diff --git a/database.py b/database.py
index c4fcdc1..583d456 100644
--- a/database.py
+++ b/database.py
@@ -1,43 +1,139 @@
 import sqlite3
 import typing
+import re
+import nacl.hash
+import time
 
-connection = sqlite3.connect('example.db')
-
-connection.execute("""
-    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS TEST(
-        NAME TEXT  NOT NULL,
-        CONSTRAINT TEST_PK PRIMARY KEY(NAME)
-            ON CONFLICT IGNORE
-    )
-""")
+__CONNECTION = sqlite3.connect('example.db')
+__CONNECTION.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
+# __CONNECTION.execute("""
+#    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS TEST(
+#        NAME TEXT  NOT NULL,
+#        CONSTRAINT TEST_PK PRIMARY KEY(NAME)
+#            ON CONFLICT IGNORE
+#    )
+#""")
 
 
-def get_claim_comments(claim_id: str, parent_id: int = None, page: int = 1, page_size: int = 50):
-    pass
+def __generate_database_from_ddl(cursor: sqlite3.Connection, filepath: str):
+    with open(filepath, 'r') as ddl_file:
+        cursor.executescript(ddl_file.read())
+        cursor.close()
+
+
+def get_claim_comments(claim_id: str, parent_id: str = None,
+                       page: int = 1, page_size: int = 50, top_level: bool = False):
+    if top_level:
+        curs = __CONNECTION.execute(
+            """ SELECT * 
+                FROM COMMENTS_ON_CLAIMS 
+                WHERE claim_id LIKE ? AND parent_id IS NULL
+                LIMIT ? OFFSET ? """,
+            (claim_id, page_size, page_size*(page - 1))
+        )
+    elif parent_id is None:
+        curs = __CONNECTION.execute(
+            """ SELECT * 
+                FROM COMMENTS_ON_CLAIMS WHERE claim_id LIKE ? 
+                LIMIT ? OFFSET ? """,
+            (claim_id, page_size, page_size*(page - 1))
+        )
+    else:
+        curs = __CONNECTION.execute(
+            """ SELECT *
+                FROM COMMENTS_ON_CLAIMS 
+                WHERE claim_id LIKE ? AND parent_id = ?
+                LIMIT ? OFFSET ? """,
+            (claim_id, parent_id, page_size, page_size*(page - 1))
+        )
+    return [dict(row) for row in curs.fetchall()]
+
+
+def _insert_channel(channel_name, channel_id):
+    with __CONNECTION:
+        __CONNECTION.execute(
+            'INSERT INTO CHANNEL(ClaimId, Name)  VALUES (?, ?)',
+            (channel_id, channel_name)
+        )
+
+
+def _insert_comment(claim_id: str, message: str, channel_id: str = None,
+                    sig: str = None, parent_id: str = None):
+
+    # ensure that we'claim_id and channel_id are the correct format
+
+    timestamp = time.time_ns()
+    comment_prehash = bytes(':'.join((claim_id, message, str(timestamp),)))
+    comment_id = nacl.hash.sha256(comment_prehash).decode('utf-8')
+    with __CONNECTION:
+        __CONNECTION.execute(
+            """
+            INSERT INTO COMMENT(CommentId, LbryClaimId, ChannelId, Body, 
+                                            ParentId, Signature, Timestamp) 
+            VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?) 
+            """,
+            (comment_id, claim_id, channel_id, message, parent_id, sig, timestamp)
+        )
+    return comment_id
+
+
+def _validate_input(**kwargs):
+    assert 0 < len(kwargs.pop('message')) <= 2000
+    claim_id = kwargs.pop('claim_id')
+    channel_id = kwargs.get('channel_id', '')
+    assert re.fullmatch('[a-z0-9]{40}:([a-z0-9]{40})?', claim_id + ':' + channel_id)
+    if 'channel_name' in kwargs:
+        assert 0 < len(kwargs.pop('channel_name')) < 256
 
 
 def create_comment(claim_id: str, message: str, channel_name: str = None,
-                   channel_claim_id: str = None, reply_to: int = None) -> typing.Union[int, dict, None]:
-    pass
+                   channel_id: str = None, reply_to: str = None, sig: str = None) -> dict:
+    if channel_id:
+        _insert_channel(channel_name, channel_id)
+    _validate_input(
+        claim_id=claim_id,
+        message=message,
+        channel_id=channel_id,
+        channel_name=channel_name,
+    )
+    comcast_id = _insert_comment(claim_id, message, channel_id, sig, reply_to)
+    curry = __CONNECTION.execute('SELECT * COMMENTS_ON_CLAIMS WHERE comment_id = ?', (comcast_id,))
+    thing = curry.fetchone()
+    return dict(thing) if thing else None
 
 
-def get_comment_ids(claim_id: str, parent_id: int = None, get_all: bool = False):
+def get_comment_ids(claim_id: str, parent_id: str = None, page=1, page_size=50):
     """ Just return a list of the comment IDs that are associated with the given claim_id.
     If get_all is specified then it returns all the IDs, otherwise only the IDs at that level.
     if parent_id is left null then it only returns the top level comments.
+
+    For pagination the parameters are:
+        get_all XOR (page_size + page)
     """
-    pass
+    if parent_id is None:
+        curs = __CONNECTION.execute("""
+                SELECT comment_id FROM COMMENTS_ON_CLAIMS
+                WHERE claim_id LIKE ? AND parent_id IS NULL LIMIT ? OFFSET ?
+            """, (claim_id, page_size, page_size*abs(page - 1),)
+    )
+    else:
+        curs = __CONNECTION.execute("""
+                SELECT comment_id FROM COMMENTS_ON_CLAIMS
+                WHERE claim_id LIKE ? AND parent_id LIKE ? LIMIT ? OFFSET ?
+            """, (claim_id, parent_id, page_size, page_size * abs(page - 1),)
+        )
+    return [tuple(row) for row in curs.fetchall()]
 
 
-def get_comment_data(comment_ids: list) -> typing.Union[dict, None]:
+def get_comments_by_id(comment_ids: list) -> typing.Union[list, None]:
     """ Returns a list containing the comment data associated with each ID within the list"""
-    pass
+    placeholders = ', '.join('?' for _ in comment_ids)
+    curs = __CONNECTION.execute(
+        f'SELECT * FROM COMMENTS_ON_CLAIMS WHERE comment_id IN ({placeholders})',
+        comment_ids
+    )
+    return [dict(row) for row in curs.fetchall()]
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    connection.execute("INSERT INTO TEST VALUES (?), (?), (?)", ['Don Hockett', 'james cayo', 'MERIANNA'])
-    connection.commit()
-    curs = connection.execute('SELECT * FROM TEST')
-    print(curs.fetchall())
-    connection.close()
-
-
+    __generate_database_from_ddl(__CONNECTION, 'comments_ddl.sql')