diff --git a/backend/routes/public.js b/backend/routes/public.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb3f360
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/routes/public.js
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+const router = require("express").Router();
+const { Challenge } = require("../models/challenge");
+const { User } = require("../models/user");
+
+// API endpoints that are publically accessible and does not require authentication
+
+// get all users
+router.get("/users", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const users = await User.find();
+    return res.status(200).json(users);
+  } catch (err) {
+    next(err);
+  }
+});
+
+// TO BE TESTED
+// get user details
+router.get("/users/:username", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    let username = req.params.username;
+    const user = await User.findOne({ username });
+    let { id, email, fname, lname, country, location } = user;
+    let friends = await user.getFriends();
+    let games = await user.getGames();
+    return res.status(200).json({
+      id,
+      username,
+      email,
+      friends,
+      fname,
+      lname,
+      country,
+      location,
+      games,
+    });
+  } catch (err) {
+    next(err);
+  }
+});
+
+// TO BE TESTED
+// get friends of given user
+router.get("/users/:username/friends", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const user = await User.findOne({ username: req.params.username });
+    const friends = await user.getFriends();
+    return res.json({ friends });
+  } catch (err) {
+    next(err);
+  }
+});
+
+// IS IT REQUIRED?
+// TO BE TESTED
+// get current challenges of the user
+router.get("/users/:username/challenges", checkAuth, async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    let { userId } = req;
+    const user = await User.findById(userId);
+    let challenges = await Challenge.find({ challenged: user.username });
+    if (!challenges) challenges = [];
+    console.log("Challenges to", user.username, challenges);
+    res.json({ challenges: challenges });
+  } catch (err) {
+    next(err);
+  }
+});
+
+// TO BE TESTED
+// get history of games played
+router.get("/users/:username/games", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const user = await User.findOne({ username: req.params.username });
+    let gamesData = await user.getGames();
+    if (!gamesData) gamesData = [];
+    return res.status(200).json(gamesData);
+  } catch (err) {
+    next(err);
+  }
+});
+
+// TO BE TESTED
+// get a particular game
+router.get(
+  "/users/:username/games/:gameid",
+  async (req, res, next) => {
+    try {
+      const { gameid } = req.params;
+      const gameData = await Game.findById(gameid);
+      if (gameData) {
+        return res.status(200).json(gameData);
+      } else {
+        return res.status(404).json({ error: { message: "Game not found" } });
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      next(err);
+    }
+  }
+);
+
+module.exports = router;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/routes/user.js b/backend/routes/user.js
index 30bcf38..41ac5f8 100644
--- a/backend/routes/user.js
+++ b/backend/routes/user.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ const { User } = require("../models/user");
 const { checkAuth } = require("../util/auth");
 const { catchAsync } = require("../util/errors");
 
+// API enpoints related to a user, requires authentication
+
 // extracts the user details of userId. Use only if the req object contains userId field.
 const extractUserDetails = async (req, res, next) => {
   try {
@@ -289,102 +291,4 @@ router.post("/games", checkAuth, async (req, res, next) => {
   return res.json({ data: gameDoc });
 });
 
-// =============================================================
-
-// get all users
-router.get("/users", async (req, res, next) => {
-  try {
-    const users = await User.find();
-    return res.status(200).json(users);
-  } catch (err) {
-    next(err);
-  }
-});
-
-// TO BE TESTED
-// get user details
-router.get("/users/:username", async (req, res, next) => {
-  try {
-    let username = req.params.username;
-    const user = await User.findOne({ username });
-    let { id, email, fname, lname, country, location } = user;
-    let friends = await user.getFriends();
-    let games = await user.getGames();
-    return res.status(200).json({
-      id,
-      username,
-      email,
-      friends,
-      fname,
-      lname,
-      country,
-      location,
-      games,
-    });
-  } catch (err) {
-    next(err);
-  }
-});
-
-// TO BE TESTED
-// get friends of given user
-router.get("/users/:username/friends", async (req, res, next) => {
-  try {
-    const user = await User.findOne({ username: req.params.username });
-    const friends = await user.getFriends();
-    return res.json({ friends });
-  } catch (err) {
-    next(err);
-  }
-});
-
-// IS IT REQUIRED?
-// TO BE TESTED
-// get current challenges of the user
-router.get("/users/:username/challenges", checkAuth, async (req, res, next) => {
-  try {
-    let { userId } = req;
-    const user = await User.findById(userId);
-    let challenges = await Challenge.find({ challenged: user.username });
-    if (!challenges) challenges = [];
-    console.log("Challenges to", user.username, challenges);
-    res.json({ challenges: challenges });
-  } catch (err) {
-    next(err);
-  }
-});
-
-// TO BE TESTED
-// get history of games played
-router.get("/users/:username/games", checkAuth, async (req, res, next) => {
-  try {
-    const user = await User.findOne({ username: req.params.username });
-    let gamesData = await user.getGames();
-    if (!gamesData) gamesData = [];
-    return res.status(200).json(gamesData);
-  } catch (err) {
-    next(err);
-  }
-});
-
-// TO BE TESTED
-// get a particular game
-router.get(
-  "/users/:username/games/:gameid",
-  checkAuth,
-  async (req, res, next) => {
-    try {
-      const { gameid } = req.params;
-      const gameData = await Game.findById(gameid);
-      if (gameData) {
-        return res.status(200).json(gameData);
-      } else {
-        return res.status(404).json({ error: { message: "Game not found" } });
-      }
-    } catch (err) {
-      next(err);
-    }
-  }
-);
-
 module.exports = router;