Definitely going to need to work on the types here

app/(tabs)/messages.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import React, { useCallback, useReducer } from 'react';
+import { ThemedText, ThemedView } from '@/components/theme/Theme';
+import { Alert, Linking, Platform, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
+import { MaterialIcons } from '@expo/vector-icons';
+import {
+  GiftedChat,
+  IMessage,
+  Send,
+  SendProps,
+  SystemMessage,
+} from 'react-native-gifted-chat';
+import { SafeAreaProvider, SafeAreaView } from 'react-native-safe-area-context';
+import AccessoryBar from '@/components/chat/AccessoryBar';
+import CustomActions from '@/components/chat/CustomActions';
+import CustomView from '@/components/chat/CustomView';
+import NavBar from '@/components/chat/NavBar';
+import earlierMessages from '@/components/chat/data/earlierMessages';
+import messages from '@/components/chat/data/messages';
+import * as Clipboard from 'expo-clipboard';
+import {
+  GCUser,
+  GCState,
+  GCStateAction,
+  ActionKind,
+  GCMessage
+} from '@/constants/Types';
+
+const tempUser: GCUser = {
+  _id: 1,
+  name: 'Developer',
+};
+
+const reducer = (state: GCState, action: GCStateAction) => {
+  switch (action.type) {
+    case ActionKind.SEND_MESSAGE: {
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        step: state.step + 1,
+        messages: action.payload,
+      };
+    }
+    case ActionKind.LOAD_EARLIER_MESSAGES: {
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        loadEarlier: true,
+        isLoadingEarlier: false,
+        messages: action.payload,
+      };
+    }
+    case ActionKind.LOAD_EARLIER_START: {
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        isLoadingEarlier: true,
+      }
+    }
+    case ActionKind.SET_IS_TYPING: {
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        isTyping: action.payload,
+      }
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+const MessagesScreen = () => {
+  const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(reducer, {
+    messages: messages,
+    step: 0,
+    loadEarlier: true,
+    isLoadingEarlier: false,
+    isTyping: false,
+  })
+
+  const onSend = useCallback((messages: GCMessage[]) => {
+    const sentMessages = [{ ...messages[0], sent: true, received: true }]
+
+};
+export default MessagesScreen;