diff --git a/.changeset/itchy-apricots-compare.md b/.changeset/itchy-apricots-compare.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69fc34e676
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/itchy-apricots-compare.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"create-t3-app": patch
+---
+
+fix: simplify session user check in protected procedures
diff --git a/.changeset/thin-hats-reflect.md b/.changeset/thin-hats-reflect.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..386ff6715a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/thin-hats-reflect.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"create-t3-app": patch
+---
+
+start-database.sh script gets DB_NAME and DB_CONTAINER_NAME based off of DATABASE_URL in .env
diff --git a/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-app/with-auth-db.ts b/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-app/with-auth-db.ts
index 00d924faa8..923751a8e3 100644
--- a/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-app/with-auth-db.ts
+++ b/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-app/with-auth-db.ts
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ export const publicProcedure = t.procedure.use(timingMiddleware);
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure
   .use(timingMiddleware)
   .use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-    if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+    if (!ctx.session?.user) {
       throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
     }
     return next({
diff --git a/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-app/with-auth.ts b/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-app/with-auth.ts
index 755b973c29..5f798e9dd6 100644
--- a/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-app/with-auth.ts
+++ b/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-app/with-auth.ts
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ export const publicProcedure = t.procedure.use(timingMiddleware);
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure
   .use(timingMiddleware)
   .use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-    if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+    if (!ctx.session?.user) {
       throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
     }
     return next({
diff --git a/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-pages/with-auth-db.ts b/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-pages/with-auth-db.ts
index 8b4f3632a7..588ddf2c49 100644
--- a/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-pages/with-auth-db.ts
+++ b/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-pages/with-auth-db.ts
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ export const publicProcedure = t.procedure.use(timingMiddleware);
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure
   .use(timingMiddleware)
   .use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-    if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+    if (!ctx.session?.user) {
       throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
     }
     return next({
diff --git a/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-pages/with-auth.ts b/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-pages/with-auth.ts
index 7fe732be6b..d64d31b25b 100644
--- a/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-pages/with-auth.ts
+++ b/cli/template/extras/src/server/api/trpc-pages/with-auth.ts
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ export const publicProcedure = t.procedure.use(timingMiddleware);
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure
   .use(timingMiddleware)
   .use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-    if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+    if (!ctx.session?.user) {
       throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
     }
     return next({
diff --git a/cli/template/extras/start-database/mysql.sh b/cli/template/extras/start-database/mysql.sh
index 731725c31c..65789a3c7b 100755
--- a/cli/template/extras/start-database/mysql.sh
+++ b/cli/template/extras/start-database/mysql.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,13 @@
 
 # On Linux and macOS you can run this script directly - `./start-database.sh`
 
-DB_CONTAINER_NAME="project1-mysql"
+set -a
+source .env
+
+DB_PASSWORD=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F':' '{print $3}' | awk -F'@' '{print $1}')
+DB_PORT=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F':' '{print $4}' | awk -F'\/' '{print $1}')
+DB_NAME=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F'/' '{print $4}')
+DB_CONTAINER_NAME="$DB_NAME-postgres"
 
 if ! [ -x "$(command -v docker)" ]; then
   echo -e "Docker is not installed. Please install docker and try again.\nDocker install guide: https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/"
@@ -32,13 +38,6 @@ if [ "$(docker ps -q -a -f name=$DB_CONTAINER_NAME)" ]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
-# import env variables from .env
-set -a
-source .env
-
-DB_PASSWORD=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F':' '{print $3}' | awk -F'@' '{print $1}')
-DB_PORT=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F':' '{print $4}' | awk -F'\/' '{print $1}')
-
 if [ "$DB_PASSWORD" == "password" ]; then
   echo "You are using the default database password"
   read -p "Should we generate a random password for you? [y/N]: " -r REPLY
@@ -54,6 +53,6 @@ fi
 docker run -d \
   --name $DB_CONTAINER_NAME \
   -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD="$DB_PASSWORD" \
-  -e MYSQL_DATABASE=project1 \
+  -e MYSQL_DATABASE="$DB_NAME" \
   -p "$DB_PORT":3306 \
   docker.io/mysql && echo "Database container '$DB_CONTAINER_NAME' was successfully created"
diff --git a/cli/template/extras/start-database/postgres.sh b/cli/template/extras/start-database/postgres.sh
index 378f19e23c..b162abdfe3 100755
--- a/cli/template/extras/start-database/postgres.sh
+++ b/cli/template/extras/start-database/postgres.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,14 @@
 
 # On Linux and macOS you can run this script directly - `./start-database.sh`
 
-DB_CONTAINER_NAME="project1-postgres"
+# import env variables from .env
+set -a
+source .env
+
+DB_PASSWORD=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F':' '{print $3}' | awk -F'@' '{print $1}')
+DB_PORT=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F':' '{print $4}' | awk -F'\/' '{print $1}')
+DB_NAME=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F'/' '{print $4}')
+DB_CONTAINER_NAME="$DB_NAME-postgres"
 
 if ! [ -x "$(command -v docker)" ]; then
   echo -e "Docker is not installed. Please install docker and try again.\nDocker install guide: https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/"
@@ -32,13 +39,6 @@ if [ "$(docker ps -q -a -f name=$DB_CONTAINER_NAME)" ]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
-# import env variables from .env
-set -a
-source .env
-
-DB_PASSWORD=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F':' '{print $3}' | awk -F'@' '{print $1}')
-DB_PORT=$(echo "$DATABASE_URL" | awk -F':' '{print $4}' | awk -F'\/' '{print $1}')
-
 if [ "$DB_PASSWORD" = "password" ]; then
   echo "You are using the default database password"
   read -p "Should we generate a random password for you? [y/N]: " -r REPLY
@@ -55,6 +55,6 @@ docker run -d \
   --name $DB_CONTAINER_NAME \
   -e POSTGRES_USER="postgres" \
   -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD="$DB_PASSWORD" \
-  -e POSTGRES_DB=project1 \
+  -e POSTGRES_DB="$DB_NAME" \
   -p "$DB_PORT":5432 \
   docker.io/postgres && echo "Database container '$DB_CONTAINER_NAME' was successfully created"
diff --git a/www/src/components/docs/openSourceAppList.tsx b/www/src/components/docs/openSourceAppList.tsx
index 4cb6488243..80d2adc701 100644
--- a/www/src/components/docs/openSourceAppList.tsx
+++ b/www/src/components/docs/openSourceAppList.tsx
@@ -330,6 +330,13 @@ const projects: App[] = [
     linkName: "Squeak",
     link: "https://playsqueak.com/",
   },
+  {
+    description: "Ray - A full stack admin starter",
+    repoName: "koujialong/ray-admin",
+    repo: "https://github.com/koujialong/ray-admin",
+    linkName: "Ray",
+    link: "https://koujialong-ray.vercel.app/",
+  },
 ];
 
 export default function OpenSourceAppList({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/ar/usage/next-auth.md b/www/src/pages/ar/usage/next-auth.md
index 8d65fb8a71..4f245fff12 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/ar/usage/next-auth.md
+++ b/www/src/pages/ar/usage/next-auth.md
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/trpc/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/en/folder-structure-app.mdx b/www/src/pages/en/folder-structure-app.mdx
index 3005ddb419..e0f3d77b85 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/en/folder-structure-app.mdx
+++ b/www/src/pages/en/folder-structure-app.mdx
@@ -96,14 +96,14 @@ The `db` folder contains the Drizzle client and schema. Note that drizzle also r
 
 #### `src/server/db/index.ts`
 
-The `index.ts` file is used to instantiate the Drizzle client at global scope. See [Drizzle usage](usage/drizzle#drizzle-client) and [best practices for using Drizzle with Next.js](https://www.prisma.io/docs/guides/database/troubleshooting-orm/help-articles/nextjs-prisma-client-dev-practices) for more information.
+The `index.ts` file is used to instantiate the Drizzle client at global scope. See [Drizzle usage](usage/drizzle#drizzle-client) for more information.
 
 </div>
 <div data-components="drizzle">
 
 #### `src/server/db/schema.ts`
 
-The `schema.ts` file is used to define the database schema. See [Drizzle usage](usage/drizzle#drizzle-client) and [best practices for using Drizzle with Next.js](https://www.prisma.io/docs/guides/database/troubleshooting-orm/help-articles/nextjs-prisma-client-dev-practices) for more information.
+The `schema.ts` file is used to define the database schema. See [Drizzle usage](usage/drizzle#drizzle-client) and [Drizzle schema docs](https://orm.drizzle.team/docs/sql-schema-declaration) for more information.
 
 </div>
 <div data-components="trpc">
diff --git a/www/src/pages/en/folder-structure-pages.mdx b/www/src/pages/en/folder-structure-pages.mdx
index 47d7c35a6f..a9c49aed4d 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/en/folder-structure-pages.mdx
+++ b/www/src/pages/en/folder-structure-pages.mdx
@@ -96,14 +96,14 @@ The `db` folder contains the Drizzle client and schema. Note that drizzle also r
 
 #### `src/server/db/index.ts`
 
-The `index.ts` file is used to instantiate the Drizzle client at global scope. See [Drizzle usage](usage/drizzle#drizzle-client) and [best practices for using Drizzle with Next.js](https://www.prisma.io/docs/guides/database/troubleshooting-orm/help-articles/nextjs-prisma-client-dev-practices) for more information.
+The `index.ts` file is used to instantiate the Drizzle client at global scope. See [Drizzle usage](usage/drizzle#drizzle-client) for more information.
 
 </div>
 <div data-components="drizzle">
 
 #### `src/server/db/schema.ts`
 
-The `schema.ts` file is used to define the database schema. See [Drizzle usage](usage/drizzle#drizzle-client) and [best practices for using Drizzle with Next.js](https://www.prisma.io/docs/guides/database/troubleshooting-orm/help-articles/nextjs-prisma-client-dev-practices) for more information.
+The `schema.ts` file is used to define the database schema. See [Drizzle usage](usage/drizzle#drizzle-client) and [Drizzle schema docs](https://orm.drizzle.team/docs/sql-schema-declaration) for more information.
 
 </div>
 <div data-components="trpc">
diff --git a/www/src/pages/en/usage/next-auth-app-router.mdx b/www/src/pages/en/usage/next-auth-app-router.mdx
index fcf1031d6f..b610105d13 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/en/usage/next-auth-app-router.mdx
+++ b/www/src/pages/en/usage/next-auth-app-router.mdx
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export const createTRPCContext = async (opts: { headers: Headers }) => {
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure
   .use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-    if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+    if (!ctx.session?.user) {
       throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
     }
     return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/en/usage/next-auth-pages.mdx b/www/src/pages/en/usage/next-auth-pages.mdx
index 2c26579933..7d21099805 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/en/usage/next-auth-pages.mdx
+++ b/www/src/pages/en/usage/next-auth-pages.mdx
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) =>  {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ Usage of NextAuth.js with Next.js middleware [requires the use of the JWT sessio
   issues.
 </Callout>
 
-After switching to the JWT session strategy. Make sure to update the `session` callback in `src/server/auth.ts`.  
-The `user` object will be `undefined`. Instead, retrieve the user's ID from the `token` object.  
+After switching to the JWT session strategy. Make sure to update the `session` callback in `src/server/auth.ts`.
+The `user` object will be `undefined`. Instead, retrieve the user's ID from the `token` object.
 I.e.:
 
 ```diff:server/auth.ts
diff --git a/www/src/pages/es/usage/next-auth.md b/www/src/pages/es/usage/next-auth.md
index ffc7be4b9b..3064d4924d 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/es/usage/next-auth.md
+++ b/www/src/pages/es/usage/next-auth.md
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/trpc/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) =>  {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/fr/usage/next-auth.mdx b/www/src/pages/fr/usage/next-auth.mdx
index cb263a78f6..6978124152 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/fr/usage/next-auth.mdx
+++ b/www/src/pages/fr/usage/next-auth.mdx
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) =>  {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/ja/usage/next-auth.md b/www/src/pages/ja/usage/next-auth.md
index 5cc13c61df..2b2464f54a 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/ja/usage/next-auth.md
+++ b/www/src/pages/ja/usage/next-auth.md
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) =>  {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/no/usage/next-auth.md b/www/src/pages/no/usage/next-auth.md
index a1deed32d7..b9d35c302b 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/no/usage/next-auth.md
+++ b/www/src/pages/no/usage/next-auth.md
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/pl/usage/next-auth.md b/www/src/pages/pl/usage/next-auth.md
index d4a65135f3..1c32827f15 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/pl/usage/next-auth.md
+++ b/www/src/pages/pl/usage/next-auth.md
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/pt/usage/next-auth.md b/www/src/pages/pt/usage/next-auth.md
index 8c68589e43..af24f239cf 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/pt/usage/next-auth.md
+++ b/www/src/pages/pt/usage/next-auth.md
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/trpc/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/ru/usage/next-auth.md b/www/src/pages/ru/usage/next-auth.md
index f6c19e5bd1..8c48cb504c 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/ru/usage/next-auth.md
+++ b/www/src/pages/ru/usage/next-auth.md
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) =>  {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/uk/usage/next-auth.mdx b/www/src/pages/uk/usage/next-auth.mdx
index c311d37b2a..abc01d97ef 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/uk/usage/next-auth.mdx
+++ b/www/src/pages/uk/usage/next-auth.mdx
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) =>  {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({
diff --git a/www/src/pages/zh-hans/usage/next-auth.mdx b/www/src/pages/zh-hans/usage/next-auth.mdx
index c17c4d21bc..c7be82a3cc 100644
--- a/www/src/pages/zh-hans/usage/next-auth.mdx
+++ b/www/src/pages/zh-hans/usage/next-auth.mdx
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export const createContext = async (opts: CreateNextContextOptions) => {
 
 ```ts:server/api/trpc.ts
 export const protectedProcedure = t.procedure.use(({ ctx, next }) => {
-  if (!ctx.session || !ctx.session.user) {
+  if (!ctx.session?.user) {
     throw new TRPCError({ code: "UNAUTHORIZED" });
   }
   return next({