diff --git a/TODO.txt b/TODO.txt
index ca36f0d..bac61c4 100644
--- a/TODO.txt
+++ b/TODO.txt
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
-static assets
-middleware
+TLS support
 internationalization
 uploads & universal path
 CLI - view routes, template generation, start server, directives, output, args
-request level error handler
-develop/prod/debug modes
+nicer error and home pages
 favicon
-utility - root, path, is_windows, is_linux, is_mac
+utility - is_windows, is_linux, is_mac
 authentication - user/session, oauth, jwt, &c.
-orm relations, subqueries, enum/bit fields, json handlers, scopes
+orm enum/bit fields, json handlers, scopes
 redis - redis client, redis rehydrated classes, redis sessions
 less/scss
 notifications - gotify/push/other mechanisms
diff --git a/app/assets/.gitignore b/app/assets/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c96a04f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*
+!.gitignore
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/bundle/daton_units.ts b/app/bundle/daton_units.ts
index 2d624f5..47d00e8 100644
--- a/app/bundle/daton_units.ts
+++ b/app/bundle/daton_units.ts
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ export { default as HttpServerUnit } from '../../lib/src/unit/HttpServer.ts'
 export { default as RoutingUnit } from '../../lib/src/unit/Routing.ts'
 export { default as ServicesUnit } from '../../lib/src/unit/Services.ts'
 export { default as ViewEngineUnit } from '../../lib/src/unit/ViewEngine.ts'
+export { default as DatonMiddlewareUnit } from '../../lib/src/unit/DatonMiddleware.ts'
diff --git a/app/configs/server.config.ts b/app/configs/server.config.ts
index 90f8ba1..3ad5062 100644
--- a/app/configs/server.config.ts
+++ b/app/configs/server.config.ts
@@ -14,5 +14,5 @@ export default {
     session: {
         driver: 'database', // memory | database
         model: 'http:Session', // required for database
-    }
+    },
 }
diff --git a/app/http/routes/home.routes.ts b/app/http/routes/home.routes.ts
index 2aceaea..230c34e 100644
--- a/app/http/routes/home.routes.ts
+++ b/app/http/routes/home.routes.ts
@@ -6,5 +6,6 @@ export default {
     get: {
         '/': 'controller::Home.get_home',
         '/maybe': ['middleware::Test', 'controller::Home.get_home'],
+        '/statics/**': { handler: 'daton::static', arg: 'assets' },
     },
 } as RouterDefinition
diff --git a/app/units.ts b/app/units.ts
index d751bf2..a21750d 100644
--- a/app/units.ts
+++ b/app/units.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
     RoutingUnit,
     ServicesUnit,
     ViewEngineUnit,
+    DatonMiddlewareUnit,
 } from './bundle/daton_units.ts'
 
 export default [
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ export default [
     ModelsUnit,
     ViewEngineUnit,
     HttpKernelUnit,
+    DatonMiddlewareUnit,
     MiddlewareUnit,
     ControllerUnit,
     RoutesUnit,
diff --git a/lib/src/external/db.ts b/lib/src/external/db.ts
index f3b7f82..93a37a4 100644
--- a/lib/src/external/db.ts
+++ b/lib/src/external/db.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// export * from 'https://deno.land/x/postgres@v0.4.3/mod.ts'
+// export * from 'https://deno.land/x/postgres@v0.4.4/mod.ts'
 
 // FIXME: waiting on https://github.com/deno-postgres/deno-postgres/pull/166
 export * from 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/glmdev/deno-postgres/master/mod.ts'
diff --git a/lib/src/external/std.ts b/lib/src/external/std.ts
index 51f2b72..3102465 100644
--- a/lib/src/external/std.ts
+++ b/lib/src/external/std.ts
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ export { config as dotenv } from 'https://deno.land/x/dotenv/mod.ts'
 export * as path from 'https://deno.land/std@0.67.0/path/mod.ts'
 export * as fs from 'https://deno.land/std@0.67.0/fs/mod.ts'
 export { generate as uuid } from 'https://deno.land/std@0.67.0/uuid/v4.ts'
+export * as file_server from 'https://deno.land/std@0.67.0/http/file_server.ts'
 // export { moment } from 'https://deno.land/x/moment/moment.ts'
diff --git a/lib/src/http/Response.ts b/lib/src/http/Response.ts
index 7772ddc..63bd55f 100644
--- a/lib/src/http/Response.ts
+++ b/lib/src/http/Response.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {HTTPResponse} from './type/HTTPResponse.ts'
 import {HTTPRequest} from './type/HTTPRequest.ts'
 import {ServerRequest} from '../external/http.ts'
+import {file_server} from '../external/std.ts'
 import {CookieJar} from './CookieJar.ts'
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/src/http/kernel/module/ApplyRouteHandlers.ts b/lib/src/http/kernel/module/ApplyRouteHandlers.ts
index 3ff79c6..cd24637 100644
--- a/lib/src/http/kernel/module/ApplyRouteHandlers.ts
+++ b/lib/src/http/kernel/module/ApplyRouteHandlers.ts
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ export default class ApplyRouteHandlers extends Module {
         for ( const handler of request.route.handlers ) {
             try {
                 let result
-                if ( isRouteHandlerClass(handler) ) {
-                    result = await handler.handleRequest(current_request)
+                if ( isRouteHandlerClass(handler.handler) ) {
+                    result = await handler.handler.handleRequest(current_request, handler.arg)
                 } else {
-                    result = await handler(current_request)
+                    result = await handler.handler(current_request, handler.arg)
                 }
 
                 if ( result instanceof Request ) {
diff --git a/lib/src/http/response/FileResponseFactory.ts b/lib/src/http/response/FileResponseFactory.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92b5f70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/http/response/FileResponseFactory.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import ResponseFactory from './ResponseFactory.ts'
+import {Request} from '../Request.ts'
+import {file_server} from '../../external/std.ts'
+import {HTTPStatus} from '../../const/http.ts'
+import {Logging} from '../../service/logging/Logging.ts'
+import {Injectable} from '../../../../di/src/decorator/Injection.ts'
+
+/**
+ * Response factory to send the contents of a file given its path.
+ * @extends ResponseFactory
+ */
+@Injectable()
+export default class FileResponseFactory extends ResponseFactory {
+    constructor(
+        protected readonly logger: Logging,
+
+        /**
+         * The path to the file to be sent.
+         * @type string
+         */
+        public readonly path: string,
+    ) { super() }
+
+    /**
+     * Write this response factory to the given request's response.
+     * @param {Request} request
+     * @return Request
+     */
+    public async write(request: Request): Promise<Request> {
+        request = await super.write(request)
+
+        const content = await file_server.serveFile(request.to_native, this.path)
+        const length = content.headers && content.headers.get('content-length')
+
+        if ( content.headers && content.body && length ) {
+            request.response.body = content.body
+            request.response.headers.set('Content-Length', length)
+        } else {
+            this.logger.debug(`Tried to serve file that does not exist: ${this.path}`)
+            request.response.status = HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND
+        }
+
+        return request
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/http/response/helpers.ts b/lib/src/http/response/helpers.ts
index 19fab60..0ab548d 100644
--- a/lib/src/http/response/helpers.ts
+++ b/lib/src/http/response/helpers.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {HTTPStatus} from '../../const/http.ts'
 import HTTPErrorResponseFactory from './HTTPErrorResponseFactory.ts'
 import HTTPError from '../../error/HTTPError.ts'
 import ViewResponseFactory from './ViewResponseFactory.ts'
+import FileResponseFactory from './FileResponseFactory.ts'
 
 /**
  * Get a new JSON response factory that writes the given object as JSON.
@@ -76,3 +77,12 @@ export function http(status: HTTPStatus, message?: string): HTTPErrorResponseFac
 export function view(view: string, data?: any): ViewResponseFactory {
     return make(ViewResponseFactory, view, data)
 }
+
+/**
+ * Get a new file response factory for the given file path.
+ * @param {string} path
+ * @return FileResponseFactory
+ */
+export function file(path: string): FileResponseFactory {
+    return make(FileResponseFactory, path)
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/http/system_middleware/StaticServer.ts b/lib/src/http/system_middleware/StaticServer.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b9ac17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/http/system_middleware/StaticServer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+import Middleware from '../Middleware.ts'
+import {Request} from '../Request.ts'
+import {Injectable} from '../../../../di/src/decorator/Injection.ts'
+import {file, http} from '../response/helpers.ts'
+import {HTTPStatus} from '../../const/http.ts'
+import {Logging} from '../../service/logging/Logging.ts'
+
+/**
+ * Daton-provided middleware that serves files from a static directory.
+ * @extends Middleware
+ */
+@Injectable()
+export default class StaticServer extends Middleware {
+
+    constructor(
+        protected readonly logger: Logging,
+    ) { super() }
+
+    /**
+     * Handle an incoming request. Get the path to the file from the route params, and
+     * resolve it using the asset_dir argument. If the file exists, serve it.
+     * @param {Request} request
+     * @param {string} asset_dir
+     */
+    public async handleRequest(request: Request, asset_dir?: string) {
+        if ( !asset_dir ) {
+            throw new Error(`This static server is mis-configured. You must provide, as an argument in the route definition, the relative path to the base directory of the static files to be served.`)
+        }
+
+        const params = request.route.params
+        const rel_file = params.$1
+
+        if ( !rel_file || !rel_file.trim() || rel_file.trim().startsWith('/') || rel_file.trim().startsWith('.') ) {
+            this.logger.info(`Blocked attempt to access invalid static file path: "${rel_file}"`)
+            return http(HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND)
+        }
+
+        const abs_file = this.resolve(asset_dir, rel_file)
+        if ( !(await this.fileExists(abs_file)) ) {
+            this.logger.debug(`File does not exist: ${abs_file}`)
+            return http(HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND)
+        }
+
+        return file(abs_file)
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Given the asset base dir and a relative path, resolve the fully-qualified
+     * path to the file.
+     * @param {string} asset_dir
+     * @param {string} rel_file
+     * @return string
+     */
+    protected resolve(asset_dir: string, rel_file: string): string {
+        return this.app.path(asset_dir, rel_file)
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Resolves true if the given path exists, and is a file.
+     * @param {string} path
+     * @return Promise<boolean>
+     */
+    protected async fileExists(path: string): Promise<boolean> {
+        try {
+            const stat = await Deno.lstat(path)
+            return stat && stat.isFile
+        } catch (e) {
+            if ( e && e instanceof Deno.errors.NotFound ) {
+                return false
+            } else {
+                throw e
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/http/type/RouterDefinition.ts b/lib/src/http/type/RouterDefinition.ts
index 3d53963..d93b13c 100644
--- a/lib/src/http/type/RouterDefinition.ts
+++ b/lib/src/http/type/RouterDefinition.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {logger} from '../../service/logging/global.ts'
+import {RouteHandlerDefinition} from '../../unit/Routing.ts'
 
 /**
  * Type representing valid HTTP verbs.
@@ -8,7 +9,7 @@ export type RouteVerb = 'get' | 'post' | 'patch' | 'delete' | 'head' | 'put' | '
 /**
  * Type representing a route verb group from a router definition.
  */
-export type RouteVerbGroup = { [key: string]: string | string[] }
+export type RouteVerbGroup = { [key: string]: RouteHandlerDefinition | RouteHandlerDefinition[] }
 
 /**
  * Type representing a router definition.
@@ -51,10 +52,24 @@ export function isRouteVerbGroup(something: any): something is RouteVerbGroup {
             return false
         }
         if (
-            !(typeof something[key] === 'string')
-            && !(Array.isArray(something[key]) && something[key].every((x: any) => typeof x === 'string'))
+            !(Array.isArray(something[key]) && something[key].every((x: any) => {
+                return (
+                    typeof x === 'string'
+                    || (
+                        typeof x === 'object'
+                        && typeof x.handler === 'string'
+                    )
+                )
+            }))
+            && !(
+                typeof something[key] === 'string'
+                || (
+                    typeof something[key] === 'object'
+                    && typeof something[key].handler === 'string'
+                )
+            )
         ) {
-            logger.info(`Route verb group for key ${key} is not a string or array of strings.`)
+            logger.info(`Route verb group for key ${key} is not valid. Must be valid RouteHandlerDefinition, or array of them.`)
             return false
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/unit/DatonMiddleware.ts b/lib/src/unit/DatonMiddleware.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7690c70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/unit/DatonMiddleware.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import {FakeCanonical} from './FakeCanonical.ts'
+import Middleware from '../http/Middleware.ts'
+import {Unit} from '../lifecycle/decorators.ts'
+import StaticServer from '../http/system_middleware/StaticServer.ts'
+
+@Unit()
+export default class DatonMiddleware extends FakeCanonical<Middleware> {
+    protected canonical_item = 'daton'
+
+    public async up() {
+        await super.up()
+        this._items['static'] = this.make(StaticServer)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/unit/FakeCanonical.ts b/lib/src/unit/FakeCanonical.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0fa7ec1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/unit/FakeCanonical.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import {Canonical} from './Canonical.ts'
+import {Canon} from './Canon.ts'
+
+export class FakeCanonical<T> extends Canonical<T> {
+
+    public async up() {
+        this.make(Canon).register_canonical(this)
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/unit/Routing.ts b/lib/src/unit/Routing.ts
index ae16ade..29e7a1b 100644
--- a/lib/src/unit/Routing.ts
+++ b/lib/src/unit/Routing.ts
@@ -19,19 +19,28 @@ import {RegExRoute} from "../http/routing/RegExRoute.ts";
 export type RouteHandlerReturnValue = SyncRouteHandlerReturnValue | AsyncRouteHandlerReturnValue
 export type SyncRouteHandlerReturnValue = Request | ResponseFactory | void | undefined
 export type AsyncRouteHandlerReturnValue = Promise<SyncRouteHandlerReturnValue>
-export type RouteHandlerFunction = (request: Request) => RouteHandlerReturnValue
+export type RouteHandlerFunction = ((request: Request, arg?: any) => RouteHandlerReturnValue) | ((request: Request) => RouteHandlerReturnValue)
+export interface RouteHandlerWithArgument {
+    handler: string,
+    arg: any,
+}
+export type RouteHandlerDefinition = string | RouteHandlerWithArgument
 
 /**
  * A class that can handle requests.
  */
 export interface RouteHandlerClass {
     handleRequest(request: Request): RouteHandlerReturnValue
+    handleRequest(request: Request, arg?: any): RouteHandlerReturnValue
 }
 
 /**
  * Base type defining a single route handler.
  */
-export type RouteHandler = RouteHandlerFunction | RouteHandlerClass
+export interface RouteHandler {
+    handler: RouteHandlerFunction | RouteHandlerClass,
+    arg: any,
+}
 
 /**
  * Base type for a collection of route handlers.
@@ -60,8 +69,12 @@ export interface RouteDefinition {
  */
 export function isRouteHandler(what: any): what is RouteHandler {
     return (
-        typeof what === 'function'
-        || isRouteHandlerClass(what)
+        typeof what === 'object'
+        && what.handler
+        && (
+            typeof what.handler === 'function'
+            || isRouteHandlerClass(what.handler)
+        )
     )
 }
 
@@ -72,7 +85,7 @@ export function isRouteHandler(what: any): what is RouteHandler {
  */
 export function isRouteHandlerClass(what: any): what is RouteHandlerClass {
     return (
-        what && typeof what.handleRequest === 'function' && what.handleRequest.length === 1
+        what && typeof what.handleRequest === 'function' && what.handleRequest.length >= 1
     )
 }
 
@@ -139,13 +152,15 @@ export default class Routing extends LifecycleUnit {
      * @param {Array<string>} group
      * @return RouteHandlers
      */
-    public build_handler(group: string[]): RouteHandlers {
+    public build_handler(group: RouteHandlerDefinition[]): RouteHandlers {
         const handlers: RouteHandlers = []
         for ( const item of group ) {
-            const ref = Canonical.resolve(item)
+            const handler_ref = typeof item === 'object' ? item.handler : item
+            const arg: any = typeof item === 'object' ? item.arg : undefined
+            const ref = Canonical.resolve(handler_ref)
             
             if ( !ref.resource ) {
-                this.logger.error(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${item}. Reference must include resource (e.g. controller::)!`)
+                this.logger.error(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${handler_ref}. Reference must include resource (e.g. controller::)!`)
                 continue
             }
 
@@ -153,10 +168,15 @@ export default class Routing extends LifecycleUnit {
             const resolved = resource.get(ref.item)
 
             if ( !ref.particular ) {
-                if ( isRouteHandler(resolved) ) {
-                    handlers.push(resolved)
+                const handler = {
+                    handler: resolved,
+                    arg,
+                }
+
+                if ( isRouteHandler(handler) ) {
+                    handlers.push(handler)
                 } else {
-                    throw new TypeError(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${item}. Reference is not a valid route handler.`)
+                    throw new TypeError(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${handler_ref}. Reference is not a valid route handler.`)
                 }
             } else {
                 if ( isBindable(resolved) ) {
@@ -165,16 +185,21 @@ export default class Routing extends LifecycleUnit {
                         handler = resolved.get_bound_method(ref.particular)
                     } catch (e) {
                         this.logger.error(e)
-                        throw new Error(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${item}. Reference particular could not be bound.`)
+                        throw new Error(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${handler_ref}. Reference particular could not be bound.`)
+                    }
+
+                    const handler_obj = {
+                        handler,
+                        arg
                     }
 
-                    if ( isRouteHandler(handler) ) {
-                        handlers.push(handler)
+                    if ( isRouteHandler(handler_obj) ) {
+                        handlers.push(handler_obj)
                     } else {
-                        throw new TypeError(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${item}. Reference is not a valid route handler.`)
+                        throw new TypeError(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${handler_ref}. Reference is not a valid route handler.`)
                     }
                 } else {
-                    throw new TypeError(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${item}. Reference specifies particular, but resolved resource is not bindable.`)
+                    throw new TypeError(`Invalid canonical reference for route: ${handler_ref}. Reference specifies particular, but resolved resource is not bindable.`)
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/orm/src/model/relation/decorators.ts b/orm/src/model/relation/decorators.ts
index 6a82d02..13dcf68 100644
--- a/orm/src/model/relation/decorators.ts
+++ b/orm/src/model/relation/decorators.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import {Model} from '../Model.ts'
  */
 export function Relation(): MethodDecorator {
     return (target: any, propertyKey, descriptor) => {
-        console.log('relation decorator', target, propertyKey, descriptor)
         // @ts-ignore
         const original = descriptor.value