diff --git a/middleware/authenticate.js b/middleware/authenticate.js
index 354cbe3..5fc4571 100644
--- a/middleware/authenticate.js
+++ b/middleware/authenticate.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ function authenticate(req, res, next) {
     req.userId = decoded.userId;
     next();
   });
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
diff --git a/models/DirectMessage.js b/models/DirectMessage.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffd8347
--- /dev/null
+++ b/models/DirectMessage.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+const mongoose = require('mongoose');
+const Schema = mongoose.Schema;
+
+const DirectMessageSchema = new Schema({
+  sender: {
+    type: Schema.Types.ObjectId,
+    ref: 'User',
+    required: true
+  },
+  recipient: {
+    type: Schema.Types.ObjectId,
+    ref: 'User',
+    required: true
+  },
+  content: {
+    type: String,
+    required: true
+  },
+  timestamp: {
+    type: Date,
+    default: Date.now
+  },
+}, { 
+    timestamps: true
+});
+
+module.exports = mongoose.model('DirectMessage', DirectMessageSchema);
diff --git a/models/Swit.js b/models/Swit.js
index 366ac12..292230b 100644
--- a/models/Swit.js
+++ b/models/Swit.js
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ const SwitSchema = new mongoose.Schema({
       text: { type: String },
       user: { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'User'},
       date: { type: Date, default: Date.now},
-      username: String
+      username: String,
+      likes: [{ type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'User' }] // Add this line
     }],
     reposts: [{ type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'User'}]
   }, { timestamps: true });
diff --git a/routes/dm.js b/routes/dm.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..afe8a75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routes/dm.js
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+const express = require('express');
+const router = express.Router();
+const DirectMessage = require('../models/DirectMessage');
+const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
+const User = require('../models/User');
+
+function authenticate(req, res, next) {
+  const token = req.header('Authorization');
+  if (!token) return res.sendStatus(401);
+  jwt.verify(token, 'SECRET_KEY', (err, decoded) => {
+    if (err) return res.sendStatus(401);
+    req.userId = decoded.userId;
+    next();
+  });
+}
+
+router.get('/', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
+    try {
+        const dms = await DirectMessage.find({
+            $or: [
+                { sender: req.userId },
+                { recipient: req.userId },
+            ],
+        }).populate('sender recipient', 'username');
+
+        // Group the messages by conversation
+        let conversations = {};
+        dms.forEach(dm => {
+            const otherUserId = dm.sender._id.toString() === req.userId ? dm.recipient._id.toString() : dm.sender._id.toString();
+            if (!conversations[otherUserId]) {
+                conversations[otherUserId] = {
+                    userId: otherUserId,
+                    username: dm.sender._id.toString() === req.userId ? dm.recipient.username : dm.sender.username,
+                    messages: [],
+                };
+            }
+            conversations[otherUserId].messages.push(dm);
+        });
+
+        // Convert the conversations object to an array
+        const conversationsArray = Object.values(conversations);
+
+        res.json(conversationsArray);
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.error(error);
+        res.status(500).json({ error: "Could not get Direct Messages." });
+    }
+});
+
+
+router.get('/:otherUserId', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
+    const { otherUserId } = req.params;
+
+    try {
+        const dms = await DirectMessage.find({
+            $or: [
+                { sender: req.userId, recipient: otherUserId },
+                { sender: otherUserId, recipient: req.userId },
+            ],
+        }).populate('sender recipient', 'username');
+
+        res.json(dms);
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.error(error);
+        res.status(500).json({ error: "Could not get Direct Messages." });
+    }
+});
+
+router.delete('/:dmId', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
+    const { dmId } = req.params;
+
+    try {
+        const dm = await DirectMessage.findById(dmId);
+
+        if (!dm) {
+            return res.status(404).json({ error: "Direct Message not found." });
+        }
+
+        // Check if the authenticated user is the sender of the DM
+        if (dm.sender.toString() !== req.userId) {
+            return res.status(403).json({ error: "You can only delete your own Direct Messages." });
+        }
+
+        await dm.remove();
+
+        res.json({ message: "Direct Message deleted." });
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.error(error);
+        res.status(500).json({ error: "Could not delete Direct Message." });
+    }
+});
+
+router.post('/send', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
+    const { recipientId, text, senderId } = req.body;
+    console.log(req.user)
+  
+    if (!recipientId || !text) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: "Recipient ID and text are required." });
+    }
+  
+    try {
+      // Check if the recipient exists
+      const recipient = await User.findById(recipientId);
+      if (!recipient) {
+        return res.status(404).json({ error: "Recipient not found." });
+      }
+// Create the Direct Message
+const dm = new DirectMessage({
+    sender: senderId,
+    recipient: recipientId,
+    content: text,
+  });
+  
+  // Save the Direct Message
+  const savedDm = await dm.save();
+  
+  // Populate the sender and recipient fields with full user objects
+  await savedDm.populate('sender recipient', 'username').exec;
+  
+  // Now emit the `new_dm` event with the populated Direct Message
+  const io = req.app.io;
+  const senderSocketId = req.app.onlineUsers[senderId];
+  const recipientSocketId = req.app.onlineUsers[recipientId];
+  if (senderSocketId) {
+    io.to(senderSocketId).emit('new_dm', savedDm);
+  }
+  if (recipientSocketId) {
+    io.to(recipientSocketId).emit('new_dm', savedDm);
+  }
+  
+
+
+      res.json(savedDm);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error(error);
+      res.status(500).json({ error: "Could not send Direct Message." });
+    }
+  });
+
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/routes/swit.js b/routes/swit.js
index 63b05d2..83e9a19 100644
--- a/routes/swit.js
+++ b/routes/swit.js
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ router.get('/swits/following', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
   res.json(swits.reverse());
 });
 
+router.get('/swits/user/:id', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
+  const { id } = req.params;
+  const swits = await Swit.find({ user: id });
+  console.log(swits)
+  res.json(swits.reverse());
+});
+
 router.post('/swits/:id/like', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
   const swit = await Swit.findById(req.params.id);
   if (!swit) return res.status(404).send('Swit not found');
@@ -112,6 +119,58 @@ router.get('/swits/:id/comments', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
   
   res.send(swit.comments);
 });
+
+router.post('/swits/:switId/comments/:commentId/like', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
+  const swit = await Swit.findById(req.params.switId);
+  if (!swit) return res.status(404).send('Swit not found');
+  console.log(swit)
+  const comment = swit.comments.id(req.params.commentId);
+  if (!comment) return res.status(404).send('Comment not found');
+  
+  if (comment.likes.includes(req.userId)) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'You have already liked this comment' });
+  }
+
+  comment.likes.push(req.userId);
+  await swit.save();
+
+  res.sendStatus(200);
+});
+
+router.post('/swits/:switId/comments/:commentId/unlike', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
+  const swit = await Swit.findById(req.params.switId);
+  if (!swit) return res.status(404).send('Swit not found');
+
+  const comment = swit.comments.id(req.params.commentId);
+  if (!comment) return res.status(404).send('Comment not found');
+
+  comment.likes = comment.likes.filter(id => id.toString() !== req.userId);
+  await swit.save();
+
+  res.sendStatus(200);
+});
+
+router.delete('/swits/:switId/comments/:commentId', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
+  const { switId, commentId } = req.params;
+
+  const swit = await Swit.findById(switId);
+  if (!swit) return res.status(404).send('Swit not found');
+
+  const commentIndex = swit.comments.findIndex(comment => comment._id.toString() === commentId);
+  if (commentIndex === -1) return res.status(404).send('Comment not found');
+
+  // Only allow the user who posted the comment to delete it
+  if (swit.comments[commentIndex].user.toString() !== req.userId) {
+    return res.status(403).send('You do not have permission to delete this comment');
+  }
+
+  swit.comments.splice(commentIndex, 1);
+  await swit.save();
+
+  res.sendStatus(204);
+});
+
+
 router.post('/swits/:id/repost', authenticate, async (req, res) => {
   const swit = await Swit.findById(req.params.id);
   if (!swit) return res.status(404).send('Swit not found');
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index c34b337..6f4fa67 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const session = require('express-session');
 require('dotenv').config();
 const http = require('http');
 const { Server } = require('socket.io');
+const dmRoutes = require('./routes/dm');
 
 
 const app = express();
@@ -16,17 +17,20 @@ const server = http.createServer(app);
 const io = new Server(server);
 app.io = io;
 
-let onlineUsers = {};
+app.onlineUsers = {};
 
 io.on('connection', (socket) => {
   console.log('a user connected');
+  
   socket.on('user connected', (userId) => {
-    onlineUsers[userId] = socket.id;
+    console.log(`User ${userId} connected`);  // log when a 'user connected' message is received
+    app.onlineUsers[userId] = socket.id;
+    console.log(app.onlineUsers);  // log the current state of the `onlineUsers` object
   });
   socket.on('disconnect', () => {
     console.log('user disconnected');
-    const userId = Object.keys(onlineUsers).find(key => onlineUsers[key] === socket.id);
-    if (userId) delete onlineUsers[userId];
+    const userId = Object.keys(app.onlineUsers).find(key => app.onlineUsers[key] === socket.id);
+    if (userId) delete app.onlineUsers[userId];
   });
 });
 
@@ -55,11 +59,12 @@ app.use('/api/v1/app/auth', authRoutes); // Mount the auth routes at /auth
 app.use('/api/v1/app/swit', switRoutes); // Mount the swit routes at /swits 
 app.use('/api/v1/app/user', userRoutes); // Mount the user routes at /user
 app.use('/api/v1/app/notify', notifyRoutes); // Mount the notify routes at /notify
+app.use('/api/v1/app/dms', dmRoutes); // Mount the dm routes at /dms'
 
 app.get('/', (req, res) => {
   res.send('Hello, World!');
 });
 
-app.listen(port, '0.0.0.0', () => {
+server.listen(port, '0.0.0.0', () => {
   console.log(`Server is running on http://localhost:${port}`);
 });
diff --git a/uploads/1d23510b8fbf92776ecc858c09f99546 b/uploads/1d23510b8fbf92776ecc858c09f99546
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb640f8
Binary files /dev/null and b/uploads/1d23510b8fbf92776ecc858c09f99546 differ