Fix config path, env secrets, and align API calls

backend/util/db_config.py

@@ -4,7 +4,26 @@ import os
 import mysql.connector
 from util.logger import logger
 
-CONFIG_PATH = "./config/db_config.json"
+
+def _resolve_config_path() -> str:
+    """
+    Prefer an explicit env override, otherwise use a docker-friendly default
+    (/config) and fall back to the repo-local config folder for non-docker dev.
+    """
+    if env_path := os.environ.get("DB_CONFIG_PATH"):
+        return os.path.abspath(env_path)
+
+    docker_path = "/config/db_config.json"
+    if os.path.exists("/config"):
+        return docker_path
+
+    # local fallback: backend/config/db_config.json (relative to this file)
+    return os.path.abspath(
+        os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "..", "config", "db_config.json")
+    )
+
+
+CONFIG_PATH = _resolve_config_path()
 
 def is_configured():
     return os.path.exists(CONFIG_PATH)