diff --git a/backend/controllers/message.controller.js b/backend/controllers/message.controller.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94bf29a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/controllers/message.controller.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export const sendMessage = async (req, res) => {
+  console.log("message sent", req.params.id);
+};
diff --git a/backend/models/conversation.model.js b/backend/models/conversation.model.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e58fc5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/models/conversation.model.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import mongoose from "mongoose";
+
+const conversationSchema = new mongoose.Schema(
+  {
+    participants: [
+      {
+        type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
+        ref: "User",
+      },
+    ],
+    messages: [
+      {
+        type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
+        ref: "Message",
+        default: [],
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  { timestamps: true }
+);
+
+const Conversation = mongoose.model("Conversation", conversationSchema);
+
+export default Conversation;
diff --git a/backend/models/message.model.js b/backend/models/message.model.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca11ba1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/models/message.model.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import mongoose from "mongoose";
+
+const messageSchema = new mongoose.Schema(
+  {
+    senderId: {
+      type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
+      ref: "User",
+      required: true,
+    },
+    receiverId: {
+      type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
+      ref: "User",
+      required: true,
+    },
+    message: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
+  },
+  // createdAt, updatedAt when timestamp is true > message.createdAt, message.updatedAt
+  { timestamps: true }
+);
+
+const Message = mongoose.model("Message", messageSchema);
+
+export default Message;
diff --git a/backend/models/user.model.js b/backend/models/user.model.js
index 7681846..1302170 100644
--- a/backend/models/user.model.js
+++ b/backend/models/user.model.js
@@ -1,30 +1,34 @@
 import mongoose from "mongoose";
 
-const userSchema = new mongoose.Schema({
-  fullName: {
-    type: String,
-    required: true,
+const userSchema = new mongoose.Schema(
+  {
+    fullName: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    username: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+      unique: true,
+    },
+    password: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+      minlength: 6,
+    },
+    gender: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+      enum: ["male", "female"],
+    },
+    profilePic: {
+      type: String,
+      default: "",
+    },
   },
-  username: {
-    type: String,
-    required: true,
-    unique: true,
-  },
-  password: {
-    type: String,
-    required: true,
-    minlength: 6,
-  },
-  gender: {
-    type: String,
-    required: true,
-    enum: ["male", "female"],
-  },
-  profilePic: {
-    type: String,
-    default: "",
-  },
-});
+  // createdAt, updatedAt when timestamp is true > user.createdAt, user.updatedAt
+  { timestamps: true }
+);
 
 const User = mongoose.model("User", userSchema);
 
diff --git a/backend/routes/message.routes.js b/backend/routes/message.routes.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6308f76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/routes/message.routes.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import express from "express";
+import { sendMessage } from "../controllers/message.controller.js";
+
+const router = express.Router();
+
+router.post("/send/:id", sendMessage);
+
+export default router;
diff --git a/backend/server.js b/backend/server.js
index 7d442af..6f341fb 100644
--- a/backend/server.js
+++ b/backend/server.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import dotenv from "dotenv";
 
 // file imports
 import authRoutes from "./routes/auth.routes.js";
+import messageRoutes from "./routes/message.routes.js";
 import connectToMongoDB from "./db/connectToMongoDB.js";
 
 const app = express();
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ dotenv.config();
 // middleware
 app.use(express.json()); // for parsing application/json (from req.body)
 app.use("/api/auth", authRoutes);
+app.use("/api/messages", messageRoutes);
 
 // app.get("/", (req, res) => {
 //   // root route http://localhost:3000