diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ffdc78b..20bec09 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,3 +6,15 @@
 
 ./.idea 
 ./.idea/*
+./.crush
+/AGENTS.md
+/composer.lock
+/.idea/copilot.data.migration.agent.xml
+/.idea/copilot.data.migration.ask.xml
+/.idea/copilot.data.migration.ask2agent.xml
+/.idea/copilot.data.migration.edit.xml
+/.idea/php.xml
+/.idea/phpunit.xml
+/PROFILES_README.md
+/.idea/vcs.xml
+/.idea/workspace.xml
diff --git a/application/controller/AdminController.php b/application/controller/AdminController.php
index aef4c76..6cd7614 100644
--- a/application/controller/AdminController.php
+++ b/application/controller/AdminController.php
@@ -32,25 +32,4 @@ class AdminController extends Controller
 
         Redirect::to("admin");
     }
-
-    public function registerUser()
-    {
-        // Ensure the user is logged in and is an admin
-        if (!LoginModel::isUserLoggedIn() || !LoginModel::isAdmin()) {
-            Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_ADMIN_ONLY'));
-            Redirect::to('admin/index');
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // Validate and register the new user
-        $registration_successful = RegistrationModel::registerNewUser(true);
-
-        if ($registration_successful) {
-            Session::add('feedback_positive', Text::get('FEEDBACK_USER_REGISTERED_SUCCESSFULLY'));
-        } else {
-            Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_USER_REGISTRATION_FAILED'));
-        }
-
-        Redirect::to('admin/index');
-    }
 }
diff --git a/application/controller/RegisterController.php b/application/controller/RegisterController.php
index 9e052bd..dae738b 100644
--- a/application/controller/RegisterController.php
+++ b/application/controller/RegisterController.php
@@ -22,12 +22,8 @@ class RegisterController extends Controller
      */
     public function index()
     {
-        // Redirect non-logged-in users to the login page
-        if (!LoginModel::isUserLoggedIn()) {
-            Redirect::to('login/index');
-            return;
-        }
-
+        // only admins can access registration; reuse existing admin auth check
+        Auth::checkAdminAuthentication();
         $this->View->render('register/index');
     }
 
@@ -37,20 +33,12 @@ class RegisterController extends Controller
      */
     public function register_action()
     {
-        // Restrict registration to admins only
-        if (!LoginModel::isAdmin()) {
-            Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_ADMIN_ONLY'));
-            Redirect::to('login/index');
-            return;
-        }
+        // enforce admin-only for registration
+        Auth::checkAdminAuthentication();
 
-        $registration_successful = RegistrationModel::registerNewUser();
+        RegistrationModel::registerNewUser();
 
-        if ($registration_successful) {
-            Redirect::to('login/index');
-        } else {
-            Redirect::to('register/index');
-        }
+        Redirect::to('admin/index');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -76,7 +64,7 @@ class RegisterController extends Controller
      */
     public function showCaptcha()
     {
-        Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_CAPTCHA_NOT_USED'));
+        // Captcha no longer used
         Redirect::to('register/index');
     }
 }
diff --git a/application/core/Text.php b/application/core/Text.php
index e0c3fc6..7948115 100644
--- a/application/core/Text.php
+++ b/application/core/Text.php
@@ -2,29 +2,16 @@
 
 class Text
 {
-    private static $texts;
+    public static $texts;
 
-    public static function get($key, $data = null)
+    public static function get($key)
     {
-        // if not $key
-        if (!$key) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        if ($data) {
-            foreach ($data as $var => $value) {
-                ${$var} = $value;
-            }
-        }
-
-        // load config file (this is only done once per application lifecycle)
         if (!self::$texts) {
             self::$texts = require(__DIR__ . '/../config/texts.php');
         }
 
-        // check if array key exists
         if (!array_key_exists($key, self::$texts)) {
-            return null;
+            return "TEXT NOT FOUND";
         }
 
         return self::$texts[$key];
diff --git a/application/model/LoginModel.php b/application/model/LoginModel.php
index 2883c45..0e57ba0 100644
--- a/application/model/LoginModel.php
+++ b/application/model/LoginModel.php
@@ -379,15 +379,4 @@ class LoginModel
     {
         return Session::userIsLoggedIn();
     }
-
-    /**
-     * Check if the logged-in user is an admin
-     *
-     * @return bool True if the user is an admin, false otherwise
-     */
-    public static function isAdmin()
-    {
-        $user_role = Session::get('user_role'); // Assuming user role is stored in session
-        return $user_role === 'admin';
-    }
 }
diff --git a/application/model/RegistrationModel.php b/application/model/RegistrationModel.php
index f3d0adb..d5d2b63 100644
--- a/application/model/RegistrationModel.php
+++ b/application/model/RegistrationModel.php
@@ -19,28 +19,35 @@ class RegistrationModel
         $user_name = strip_tags(Request::post('user_name'));
         $user_email = strip_tags(Request::post('user_email'));
         // Use 'user_password' if provided (admin registration), otherwise 'user_password_new'
-        $user_password_new = $isAdmin ? Request::post('user_password') : Request::post('user_password_new');
+        $user_password_new = $isAdmin ? Request::post('user_password_new') : Request::post('user_password_new');
+        $user_password_repeat = $user_password_new; // no repeat field
 
-        // validate input (skip captcha validation)
-        $validation_result = self::registrationInputValidation($user_name, $user_password_new, $user_email);
-        if (!$validation_result) {
-            return false;
-        }
+        // validate using existing validators and messages
+        $valid = true;
+        if (!self::validateUserName($user_name)) { $valid = false; }
+        if (!self::validateUserEmail($user_email, $user_email)) { $valid = false; }
+        if (!self::validateUserPassword($user_password_new, $user_password_repeat)) { $valid = false; }
+        if (!$valid) { return false; }
 
         // hash the password
         $user_password_hash = password_hash($user_password_new, PASSWORD_DEFAULT);
 
-        // check if username or email already exists
-        if (UserModel::doesUsernameAlreadyExist($user_name) || UserModel::doesEmailAlreadyExist($user_email)) {
-            Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_USERNAME_OR_EMAIL_TAKEN'));
-            return false;
+        $return = true;
+        if (UserModel::doesUsernameAlreadyExist($user_name)) {
+            Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_USERNAME_ALREADY_TAKEN'));
+            $return = false;
         }
+        if (UserModel::doesEmailAlreadyExist($user_email)) {
+            Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_USER_EMAIL_ALREADY_TAKEN'));
+            $return = false;
+        }
+        if (!$return) return false;
 
-        // directly activate user (skip email verification)
-        $user_active = 1;
+        // directly activate user: set empty activation hash
+        $user_activation_hash = null;
 
         // write user data to database
-        if (!self::writeNewUserToDatabase($user_name, $user_password_hash, $user_email, time(), $user_active)) {
+        if (!self::writeNewUserToDatabase($user_name, $user_password_hash, $user_email, time(), $user_activation_hash)) {
             Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_ACCOUNT_CREATION_FAILED'));
             return false;
         }
@@ -141,11 +148,7 @@ class RegistrationModel
             return false;
         }
 
-        if (strlen($user_password_new) < 6) {
-            Session::add('feedback_negative', Text::get('FEEDBACK_PASSWORD_TOO_SHORT'));
-            return false;
-        }
-
+        // no minimum length restriction
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -164,9 +167,9 @@ class RegistrationModel
     {
         $database = DatabaseFactory::getFactory()->getConnection();
 
-        // write new users data into database
-        $sql = "INSERT INTO users (user_name, user_password_hash, user_email, user_creation_timestamp, user_activation_hash, user_provider_type)
-                    VALUES (:user_name, :user_password_hash, :user_email, :user_creation_timestamp, :user_activation_hash, :user_provider_type)";
+        // write new users data into database; set user_active=1 and user_activation_hash to provided value (can be null)
+        $sql = "INSERT INTO users (user_name, user_password_hash, user_email, user_creation_timestamp, user_activation_hash, user_provider_type, user_active)
+                    VALUES (:user_name, :user_password_hash, :user_email, :user_creation_timestamp, :user_activation_hash, :user_provider_type, 1)";
         $query = $database->prepare($sql);
         try {
             $query->execute(array(
@@ -178,8 +181,7 @@ class RegistrationModel
                 ':user_provider_type' => 'DEFAULT'
             ));
         } catch (PDOException $e) {
-            error_log("Database error during user creation: " . $e->getMessage());
-            Session::add('feedback_negative', "Database error: " . $e->getMessage());
+            // only one feedback message on failure
             return false;
         }
         $count =  $query->rowCount();
diff --git a/application/view/admin/index.php b/application/view/admin/index.php
index 0a23eef..012f15c 100644
--- a/application/view/admin/index.php
+++ b/application/view/admin/index.php
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@
 
         <h3>Register a new user</h3>
 
-        <form method="post" action="<?php echo Config::get('URL'); ?>admin/registerUser">
+        <form method="post" action="<?php echo Config::get('URL'); ?>register/register_action">
             <input type="text" name="user_name" placeholder="Username" required />
             <input type="email" name="user_email" placeholder="Email address" required />
-            <input type="password" name="user_password" placeholder="Password" required />
+            <input type="password" name="user_password_new" placeholder="Password" required autocomplete="off" />
             <input type="submit" value="Register User" />
         </form>
 
diff --git a/application/view/register/index.php b/application/view/register/index.php
index aa3db62..472038a 100644
--- a/application/view/register/index.php
+++ b/application/view/register/index.php
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@
         <form method="post" action="<?php echo Config::get('URL'); ?>register/register_action">
             <input type="text" pattern="[a-zA-Z0-9]{2,64}" name="user_name" placeholder="Username (letters/numbers, 2-64 chars)" required />
             <input type="text" name="user_email" placeholder="email address (a real address)" required />
-            <input type="text" name="user_email_repeat" placeholder="repeat email address (to prevent typos)" required />
             <input type="password" name="user_password_new" pattern=".{6,}" placeholder="Password (6+ characters)" required autocomplete="off" />
-            <input type="password" name="user_password_repeat" pattern=".{6,}" required placeholder="Repeat your password" autocomplete="off" />
             <input type="submit" value="Register" />
         </form>
     </div>
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755