diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index fe92647..d9dd814 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,3 +9,6 @@ wheels/
 
 # Virtual environments
 .venv
+
+# SQLite Database
+*.db
diff --git a/components/data/ChatDB.py b/components/data/ChatDB.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd1e801
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/data/ChatDB.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import sqlite3
+from datetime import datetime
+
+class ChatDB:
+    def __init__(self, db_path="chat_history.db"):
+        self.conn = sqlite3.connect(db_path)
+        self.create_table()
+
+    def create_table(self):
+        self.conn.execute("""
+            CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS messages (
+                id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
+                contact TEXT NOT NULL,
+                sender TEXT NOT NULL,
+                message TEXT NOT NULL,
+                timestamp TEXT NOT NULL
+            )
+        """)
+        self.conn.commit()
+
+    def save_message(self, contact, sender, message):
+        timestamp = datetime.now().isoformat()
+        self.conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO messages (contact, sender, message, timestamp) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
+            (contact, sender, message, timestamp)
+        )
+        self.conn.commit()
+
+    def load_messages(self, contact):
+        cursor = self.conn.execute(
+            "SELECT sender, message, timestamp FROM messages WHERE contact = ? ORDER BY timestamp",
+            (contact,)
+        )
+        return cursor.fetchall()
+
+    def close(self):
+        self.conn.close()
diff --git a/components/data/__init__.py b/components/data/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/components/mesh_conn/MeshConn.py b/components/mesh_conn/MeshConn.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..934679d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/mesh_conn/MeshConn.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# api for meshtastic cli
+import meshtastic
+import meshtastic.serial_interface
+from pubsub import pub
+import time
+import sys
+
+
+class MeshConn:
+    def __init__(self, on_message_callback=None):
+        """
+        Connect to a meshtastic radio through a serial port.
+        """
+        self.on_message_callback = on_message_callback
+        pub.subscribe(self.on_receive, "meshtastic.receive")
+
+        try:
+            self.interface = meshtastic.serial_interface.SerialInterface()
+        except Exception as e:
+            print("ERROR: There was an error connecting to the radio.", e)
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+        try:
+            self.nodes = self.interface.nodes.items()
+        except AttributeError as e:
+            print("ERROR: It is likely that there is no radio connected.", e)
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+        self.this_node = self.interface.getMyNodeInfo()
+        
+        # create dictionary for long names and radio ids {"longName":"id"}
+        self.name_id_map = { metadata['user']['longName'] : id for id, metadata in self.nodes}
+
+        # another one for the reverse {"id": "longName"}
+        self.id_name_map = { id : metadata['user']['longName'] for id, metadata in self.nodes}
+
+    def get_this_node(self):
+        """
+        Return the name of our radio.
+        """
+        return self.this_node['user']['longName']
+    
+    def on_receive(self, packet):
+        """
+        Receive a message sent to our radio.
+        """
+        try:
+            to_id = packet.get("toId")
+            from_id = packet.get("fromId")
+            message = packet["decoded"]["text"]
+            this_id = self.this_node['user']['id']
+
+            if to_id == this_id or to_id == "^all":
+                sender_name = self.id_name_map.get(from_id, "Unknown")
+                if self.on_message_callback:
+                    self.on_message_callback(sender_name, message)
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"[ERROR on_receive] {e}")
+
+
+    def get_long_names(self):
+        """
+        Retrieve the names of all other nodes in the mesh
+        """
+        long_names = self.name_id_map.keys()
+        return long_names
+    
+    async def send_message(self, longname: str, message: str):
+        id = self.name_id_map[longname]
+        self.interface.sendText(message, destinationId=id)
+
diff --git a/components/mesh_conn/__init__.py b/components/mesh_conn/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/components/tui/chat_window/ChatWindow.py b/components/tui/chat_window/ChatWindow.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..75e1eae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/tui/chat_window/ChatWindow.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+from textual.widgets import Static, Input
+from textual.containers import Vertical, VerticalScroll
+from textual.app import ComposeResult
+from datetime import datetime
+
+
+class ChatWindow(Vertical):
+    def __init__(self, longname: str, send_callback=None, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(**kwargs)
+        self.longname = longname
+        self.messages = []
+        self.send_callback = send_callback
+
+        self.message_scroll = VerticalScroll()
+        self.message_scroll.styles.width = "100%"
+
+        self.message_display = Static()
+
+        self.input_box = Input(placeholder="Type a message and press Enter...")
+
+    def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
+        yield self.message_scroll
+        yield self.input_box
+
+    async def on_mount(self):
+        await self.message_scroll.mount(self.message_display)
+
+    def on_input_submitted(self, event: Input.Submitted) -> None:
+        message = event.value.strip()
+        if message:
+            timestamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
+            self.messages.append(f" [dim]{timestamp}[/dim]\n[blue] You[/blue]: {message}\n")
+            self.update_display()
+            self.input_box.value = ""
+            if self.send_callback and self.longname:
+                self.app.call_later(self.send_callback, self.longname, message)
+
+    def update_display(self):
+        self.message_display.update("\n".join(self.messages))
+        self.message_scroll.scroll_end(animate=False)
+        
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/components/tui/chat_window/__init__.py b/components/tui/chat_window/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/components/tui/mesh_app/MeshApp.py b/components/tui/mesh_app/MeshApp.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0a5d71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/tui/mesh_app/MeshApp.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+from textual.widgets import Header, Footer, ListView, ListItem, Label, Static
+from textual.containers import Horizontal
+from textual.app import App, ComposeResult
+
+from components.data.ChatDB import ChatDB
+from components.mesh_conn.MeshConn import MeshConn
+from components.tui.chat_window.ChatWindow import ChatWindow
+from datetime import datetime
+
+
+class MeshApp(App):
+    """
+    Main app.
+    """
+
+    BINDINGS = [("d", "toggle_dark", "Toggle dark mode")]
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.db = ChatDB()
+        self.conn = MeshConn(on_message_callback=self.handle_incoming_message)
+        self.chat_window = ChatWindow("Select a contact", send_callback=self.send_message)
+        self.contact_list = ListView()
+        self.connection_label = Static()
+    
+    def handle_incoming_message(self, longname, message):
+        self.call_later(self._display_incoming_message, longname, message)
+
+    async def _display_incoming_message(self, longname, message):
+        if self.chat_window.longname == longname:
+            timestamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
+            self.chat_window.messages.append(f" [dim]{timestamp}[/dim]\n[red] {longname}[/red]: {message}\n")
+            self.chat_window.update_display()
+            self.db.save_message(longname, longname, message)
+
+    def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
+        yield Header()
+        self.contact_list.styles.width = "35%"
+        self.chat_window.styles.width = "65%"
+        yield self.connection_label
+        with Horizontal():
+            yield self.contact_list
+            yield self.chat_window
+        yield Footer()
+
+    async def on_mount(self) -> None:
+        node_name = self.conn.get_this_node()
+        self.connection_label.update(f"[bold green]Connected to:[/] {node_name}")
+
+        for name in self.conn.get_long_names():
+            await self.contact_list.append(ListItem(Label(name)))
+
+    def action_toggle_dark(self) -> None:
+        self.theme = (
+            "textual-dark" if self.theme == "textual-light" else "textual-light"
+        )
+
+    async def on_list_view_selected(self, message: ListView.Selected) -> None:
+        selected_label = message.item.query_one(Label)
+        name = str(selected_label.renderable)
+        self.chat_window.longname = name
+        self.chat_window.input_box.border_title = f"Chat with {name}"
+        self.chat_window.messages = []
+
+        for sender, msg, timestamp in self.db.load_messages(name):
+            timestamp = timestamp[0:10] + " " + timestamp[11:19]
+            if sender == "You":
+                self.chat_window.messages.append(f" [dim]{timestamp}[/dim]\n[blue] You[/blue]: {msg}\n")
+            else:
+                self.chat_window.messages.append(f" [dim]{timestamp}[/dim]\n[red] {sender}[/red]: {message}\n")
+        
+        self.chat_window.update_display()
+    
+    async def send_message(self, longname: str, message: str):
+        await self.conn.send_message(longname, message)
+        self.db.save_message(longname, "You", message)
diff --git a/components/tui/mesh_app/__init__.py b/components/tui/mesh_app/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 4c94af3..12db4e8 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,24 +1,5 @@
-from textual.app import App, ComposeResult
-from textual.widgets import Footer, Header
-
-
-class ExampleMeshApp(App):
-    """A Textual app to manage stopwatches."""
-
-    BINDINGS = [("d", "toggle_dark", "Toggle dark mode")]
-
-    def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
-        """Create child widgets for the app."""
-        yield Header()
-        yield Footer()
-
-    def action_toggle_dark(self) -> None:
-        """An action to toggle dark mode."""
-        self.theme = (
-            "textual-dark" if self.theme == "textual-light" else "textual-light"
-        )
-
+from components.tui.mesh_app.MeshApp import MeshApp
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    app = ExampleMeshApp()
+    app = MeshApp()
     app.run()