diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/ConversationLabel.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/ConversationLabel.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..26f760b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/ConversationLabel.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import Conversation from '@nirvana/core/models/conversation.model';
+import React from 'react';
+import { Typography } from '@mui/material';
+import User from '@nirvana/core/models/user.model';
+import useAuth from '../providers/AuthProvider';
+
+type IConversationLabel = (
+  | {
+      conversationName?: string;
+      users: User[];
+    }
+  | {
+      conversationName: string;
+      users?: User[];
+    }
+) & { isSelected?: boolean };
+
+/**
+ * if there is a name in the conversation, then return that
+ * if not, then return first three names
+ */
+export default function ConversationLabel({
+  conversationName,
+  users,
+  isSelected = false,
+}: IConversationLabel) {
+  const { user } = useAuth();
+
+  if (conversationName) {
+    return (
+      <Typography
+        noWrap
+        variant={'overline'}
+        color={isSelected && 'primary'}
+        sx={{ fontWeight: isSelected && 'bold' }}
+      >
+        {conversationName}
+      </Typography>
+    );
+  }
+
+  const filteredUsers = users.filter((convoUser) => convoUser._id !== user._id);
+
+  if (filteredUsers.length === 1) {
+    const firstName = filteredUsers[0].name;
+
+    return (
+      <Typography
+        noWrap
+        variant={'overline'}
+        color={isSelected && 'primary'}
+        sx={{ fontWeight: isSelected && 'bold' }}
+      >
+        {firstName}
+      </Typography>
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (filteredUsers.length > 1) {
+    const firstNames = filteredUsers.map((filteredUser) => filteredUser.name);
+
+    const formattedFirstnames = firstNames.slice(0, -1).join(',') + ' and ' + firstNames.slice(-1);
+
+    return (
+      <Typography
+        noWrap
+        variant={'overline'}
+        color={isSelected && 'primary'}
+        sx={{ fontWeight: isSelected && 'bold' }}
+      >
+        {formattedFirstnames}
+      </Typography>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return;
+}
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/KeyboardShortcutLabel.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/KeyboardShortcutLabel.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..643aefa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/KeyboardShortcutLabel.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { Box, Paper, Typography } from '@mui/material';
+
+import { KeyboardShortcuts } from '../util/keyboard';
+import React from 'react';
+import { blueGrey } from '@mui/material/colors';
+
+export default function KeyboardShortcutLabel({
+  label,
+}: {
+  label: keyof typeof KeyboardShortcuts;
+}) {
+  return (
+    <Paper
+      elevation={0}
+      variant={'outlined'}
+      sx={{
+        px: 1,
+        py: 0.25,
+        bgcolor: blueGrey[50],
+        color: blueGrey[300],
+        border: 'none',
+      }}
+    >
+      <Typography variant="caption">{label}</Typography>
+    </Paper>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/UserDetailRow.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/UserDetailRow.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..21d86c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/subcomponents/UserDetailRow.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { Avatar, Box, Stack, Typography } from '@mui/material';
+
+import React from 'react';
+import User from '@nirvana/core/models/user.model';
+
+export default function UserDetailRow({
+  user,
+  rightContent,
+}: {
+  user: User;
+  rightContent?: React.ReactNode;
+}) {
+  return (
+    <Stack
+      direction={'row'}
+      alignItems="center"
+      spacing={1}
+      sx={{
+        px: 1,
+      }}
+    >
+      <Avatar src={user.picture} alt={user.givenName} />
+
+      <Stack>
+        <Typography variant="subtitle2" color="info" gutterBottom={false}>
+          {user.givenName}
+        </Typography>
+        <Typography variant={'overline'}>{user.email}</Typography>
+      </Stack>
+
+      <Box
+        sx={{
+          ml: 'auto',
+        }}
+      >
+        {rightContent}
+      </Box>
+    </Stack>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/tree/Navbar.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/tree/Navbar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..150e603
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/tree/Navbar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import { CircularProgress, IconButton, Input, Stack, Tooltip } from '@mui/material';
+import { FiSearch, FiUsers } from 'react-icons/fi';
+import React, { useCallback, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { useKeyPressEvent, useRendersCount } from 'react-use';
+
+import KeyboardShortcutLabel from '../subcomponents/KeyboardShortcutLabel';
+import { KeyboardShortcuts } from '../util/keyboard';
+import NirvanaLogo from '../subcomponents/NirvanaLogo';
+import { blueGrey } from '@mui/material/colors';
+import useTerminal from './Terminal';
+
+const Navbar = () => {
+  const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState<string>('');
+
+  const searchRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+  const onSearchFocus = useCallback(() => {
+    if (searchRef?.current) searchRef.current.focus();
+  }, [searchRef]);
+
+  useKeyPressEvent(KeyboardShortcuts.search.shortcutKey, onSearchFocus);
+
+  const handleSearchChange = useCallback(
+    (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+      setSearchQuery(e.target.value);
+    },
+    [setSearchQuery],
+  );
+
+  const rendersCount = useRendersCount();
+  console.warn('RENDER COUNT | NAVBAR | ', rendersCount);
+
+  return (
+    <Stack
+      direction="row"
+      justifyContent={'flex-start'}
+      alignItems={'center'}
+      spacing={2}
+      sx={{
+        WebkitAppRegion: 'drag',
+        cursor: 'pointer',
+        p: 2,
+      }}
+    >
+      <NirvanaLogo />
+
+      <Stack
+        direction={'row'}
+        sx={{
+          position: 'relative',
+          display: 'flex',
+          flexDirection: 'row',
+          bgcolor: blueGrey[100],
+          opacity: '50%',
+          borderRadius: 1,
+          px: 1,
+          py: 0.5,
+          flex: 1,
+        }}
+        alignItems={'center'}
+        spacing={1}
+      >
+        <FiSearch style={{ color: blueGrey[500] }} />
+
+        <Input
+          onChange={handleSearchChange}
+          value={searchQuery}
+          placeholder={'Find or start a conversation'}
+          inputRef={searchRef}
+        />
+
+        {/* {isSearching && <CircularProgress size={20} />} */}
+
+        {searchQuery ? (
+          <KeyboardShortcutLabel label={KeyboardShortcuts.escape.label} />
+        ) : (
+          <KeyboardShortcutLabel label={KeyboardShortcuts.search.label} />
+        )}
+      </Stack>
+
+      <Tooltip title={'Group conversation'}>
+        <IconButton color="default" size={'small'}>
+          <FiUsers />
+        </IconButton>
+      </Tooltip>
+    </Stack>
+  );
+};
+
+export default Navbar;
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/tree/Terminal.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/tree/Terminal.tsx
index 8112eb2..a37e238 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/tree/Terminal.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/tree/Terminal.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { Container, Grid } from '@mui/material';
 
+import Navbar from './Navbar';
 import React from 'react';
 import { blueGrey } from '@mui/material/colors';
 
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ export default function Terminal() {
     >
       <Grid container spacing={0}>
         <Grid item xs={4}>
-          This is the sidepanel
+          <Navbar />
         </Grid>
 
         <Grid item xs={8}>
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/util/keyboard.ts b/packages/desktop/src/util/keyboard.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e453595
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/util/keyboard.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+type Shortcut = { label: string; shortcutKey: string };
+
+export const KeyboardShortcuts: Record<string, Shortcut> = {
+  search: {
+    label: '/',
+    shortcutKey: '/',
+  },
+  escape: {
+    shortcutKey: 'Escape',
+    label: 'esc',
+  },
+};
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/util/rules.ts b/packages/desktop/src/util/rules.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08f7172
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/util/rules.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// the rules of the game
+
+export const NirvanaRules = {
+  maxMembersPerConversation: 8,
+
+  maxPriorityConvos: 5,
+
+  topXConversationsWithShortcuts: 3,
+};
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/util/support.ts b/packages/desktop/src/util/support.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee6c8f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/util/support.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+/**
+ * The string that should be used to search for the support account, regardless of the environment
+ */
+export const SUPPORT_DISPLAY_NAME = 'Nirvana | Team';
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/util/text.ts b/packages/desktop/src/util/text.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..101408a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/util/text.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+export const toTitleCase = (str: string) => {
+  return str
+    .toLowerCase()
+    .split(' ')
+    .map((s) => s.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + s.substring(1))
+    .join(' ');
+};
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/util/types.ts b/packages/desktop/src/util/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..331d414
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/util/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { ContentBlock } from '@nirvana/core/models/content.model';
+import Conversation from '@nirvana/core/models/conversation.model';
+import User from '@nirvana/core/models/user.model';
+
+export type ConversationMap = {
+  [conversationId: string]: Conversation;
+};
+
+export type UserMap = {
+  [userId: string]: User;
+};
+
+export type ConversationContentMap = {
+  [conversationId: string]: ContentBlock[];
+};