diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c20c730..81c5e48 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
       "name": "pepperplus-ui",
       "version": "0.0.0",
       "dependencies": {
+        "@neodrag/react": "^2.3.1",
         "@xyflow/react": "^12.8.6",
         "react": "^19.1.1",
         "react-dom": "^19.1.1"
@@ -1006,6 +1007,12 @@
         "@jridgewell/sourcemap-codec": "^1.4.14"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@neodrag/react": {
+      "version": "2.3.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@neodrag/react/-/react-2.3.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-mOVefo3mFmaVLs9PB5F5wMXnnclG81qjOaPHyf8YZUnw/Ciz0pAqyJDwDJk0nPTIK5I2x1JdjXSchGNdCxZNRQ==",
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/@nodelib/fs.scandir": {
       "version": "2.1.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@nodelib/fs.scandir/-/fs.scandir-2.1.5.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2757ba3..cbea372 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
     "preview": "vite preview"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "@neodrag/react": "^2.3.1",
     "@xyflow/react": "^12.8.6",
     "react": "^19.1.1",
     "react-dom": "^19.1.1"
diff --git a/src/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgUI.tsx b/src/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgUI.tsx
index 48c987f..55c5a85 100644
--- a/src/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgUI.tsx
+++ b/src/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgUI.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
     Background,
     Controls,
     ReactFlow,
+    ReactFlowProvider,
     useNodesState,
     useEdgesState,
     reconnectEdge,
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ import {
     PhaseNode
 } from "./components/NodeDefinitions.tsx";
 
+import { Sidebar } from './components/DragDropSidebar.tsx';
+
 const nodeTypes = {
     start: StartNode,
     end: EndNode,
@@ -59,7 +62,7 @@ const defaultEdgeOptions = {
     },
 };
 
-const VisualProgrammingUI = ()=>  {
+const VisProgUI = ()=>  {
     const edgeReconnectSuccessful = useRef(true);
     const [nodes, , onNodesChange] = useNodesState(initialNodes);
     const [edges, setEdges, onEdgesChange] = useEdgesState(initialEdges);
@@ -89,27 +92,41 @@ const VisualProgrammingUI = ()=>  {
     }, [setEdges]);
 
     return (
-        <div style={{outlineStyle: 'solid', borderRadius: '10pt' ,marginInline: 'auto',width: '60vw', height: '60vh' }}>
-            <ReactFlow
-                nodes={nodes}
-                edges={edges}
-                defaultEdgeOptions={defaultEdgeOptions}
-                onNodesChange={onNodesChange}
-                onEdgesChange={onEdgesChange}
-                nodeTypes={nodeTypes}
-                snapToGrid
-                onReconnect={onReconnect}
-                onReconnectStart={onReconnectStart}
-                onReconnectEnd={onReconnectEnd}
-                onConnect={onConnect}
-                fitView
-                proOptions={{hideAttribution: true }}
-            >
-                <Controls />
-                <Background />
-            </ReactFlow>
+        <div style={{marginInline: 'auto',display: 'flex',justifySelf: 'center', padding:'10px', alignItems: 'center', width: '80vw', height: '60vh'}}>
+            <div style={{outlineStyle: 'solid', borderRadius: '10pt', marginInline: '1em',width: '70%', height:'100%' }}>
+                <ReactFlow
+                    nodes={nodes}
+                    edges={edges}
+                    defaultEdgeOptions={defaultEdgeOptions}
+                    onNodesChange={onNodesChange}
+                    onEdgesChange={onEdgesChange}
+                    nodeTypes={nodeTypes}
+                    snapToGrid
+                    onReconnect={onReconnect}
+                    onReconnectStart={onReconnectStart}
+                    onReconnectEnd={onReconnectEnd}
+                    onConnect={onConnect}
+                    fitView
+                    proOptions={{hideAttribution: true }}
+                >
+                    <Controls />
+                    <Background />
+                </ReactFlow>
+            </div>
+            <div style={{width: '20%', height: '100%'}}>
+                <Sidebar />
+            </div>
         </div>
+
     );
 };
 
-export default VisualProgrammingUI
\ No newline at end of file
+function VisualProgrammingUI(){
+    return (
+        <ReactFlowProvider>
+            <VisProgUI />
+        </ReactFlowProvider>
+    );
+}
+
+export default VisualProgrammingUI;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/visualProgrammingUI/components/DragDropSidebar.tsx b/src/visualProgrammingUI/components/DragDropSidebar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c1e3dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/visualProgrammingUI/components/DragDropSidebar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+import { useDraggable } from '@neodrag/react';
+import {
+    useReactFlow,
+    type XYPosition
+} from '@xyflow/react';
+import {
+    type ReactNode,
+    useCallback,
+    useRef,
+    useState
+} from 'react';
+
+
+// improve later to create better automatic IDs
+let id = 0;
+const getId = () => `dndnode_${id++}`;
+
+
+interface DraggableNodeProps {
+    className?: string;
+    children: ReactNode;
+    nodeType: string;
+    onDrop: (nodeType: string, position: XYPosition) => void;
+}
+
+function DraggableNode({ className, children, nodeType, onDrop }: DraggableNodeProps) {
+    const draggableRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+    const [position, setPosition] = useState<XYPosition>({ x: 0, y: 0 });
+
+
+    // @ts-ignore
+    useDraggable(draggableRef, {
+        position: position,
+        onDrag: ({ offsetX, offsetY }) => {
+            // Calculate position relative to the viewport
+            setPosition({
+                x: offsetX,
+                y: offsetY,
+            });
+        },
+        onDragEnd: ({ event }) => {
+            setPosition({ x: 0, y: 0 });
+            onDrop(nodeType, {
+                x: event.clientX,
+                y: event.clientY,
+            });
+        },
+    });
+
+    return (
+        <div className={className === "default" ? "default-node" :  "default-node" + "__" + className} ref={draggableRef}>
+            {children}
+        </div>
+    );
+}
+
+export function Sidebar() {
+    const { setNodes, screenToFlowPosition } = useReactFlow();
+
+    const handleNodeDrop = useCallback(
+        (nodeType: string, screenPosition: XYPosition) => {
+            const flow = document.querySelector('.react-flow');
+            const flowRect = flow?.getBoundingClientRect();
+            const isInFlow =
+                flowRect &&
+                screenPosition.x >= flowRect.left &&
+                screenPosition.x <= flowRect.right &&
+                screenPosition.y >= flowRect.top &&
+                screenPosition.y <= flowRect.bottom;
+
+            // Create a new node and add it to the flow
+            if (isInFlow) {
+                const position = screenToFlowPosition(screenPosition);
+
+                const newNode = {
+                    id: getId(),
+                    type: nodeType,
+                    position,
+                    data: { label: `${nodeType} node` },
+                };
+
+                setNodes((nds) => nds.concat(newNode));
+            }
+        },
+        [setNodes, screenToFlowPosition],
+    );
+
+    return (
+        <aside>
+            <div className="description">
+                You can drag these nodes to the pane to create new nodes.
+            </div>
+            <DraggableNode className="default" nodeType="start" onDrop={handleNodeDrop}>
+                start Node
+            </DraggableNode>
+            <DraggableNode className="default" nodeType="end" onDrop={handleNodeDrop}>
+                end Node
+            </DraggableNode>
+            <DraggableNode className="default" nodeType="phase" onDrop={handleNodeDrop}>
+                phase Node
+            </DraggableNode>
+        </aside>
+    );
+}
\ No newline at end of file