diff --git a/src/app/api/login.ts b/src/app/api/login.ts
index b7b87a0..6227142 100644
--- a/src/app/api/login.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/login.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,23 @@ import prisma from "app/lib/db";
 import bcrypt from 'bcrypt';
 
 export type User = {
-  id: number,
+  id?: number,
   email: string,
   password: string,
 }
 
 export default async function authenticate(clientUser: User) {
   const dbUser: User = await prisma.user.findFirst({ where: { email: clientUser.email } })
-  if (!dbUser) return null
-
-
+  if (!dbUser) return "user doesn't exist"
+  const passwordMatches = await
+    bcrypt.compare(clientUser.password, dbUser.password)
+  if (!passwordMatches) return "password doesn't match"
+  return "password matches!"
 }
+
+let res = await authenticate({ email: "nobody", password: "nothing" })
+console.log("nonexistent user: " + res)
+res = await authenticate({ email: "demo@demo.demo", password: "nothing" })
+console.log("existent user, bad password: " + res)
+res = await authenticate({ email: "demo@demo.demo", password: "password" })
+console.log("existent user, good password: " + res)