diff --git a/js/src/App.tsx b/js/src/App.tsx
index ffbfe62..514f73b 100644
--- a/js/src/App.tsx
+++ b/js/src/App.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import ParticleViewResolver from "@/features/particles/particle-view-resolver";
 import Layout from "@/features/layout";
 import NetworkSettingsPage from "@/features/network-settings";
 import { Toaster } from "@/components/ui/sonner";
+import { PusherProvider } from "@/lib/pusher-provider";
 
 const queryClient = new QueryClient();
 
@@ -37,7 +38,11 @@ const App = () => {
     return <LoginPage />;
   }
 
-  return <AuthenticatedApp />;
+  return (
+    <PusherProvider>
+      <AuthenticatedApp />
+    </PusherProvider>
+  );
 };
 
 function AutoplayNavigationListener() {
diff --git a/js/src/hooks/use-channel.ts b/js/src/hooks/use-channel.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0cc1fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/src/hooks/use-channel.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import { useEffect, useState, useCallback, useRef } from "react";
+import { usePusherClient } from "@/lib/pusher-provider";
+import type { ChannelMessage } from "@/lib/pusher-client";
+
+interface UseChannelResult {
+  /** Current set of humanIds present in the channel */
+  presence: string[];
+  /** Messages received on this channel (since the hook mounted) */
+  messages: ChannelMessage[];
+  /** Send a message to the channel */
+  sendMessage: (payload: unknown) => void;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Subscribe to a pusher channel. Manages presence tracking and message delivery.
+ * Subscribes on mount, unsubscribes on unmount.
+ *
+ * @param channelId - The channel to subscribe to, or null to skip.
+ */
+export function useChannel(channelId: string | null): UseChannelResult {
+  const client = usePusherClient();
+  const [presence, setPresence] = useState<string[]>([]);
+  const [messages, setMessages] = useState<ChannelMessage[]>([]);
+
+  // Keep a ref to avoid re-subscribing when sendMessage changes
+  const clientRef = useRef(client);
+  const channelRef = useRef(channelId);
+  clientRef.current = client;
+  channelRef.current = channelId;
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!client || !channelId) {
+      setPresence([]);
+      setMessages([]);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    client.subscribe(channelId);
+
+    const onSubscribed = (msg: { presence?: string[] }) => {
+      setPresence(msg.presence ?? []);
+    };
+
+    const onJoin = (msg: { humanId?: string }) => {
+      if (msg.humanId) {
+        setPresence((prev) =>
+          prev.includes(msg.humanId!) ? prev : [...prev, msg.humanId!],
+        );
+      }
+    };
+
+    const onLeave = (msg: { humanId?: string }) => {
+      if (msg.humanId) {
+        setPresence((prev) => prev.filter((id) => id !== msg.humanId));
+      }
+    };
+
+    const onMessage = (msg: { humanId?: string; payload?: unknown }) => {
+      if (msg.humanId) {
+        setMessages((prev) => [
+          ...prev,
+          { humanId: msg.humanId!, payload: msg.payload },
+        ]);
+      }
+    };
+
+    client.on(channelId, "subscribed", onSubscribed);
+    client.on(channelId, "join", onJoin);
+    client.on(channelId, "leave", onLeave);
+    client.on(channelId, "message", onMessage);
+
+    return () => {
+      client.off(channelId, "subscribed", onSubscribed);
+      client.off(channelId, "join", onJoin);
+      client.off(channelId, "leave", onLeave);
+      client.off(channelId, "message", onMessage);
+      client.unsubscribe(channelId);
+    };
+  }, [client, channelId]);
+
+  const sendMessage = useCallback(
+    (payload: unknown) => {
+      if (clientRef.current && channelRef.current) {
+        clientRef.current.sendMessage(channelRef.current, payload);
+      }
+    },
+    [],
+  );
+
+  return { presence, messages, sendMessage };
+}
diff --git a/js/src/lib/pusher-client.ts b/js/src/lib/pusher-client.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a4c707
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/src/lib/pusher-client.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,282 @@
+/**
+ * PusherClient manages a WebSocket connection to the pusher service.
+ * Handles authentication, reconnection with exponential backoff,
+ * channel subscriptions, and event dispatching.
+ */
+
+export type ConnectionState =
+  | "disconnected"
+  | "connecting"
+  | "connected"
+  | "reconnecting";
+
+export interface ChannelMessage {
+  humanId: string;
+  payload: unknown;
+}
+
+// Server → Client message shape
+interface ServerMessage {
+  type: "subscribed" | "join" | "leave" | "message" | "error";
+  channel?: string;
+  humanId?: string;
+  presence?: string[];
+  payload?: unknown;
+  message?: string;
+}
+
+type ChannelEventType = "subscribed" | "join" | "leave" | "message";
+type ChannelEventCallback = (msg: ServerMessage) => void;
+
+interface PusherClientConfig {
+  url: string;
+  getToken: () => string | null;
+}
+
+const INITIAL_RECONNECT_DELAY = 1000;
+const MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY = 30000;
+const PING_INTERVAL = 20000; // 20s — keeps alive through GKE gateway timeout
+
+export class PusherClient {
+  private config: PusherClientConfig;
+  private ws: WebSocket | null = null;
+  private state: ConnectionState = "disconnected";
+  private stateListeners = new Set<(state: ConnectionState) => void>();
+
+  // Channel event listeners: channelId → eventType → callbacks
+  private listeners = new Map<
+    string,
+    Map<ChannelEventType, Set<ChannelEventCallback>>
+  >();
+
+  // Active subscriptions for re-subscribe on reconnect
+  private activeSubscriptions = new Set<string>();
+
+  // Reconnection state
+  private reconnectDelay = INITIAL_RECONNECT_DELAY;
+  private reconnectTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+  private shouldReconnect = false;
+
+  // Keep-alive ping
+  private pingTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+
+  constructor(config: PusherClientConfig) {
+    this.config = config;
+  }
+
+  get connectionState(): ConnectionState {
+    return this.state;
+  }
+
+  connect(): void {
+    if (this.ws) return;
+
+    const token = this.config.getToken();
+    if (!token) {
+      console.warn("[pusher] no token available, cannot connect");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    this.shouldReconnect = true;
+    this.setState(
+      this.state === "reconnecting" ? "reconnecting" : "connecting",
+    );
+
+    const url = `${this.config.url}?token=${encodeURIComponent(token)}`;
+    this.ws = new WebSocket(url);
+
+    this.ws.onopen = () => {
+      this.setState("connected");
+      this.reconnectDelay = INITIAL_RECONNECT_DELAY;
+      this.startPing();
+      this.resubscribeAll();
+    };
+
+    this.ws.onclose = () => {
+      this.cleanup();
+      if (this.shouldReconnect) {
+        this.scheduleReconnect();
+      }
+    };
+
+    this.ws.onerror = (event) => {
+      console.warn("[pusher] websocket error", event);
+      // onclose will fire after onerror, so reconnection is handled there
+    };
+
+    this.ws.onmessage = (event) => {
+      this.handleMessage(event.data as string);
+    };
+  }
+
+  disconnect(): void {
+    this.shouldReconnect = false;
+    this.clearReconnectTimer();
+    this.cleanup();
+    this.activeSubscriptions.clear();
+    this.setState("disconnected");
+  }
+
+  subscribe(channelId: string): void {
+    this.activeSubscriptions.add(channelId);
+    this.send({ type: "subscribe", channel: channelId });
+  }
+
+  unsubscribe(channelId: string): void {
+    this.activeSubscriptions.delete(channelId);
+    this.send({ type: "unsubscribe", channel: channelId });
+  }
+
+  sendMessage(channelId: string, payload: unknown): void {
+    this.send({ type: "message", channel: channelId, payload });
+  }
+
+  on(
+    channelId: string,
+    event: ChannelEventType,
+    callback: ChannelEventCallback,
+  ): void {
+    if (!this.listeners.has(channelId)) {
+      this.listeners.set(channelId, new Map());
+    }
+    const channelListeners = this.listeners.get(channelId)!;
+    if (!channelListeners.has(event)) {
+      channelListeners.set(event, new Set());
+    }
+    channelListeners.get(event)!.add(callback);
+  }
+
+  off(
+    channelId: string,
+    event: ChannelEventType,
+    callback: ChannelEventCallback,
+  ): void {
+    const channelListeners = this.listeners.get(channelId);
+    if (!channelListeners) return;
+    const eventListeners = channelListeners.get(event);
+    if (!eventListeners) return;
+    eventListeners.delete(callback);
+
+    // Cleanup empty maps
+    if (eventListeners.size === 0) channelListeners.delete(event);
+    if (channelListeners.size === 0) this.listeners.delete(channelId);
+  }
+
+  onStateChange(callback: (state: ConnectionState) => void): () => void {
+    this.stateListeners.add(callback);
+    return () => this.stateListeners.delete(callback);
+  }
+
+  // --- Private ---
+
+  private send(msg: { type: string; channel?: string; payload?: unknown }): void {
+    if (this.ws?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+      this.ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg));
+    }
+  }
+
+  private handleMessage(data: string): void {
+    let msg: ServerMessage;
+    try {
+      msg = JSON.parse(data);
+    } catch {
+      console.warn("[pusher] failed to parse message", data);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (msg.type === "error") {
+      console.warn("[pusher] server error:", msg.message);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (!msg.channel) return;
+
+    const channelListeners = this.listeners.get(msg.channel);
+    if (!channelListeners) return;
+
+    const eventListeners = channelListeners.get(msg.type as ChannelEventType);
+    if (!eventListeners) return;
+
+    for (const cb of eventListeners) {
+      try {
+        cb(msg);
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error("[pusher] listener error", err);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  private resubscribeAll(): void {
+    for (const channelId of this.activeSubscriptions) {
+      this.send({ type: "subscribe", channel: channelId });
+    }
+  }
+
+  private scheduleReconnect(): void {
+    this.setState("reconnecting");
+
+    // Exponential backoff with jitter
+    const jitter = Math.random() * 0.5 + 0.75; // 0.75 - 1.25x
+    const delay = Math.min(
+      this.reconnectDelay * jitter,
+      MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY,
+    );
+
+    this.reconnectTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+      this.reconnectDelay = Math.min(
+        this.reconnectDelay * 2,
+        MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY,
+      );
+      this.connect();
+    }, delay);
+  }
+
+  private cleanup(): void {
+    this.stopPing();
+    if (this.ws) {
+      this.ws.onopen = null;
+      this.ws.onclose = null;
+      this.ws.onerror = null;
+      this.ws.onmessage = null;
+      if (
+        this.ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN ||
+        this.ws.readyState === WebSocket.CONNECTING
+      ) {
+        this.ws.close();
+      }
+      this.ws = null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private clearReconnectTimer(): void {
+    if (this.reconnectTimer) {
+      clearTimeout(this.reconnectTimer);
+      this.reconnectTimer = null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private startPing(): void {
+    this.stopPing();
+    this.pingTimer = setInterval(() => {
+      // Send an empty message as a keep-alive
+      if (this.ws?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+        this.ws.send("ping");
+      }
+    }, PING_INTERVAL);
+  }
+
+  private stopPing(): void {
+    if (this.pingTimer) {
+      clearInterval(this.pingTimer);
+      this.pingTimer = null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private setState(state: ConnectionState): void {
+    if (this.state === state) return;
+    this.state = state;
+    for (const cb of this.stateListeners) {
+      cb(state);
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/js/src/lib/pusher-provider.tsx b/js/src/lib/pusher-provider.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8174d36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/src/lib/pusher-provider.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import {
+  createContext,
+  useContext,
+  useEffect,
+  useRef,
+  useState,
+  type ReactNode,
+} from "react";
+import { PusherClient, type ConnectionState } from "./pusher-client";
+import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
+
+const PusherContext = createContext<PusherClient | null>(null);
+const PusherStateContext = createContext<ConnectionState>("disconnected");
+
+// TODO: make this configurable per environment
+const PUSHER_URL = "wss://pusher.dev.flowy.live/ws";
+
+export function PusherProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+  const token = useSessionStore((s) => s.token);
+  const clientRef = useRef<PusherClient | null>(null);
+  const [connectionState, setConnectionState] =
+    useState<ConnectionState>("disconnected");
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!token) {
+      // Disconnect if token is cleared (logout)
+      if (clientRef.current) {
+        clientRef.current.disconnect();
+        clientRef.current = null;
+        setConnectionState("disconnected");
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const client = new PusherClient({
+      url: PUSHER_URL,
+      getToken: () => useSessionStore.getState().token,
+    });
+
+    clientRef.current = client;
+
+    const unsubscribeState = client.onStateChange((state) => {
+      setConnectionState(state);
+    });
+
+    client.connect();
+
+    return () => {
+      unsubscribeState();
+      client.disconnect();
+      clientRef.current = null;
+    };
+  }, [token]);
+
+  return (
+    <PusherContext.Provider value={clientRef.current}>
+      <PusherStateContext.Provider value={connectionState}>
+        {children}
+      </PusherStateContext.Provider>
+    </PusherContext.Provider>
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns the PusherClient instance, or null if not connected.
+ */
+export function usePusherClient(): PusherClient | null {
+  return useContext(PusherContext);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns the current WebSocket connection state.
+ */
+export function usePusherConnectionState(): ConnectionState {
+  return useContext(PusherStateContext);
+}