diff --git a/src/bin/client/main.rs b/src/bin/client/main.rs
index 319d660..8f49902 100644
--- a/src/bin/client/main.rs
+++ b/src/bin/client/main.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 #![feature(async_fn_traits)]
 #![windows_subsystem = "windows"]
 
-use crate::data::ClientData;
+use crate::{data::ClientData, session::Session};
 use iris::prelude::*;
-use openworm::net::{ServerMsg, install_crypto_provider};
+use openworm::net::install_crypto_provider;
 use winit::{
     event::{ElementState, MouseButton, WindowEvent},
     window::WindowAttributes,
@@ -26,14 +26,13 @@ pub struct Client {
     data: ClientData,
     main_ui: WeakWidget<WidgetPtr>,
     notif: WeakWidget<WidgetPtr>,
+    sessions: Vec<Session>,
 }
 
 pub type Rsc = DefaultRsc<Client>;
 pub type ClientSender = EventSender<Client>;
 
 pub enum ClientEvent {
-    CacheUpdate,
-    ServerMsg(ServerMsg),
     Err(String),
 }
 
@@ -62,6 +61,7 @@ impl DefaultAppState for Client {
         ui::start(rsc, &data).set_ptr(main_ui, rsc);
 
         Self {
+            sessions: Default::default(),
             ui_state,
             data,
             main_ui,
@@ -76,11 +76,9 @@ impl DefaultAppState for Client {
         _render: &mut UiRenderState,
     ) {
         match event {
-            ClientEvent::ServerMsg(_) => {}
             ClientEvent::Err(msg) => {
                 rsc[self.notif].inner = Some(ui::werror(&msg, rsc));
             }
-            ClientEvent::CacheUpdate => {}
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/bin/client/net.rs b/src/bin/client/net.rs
index dddb698..77faf18 100644
--- a/src/bin/client/net.rs
+++ b/src/bin/client/net.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::{Client, ClientSender, Rsc};
+use crate::{Client, ClientEvent, ClientSender, Rsc, session::Session};
 use dashmap::DashMap;
 use iris::prelude::DefaultRsc;
 use openworm::net::{
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ async fn connection_no_cert(addr: SocketAddr) -> NetResult<(Endpoint, Connection
 
 impl NetHandle {
     pub async fn connect(
-        msg: impl MsgHandler,
+        id: usize,
         info: ConnectInfo,
         event_sender: ClientSender,
     ) -> Result<Self, String> {
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ impl NetHandle {
 
         let mut req_id = RequestId::first();
         let recv = Arc::new(ServerRecv {
-            msg,
+            id,
             requests_sync: DashMap::default(),
             requests: DashMap::default(),
             event_sender: event_sender.clone(),
@@ -251,14 +251,14 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-struct ServerRecv<F: MsgHandler> {
+struct ServerRecv {
     requests: DashMap<RequestId, oneshot::Sender<ServerMsg>>,
     requests_sync: DashMap<RequestId, SyncReqFn>,
     event_sender: ClientSender,
-    msg: F,
+    id: usize,
 }
 
-impl<F: MsgHandler> RecvHandler<ServerMsgInst> for ServerRecv<F> {
+impl RecvHandler<ServerMsgInst> for ServerRecv {
     async fn msg(&self, resp: ServerMsgInst) {
         if let Some(id) = resp.id {
             if let Some((_, send)) = self.requests.remove(&id) {
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ impl<F: MsgHandler> RecvHandler<ServerMsgInst> for ServerRecv<F> {
                 self.event_sender.run(|rsc| f(resp.msg, rsc));
             }
         } else {
-            self.msg.run(resp.msg).await;
+            Session::handle(&self.event_sender, self.id, resp);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/bin/client/session.rs b/src/bin/client/session.rs
index fe5ca50..65679b1 100644
--- a/src/bin/client/session.rs
+++ b/src/bin/client/session.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex, MutexGuard};
 
 use iris::prelude::*;
-use openworm::net::UserId;
+use openworm::net::{ServerMsgInst, UserId};
 
-use crate::{Rsc, net::NetHandle, ui::UserCache};
+use crate::{ClientSender, Rsc, net::NetHandle, ui::UserCache};
 
 // TODO: this really should not be async...
 // I mean it could be used async but all widgets
@@ -38,4 +38,12 @@ impl Session {
         let span = Span::empty(Dir::DOWN).add(rsc);
         span
     }
+
+    pub fn handle(sender: &ClientSender, id: usize, inst: ServerMsgInst) {
+        match inst.msg {
+            _ => {
+                println!("Unknown server message recieved");
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/bin/client/ui/channel.rs b/src/bin/client/ui/channel.rs
index 64154e6..fceca04 100644
--- a/src/bin/client/ui/channel.rs
+++ b/src/bin/client/ui/channel.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,28 @@
+use openworm::net::CreateChannel;
+
 use super::*;
 
-pub fn view(rsc: &mut Rsc) -> StrongWidget {
+pub fn view(rsc: &mut Rsc, session: &Session) -> StrongWidget {
     let msg_panel = msg_panel(rsc);
-    let side_bar = rect(Color::BLACK.alpha(150)).width(260);
+    let side_bar = side_bar(rsc, session);
 
     (side_bar, msg_panel).span(Dir::RIGHT).add_strong(rsc)
 }
 
+pub fn side_bar(rsc: &mut Rsc, session: &Session) -> WeakWidget {
+    let add = Button::new("create channel", color::DARK, rsc);
+    let session = session.clone();
+    rsc.events.register(add, CursorSense::click(), move |_, _| {
+        session.con().send(CreateChannel {
+            name: "new channel".to_string(),
+        });
+    });
+    rect(Color::BLACK.alpha(150))
+        .width(260)
+        .foreground((add,).span(Dir::DOWN))
+        .add(rsc)
+}
+
 pub fn msg_widget(username: &str, content: &str) -> impl WidgetIdFn<Rsc> {
     let content = wtext(content)
         .editable(EditMode::MultiLine)
diff --git a/src/bin/client/ui/connect.rs b/src/bin/client/ui/connect.rs
index de02a87..94a02c3 100644
--- a/src/bin/client/ui/connect.rs
+++ b/src/bin/client/ui/connect.rs
@@ -62,10 +62,9 @@ pub fn start(rsc: &mut Rsc, data: &ClientData) -> WeakWidget {
                             ctx.error(&reason, rsc);
                         })
                     };
+                    let id = 0;
                     let con = match NetHandle::connect(
-                        async |msg| {
-                            println!("msg recv :joy:");
-                        },
+                        id,
                         ConnectInfo {
                             url: account.url.clone(),
                             cert,
@@ -100,6 +99,7 @@ pub fn start(rsc: &mut Rsc, data: &ClientData) -> WeakWidget {
                     };
                     ctx.update(move |ctx, rsc| {
                         let session = Session::new(con, user_id);
+                        ctx.sessions.push(session.clone());
                         main_view(rsc, session).set_ptr(ctx.main_ui, rsc);
                     });
                 });
@@ -160,10 +160,9 @@ pub fn create_account(rsc: &mut Rsc) -> WeakWidget {
                 })
             };
             keyring::use_native_store(true).unwrap();
+            let id = 0;
             let con = match NetHandle::connect(
-                async |msg| {
-                    println!("msg recv :joy:");
-                },
+                id,
                 ConnectInfo {
                     url: url.clone(),
                     cert,
@@ -199,6 +198,7 @@ pub fn create_account(rsc: &mut Rsc) -> WeakWidget {
             };
             ctx.update(move |ctx, rsc| {
                 let session = Session::new(con, user_id);
+                ctx.sessions.push(session.clone());
                 main_view(rsc, session).set_ptr(ctx.main_ui, rsc);
                 ctx.data.create_account(
                     ServerInfo { cert_hex },
diff --git a/src/bin/client/ui/main.rs b/src/bin/client/ui/main.rs
index 745d5ee..303c4da 100644
--- a/src/bin/client/ui/main.rs
+++ b/src/bin/client/ui/main.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ pub enum MainView {
 }
 
 pub fn main_view(rsc: &mut Rsc, session: Session) -> WeakWidget {
-    let mut view = WidgetSelector::new(MainView::Channel, channel::view(rsc));
+    let mut view = WidgetSelector::new(MainView::Channel, channel::view(rsc, &session));
     view.set(MainView::Server, server::view(rsc, &session));
     view.set(MainView::Friends, friends::view(rsc, &session));
     let view = view.add(rsc);
diff --git a/src/bin/server/db/data.rs b/src/bin/server/db/data.rs
index b8e3be0..653fa03 100644
--- a/src/bin/server/db/data.rs
+++ b/src/bin/server/db/data.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ pub struct Msg {
     pub author: UserId,
 }
 
+#[derive(bitcode::Encode, bitcode::Decode)]
 pub struct Channel {
     pub name: String,
     pub desc: String,
diff --git a/src/bin/server/db/mod.rs b/src/bin/server/db/mod.rs
index d57bdfa..bd054d1 100644
--- a/src/bin/server/db/mod.rs
+++ b/src/bin/server/db/mod.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ pub struct Db {
     pub msgs: DbMap<MsgId, Msg>,
     pub users: DbMap<UserId, User>,
     pub usernames: DbMap<String, UserId>,
+    pub channels: DbMap<ChannelId, Channel>,
 }
 
 impl Db {
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ impl Db {
             msgs: DbMap::open("msg", &db),
             users: DbMap::open("user", &db),
             usernames: DbMap::open("username", &db),
+            channels: DbMap::open("channel", &db),
             db,
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/bin/server/handle.rs b/src/bin/server/handle.rs
index b737c35..ca8a578 100644
--- a/src/bin/server/handle.rs
+++ b/src/bin/server/handle.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use super::net::ClientSender;
 use crate::{
     ClientId, account_token,
-    db::{Db, ServerPerms, User, UserId},
+    db::{Channel, ChannelId, Db, ServerPerms, User, UserId},
     net::ClientReplier,
 };
 use openworm::net::*;
@@ -70,6 +70,22 @@ impl ClientHandler {
         };
         let db = &self.db;
         match msg {
+            ClientMsg::CreateChannel(info) => {
+                let mut id: ChannelId;
+                let channel = Channel {
+                    name: info.name,
+                    desc: String::new(),
+                };
+                loop {
+                    let mut tx = db.write_tx();
+                    id = rand::random();
+                    tx.insert(&db.channels, &id, &channel);
+                    if tx.commit() {
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                reply!(CreateChannelResp::Ok);
+            }
             ClientMsg::GenerateToken(info) => {
                 let check = if info.perms == ServerPerms::NONE {
                     ServerPerms::ACCOUNT_TOKENS
@@ -274,55 +290,3 @@ impl RecvHandler<ClientMsgInst> for ClientHandler {
         }
     }
 }
-
-// ClientMsg::SendMsg(msg) => {
-//     let uid = check_login().await?;
-//     let msg = Msg {
-//         author: uid,
-//         content: msg.content,
-//     };
-//     // TODO: it is technically possible to send 2 messages at the exact same time...
-//     // should probably append a number if one already exists at that time,
-//     // but also I can't see this ever happening...?
-//     // should be an easy fix later (write tx)
-//     let timestamp = time::OffsetDateTime::now_utc().unix_timestamp_nanos();
-//     self.db.msgs.insert(&timestamp, &msg);
-//     let mut handles = Vec::new();
-//     let msg = LoadMsg {
-//         content: msg.content,
-//         author: uid,
-//     };
-//     for (&id, send) in self.senders.read().await.iter() {
-//         if id == self.id {
-//             continue;
-//         }
-//         let send = send.clone();
-//         let msg = msg.clone();
-//         let fut = async move {
-//             let _ = send
-//                 .send(LoadMsg {
-//                     content: msg.content,
-//                     author: msg.author,
-//                 })
-//                 .await;
-//         };
-//         handles.push(tokio::spawn(fut));
-//     }
-//     for h in handles {
-//         h.await.unwrap();
-//     }
-//     None
-// }
-// ClientMsg::RequestMsgs => {
-//     check_login().await?;
-//     let msgs = self
-//         .db
-//         .msgs
-//         .values()
-//         .map(|msg| LoadMsg {
-//             content: msg.content,
-//             author: msg.author,
-//         })
-//         .collect();
-//     replier.send(ServerMsg::LoadMsgs(msgs)).await;
-// }
diff --git a/src/net/data.rs b/src/net/data.rs
index b601e88..1320e9e 100644
--- a/src/net/data.rs
+++ b/src/net/data.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
 use iris::core::util::HashSet;
 
+#[derive(Debug, bitcode::Encode, bitcode::Decode)]
+pub struct CreateChannel {
+    pub name: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, bitcode::Encode, bitcode::Decode)]
+pub enum CreateChannelResp {
+    Ok,
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, bitcode::Encode, bitcode::Decode)]
 pub struct RequestUserInfo {
     pub id: UserId,
diff --git a/src/net/msg.rs b/src/net/msg.rs
index 00102c9..55175e6 100644
--- a/src/net/msg.rs
+++ b/src/net/msg.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ msg_type!(ClientMsg: {
     6: AnswerFriendRequest,
     7: GenerateToken => GenerateTokenResp,
     8: RequestUserInfo => RequestUserInfoResp,
+    9: CreateChannel => CreateChannelResp,
 });
 msg_type!(ServerMsg: {
     0: NotLoggedIn,
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ msg_type!(ServerMsg: {
     7: AddFriendResp,
     8: GenerateTokenResp,
     9: RequestUserInfoResp,
+    10: CreateChannelResp,
 });
 
 macro_rules! msg_type {