}", .{ username, opt.invite_code });
+            const maybe_invite = if (opt.invite_code) |code|
+                try services.invites.getByCode(self.db, code, self.community.id, self.arena.allocator())
+            else
+                null;
 
-            if (!Uuid.eql(invite.community_id, self.community.id)) return error.NotFound;
-            if (invite.max_uses != null and invite.times_used >= invite.max_uses.?) return error.InviteExpired;
-            if (invite.expires_at != null and DateTime.now().isAfter(invite.expires_at.?)) return error.InviteExpired;
+            if (maybe_invite) |invite| {
+                if (!Uuid.eql(invite.community_id, self.community.id)) return error.WrongCommunity;
+                if (invite.max_uses != null and invite.times_used >= invite.max_uses.?) return error.InviteExpired;
+                if (invite.expires_at != null and DateTime.now().isAfter(invite.expires_at.?)) return error.InviteExpired;
+            }
+
+            const invite_kind = if (maybe_invite) |inv| inv.kind else .user;
 
             if (self.community.kind == .admin) @panic("Unimplmented");
 
             const user_id = try services.auth.register(
                 self.db,
-                request.username,
-                request.password,
+                username,
+                password,
                 self.community.id,
-                .{ .invite_id = invite.id, .email = request.email },
+                .{ .invite_id = if (maybe_invite) |inv| inv.id else null, .email = opt.email },
                 self.arena.allocator(),
             );
 
-            switch (invite.kind) {
+            switch (invite_kind) {
                 .user => {},
                 .system => @panic("System user invites unimplemented"),
                 .community_owner => {
diff --git a/src/main/controllers.zig b/src/main/controllers.zig
index e8749c7..a963521 100644
--- a/src/main/controllers.zig
+++ b/src/main/controllers.zig
@@ -13,40 +13,26 @@ pub const invites = @import("./controllers/invites.zig");
 pub const users = @import("./controllers/users.zig");
 pub const notes = @import("./controllers/notes.zig");
 
-pub fn routeRequest(api_source: anytype, request: http.Request, response: http.Response, alloc: std.mem.Allocator) void {
+pub fn routeRequest(api_source: anytype, ctx: http.server.Context, alloc: std.mem.Allocator) void {
     // TODO: hashmaps?
     inline for (routes) |route| {
-        if (Context(route).matchAndHandle(api_source, request, response, alloc)) return;
+        if (Context(route).matchAndHandle(api_source, ctx, alloc)) return;
     }
 
-    // todo 404
+    var response = Response{ .headers = http.Headers.init(alloc), .ctx = ctx };
+    defer response.headers.deinit();
+
+    response.status(.not_found) catch {};
 }
 
-const routes = .{ sample_api, invites.create };
-
-pub const sample_api = struct {
-    const Self = @This();
-
-    pub const method = .POST;
-    pub const path = "/notes/:id/reacts";
-    pub const content_type = "application/json";
-
-    pub const Args = struct {
-        id: []const u8,
-    };
-
-    pub const Body = struct {
-        content: util.Uuid,
-    };
-
-    pub const Query = struct {
-        arg: []const u8 = "",
-    };
-
-    pub fn handler(ctx: Context(Self), response: *Response, _: api.ApiSource.Conn) !void {
-        std.log.debug("{}", .{ctx.body.content});
-        try response.writeJson(.created, ctx.query);
-    }
+const routes = .{
+    auth.login,
+    auth.verify_login,
+    communities.create,
+    invites.create,
+    users.create,
+    notes.create,
+    //notes.get,
 };
 
 pub fn Context(comptime Route: type) type {
@@ -74,7 +60,7 @@ pub fn Context(comptime Route: type) type {
         query: Query,
 
         fn parseArgs(path: []const u8) ?Args {
-            var args: Route.Args = undefined;
+            var args: Args = undefined;
             var path_iter = util.PathIter.from(path);
             comptime var route_iter = util.PathIter.from(Route.path);
             inline while (comptime route_iter.next()) |route_segment| {
@@ -93,7 +79,7 @@ pub fn Context(comptime Route: type) type {
             const req = ctx.request;
             if (req.method != Route.method) return false;
             var path = std.mem.sliceTo(std.mem.sliceTo(req.path, '#'), '?');
-            var args: Route.Args = parseArgs(path) orelse return false;
+            var args: Args = parseArgs(path) orelse return false;
 
             var response = Response{ .headers = http.Headers.init(alloc), .ctx = ctx };
             defer response.headers.deinit();
@@ -116,7 +102,7 @@ pub fn Context(comptime Route: type) type {
         }
 
         fn errorHandler(response: *Response, status: http.Status) void {
-            response.writeStatus(status) catch unreachable;
+            response.status(status) catch unreachable;
         }
 
         fn prepareAndHandle(self: *Self, api_source: anytype, req: http.Request, response: *Response) void {
@@ -128,7 +114,7 @@ pub fn Context(comptime Route: type) type {
             var api_conn = self.getApiConn(api_source) catch return errorHandler(response, .internal_server_error); // TODO
             defer api_conn.close();
 
-            self.handle(response, api_conn);
+            self.handle(response, &api_conn);
         }
 
         fn parseBody(self: *Self, req: http.Request) !void {
@@ -179,16 +165,16 @@ pub const Response = struct {
     headers: http.Headers,
     ctx: http.server.Context,
 
-    pub fn writeStatus(self: *Self, status: http.Status) !void {
-        var stream = try self.ctx.openResponse(&self.headers, status);
+    pub fn status(self: *Self, status_code: http.Status) !void {
+        var stream = try self.ctx.openResponse(&self.headers, status_code);
         defer stream.close();
         try stream.finish();
     }
 
-    pub fn writeJson(self: *Self, status: http.Status, response_body: anytype) !void {
+    pub fn json(self: *Self, status_code: http.Status, response_body: anytype) !void {
         try self.headers.put("Content-Type", "application/json");
 
-        var stream = try self.ctx.openResponse(&self.headers, status);
+        var stream = try self.ctx.openResponse(&self.headers, status_code);
         defer stream.close();
 
         const writer = stream.writer();
@@ -196,6 +182,13 @@ pub const Response = struct {
 
         try stream.finish();
     }
+
+    pub fn err(self: *Self, status_code: http.Status, message: []const u8, details: anytype) !void {
+        return self.json(status_code, .{
+            .message = message,
+            .details = details,
+        });
+    }
 };
 
 const json_options = if (builtin.mode == .Debug)
diff --git a/src/main/controllers/actors.zig b/src/main/controllers/actors.zig
deleted file mode 100644
index 3663972..0000000
--- a/src/main/controllers/actors.zig
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-const root = @import("root");
-const http = @import("http");
-const Uuid = @import("util").Uuid;
-
-const utils = @import("../controllers.zig").utils;
-
-const RequestServer = root.RequestServer;
-const RouteArgs = http.RouteArgs;
-
-pub fn get(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, args: RouteArgs) !void {
-    const id_str = args.get("id") orelse return error.NotFound;
-    const id = Uuid.parse(id_str) catch return utils.respondError(ctx, .bad_request, "Invalid UUID");
-    var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-    defer api.close();
-
-    const user = (try api.getActor(id)) orelse return utils.respondError(ctx, .not_found, "Note not found");
-
-    try utils.respondJson(ctx, .ok, user);
-}
diff --git a/src/main/controllers/auth.zig b/src/main/controllers/auth.zig
index f07aa88..95be918 100644
--- a/src/main/controllers/auth.zig
+++ b/src/main/controllers/auth.zig
@@ -1,42 +1,28 @@
-const std = @import("std");
-const root = @import("root");
-const builtin = @import("builtin");
-const http = @import("http");
-const Uuid = @import("util").Uuid;
-
-const utils = @import("../controllers.zig").utils;
-
-const RequestServer = root.RequestServer;
-const RouteArgs = http.RouteArgs;
+const api = @import("api");
 
 pub const login = struct {
-    pub const path = "/auth/login";
     pub const method = .POST;
-    pub fn handler(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, _: RouteArgs) !void {
-        const credentials = try utils.parseRequestBody(struct { username: []const u8, password: []const u8 }, ctx);
-        defer utils.freeRequestBody(credentials, ctx.alloc);
+    pub const path = "/auth/login";
 
-        var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-        defer api.close();
+    pub const Body = struct {
+        username: []const u8,
+        password: []const u8,
+    };
 
-        const token = try api.login(credentials.username, credentials.password);
+    pub fn handler(req: anytype, res: anytype, srv: anytype) !void {
+        const token = try srv.login(req.body.username, req.body.password);
 
-        try utils.respondJson(ctx, .ok, token);
+        try res.json(.ok, token);
     }
 };
 
 pub const verify_login = struct {
-    pub const path = "/auth/login";
     pub const method = .GET;
+    pub const path = "/auth/login";
 
-    pub fn handler(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, _: RouteArgs) !void {
-        var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-        defer api.close();
+    pub fn handler(_: anytype, res: anytype, srv: anytype) !void {
+        const info = try srv.verifyAuthorization();
 
-        // The self-hosted compiler doesn't like inferring this error set.
-        // do this for now
-        const info = try api.verifyAuthorization();
-
-        try utils.respondJson(ctx, .ok, info);
+        try res.json(.ok, info);
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/main/controllers/communities.zig b/src/main/controllers/communities.zig
index 952fd90..e108ce8 100644
--- a/src/main/controllers/communities.zig
+++ b/src/main/controllers/communities.zig
@@ -1,33 +1,16 @@
-const root = @import("root");
-const http = @import("http");
-
-const utils = @import("../controllers.zig").utils;
-
-const RequestServer = root.RequestServer;
-const RouteArgs = http.RouteArgs;
+const api = @import("api");
 
 pub const create = struct {
     pub const method = .POST;
     pub const path = "/communities";
-    pub fn handler(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, _: RouteArgs) !void {
-        const opt = try utils.parseRequestBody(struct { origin: []const u8 }, ctx);
-        defer utils.freeRequestBody(opt, ctx.alloc);
 
-        var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-        defer api.close();
+    pub const Body = struct {
+        origin: []const u8,
+    };
 
-        const invite = try api.createCommunity(opt.origin);
+    pub fn handler(req: anytype, res: anytype, srv: anytype) !void {
+        const invite = try srv.createCommunity(req.body.origin);
 
-        try utils.respondJson(ctx, .created, invite);
+        try res.json(.created, invite);
     }
 };
-
-pub fn get(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, args: RouteArgs) !void {
-    const host = args.get("host") orelse return error.NotFound;
-    var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-    defer api.close();
-
-    const invite = (try api.getCommunity(host)) orelse return utils.respondError(ctx, .not_found, "Community not found");
-
-    try utils.respondJson(ctx, .ok, invite);
-}
diff --git a/src/main/controllers/invites.zig b/src/main/controllers/invites.zig
index 4084a68..0355bcf 100644
--- a/src/main/controllers/invites.zig
+++ b/src/main/controllers/invites.zig
@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 const api = @import("api");
 
 pub const create = struct {
-    pub const path = "/invites";
     pub const method = .POST;
-    pub const Body = api.InviteRequest;
+    pub const path = "/invites";
 
-    pub fn handler(req: anytype, res: anytype, srv: api.ApiSource.Conn) !void {
+    pub const Body = api.InviteOptions;
+
+    pub fn handler(req: anytype, res: anytype, srv: anytype) !void {
         // No need to free because it will be freed when the api conn
         // is closed
-        const invite = srv.createInvite(req.body);
+        const invite = try srv.createInvite(req.body);
 
-        try res.writeJson(.created, invite);
+        try res.json(.created, invite);
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/main/controllers/notes.zig b/src/main/controllers/notes.zig
index edc59dc..11da65c 100644
--- a/src/main/controllers/notes.zig
+++ b/src/main/controllers/notes.zig
@@ -1,40 +1,32 @@
-const root = @import("root");
-const http = @import("http");
-const Uuid = @import("util").Uuid;
-
-const utils = @import("../controllers.zig").utils;
-const NoteCreateInfo = @import("api").NoteCreateInfo;
-
-const RequestServer = root.RequestServer;
-const RouteArgs = http.RouteArgs;
+const api = @import("api");
+const util = @import("util");
 
 pub const create = struct {
     pub const method = .POST;
     pub const path = "/notes";
-    pub fn handler(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, _: RouteArgs) !void {
-        const info = try utils.parseRequestBody(struct { content: []const u8 }, ctx);
-        defer utils.freeRequestBody(info, ctx.alloc);
 
-        var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-        defer api.close();
+    pub const Body = struct {
+        content: []const u8,
+    };
 
-        const note = try api.createNote(info.content);
+    pub fn handler(req: anytype, res: anytype, srv: anytype) !void {
+        const note = try srv.createNote(req.body.content);
 
-        try utils.respondJson(ctx, .created, note);
+        try res.json(.created, note);
     }
 };
 
 pub const get = struct {
     pub const method = .GET;
     pub const path = "/notes/:id";
-    pub fn handler(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, args: RouteArgs) !void {
-        const id_str = args.get("id") orelse return error.NotFound;
-        const id = Uuid.parse(id_str) catch return utils.respondError(ctx, .bad_request, "Invalid UUID");
-        var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-        defer api.close();
 
-        const note = try api.getNote(id);
+    pub const Args = struct {
+        id: util.Uuid,
+    };
 
-        try utils.respondJson(ctx, .ok, note);
+    pub fn handler(req: anytype, res: anytype, srv: anytype) !void {
+        const note = try srv.getNote(req.args.id);
+
+        try res.json(.ok, note);
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/main/controllers/notes/reacts.zig b/src/main/controllers/notes/reacts.zig
deleted file mode 100644
index 0d13b8a..0000000
--- a/src/main/controllers/notes/reacts.zig
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-const root = @import("root");
-const http = @import("http");
-const Uuid = @import("util").Uuid;
-
-const utils = @import("../../controllers.zig").utils;
-
-const RequestServer = root.RequestServer;
-const RouteArgs = http.RouteArgs;
-
-pub fn create(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, args: RouteArgs) !void {
-    var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-    defer api.close();
-
-    const note_id = args.get("id") orelse return error.NotFound;
-    const id = Uuid.parse(note_id) catch return utils.respondError(ctx, .bad_request, "Invalid UUID");
-
-    try api.react(id);
-    try utils.respondJson(ctx, .created, .{});
-}
-
-pub fn list(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, args: RouteArgs) !void {
-    var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-    defer api.close();
-
-    const note_id = args.get("id") orelse return error.NotFound;
-    const id = Uuid.parse(note_id) catch return utils.respondError(ctx, .bad_request, "Invalid UUID");
-
-    const reacts = try api.listReacts(id);
-    try utils.respondJson(ctx, .ok, .{ .items = reacts });
-}
diff --git a/src/main/controllers/users.zig b/src/main/controllers/users.zig
index 239bfb0..fdc683e 100644
--- a/src/main/controllers/users.zig
+++ b/src/main/controllers/users.zig
@@ -1,29 +1,26 @@
-const std = @import("std");
-const root = @import("root");
-const http = @import("http");
-const Uuid = @import("util").Uuid;
-
-const RegistrationRequest = @import("api").RegistrationRequest;
-const utils = @import("../controllers.zig").utils;
-
-const RequestServer = root.RequestServer;
-const RouteArgs = http.RouteArgs;
+const api = @import("api");
 
 pub const create = struct {
     pub const method = .POST;
     pub const path = "/users";
-    pub fn handler(srv: *RequestServer, ctx: *http.server.Context, _: RouteArgs) !void {
-        const info = try utils.parseRequestBody(RegistrationRequest, ctx);
-        defer utils.freeRequestBody(info, ctx.alloc);
 
-        var api = try utils.getApiConn(srv, ctx);
-        defer api.close();
+    pub const Body = struct {
+        username: []const u8,
+        password: []const u8,
+        invite_code: ?[]const u8 = null,
+        email: ?[]const u8 = null,
+    };
 
-        const user = api.register(info) catch |err| switch (err) {
-            error.UsernameTaken => return utils.respondError(ctx, .bad_request, "Username Unavailable"),
+    pub fn handler(req: anytype, res: anytype, srv: anytype) !void {
+        const options = .{
+            .invite_code = req.body.invite_code,
+            .email = req.body.email,
+        };
+        const user = srv.register(req.body.username, req.body.password, options) catch |err| switch (err) {
+            error.UsernameTaken => return res.err(.unprocessable_entity, "Username Unavailable", {}),
             else => return err,
         };
 
-        try utils.respondJson(ctx, .created, user);
+        try res.json(.created, user);
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/main/main.zig b/src/main/main.zig
index 4eb0a71..dc96f3c 100644
--- a/src/main/main.zig
+++ b/src/main/main.zig
@@ -26,16 +26,13 @@ pub const RequestServer = struct {
         defer srv.shutdown();
 
         while (true) {
-            const buf = try self.alloc.alloc(u8, 1 << 28); // 4mb
-            defer self.alloc.free(buf);
-            var fba = std.heap.FixedBufferAllocator.init(buf);
-            const alloc = fba.allocator();
+            var arena = std.heap.ArenaAllocator.init(self.alloc);
+            defer arena.deinit();
 
-            var ctx = try srv.accept(alloc);
+            var ctx = try srv.accept(arena.allocator());
             defer ctx.close();
 
-            _ = c.Context(c.sample_api).matchAndHandle(self.api, ctx, self.alloc);
-            if (true) continue;
+            c.routeRequest(self.api, ctx, arena.allocator());
         }
     }
 };