diff --git a/app/templates/bower.json b/app/templates/bower.json
index 9548a126..7032949f 100644
--- a/app/templates/bower.json
+++ b/app/templates/bower.json
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@
     "tinymce-dist": "4.3.12",
     "vkbeautify": "*",
     "ml-highcharts-ng": "~0.0.11",
-    "view-file-ng": "^0.1.1"
+    "view-file-ng": "^0.1.1",
+    "socket.io-client": "^1.7.2",
+    "angular-socket-io": "^0.7.0"
   },
   "overrides": {
     "angular-highlightjs": {
@@ -46,6 +48,11 @@
       "main": [
         "vkbeautify.js"
       ]
+    },
+    "socket.io-client": {
+      "main": [
+        "dist/socket.io.js"
+      ]
     }
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/app/templates/node-server/node-app.js b/app/templates/node-server/node-app.js
index c361d0c0..bd66e80e 100644
--- a/app/templates/node-server/node-app.js
+++ b/app/templates/node-server/node-app.js
@@ -97,6 +97,22 @@ if (options.nodeJsCertificate) {
   server = http.createServer(app);
 }
 
+var io = require('socket.io')(server);
+io.on('connection', function(socket){
+  // console.log('a user connected');
+
+  // io.emit() sends a message to client on the 'server' channel
+  // io.emit('server', 'hi client');
+  socket.on('disconnect', function(){
+    // console.log('user disconnected');
+  });
+  socket.on('client', function(val){
+    // listening for message from client
+    // console.log('client', val);
+  });
+});
+
+
 server.listen(port, function() {
   console.log('Express server listening on port ' + port);
   console.log('env = ' + app.get('env') +
diff --git a/app/templates/package.json b/app/templates/package.json
index 828bc6b7..bbec6d5e 100644
--- a/app/templates/package.json
+++ b/app/templates/package.json
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     "passport": "^0.3.2",
     "passport-local": "^1.0.0",
     "q": "^1.4.1",
+    "socket.io": "^1.7.3",
     "underscore": "^1.8.3",
     "www-authenticate": "^0.6.2"
   },
diff --git a/app/templates/ui/app/app.js b/app/templates/ui/app/app.js
index a2c06e02..f223f51d 100644
--- a/app/templates/ui/app/app.js
+++ b/app/templates/ui/app/app.js
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 
     // top-level state
     'app.root'
+
+    //socket io
+    , 'btford.socket-io'
   ]);
 
 }());
diff --git a/app/templates/ui/app/root/root.controller.js b/app/templates/ui/app/root/root.controller.js
index 40b833dc..340bf756 100644
--- a/app/templates/ui/app/root/root.controller.js
+++ b/app/templates/ui/app/root/root.controller.js
@@ -5,10 +5,16 @@
     .controller('RootCtrl', RootCtrl);
 
   RootCtrl.$inject = ['messageBoardService', 'userService', '$scope',
-    '$state', 'appConfig'];
+    '$state'
+    , 'appConfig'
+    , 'socket'
+  ];
 
-  function RootCtrl(messageBoardService, userService, $scope,
-    $state, appConfig) {
+  function RootCtrl(messageBoardService, userService, $scope
+    , $state
+    , appConfig
+    , socket
+  ) {
 
     var rootCtrl = this;
     rootCtrl.currentYear = new Date().getUTCFullYear();
@@ -17,6 +23,10 @@
 
     $scope.$watch(userService.currentUser, function(newValue) {
       rootCtrl.currentUser = newValue;
+      // sample code to send message to server
+      if (newValue) {
+        socket.emit('client', newValue);
+      }
     });
 
     $scope.$watch(function() {
@@ -24,5 +34,14 @@
     }, function(newValue) {
       rootCtrl.currentState = newValue;
     });
+
+
+    $scope.$on('socket:server', function (event, data) {
+      // event: just contains description of the event
+      // data: contains the message
+      console.log('event', event);
+      console.log('data', data);
+    });
+
   }
 }());
diff --git a/app/templates/ui/app/socket/socket.factory.js b/app/templates/ui/app/socket/socket.factory.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a313ca06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/templates/ui/app/socket/socket.factory.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+(function () {
+  'use strict';
+
+  angular.module('app')
+    .factory('socket', ['socketFactory', function (socketFactory) {
+      var mySocket = socketFactory();
+      mySocket.forward('server');
+      return mySocket;
+    }])
+  ;
+
+}());