diff --git a/.rubocop.yml b/.rubocop.yml
index 02faf18d..76ac30e1 100644
--- a/.rubocop.yml
+++ b/.rubocop.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ AllCops:
   TargetRubyVersion: 3.1
   Exclude:
     - vendor/bundle/**/*
+    - lib/rage/templates/**/*
   DisabledByDefault: true
   SuggestExtensions: false
 
diff --git a/lib/rage-rb.rb b/lib/rage-rb.rb
index 59bc7aec..4e2ff0c4 100644
--- a/lib/rage-rb.rb
+++ b/lib/rage-rb.rb
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ def self.patch_active_record_connection_pool
     end
   end
 
+  def self.load_tasks
+    Rage::Tasks.init
+  end
+
   # @private
   def self.with_middlewares(app, middlewares)
     middlewares.reverse.inject(app) do |next_in_chain, (middleware, args, block)|
@@ -113,6 +117,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
     end
   end
 
+  autoload :Tasks, "rage/tasks"
   autoload :Cookies, "rage/cookies"
   autoload :Session, "rage/session"
   autoload :Cable, "rage/cable/cable"
diff --git a/lib/rage/cli.rb b/lib/rage/cli.rb
index 6a7a3c0b..371d387a 100644
--- a/lib/rage/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/rage/cli.rb
@@ -5,15 +5,54 @@
 require "rage/version"
 
 module Rage
+  class CLICodeGenerator < Thor
+    include Thor::Actions
+
+    def self.source_root
+      File.expand_path("templates", __dir__)
+    end
+
+    desc "migration NAME", "Generate a new migration."
+    def migration(name = nil)
+      return help("migration") if name.nil?
+
+      setup
+      Rake::Task["db:new_migration"].invoke(name)
+    end
+
+    desc "model NAME", "Generate a new model."
+    def model(name = nil)
+      return help("model") if name.nil?
+
+      setup
+      migration("create_#{name.pluralize}")
+      @model_name = name.classify
+      template("model-template/model.rb", "app/models/#{name.singularize.underscore}.rb")
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def setup
+      @setup ||= begin
+        require "rake"
+        load "Rakefile"
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   class CLI < Thor
     def self.exit_on_failure?
       true
     end
 
     desc "new PATH", "Create a new application."
-    def new(path)
+    option :database, aliases: "-d", desc: "Preconfigure for selected database.", enum: %w(mysql trilogy postgresql sqlite3)
+    option :help, aliases: "-h", desc: "Show this message."
+    def new(path = nil)
+      return help("new") if options.help? || path.nil?
+
       require "rage/all"
-      NewAppGenerator.start([path])
+      CLINewAppGenerator.start([path, options[:database]])
     end
 
     desc "s", "Start the app server."
@@ -130,6 +169,43 @@ def version
       puts Rage::VERSION
     end
 
+    map "generate" => :g
+    desc "g TYPE", "Generate new code."
+    subcommand "g", CLICodeGenerator
+
+    map "--tasks" => :tasks
+    desc "--tasks", "See the list of available tasks."
+    def tasks
+      require "io/console"
+
+      tasks = linked_rake_tasks
+      return if tasks.empty?
+
+      _, max_width = IO.console.winsize
+      max_task_name = tasks.max_by { |task| task.name.length }.name.length + 2
+      max_comment = max_width - max_task_name - 8
+
+      tasks.each do |task|
+        comment = task.comment.length <= max_comment ? task.comment : "#{task.comment[0...max_comment - 5]}..."
+        puts sprintf("rage %-#{max_task_name}s # %s", task.name, comment)
+      end
+    end
+
+    def method_missing(method_name, *, &)
+      set_env({})
+
+      if respond_to?(method_name)
+        Rake::Task[method_name].invoke
+      else
+        suggestions = linked_rake_tasks.map(&:name)
+        raise UndefinedCommandError.new(method_name.to_s, suggestions, nil)
+      end
+    end
+
+    def respond_to_missing?(method_name, include_private = false)
+      linked_rake_tasks.any? { |task| task.name == method_name.to_s } || super
+    end
+
     private
 
     def environment
@@ -141,30 +217,85 @@ def environment
     end
 
     def set_env(options)
-      ENV["RAGE_ENV"] = options[:environment] if options[:environment]
+      if options[:environment]
+        ENV["RAGE_ENV"] = ENV["RAILS_ENV"] = options[:environment]
+      elsif ENV["RAGE_ENV"]
+        ENV["RAILS_ENV"] = ENV["RAGE_ENV"]
+      elsif ENV["RAILS_ENV"]
+        ENV["RAGE_ENV"] = ENV["RAILS_ENV"]
+      else
+        ENV["RAGE_ENV"] = ENV["RAILS_ENV"] = "development"
+      end
+    end
+
+    def linked_rake_tasks
+      require "rake"
+      Rake::TaskManager.record_task_metadata = true
+      load "Rakefile"
 
-      # at this point we don't know whether the app is running in standalone or Rails mode;
-      # we set both variables to make sure applications are running in the same environment;
-      ENV["RAILS_ENV"] = ENV["RAGE_ENV"] if ENV["RAGE_ENV"] && ENV["RAILS_ENV"] != ENV["RAGE_ENV"]
+      Rake::Task.tasks.select { |task| !task.comment.nil? && task.name.start_with?("db:") }
     end
   end
 
-  class NewAppGenerator < Thor::Group
+  class CLINewAppGenerator < Thor::Group
     include Thor::Actions
     argument :path, type: :string
+    argument :database, type: :string, required: false
 
     def self.source_root
       File.expand_path("templates", __dir__)
     end
 
+    def setup
+      @use_database = !database.nil?
+    end
+
     def create_directory
       empty_directory(path)
     end
 
     def copy_files
-      Dir.glob("*", base: self.class.source_root).each do |template|
+      inject_templates
+    end
+
+    def install_database
+      return unless @use_database
+
+      @app_name = path.tr("-", "_").downcase
+      append_to_file "#{path}/Gemfile", <<~RUBY
+
+        gem "#{get_db_gem_name}"
+        gem "activerecord"
+        gem "standalone_migrations", require: false
+      RUBY
+
+      inject_templates("db-templates")
+      inject_templates("db-templates/#{database}")
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def inject_templates(from = nil)
+      root = "#{self.class.source_root}/#{from}"
+
+      Dir.glob("*", base: root).each do |template|
+        next if File.directory?("#{root}/#{template}")
+
         *template_path_parts, template_name = template.split("-")
-        template(template, "#{path}/#{template_path_parts.join("/")}/#{template_name}")
+        template("#{root}/#{template}", [path, *template_path_parts, template_name].join("/"))
+      end
+    end
+
+    def get_db_gem_name
+      case database
+      when "mysql"
+        "mysql2"
+      when "trilogy"
+        "trilogy"
+      when "postgresql"
+        "pg"
+      when "sqlite3"
+        "sqlite3"
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/rage/ext/setup.rb b/lib/rage/ext/setup.rb
index 3aa386b3..99b94f8a 100644
--- a/lib/rage/ext/setup.rb
+++ b/lib/rage/ext/setup.rb
@@ -56,7 +56,44 @@ def connection_cache_key(_)
   end
 end
 
+# connect to the database in standalone mode
+database_url, database_file = ENV["DATABASE_URL"], Rage.root.join("config/database.yml")
+if defined?(ActiveRecord) && !Rage.config.internal.rails_mode && (database_url || database_file.exist?)
+  # transform database URL to an object
+  database_url_config = if database_url.nil?
+    {}
+  elsif ActiveRecord.version >= Gem::Version.create("6.1.0")
+    ActiveRecord::Base.configurations
+    ActiveRecord::DatabaseConfigurations::ConnectionUrlResolver.new(database_url).to_hash
+  else
+    ActiveRecord::ConnectionAdapters::ConnectionSpecification::ConnectionUrlResolver.new(database_url).to_hash
+  end
+  database_url_config.transform_keys!(&:to_s)
+
+  # load config/database.yml
+  if database_file.exist?
+    database_file_config = begin
+      require "yaml"
+      require "erb"
+      YAML.safe_load(ERB.new(database_file.read).result, aliases: true)
+    end
+
+    # merge database URL config into the file config (only if we have one database)
+    database_file_config.transform_values! do |env_config|
+      env_config.all? { |_, v| v.is_a?(Hash) } ? env_config : env_config.merge(database_url_config)
+    end
+  end
+
+  ActiveRecord::Base.configurations = database_file_config || { Rage.env.to_s => database_url_config }
+  ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(Rage.env.to_sym)
+
+  unless defined?(Rake)
+    ActiveRecord::Base.logger = Rage.logger if Rage.logger.debug?
+    ActiveRecord::Base.connection_pool.with_connection {} # validate the connection
+  end
+end
+
 # patch `ActiveRecord::ConnectionPool`
-if defined?(ActiveRecord) && Rage.config.internal.patch_ar_pool?
+if defined?(ActiveRecord) && !defined?(Rake) && Rage.config.internal.patch_ar_pool?
   Rage.patch_active_record_connection_pool
 end
diff --git a/lib/rage/logger/logger.rb b/lib/rage/logger/logger.rb
index 338e4139..bc1b853f 100644
--- a/lib/rage/logger/logger.rb
+++ b/lib/rage/logger/logger.rb
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def initialize(log, level: Logger::DEBUG, formatter: Rage::TextFormatter.new, sh
     end
 
     @formatter = formatter
-    @level = level
+    @level = @logdev ? level : Logger::UNKNOWN
     define_log_methods
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/rage/setup.rb b/lib/rage/setup.rb
index dfb4f7b5..41c06bac 100644
--- a/lib/rage/setup.rb
+++ b/lib/rage/setup.rb
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
 # Run application initializers
 Dir["#{Rage.root}/config/initializers/**/*.rb"].each { |initializer| load(initializer) }
 
+require "rage/ext/setup"
+
 # Load application classes
 Rage.code_loader.setup
 
 require_relative "#{Rage.root}/config/routes"
-
-require "rage/ext/setup"
diff --git a/lib/rage/tasks.rb b/lib/rage/tasks.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a8606d9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rage/tasks.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+begin
+  require "standalone_migrations"
+rescue LoadError
+end
+
+class Rage::Tasks
+  class << self
+    def init
+      load_db_tasks if defined?(StandaloneMigrations)
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def load_db_tasks
+      StandaloneMigrations::Configurator.prepend(Module.new do
+        def configuration_file
+          @path ||= begin
+            @__tempfile = Tempfile.new
+            @__tempfile.write <<~YAML
+              config:
+                database: config/database.yml
+            YAML
+            @__tempfile.close
+
+            @__tempfile.path
+          end
+        end
+      end)
+
+      StandaloneMigrations::Tasks.load_tasks
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/Rakefile b/lib/rage/templates/Rakefile
index 046f1fcb..a2824f60 100644
--- a/lib/rage/templates/Rakefile
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/Rakefile
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 require_relative "config/application"
+Rage.load_tasks
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/config-application.rb b/lib/rage/templates/config-application.rb
index c57f7486..df7f0178 100644
--- a/lib/rage/templates/config-application.rb
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/config-application.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 require "rage"
 Bundler.require(*Rage.groups)
 
+<% if @use_database -%>
+require "active_record"
+<% end -%>
 require "rage/all"
 
 Rage.configure do
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/app-models-application_record.rb b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/app-models-application_record.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..10a4cba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/app-models-application_record.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+class ApplicationRecord < ActiveRecord::Base
+  self.abstract_class = true
+end
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/db-seeds.rb b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/db-seeds.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4fbd6ed9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/db-seeds.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# This file should ensure the existence of records required to run the application in every environment (production,
+# development, test). The code here should be idempotent so that it can be executed at any point in every environment.
+# The data can then be loaded with the bin/rails db:seed command (or created alongside the database with db:setup).
+#
+# Example:
+#
+#   ["Action", "Comedy", "Drama", "Horror"].each do |genre_name|
+#     MovieGenre.find_or_create_by!(name: genre_name)
+#   end
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/mysql/config-database.yml b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/mysql/config-database.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f9626e5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/mysql/config-database.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+##
+# MySQL. Versions 5.5.8 and up are supported.
+#
+default: &default
+  adapter: mysql2
+  encoding: utf8mb4
+  pool: <%%= ENV.fetch("DB_MAX_CONNECTIONS") { 5 } %>
+  username: root
+  password:
+  socket: /tmp/mysql.sock
+
+development:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_development
+
+test:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_test
+
+production:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_production
+  username: <%= @app_name %>
+  password: <%%= ENV["<%= @app_name.upcase %>_DATABASE_PASSWORD"] %>
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/postgresql/config-database.yml b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/postgresql/config-database.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ddf69450
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/postgresql/config-database.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+##
+# PostgreSQL. Versions 9.3 and up are supported.
+#
+default: &default
+  adapter: postgresql
+  encoding: unicode
+  pool: <%%= ENV.fetch("DB_MAX_CONNECTIONS") { 5 } %>
+
+development:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_development
+
+test:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_test
+
+production:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_production
+  username: <%= @app_name %>
+  password: <%%= ENV["<%= @app_name.upcase %>_DATABASE_PASSWORD"] %>
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/sqlite3/config-database.yml b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/sqlite3/config-database.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e52124c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/sqlite3/config-database.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+##
+# SQLite. Versions 3.8.0 and up are supported.
+#
+default: &default
+  adapter: sqlite3
+  pool: <%%= ENV.fetch("DB_MAX_CONNECTIONS") { 5 } %>
+  timeout: 5000
+
+development:
+  <<: *default
+  database: storage/development.sqlite3
+
+test:
+  <<: *default
+  database: storage/test.sqlite3
+
+production:
+  <<: *default
+  database: storage/production.sqlite3
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/trilogy/config-database.yml b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/trilogy/config-database.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4bba43f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/db-templates/trilogy/config-database.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+##
+# MySQL. Versions 5.5.8 and up are supported.
+#
+default: &default
+  adapter: trilogy
+  encoding: utf8mb4
+  pool: <%%= ENV.fetch("DB_MAX_THREADS") { 5 } %>
+  username: root
+  password:
+  socket: /tmp/mysql.sock
+
+development:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_development
+
+test:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_test
+
+production:
+  <<: *default
+  database: <%= @app_name %>_production
+  username: <%= @app_name %>
+  password: <%%= ENV["<%= @app_name.upcase %>_DATABASE_PASSWORD"] %>
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/lib-tasks-.keep b/lib/rage/templates/lib-tasks-.keep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/lib/rage/templates/model-template/model.rb b/lib/rage/templates/model-template/model.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..37f6de73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rage/templates/model-template/model.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+class <%= @model_name %> < ApplicationRecord
+end
diff --git a/rage.gemspec b/rage.gemspec
index fc44c96d..1b445655 100644
--- a/rage.gemspec
+++ b/rage.gemspec
@@ -32,4 +32,5 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |spec|
   spec.add_dependency "rage-iodine", "~> 4.0"
   spec.add_dependency "zeitwerk", "~> 2.6"
   spec.add_dependency "rack-test", "~> 2.1"
+  spec.add_dependency "rake", ">= 12.0"
 end
diff --git a/spec/setup_spec.rb b/spec/setup_spec.rb
index 1ec5ad95..2b61c253 100644
--- a/spec/setup_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/setup_spec.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
   before do
     allow(Rage).to receive(:env).and_return(env)
-    allow(Rage).to receive(:root).and_return(File.expand_path("..", __dir__))
+    allow(Rage).to receive(:root).and_return(Pathname.new(File.expand_path("..", __dir__)))
     allow(Rage).to receive_message_chain(:code_loader, :setup).and_return(true)
     allow(Iodine).to receive(:patch_rack).and_return(true)
   end