diff --git a/backend/cmd/server/main.go b/backend/cmd/server/main.go
index 82595b5..9fb8634 100644
--- a/backend/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/backend/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5/middleware"
@@ -32,20 +30,16 @@ func main() {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	// Workdir
+	// Initialize filesystem
 	workdir := os.Getenv("NOVAMD_WORKDIR")
 	if workdir == "" {
 		workdir = "./data"
 	}
-
 	fs := filesystem.New(workdir)
 
-	// User service
+	// Initialize user service
 	userService := user.NewUserService(database, fs)
-
-	// Admin user
-	_, err = userService.SetupAdminUser()
-	if err != nil {
+	if _, err := userService.SetupAdminUser(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
@@ -54,44 +48,26 @@ func main() {
 	r.Use(middleware.Logger)
 	r.Use(middleware.Recoverer)
 
-	// Set up API routes
+	// API routes
 	r.Route("/api/v1", func(r chi.Router) {
 		api.SetupRoutes(r, database, fs)
 	})
 
-	// Set up static file server with path validation
+	// Static file serving
 	staticPath := os.Getenv("NOVAMD_STATIC_PATH")
 	if staticPath == "" {
 		staticPath = "../frontend/dist"
 	}
-	fileServer := http.FileServer(http.Dir(staticPath))
-	r.Get(
-		"/*",
-		func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-			requestedPath := r.URL.Path
 
-			fullPath := filepath.Join(staticPath, requestedPath)
-			cleanPath := filepath.Clean(fullPath)
-
-			if !strings.HasPrefix(cleanPath, staticPath) {
-				http.Error(w, "Invalid path", http.StatusBadRequest)
-				return
-			}
-
-			_, err = os.Stat(cleanPath)
-			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-				http.ServeFile(w, r, filepath.Join(staticPath, "index.html"))
-				return
-			}
-			http.StripPrefix("/", fileServer).ServeHTTP(w, r)
-		},
-	)
+	// Handle all other routes with static file server
+	r.Get("/*", api.NewStaticHandler(staticPath).ServeHTTP)
 
 	// Start server
 	port := os.Getenv("NOVAMD_PORT")
 	if port == "" {
 		port = "8080"
 	}
+
 	log.Printf("Server starting on port %s", port)
 	log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe(":"+port, r))
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/api/static_handler.go b/backend/internal/api/static_handler.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..971b35d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/api/static_handler.go
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// StaticHandler serves static files with support for SPA routing and pre-compressed files
+type StaticHandler struct {
+	staticPath string
+}
+
+func NewStaticHandler(staticPath string) *StaticHandler {
+	return &StaticHandler{
+		staticPath: staticPath,
+	}
+}
+
+func (h *StaticHandler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	// Get the requested path
+	requestedPath := r.URL.Path
+	fullPath := filepath.Join(h.staticPath, requestedPath)
+	cleanPath := filepath.Clean(fullPath)
+
+	// Security check to prevent directory traversal
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(cleanPath, h.staticPath) {
+		http.Error(w, "Invalid path", http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Set cache headers for assets
+	if strings.HasPrefix(requestedPath, "/assets/") {
+		w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "public, max-age=31536000") // 1 year
+	}
+
+	// Check if file exists (not counting .gz files)
+	stat, err := os.Stat(cleanPath)
+	if err != nil || stat.IsDir() {
+		// Serve index.html for SPA routing
+		indexPath := filepath.Join(h.staticPath, "index.html")
+		http.ServeFile(w, r, indexPath)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Check for pre-compressed version
+	if strings.Contains(r.Header.Get("Accept-Encoding"), "gzip") {
+		gzPath := cleanPath + ".gz"
+		if _, err := os.Stat(gzPath); err == nil {
+			w.Header().Set("Content-Encoding", "gzip")
+
+			// Set proper content type based on original file
+			switch filepath.Ext(cleanPath) {
+			case ".js":
+				w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/javascript")
+			case ".css":
+				w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/css")
+			case ".html":
+				w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/html")
+			}
+
+			http.ServeFile(w, r, gzPath)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Serve original file
+	http.ServeFile(w, r, cleanPath)
+}