diff --git a/packages/api/index.ts b/packages/api/index.ts
index 6a34f64..85ce000 100644
--- a/packages/api/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/index.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import getContactsRoutes from "./routes/contacts";
 import getConversationRoutes from "./routes/conversation";
 import getSearchRoutes from "./routes/search";
 import getUserRoutes from "./routes/user";
+import http from "http";
 
 const app = express();
 
@@ -26,6 +27,15 @@ app.use("/api/search", getSearchRoutes());
 app.use("/api/conversations", getConversationRoutes());
 app.use("/api/contacts", getContactsRoutes());
 
-app.listen(5000, () => console.log("Example app is listening on port 5000."));
+const server = new http.Server(app);
+server.listen(5000, () =>
+  console.log("Example app is listening on port 5000.")
+);
+
+const io = require("socket.io")(server);
+
+io.on("connection", function (socket: any) {
+  console.log("a user connected");
+});
 
 connectToDatabase();
diff --git a/packages/api/package.json b/packages/api/package.json
index c544414..c6e3c6e 100644
--- a/packages/api/package.json
+++ b/packages/api/package.json
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
     "express": "^4.17.3",
     "google-auth-library": "^7.14.0",
-    "mongodb": "^4.4.1"
+    "mongodb": "^4.4.1",
+    "socket.io": "^4.4.1"
   },
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "NODE_ENV=development && nodemon",
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 598d010..a801978 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -727,6 +727,16 @@
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@sindresorhus/is/-/is-4.6.0.tgz#3c7c9c46e678feefe7a2e5bb609d3dbd665ffb3f"
   integrity sha512-t09vSN3MdfsyCHoFcTRCH/iUtG7OJ0CsjzB8cjAmKc/va/kIgeDI/TxsigdncE/4be734m0cvIYwNaV4i2XqAw==
 
+"@socket.io/base64-arraybuffer@~1.0.2":
+  version "1.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@socket.io/base64-arraybuffer/-/base64-arraybuffer-1.0.2.tgz#568d9beae00b0d835f4f8c53fd55714986492e61"
+  integrity sha512-dOlCBKnDw4iShaIsH/bxujKTM18+2TOAsYz+KSc11Am38H4q5Xw8Bbz97ZYdrVNM+um3p7w86Bvvmcn9q+5+eQ==
+
+"@socket.io/component-emitter@~3.0.0":
+  version "3.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@socket.io/component-emitter/-/component-emitter-3.0.0.tgz#8863915676f837d9dad7b76f50cb500c1e9422e9"
+  integrity sha512-2pTGuibAXJswAPJjaKisthqS/NOK5ypG4LYT6tEAV0S/mxW0zOIvYvGK0V8w8+SHxAm6vRMSjqSalFXeBAqs+Q==
+
 "@szmarczak/http-timer@^1.1.2":
   version "1.1.2"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@szmarczak/http-timer/-/http-timer-1.1.2.tgz"
@@ -791,6 +801,11 @@
     "@types/node" "*"
     "@types/responselike" "*"
 
+"@types/component-emitter@^1.2.10":
+  version "1.2.11"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/component-emitter/-/component-emitter-1.2.11.tgz#50d47d42b347253817a39709fef03ce66a108506"
+  integrity sha512-SRXjM+tfsSlA9VuG8hGO2nft2p8zjXCK1VcC6N4NXbBbYbSia9kzCChYQajIjzIqOOOuh5Ock6MmV2oux4jDZQ==
+
 "@types/connect-history-api-fallback@^1.3.5":
   version "1.3.5"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/connect-history-api-fallback/-/connect-history-api-fallback-1.3.5.tgz"
@@ -806,6 +821,16 @@
   dependencies:
     "@types/node" "*"
 
+"@types/cookie@^0.4.1":
+  version "0.4.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/cookie/-/cookie-0.4.1.tgz#bfd02c1f2224567676c1545199f87c3a861d878d"
+  integrity sha512-XW/Aa8APYr6jSVVA1y/DEIZX0/GMKLEVekNG727R8cs56ahETkRAy/3DR7+fJyh7oUgGwNQaRfXCun0+KbWY7Q==
+
+"@types/cors@^2.8.12":
+  version "2.8.12"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/cors/-/cors-2.8.12.tgz#6b2c510a7ad7039e98e7b8d3d6598f4359e5c080"
+  integrity sha512-vt+kDhq/M2ayberEtJcIN/hxXy1Pk+59g2FV/ZQceeaTyCtCucjL2Q7FXlFjtWn4n15KCr1NE2lNNFhp0lEThw==
+
 "@types/eslint-scope@^3.7.3":
   version "3.7.3"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/eslint-scope/-/eslint-scope-3.7.3.tgz"
@@ -905,7 +930,7 @@
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/minimatch/-/minimatch-3.0.5.tgz#1001cc5e6a3704b83c236027e77f2f58ea010f40"
   integrity sha512-Klz949h02Gz2uZCMGwDUSDS1YBlTdDDgbWHi+81l29tQALUtvz4rAYi5uoVhE5Lagoq6DeqAUlbrHvW/mXDgdQ==
 
-"@types/node@*", "@types/node@^17.0.21":
+"@types/node@*", "@types/node@>=10.0.0", "@types/node@^17.0.21":
   version "17.0.21"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-17.0.21.tgz"
   integrity sha512-DBZCJbhII3r90XbQxI8Y9IjjiiOGlZ0Hr32omXIZvwwZ7p4DMMXGrKXVyPfuoBOri9XNtL0UK69jYIBIsRX3QQ==
@@ -1656,6 +1681,11 @@ babel-plugin-macros@^2.6.1:
     cosmiconfig "^6.0.0"
     resolve "^1.12.0"
 
+backo2@~1.0.2:
+  version "1.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/backo2/-/backo2-1.0.2.tgz#31ab1ac8b129363463e35b3ebb69f4dfcfba7947"
+  integrity sha1-MasayLEpNjRj41s+u2n038+6eUc=
+
 balanced-match@^1.0.0:
   version "1.0.2"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/balanced-match/-/balanced-match-1.0.2.tgz"
@@ -1666,6 +1696,11 @@ base64-js@^1.3.0, base64-js@^1.3.1, base64-js@^1.5.1:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/base64-js/-/base64-js-1.5.1.tgz"
   integrity sha512-AKpaYlHn8t4SVbOHCy+b5+KKgvR4vrsD8vbvrbiQJps7fKDTkjkDry6ji0rUJjC0kzbNePLwzxq8iypo41qeWA==
 
+base64id@2.0.0, base64id@~2.0.0:
+  version "2.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/base64id/-/base64id-2.0.0.tgz#2770ac6bc47d312af97a8bf9a634342e0cd25cb6"
+  integrity sha512-lGe34o6EHj9y3Kts9R4ZYs/Gr+6N7MCaMlIFA3F1R2O5/m7K06AxfSeO5530PEERE6/WyEg3lsuyw4GHlPZHog==
+
 batch@0.6.1:
   version "0.6.1"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/batch/-/batch-0.6.1.tgz"
@@ -2195,6 +2230,11 @@ compare-version@^0.1.2:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/compare-version/-/compare-version-0.1.2.tgz#0162ec2d9351f5ddd59a9202cba935366a725080"
   integrity sha1-AWLsLZNR9d3VmpICy6k1NmpyUIA=
 
+component-emitter@~1.3.0:
+  version "1.3.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/component-emitter/-/component-emitter-1.3.0.tgz#16e4070fba8ae29b679f2215853ee181ab2eabc0"
+  integrity sha512-Rd3se6QB+sO1TwqZjscQrurpEPIfO0/yYnSin6Q/rD3mOutHvUrCAhJub3r90uNb+SESBuE0QYoB90YdfatsRg==
+
 compressible@~2.0.16:
   version "2.0.18"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/compressible/-/compressible-2.0.18.tgz"
@@ -2305,7 +2345,7 @@ cookie-signature@1.0.6:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/cookie-signature/-/cookie-signature-1.0.6.tgz"
   integrity sha1-4wOogrNCzD7oylE6eZmXNNqzriw=
 
-cookie@0.4.2:
+cookie@0.4.2, cookie@~0.4.1:
   version "0.4.2"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/cookie/-/cookie-0.4.2.tgz"
   integrity sha512-aSWTXFzaKWkvHO1Ny/s+ePFpvKsPnjc551iI41v3ny/ow6tBG5Vd+FuqGNhh1LxOmVzOlGUriIlOaokOvhaStA==
@@ -2327,7 +2367,7 @@ core-util-is@~1.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/core-util-is/-/core-util-is-1.0.3.tgz"
   integrity sha512-ZQBvi1DcpJ4GDqanjucZ2Hj3wEO5pZDS89BWbkcrvdxksJorwUDDZamX9ldFkp9aw2lmBDLgkObEA4DWNJ9FYQ==
 
-cors@^2.8.5:
+cors@^2.8.5, cors@~2.8.5:
   version "2.8.5"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/cors/-/cors-2.8.5.tgz"
   integrity sha512-KIHbLJqu73RGr/hnbrO9uBeixNGuvSQjul/jdFvS/KFSIH1hWVd1ng7zOHx+YrEfInLG7q4n6GHQ9cDtxv/P6g==
@@ -2491,6 +2531,13 @@ debug@^3.1.0, debug@^3.1.1, debug@^3.2.7:
   dependencies:
     ms "^2.1.1"
 
+debug@~4.3.1, debug@~4.3.2:
+  version "4.3.4"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/debug/-/debug-4.3.4.tgz#1319f6579357f2338d3337d2cdd4914bb5dcc865"
+  integrity sha512-PRWFHuSU3eDtQJPvnNY7Jcket1j0t5OuOsFzPPzsekD52Zl8qUfFIPEiswXqIvHWGVHOgX+7G/vCNNhehwxfkQ==
+  dependencies:
+    ms "2.1.2"
+
 decamelize@^1.2.0:
   version "1.2.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/decamelize/-/decamelize-1.2.0.tgz#f6534d15148269b20352e7bee26f501f9a191290"
@@ -2976,6 +3023,44 @@ end-of-stream@^1.1.0:
   dependencies:
     once "^1.4.0"
 
+engine.io-client@~6.1.1:
+  version "6.1.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/engine.io-client/-/engine.io-client-6.1.1.tgz#800d4b9db5487d169686729e5bd887afa78d36b0"
+  integrity sha512-V05mmDo4gjimYW+FGujoGmmmxRaDsrVr7AXA3ZIfa04MWM1jOfZfUwou0oNqhNwy/votUDvGDt4JA4QF4e0b4g==
+  dependencies:
+    "@socket.io/component-emitter" "~3.0.0"
+    debug "~4.3.1"
+    engine.io-parser "~5.0.0"
+    has-cors "1.1.0"
+    parseqs "0.0.6"
+    parseuri "0.0.6"
+    ws "~8.2.3"
+    xmlhttprequest-ssl "~2.0.0"
+    yeast "0.1.2"
+
+engine.io-parser@~5.0.0, engine.io-parser@~5.0.3:
+  version "5.0.3"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/engine.io-parser/-/engine.io-parser-5.0.3.tgz#ca1f0d7b11e290b4bfda251803baea765ed89c09"
+  integrity sha512-BtQxwF27XUNnSafQLvDi0dQ8s3i6VgzSoQMJacpIcGNrlUdfHSKbgm3jmjCVvQluGzqwujQMPAoMai3oYSTurg==
+  dependencies:
+    "@socket.io/base64-arraybuffer" "~1.0.2"
+
+engine.io@~6.1.0:
+  version "6.1.3"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/engine.io/-/engine.io-6.1.3.tgz#f156293d011d99a3df5691ac29d63737c3302e6f"
+  integrity sha512-rqs60YwkvWTLLnfazqgZqLa/aKo+9cueVfEi/dZ8PyGyaf8TLOxj++4QMIgeG3Gn0AhrWiFXvghsoY9L9h25GA==
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/cookie" "^0.4.1"
+    "@types/cors" "^2.8.12"
+    "@types/node" ">=10.0.0"
+    accepts "~1.3.4"
+    base64id "2.0.0"
+    cookie "~0.4.1"
+    cors "~2.8.5"
+    debug "~4.3.1"
+    engine.io-parser "~5.0.3"
+    ws "~8.2.3"
+
 enhanced-resolve@^5.0.0, enhanced-resolve@^5.9.2:
   version "5.9.2"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/enhanced-resolve/-/enhanced-resolve-5.9.2.tgz"
@@ -4036,6 +4121,11 @@ has-bigints@^1.0.1:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/has-bigints/-/has-bigints-1.0.1.tgz"
   integrity sha512-LSBS2LjbNBTf6287JEbEzvJgftkF5qFkmCo9hDRpAzKhUOlJ+hx8dd4USs00SgsUNwc4617J9ki5YtEClM2ffA==
 
+has-cors@1.1.0:
+  version "1.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/has-cors/-/has-cors-1.1.0.tgz#5e474793f7ea9843d1bb99c23eef49ff126fff39"
+  integrity sha1-XkdHk/fqmEPRu5nCPu9J/xJv/zk=
+
 has-flag@^3.0.0:
   version "3.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/has-flag/-/has-flag-3.0.0.tgz"
@@ -5836,6 +5926,16 @@ parse-passwd@^1.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/parse-passwd/-/parse-passwd-1.0.0.tgz#6d5b934a456993b23d37f40a382d6f1666a8e5c6"
   integrity sha1-bVuTSkVpk7I9N/QKOC1vFmao5cY=
 
+parseqs@0.0.6:
+  version "0.0.6"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/parseqs/-/parseqs-0.0.6.tgz#8e4bb5a19d1cdc844a08ac974d34e273afa670d5"
+  integrity sha512-jeAGzMDbfSHHA091hr0r31eYfTig+29g3GKKE/PPbEQ65X0lmMwlEoqmhzu0iztID5uJpZsFlUPDP8ThPL7M8w==
+
+parseuri@0.0.6:
+  version "0.0.6"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/parseuri/-/parseuri-0.0.6.tgz#e1496e829e3ac2ff47f39a4dd044b32823c4a25a"
+  integrity sha512-AUjen8sAkGgao7UyCX6Ahv0gIK2fABKmYjvP4xmy5JaKvcbTRueIqIPHLAfq30xJddqSE033IOMUSOMCcK3Sow==
+
 parseurl@~1.3.2, parseurl@~1.3.3:
   version "1.3.3"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/parseurl/-/parseurl-1.3.3.tgz"
@@ -7186,6 +7286,52 @@ smart-buffer@^4.2.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/smart-buffer/-/smart-buffer-4.2.0.tgz#6e1d71fa4f18c05f7d0ff216dd16a481d0e8d9ae"
   integrity sha512-94hK0Hh8rPqQl2xXc3HsaBoOXKV20MToPkcXvwbISWLEs+64sBq5kFgn2kJDHb1Pry9yrP0dxrCI9RRci7RXKg==
 
+socket.io-adapter@~2.3.3:
+  version "2.3.3"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/socket.io-adapter/-/socket.io-adapter-2.3.3.tgz#4d6111e4d42e9f7646e365b4f578269821f13486"
+  integrity sha512-Qd/iwn3VskrpNO60BeRyCyr8ZWw9CPZyitW4AQwmRZ8zCiyDiL+znRnWX6tDHXnWn1sJrM1+b6Mn6wEDJJ4aYQ==
+
+socket.io-client@^4.4.1:
+  version "4.4.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/socket.io-client/-/socket.io-client-4.4.1.tgz#b6aa9448149d09b8d0b2bbf3d2fac310631fdec9"
+  integrity sha512-N5C/L5fLNha5Ojd7Yeb/puKcPWWcoB/A09fEjjNsg91EDVr5twk/OEyO6VT9dlLSUNY85NpW6KBhVMvaLKQ3vQ==
+  dependencies:
+    "@socket.io/component-emitter" "~3.0.0"
+    backo2 "~1.0.2"
+    debug "~4.3.2"
+    engine.io-client "~6.1.1"
+    parseuri "0.0.6"
+    socket.io-parser "~4.1.1"
+
+socket.io-parser@~4.0.4:
+  version "4.0.4"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/socket.io-parser/-/socket.io-parser-4.0.4.tgz#9ea21b0d61508d18196ef04a2c6b9ab630f4c2b0"
+  integrity sha512-t+b0SS+IxG7Rxzda2EVvyBZbvFPBCjJoyHuE0P//7OAsN23GItzDRdWa6ALxZI/8R5ygK7jAR6t028/z+7295g==
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/component-emitter" "^1.2.10"
+    component-emitter "~1.3.0"
+    debug "~4.3.1"
+
+socket.io-parser@~4.1.1:
+  version "4.1.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/socket.io-parser/-/socket.io-parser-4.1.2.tgz#0a97d4fb8e67022158a568450a6e41887e42035e"
+  integrity sha512-j3kk71QLJuyQ/hh5F/L2t1goqzdTL0gvDzuhTuNSwihfuFUrcSji0qFZmJJPtG6Rmug153eOPsUizeirf1IIog==
+  dependencies:
+    "@socket.io/component-emitter" "~3.0.0"
+    debug "~4.3.1"
+
+socket.io@^4.4.1:
+  version "4.4.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/socket.io/-/socket.io-4.4.1.tgz#cd6de29e277a161d176832bb24f64ee045c56ab8"
+  integrity sha512-s04vrBswdQBUmuWJuuNTmXUVJhP0cVky8bBDhdkf8y0Ptsu7fKU2LuLbts9g+pdmAdyMMn8F/9Mf1/wbtUN0fg==
+  dependencies:
+    accepts "~1.3.4"
+    base64id "~2.0.0"
+    debug "~4.3.2"
+    engine.io "~6.1.0"
+    socket.io-adapter "~2.3.3"
+    socket.io-parser "~4.0.4"
+
 sockjs@^0.3.21:
   version "0.3.24"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/sockjs/-/sockjs-0.3.24.tgz"
@@ -8237,6 +8383,11 @@ ws@^8.4.2:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/ws/-/ws-8.5.0.tgz"
   integrity sha512-BWX0SWVgLPzYwF8lTzEy1egjhS4S4OEAHfsO8o65WOVsrnSRGaSiUaa9e0ggGlkMTtBlmOpEXiie9RUcBO86qg==
 
+ws@~8.2.3:
+  version "8.2.3"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/ws/-/ws-8.2.3.tgz#63a56456db1b04367d0b721a0b80cae6d8becbba"
+  integrity sha512-wBuoj1BDpC6ZQ1B7DWQBYVLphPWkm8i9Y0/3YdHjHKHiohOJ1ws+3OccDWtH+PoC9DZD5WOTrJvNbWvjS6JWaA==
+
 xdg-basedir@^4.0.0:
   version "4.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/xdg-basedir/-/xdg-basedir-4.0.0.tgz"
@@ -8247,6 +8398,11 @@ xmlbuilder@^9.0.7:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/xmlbuilder/-/xmlbuilder-9.0.7.tgz#132ee63d2ec5565c557e20f4c22df9aca686b10d"
   integrity sha1-Ey7mPS7FVlxVfiD0wi35rKaGsQ0=
 
+xmlhttprequest-ssl@~2.0.0:
+  version "2.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/xmlhttprequest-ssl/-/xmlhttprequest-ssl-2.0.0.tgz#91360c86b914e67f44dce769180027c0da618c67"
+  integrity sha512-QKxVRxiRACQcVuQEYFsI1hhkrMlrXHPegbbd1yn9UHOmRxY+si12nQYzri3vbzt8VdTTRviqcKxcyllFas5z2A==
+
 xtend@^4.0.2:
   version "4.0.2"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/xtend/-/xtend-4.0.2.tgz"
@@ -8376,6 +8532,11 @@ yauzl@^2.10.0:
     buffer-crc32 "~0.2.3"
     fd-slicer "~1.1.0"
 
+yeast@0.1.2:
+  version "0.1.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/yeast/-/yeast-0.1.2.tgz#008e06d8094320c372dbc2f8ed76a0ca6c8ac419"
+  integrity sha1-AI4G2AlDIMNy28L47XagymyKxBk=
+
 yn@3.1.1:
   version "3.1.1"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/yn/-/yn-3.1.1.tgz"