diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2d7e97d..cf5ef01 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 find_package(QT NAMES Qt6 Qt5 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Widgets)
 find_package(Qt${QT_VERSION_MAJOR} REQUIRED COMPONENTS Widgets)
 find_package(Qt${QT_VERSION_MAJOR} REQUIRED COMPONENTS Network)
+find_package(Qt${QT_VERSION_MAJOR} REQUIRED COMPONENTS WebSockets)
 
 set(PROJECT_SOURCES
         main.cpp
@@ -37,6 +38,11 @@ if(${QT_VERSION_MAJOR} GREATER_EQUAL 6)
         settings.hpp settings.cpp
         invalididexception.hpp invalididexception.cpp
         tierplaceholder.hpp tierplaceholder.cpp
+        chatreader.hpp chatreader.cpp
+        chatmessage.hpp chatmessage.cpp
+        messagetype.hpp messagetype.cpp
+        ircmessagetype.hpp ircmessagetype.cpp
+        ircexception.hpp ircexception.cpp
 
     )
 # Define target properties for Android with Qt 6 as:
@@ -59,6 +65,7 @@ endif()
 
 target_link_libraries(qt-app PRIVATE Qt${QT_VERSION_MAJOR}::Widgets)
 target_link_libraries(qt-app PRIVATE Qt${QT_VERISON_MAJOR}::Network)
+target_link_libraries(qt-app PRIVATE Qt${QT_VERISON_MAJOR}::WebSockets)
 
 # Qt for iOS sets MACOSX_BUNDLE_GUI_IDENTIFIER automatically since Qt 6.1.
 # If you are developing for iOS or macOS you should consider setting an
diff --git a/chatmessage.cpp b/chatmessage.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e212fe7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chatmessage.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+#include "chatmessage.hpp"
+
+#include "ircexception.hpp"
+
+#include <QException>
+
+std::unordered_map<QString, QString> ChatMessage::parseTags(QString tagStr)
+{
+    enum
+    {
+        FindingKey,
+        FindingValue,
+        ValueEscaped,
+    } state;
+    QString s = tagStr;
+    if (s.startsWith('@'))
+        s = s.mid(1);
+    std::unordered_map<QString, QString> tags;
+    QString key = "";
+    QString value = "";
+    state = FindingKey;
+    for(const auto c : std::as_const(s))
+    {
+        switch (state)
+        {
+        case FindingKey:
+            if (c == '=')
+                state = FindingValue;
+            else if (c == ';')
+            {
+                state = FindingKey;
+                tags[key] = "";
+                key = "";
+            }
+            else if (c == ' ')
+            {
+                tags[key] = "";
+                goto EndParse;
+            }
+            else
+                key += c;
+            break;
+        case FindingValue:
+            if (c == '\\')
+            {
+                state = ValueEscaped;
+            }
+            else if (c == ';')
+            {
+                tags[key] = value;
+                key = value = "";
+                state = FindingKey;
+            }
+            else if (c == ' ')
+            {
+                tags[key] = value;
+                goto EndParse;
+            }
+            else if (c == '\r' || c == '\n' || c == '\0')
+                throw IrcParseException("Invalid character in tag string", s);
+            else
+            {
+                value += c;
+            }
+            break;
+        case ValueEscaped:
+            if (c == ':')
+            {
+                value += ';';
+                state = FindingValue;
+            }
+            else if (c == 's')
+            {
+                value += ' ';
+                state = FindingValue;
+            }
+            else if (c == '\\')
+            {
+                value += '\\';
+                state = FindingValue;
+            }
+            else if (c == 'r')
+            {
+                value += '\r';
+                state = FindingValue;
+            }
+            else if (c == 'n')
+            {
+                value += '\n';
+                state = FindingValue;
+            }
+            else if (c == ';')
+            {
+                tags[key] = value;
+                key = value = "";
+                state = FindingKey;
+            }
+            //spaces should already be stripped, but handle this as end of tags just in case
+            else if (c == ' ')
+            {
+                tags[key] = value;
+                key = value = "";
+                goto EndParse;
+            }
+            else if (c == '\r' || c == '\n' || c == '\0')
+                throw IrcParseException("Invalid character in tag string", s);
+            else
+            {
+                value += c;
+                state = FindingValue;
+            }
+            break;
+        default:
+            throw new QException();
+        }
+    }
+    //this is reached after processing the last character without hitting a space
+    tags[key] = value;
+EndParse:
+    return tags;
+}
+
+ChatMessage* ChatMessage::Parse(QString message)
+{
+    QString rawMessage = message;
+    std::unordered_map<QString, QString> tags;
+    QString sender = "";
+    QList<QString> parameters;
+    QString prefix = "";
+
+    QString s = message;
+    if (s.startsWith('@'))
+    {
+        s = s.mid(1);
+        //first ' ' acts as the delimeter
+        auto split = s.split(' ');
+        auto tagString = split.takeFirst();
+        s = split.join(' ');
+        tags = parseTags(tagString);
+    }
+    //message has source
+    if (s.startsWith(':'))
+    {
+        s = s.mid(1);
+        auto split = s.split(' ');
+        prefix = split.takeFirst();
+        s = split.join(' ');
+        while (s[0] == ' ')
+            s = s.mid(1);
+    }
+    auto spl_command = s.split(' ');
+    IrcMessageType type = IrcMessageType::parse(spl_command.takeFirst());
+    //message has parameters
+    if (!spl_command.isEmpty())
+    {
+        s = spl_command.join(' ');
+        //message has single parameter marked as the final parameter
+        //this needs to be handled specially because the leading ' '
+        //is stripped
+        if (s.startsWith(':'))
+        {
+            parameters.append(s.mid(1));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            auto spl_final = s.split(" :");
+            auto spl_initial = spl_final.takeFirst().split(' ', Qt::SkipEmptyParts);
+            for (auto& part : spl_initial)
+            {
+                part = part.trimmed();
+            }
+            parameters.append(spl_initial);
+            if (!spl_final.isEmpty())
+                parameters.append(spl_final.join(" :"));
+        }
+    }
+    return new ChatMessage(rawMessage, tags, sender, parameters, prefix, type);
+}
+
+
+
+ChatMessage::ChatMessage(QString rawMessage, std::unordered_map<QString, QString> tags,
+                         QString sender, QList<QString> parameters, QString prefix,
+                         IrcMessageType type)
+    : _rawMessage(rawMessage), _tags(tags), _sender(sender), _parameters(parameters),
+    _prefix(prefix), _type(type)
+{
+
+}
+
+QString ChatMessage::rawMessage() const
+{
+    return _rawMessage;
+}
+
+const std::unordered_map<QString, QString>* ChatMessage::tags() const
+{
+    return &_tags;
+}
+
+QString ChatMessage::sender() const
+{
+    return _sender;
+}
+
+const QList<QString>* ChatMessage::parameters() const
+{
+    return &_parameters;
+}
+
+QString ChatMessage::prefix() const
+{
+    return _prefix;
+}
+
+IrcMessageType ChatMessage::type() const
+{
+    return _type;
+}
+
+
+
+PrivmsgView::PrivmsgView(const ChatMessage* msg)
+    : parent(msg)
+{
+    if (parent->type() != Expected)
+        throw IrcIncorrectTypeException(Expected, parent->type());
+}
+
+QString PrivmsgView::message() const
+{
+    return parent->parameters()->last();
+}
+
+QString PrivmsgView::user() const
+{
+    static constexpr const char* KEY = "display-name";
+    if (parent->tags()->contains(KEY))
+        return parent->tags()->at(KEY);
+    throw IrcTagNotFoundException(KEY);
+}
+
+PingView::PingView(const ChatMessage* msg)
+    : parent(msg)
+{
+    if (parent->type() != Expected)
+        throw IrcIncorrectTypeException(Expected, parent->type());
+}
+
+QString PingView::toPong() const
+{
+    return parent->rawMessage().replace("PING", "PONG");
+}
diff --git a/chatmessage.hpp b/chatmessage.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b95a579
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chatmessage.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#ifndef CHATMESSAGE_HPP
+#define CHATMESSAGE_HPP
+
+// #include "messagetype.hpp"
+#include "ircmessagetype.hpp"
+
+#include <QObject>
+#include <QList>
+
+#include <unordered_map>
+
+class ChatMessage
+{
+    Q_GADGET
+public:
+    static ChatMessage* Parse(QString message);
+    QString rawMessage() const;
+    const std::unordered_map<QString, QString>* tags() const;
+    QString sender() const;
+    const QList<QString>* parameters() const;
+    QString prefix() const;
+    IrcMessageType type() const;
+    // explicit ChatMessage(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+
+protected:
+    explicit ChatMessage(QString message);
+
+signals:
+
+private:
+    ChatMessage(QString rawMessage, std::unordered_map<QString, QString> tags,
+                QString sender, QList<QString> parameters, QString prefix,
+                IrcMessageType type);
+    const QString _rawMessage;
+    const std::unordered_map<QString, QString> _tags;
+    const QString _sender;
+    const QList<QString> _parameters;
+    const QString _prefix;
+    const IrcMessageType _type;
+    static std::unordered_map<QString, QString> parseTags(QString tagStr);
+
+};
+
+class PrivmsgView
+{
+public:
+    PrivmsgView(const ChatMessage* msg);
+    QString message() const;
+    QString user() const;
+    static constexpr IrcMessageType Expected = IrcMessageType::PRIVMSG;
+
+private:
+    const ChatMessage* const parent;
+};
+
+class PingView
+{
+public:
+    PingView(const ChatMessage* msg);
+    QString toPong() const;
+    static constexpr IrcMessageType Expected = IrcMessageType::PING;
+
+private:
+    const ChatMessage* const parent;
+};
+
+#endif // CHATMESSAGE_HPP
diff --git a/chatreader.cpp b/chatreader.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e04a795
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chatreader.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#include "chatreader.hpp"
+
+ChatReader::ChatReader()
+    : QObject(nullptr), socket()
+{
+    QObject::connect(&socket, SIGNAL(socketConnect),
+                     this, SLOT(socketConnect));
+    QObject::connect(&socket, SIGNAL(socketDisconnect),
+            this, SLOT(socketDisconnect));
+}
+
+bool ChatReader::getConnected() const
+{
+    return _connected;
+}
+
+void ChatReader::socketConnect()
+{
+    _connected = true;
+}
+
+void ChatReader::socketDisconnect()
+{
+    _connected = false;
+}
+
+void ChatReader::open()
+{
+    socket.open(URL);
+}
+
+qint64 ChatReader::send(QString message)
+{
+    return socket.sendTextMessage(message);
+}
+
+void ChatReader::messageReceived(QString message)
+{
+    auto chat = ChatMessage::Parse(message);
+    if (chat->type() == PingView::Expected)
+    {
+        const PingView ping(chat);
+        send(ping.toPong());
+    }
+    emit chatMessageReceived(chat);
+}
+
+ChatReader::~ChatReader()
+{
+
+}
+
+const QUrl ChatReader::URL = QUrl("wss://irc-ws.chat.twitch.tv:443");
diff --git a/chatreader.hpp b/chatreader.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da2893a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chatreader.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#ifndef CHATREADER_HPP
+#define CHATREADER_HPP
+
+#include "chatmessage.hpp"
+
+#include <QWebSocket>
+
+class ChatReader : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    static const QUrl URL;
+
+    ChatReader();
+    ~ChatReader();
+    bool getConnected() const;
+    void open();
+    qint64 send(QString message);
+signals:
+    void chatMessageReceived(const ChatMessage* message);
+protected slots:
+    void socketConnect();
+    void socketDisconnect();
+    void messageReceived(QString message);
+private:
+    QWebSocket socket;
+    bool _connected = false;
+};
+
+#endif // CHATREADER_HPP
diff --git a/invalididexception.cpp b/invalididexception.cpp
index 0f06d8c..bfc09fa 100644
--- a/invalididexception.cpp
+++ b/invalididexception.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ InvalidIdException::InvalidIdException()
 }
 
 InvalidRowIdException::InvalidRowIdException(TierRow::IdType id)
-    : _id(id), _what(std::format("id: {}", _id))
+    : _id(id), _what(QString("id: {}").arg(QString::number(id)).toLocal8Bit())
 {
 
 }
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@ TierRow::IdType InvalidRowIdException::id() const
 
 const char* InvalidRowIdException::what() const noexcept
 {
-    return _what.c_str();
+    return _what.data();
 }
 
 InvalidCardIdException::InvalidCardIdException(TierCard::IdType id)
-    : _id(id), _what(std::format("id: {}", _id))
+    : _id(id), _what(QString("id: {}").arg(QString::number(id)).toLocal8Bit())
 {
 
 }
@@ -34,5 +34,5 @@ TierCard::IdType InvalidCardIdException::id() const
 
 const char* InvalidCardIdException::what() const noexcept
 {
-    return _what.c_str();
+    return _what.data();
 }
diff --git a/invalididexception.hpp b/invalididexception.hpp
index 58edd20..5a8d58b 100644
--- a/invalididexception.hpp
+++ b/invalididexception.hpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     const TierRow::IdType _id;
-    const std::string _what;
+    const QByteArray _what;
 };
 
 class InvalidCardIdException : public InvalidIdException
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     const TierCard::IdType _id;
-    const std::string _what;
+    const QByteArray _what;
 };
 
 #endif // INVALIDIDEXCEPTION_HPP
diff --git a/ircexception.cpp b/ircexception.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ee0ad2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ircexception.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#include "ircexception.hpp"
+
+IrcException::IrcException(QString _what)
+    : _what(_what.toLocal8Bit())
+{
+
+}
+
+const char* IrcException::what() const noexcept
+{
+    return _what.data();
+}
+
+IrcTagNotFoundException::IrcTagNotFoundException(QString tag)
+    : IrcException(QString("missing tag: %1").arg(tag)), tag(tag)
+{
+
+}
+
+IrcParseException::IrcParseException(QString message, QString description)
+    : IrcException(_makeWhat(message, description)),
+      message(message), description(description)
+{
+
+}
+
+QString IrcParseException::_makeWhat(QString message, QString description)
+{
+    QString s = "";
+    if (!message.isEmpty())
+        s = QString("Description: %1\n").arg(description);
+    return s + QString("Message: %1").arg(message);
+}
+
+IrcIncorrectTypeException::IrcIncorrectTypeException(IrcMessageType expected, IrcMessageType actual)
+    : IrcException(QString("Expected: %1 Actual: %2").arg(expected.toString(), actual.toString())),
+    expected(expected), actual(actual)
+{
+
+}
diff --git a/ircexception.hpp b/ircexception.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e50848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ircexception.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#ifndef IRCEXCEPTIONS_HPP
+#define IRCEXCEPTIONS_HPP
+
+#include "ircmessagetype.hpp"
+
+#include <QException>
+
+class IrcException : public QException
+{
+public:
+    const char* what() const noexcept override;
+protected:
+    IrcException(QString _what);
+    const QByteArray _what;
+};
+
+class IrcParseException : public IrcException
+{
+public:
+    IrcParseException(QString message, QString description);
+    const QString message;
+    const QString description;
+
+private:
+    static QString _makeWhat(QString message, QString description="");
+};
+
+class IrcTagNotFoundException : public IrcException
+{
+public:
+    IrcTagNotFoundException(QString tag);
+    const QString tag;
+};
+
+class IrcIncorrectTypeException : public IrcException
+{
+public:
+    IrcIncorrectTypeException(IrcMessageType expected, IrcMessageType actual);
+    const IrcMessageType expected;
+    const IrcMessageType actual;
+};
+
+#endif // IRCEXCEPTIONS_HPP
diff --git a/ircmessagetype.cpp b/ircmessagetype.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff0b2e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ircmessagetype.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#include "ircmessagetype.hpp"
+
+#include <QMetaObject>
+#include <QMetaEnum>
+
+IrcMessageType::MessageType IrcMessageType::getType() const
+{
+    return _type;
+}
+
+
+IrcMessageType IrcMessageType::parse(QString str)
+{
+    // QVariant var = QVariant::fromValue(str);
+    // if (var.convert(QMetaType::fromType<IrcMessageType>()))
+    //     return var.value<IrcMessageType>();
+    // return IrcMessageType::MessageType::UNKNOWN;
+    auto&& meta = QMetaEnum::fromType<IrcMessageType::MessageType>();
+    bool ok = false;
+    auto value = static_cast<IrcMessageType>(meta.keyToValue(str.toLocal8Bit().data(), &ok));
+    if (ok)
+        return value;
+    auto num = str.toInt(&ok);
+    if (ok)
+        return num;
+    return Unknown();
+}
+
+IrcMessageType::IrcMessageType(const IrcMessageType& other)
+    : _type(other._type)
+{
+
+}
+
+IrcMessageType::IrcMessageType(int type)
+    : _type(static_cast<MessageType>(type))
+{
+
+}
+
+QString IrcMessageType::toString() const
+{
+    auto&& metaEnum = QMetaEnum::fromType<MessageType>();
+    return metaEnum.valueToKey(static_cast<int>(_type));
+}
diff --git a/ircmessagetype.hpp b/ircmessagetype.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5f9eae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ircmessagetype.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#ifndef IRCMESSAGETYPE_HPP
+#define IRCMESSAGETYPE_HPP
+
+#include <QMetaObject>
+#include <QMetaType>
+
+class IrcMessageType
+{
+    Q_GADGET
+public:
+    enum MessageType
+    {
+        UNKNOWN,
+        PRIVMSG,
+        PING
+    };
+    Q_ENUM(MessageType);
+    Q_PROPERTY(MessageType type READ getType)
+    static IrcMessageType Unknown() { return UNKNOWN; }
+    constexpr IrcMessageType(MessageType type) : _type(type) { }
+    IrcMessageType(int type);
+    IrcMessageType(const IrcMessageType& other);
+    bool operator ==(const IrcMessageType& other)
+        { return this->_type == other._type; }
+    static IrcMessageType parse(QString str);
+    MessageType getType() const;
+    QString toString() const;
+
+private:
+    const MessageType _type;
+};
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(IrcMessageType)
+
+#endif // IRCMESSAGETYPE_HPP
diff --git a/messagetype.cpp b/messagetype.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f17f730
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messagetype.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#include "messagetype.hpp"
+
+MessageType::MessageType(QObject *parent)
+    : QObject{parent}
+{
+
+}
+
+void MessageType::setType(MsgType type)
+{
+
+}
+
+MessageType::MsgType MessageType::type() const
+{
+    return UNKNOWN;
+}
diff --git a/messagetype.hpp b/messagetype.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9a6397
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messagetype.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#ifndef MESSAGETYPE_HPP
+#define MESSAGETYPE_HPP
+
+#include <QObject>
+
+class MessageType : public QObject
+{
+    Q_GADGET
+public:
+    explicit MessageType(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    MessageType(MessageType& other);
+    enum MsgType
+    {
+        UNKNOWN,
+        PRIVMSG,
+    };
+    Q_ENUM(MsgType)
+    MessageType(MsgType type);
+    void setType(MsgType type);
+    MsgType type() const;
+
+signals:
+};
+
+#endif // MESSAGETYPE_HPP