LOTS of changes

app/database.py

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import mysql.connector
+from flask import current_app, g
+from mysql.connector import pooling
+
+# Optional: Use a pool if desired
+def init_db_pool():
+    return pooling.MySQLConnectionPool(
+        pool_name="mypool",
+        pool_size=5,
+        pool_reset_session=True,
+        host=current_app.config['MYSQL_HOST'],
+        user=current_app.config['MYSQL_USER'],
+        password=current_app.config['MYSQL_PASSWORD'],
+        database=current_app.config['MYSQL_DATABASE']
+    )
+
+def get_db():
+    if 'db' not in g:
+        if 'db_pool' not in current_app.config:
+            current_app.config['db_pool'] = init_db_pool()
+        g.db = current_app.config['db_pool'].get_connection()
+    return g.db
+
+def close_db(e=None):
+    db = g.pop('db', None)
+    if db is not None:
+        try:
+            db.close()  # returns connection to the pool
+        except Exception as err:
+            print(f"[DB Cleanup] Failed to close DB connection: {err}")
+
+
+def init_app(app):
+    app.teardown_appcontext(close_db)