diff --git a/backend/app.js b/backend/app.js
index fd56d82..5bdcc99 100644
--- a/backend/app.js
+++ b/backend/app.js
@@ -15,86 +15,8 @@ mongoose
 const app = express();
 const http = require("http");
 const server = http.createServer(app);
-const { Server } = require("socket.io");
-const { sendEmail } = require("./mail");
-const { User } = require("./models/user");
-const io = new Server(server, { cors: { origin: "*" } });
+const { socketIOServerInit } = require("./socket");
 
-const activeRooms = new Map();
-const pendingChallenges = new Map();
-
-io.on("connection", (socket) => {
-    console.log("Client connected:", socket.id);
-
-    socket.on("disconnect", () => {
-        console.log("Disconnecting");
-    });
-
-    // Handle join event
-    socket.on("join-room", async (roomID, playerUsername, challengedPlayerUsername, gameData) => {
-        // room exists
-        console.log(roomID, playerUsername, challengedPlayerUsername);
-        console.log("activeRooms", activeRooms);
-        console.log("pendingChallenges", pendingChallenges);
-        // if (activeRooms.has(roomID)) {
-        //     socket.emit("room-full");
-        //     console.log('Room full');
-        //     return;
-        // } else
-        if (pendingChallenges.has(roomID)) {
-            const challenge = pendingChallenges.get(roomID);
-            pendingChallenges.delete(roomID);
-            let newRoom = {
-                id: roomID,
-                players: {
-                    challenger: {
-                        id: challenge.challengerID,
-                        name: challenge.challengerUsername,
-                    },
-                    challenged: {
-                        id: socket.id,
-                        name: playerUsername,
-                    },
-                },
-            };
-            console.log("New room created", roomID);
-            socket.join(roomID);
-            activeRooms.set(roomID, newRoom);
-            socket.emit("joined-room", {
-                color: challenge.challengerColor === "w" ? "b" : "w",
-                timeLimit: challenge.timeLimit,
-            });
-            // io.to(roomID).emit("joined-room");
-        } else {
-            // no room on pending challenges found
-            const challenge = {
-                roomID,
-                challengerID: socket.id,
-                challengerUsername: playerUsername,
-                challengedUsername: challengedPlayerUsername,
-                challengerColor: gameData.color,
-                timeLimit: gameData.timeLimit,
-            };
-            pendingChallenges.set(roomID, challenge);
-
-            console.log(challengedPlayerUsername);
-            // notify the challenged player
-            const email = (await User.findOne({ username: challengedPlayerUsername })).email;
-            sendEmail(
-                email,
-                `Challenge from ${playerUsername}`,
-                `To accept the challenge follow the link: http://192.168.136.99:5173/game/challenges/${challengedPlayerUsername}/${roomID} \n login through: http://192.168.136.99:5173/login \n roomid:${roomID}`
-            );
-
-            socket.join(roomID);
-            socket.emit("joined-room");
-        }
-    });
-
-    socket.on("move", (roomID, moveData) => {
-        socket.to(roomID).emit("opponent-move", moveData);
-    });
-});
 
 app.use(cors({ origin: "*" }));
 app.use(bodyParser.json());
@@ -105,6 +27,8 @@ app.use((req, res, next) => {
     next();
 });
 
+socketIOServerInit(server);
+
 app.use((req, res, next) => {
     console.log(req.url);
     next();
diff --git a/backend/mail.js b/backend/mail.js
index 8cfa8f8..e955e9b 100644
--- a/backend/mail.js
+++ b/backend/mail.js
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
 });
 
 const sendEmail = (receiverEmail, subject, data) => {
-    console.log(process.env.MAIL_SERVER_PASSWORD);
     let mailDetails = {
         from: "chessroyalemail@gmail.com",
         to: receiverEmail,
diff --git a/backend/socket.js b/backend/socket.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e0d1102
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/socket.js
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+const socket = require("socket.io");
+
+let activeRooms = new Map();
+
+function createRoom(roomID, timeLimit) {
+    activeRooms.set(roomID, { timeLimit, players: [] });
+}
+
+// structure of userDetails: {username,color}
+function addUserToRoom(roomID, userDetails) {
+    let { username, color } = userDetails;
+    let room = activeRooms.get(roomID);
+
+    if (room.players) {
+        // room is full
+        if (Object.keys(room.players).length > 1) {
+            return "room-full";
+        } else {
+            // only one user in room
+            room.players[username].color = color;
+        }
+    } else {
+        // add player in the room
+        room.players = {};
+        room.players[username].color = color;
+    }
+    return "join-room-success";
+}
+
+// initialize the socket server with the given http server instance
+function socketIOServerInit(server) {
+    const io = new socket.Server(server);
+
+    io.on("connection", (socket) => {
+        let id = socket.id;
+        console.log(socket.id, "connected");
+
+        socket.on("disconnect", (reason) => {
+            console.log(id, "disconnected due to", reason);
+        });
+
+        // data is the metadata of the user joining the room played between the users
+        // structure: {username,color}
+        socket.on("join-room", (roomID, data) => {
+            if (activeRooms.has(roomID)) {
+                let result = addUserToRoom(roomID, data);
+                if (result === "join-room-success") {
+                    socket.join(roomID);
+                    io.to(roomID).emit("new user joined the room");
+                    socket.emit(result); // room joined successfully
+                } else {
+                    socket.emit(result); // room is full
+                }
+            } else {
+                socket.emit("join-room-error", "room does not exist");
+            }
+        });
+    });
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    createRoom,
+    addUserToRoom,
+    socketIOServerInit,
+};