diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index dd7278ed79800d6a0d26dcf4b0fbcc6b94b7f88f..7d284a8239bd59c481b6ef15b185ff34171fa0ce 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ app.get('/display', (req, res) => {
   res.render('display');
 });
 
+// URL of the backend API
+const BACKEND_ENDPOINT = process.env.BACKEND || 'http://localhost:8181';
+
 //Start the server
 function startServer() {
     const PORT = process.env.PORT || 8080;