diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index 97a381471..d12e1d7dc 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
 
       js: {
         files: ['app/assets/javascripts/**/*.js'],
-        tasks: ['concat'],
+        tasks: ['concat', 'babel'],
         options: {
           spawn: false,
         },
@@ -114,6 +114,18 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
        }
      },
 
+     babel: {
+          options: {
+              sourceMap: true,
+              presets: ['es2015']
+          },
+          dist: {
+              files: {
+                  'vendor/assets/javascripts/app.js': 'vendor/assets/javascripts/app.js'
+              }
+          }
+      }
+
      ngAnnotate: {
        options: {
           singleQuotes: true,
@@ -145,5 +157,5 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
   grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-ng-annotate');
   grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-contrib-uglify');
 
-  grunt.registerTask('default', ['haml', 'ngtemplates', 'sass', 'concat', 'ngAnnotate', 'uglify']);
+  grunt.registerTask('default', ['haml', 'ngtemplates', 'sass', 'concat', 'babel', 'ngAnnotate', 'uglify']);
 };
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/controllers/home.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/controllers/home.js
index 94f541334..fc169e6f9 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/controllers/home.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/controllers/home.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ angular.module('app.frontend')
       $scope.allGroup = new Group({name: "All", all: true});
       $scope.groups = $scope.defaultUser.groups;
 
-      apiController.verifyEncryptionStatusOfAllNotes($scope.defaultUser, function(success){
+      apiController.verifyEncryptionStatusOfAllItems($scope.defaultUser, function(success){
 
       });
     }
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ angular.module('app.frontend')
     }
 
     $scope.groupsSave = function(group, callback) {
-      apiController.saveGroup($scope.defaultUser, group, callback);
+      apiController.saveItem($scope.defaultUser, group, callback);
     }
 
     /*
@@ -64,22 +64,15 @@ angular.module('app.frontend')
 
       var originalNote = _.find($scope.defaultUser.notes, {id: noteCopy.id});
 
-      if(newGroup.all) {
-        // going to new group, nil out group_id
-        originalNote.group_id = null;
-      } else {
-        originalNote.group_id = newGroup.id
-        originalNote.group = newGroup;
+      $scope.defaultUser.itemManager.removeReferencesBetweenItems(oldGroup, originalNote);
 
-        newGroup.notes.unshift(originalNote);
-        newGroup.notes.sort(function(a,b){
-          //subtract to get a value that is either negative, positive, or zero.
-          return new Date(b.created_at) - new Date(a.created_at);
-        });
+      if(!newGroup.all) {
+        $scope.defaultUser.itemManager.createReferencesBetweenItems(newGroup, originalNote);
+        newGroup.updateReferencesLocalMapping();
       }
 
-      apiController.saveNote($scope.defaultUser, originalNote, function(note){
-        _.merge(originalNote, note);
+      apiController.saveBatchItems($scope.defaultUser, [originalNote, newGroup, oldGroup], function(){
+
       });
     }
 
@@ -91,7 +84,7 @@ angular.module('app.frontend')
       var validNotes = Note.filterDummyNotes(group.notes);
       if(validNotes == 0) {
         // if no more notes, delete group
-        apiController.deleteGroup($scope.defaultUser, group, function(){
+        apiController.deleteItem($scope.defaultUser, group, function(){
           // force scope groups to update on sub directives
           $scope.groups = [];
           $timeout(function(){
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/group.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/group.js
index 957642717..c8b5c9bed 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/group.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/group.js
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
-var Group = function (json_obj) {
-  _.merge(this, json_obj);
-};
+class Group extends Item {
+  constructor(json_obj) {
+    _.merge(this, json_obj);
+  }
+
+  updateReferencesLocalMapping() {
+    super.updateReferencesLocalMapping();
+    this.notes = this.referencesMatchingContentType("Note");
+    this.notes.sort(function(a,b){
+      return new Date(b.created_at) - new Date(a.created_at);
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/item.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/item.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f4f7bd1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/item.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+class Item {
+
+  referencesMatchingContentType(contentType) {
+    return this.references.filter(function(reference){
+      return reference.content_type == content_type;
+    });
+  }
+
+  updateReferencesLocalMapping() {
+    // should be overriden to manage local properties
+  }
+
+  /* Returns true if note is shared individually or via group */
+  isPublic() {
+    return this.presentation;
+  }
+
+  isEncrypted() {
+    return this.encryptionEnabled() && typeof this.content === 'string' ? true : false;
+  }
+
+  encryptionEnabled() {
+    return this.loc_eek;
+  }
+
+  presentationURL() {
+    return this.presentation.url;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/itemManager.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/itemManager.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..af92c6bb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/itemManager.js
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+class ItemManager() {
+
+  set items(items) {
+    this.items = items;
+    resolveReferences();
+  }
+
+  referencesForItemId(itemId) {
+    return _.find(this.items, {uuid: itemId});
+  }
+
+  resolveReferences() {
+    this.items.forEach(function(item){
+      // build out references
+      _.map(item.references, function(reference){
+        return referencesForItemId(reference.uuid);
+      })
+    });
+  }
+
+  itemsForContentType(contentType) {
+    this.items.filter(function(item){
+      return item.content_type == contentType;
+    });
+  }
+
+  // returns dirty item references that need saving
+  deleteItem(item) {
+    _.remove(this.items, item);
+    item.references.forEach(function(reference){
+      removeReferencesFromItem(reference, item);
+    })
+
+    return item.references;
+  }
+
+  removeReferencesBetweenItems(itemOne, itemTwo) {
+    _.remove(itemOne.references, _.find(itemOne.references, {uuid: itemTwo.uuid}));
+    _.remove(itemTwo.references, _.find(itemTwo.references, {uuid: itemOne.uuid}));
+    return [itemOne, itemTwo];
+  }
+
+  removeReferencesBetweenItems(itemOne, itemTwo) {
+    itemOne.references.push(itemTwo);
+    itemTwo.references.push(itemOne);
+    return [itemOne, itemTwo];
+  }
+
+  createReferencesBetweenItems(itemOne, itemTwo) {
+    itemOne.references.push(itemTwo);
+    itemTwo.references.push(itemOne);
+    return [itemOne, itemTwo];
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/note.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/note.js
index 53d5cb0bf..0c935bf20 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/note.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/note.js
@@ -1,57 +1,63 @@
-var Note = function (json_obj) {
-  var content;
+class Note extends Item {
+  constructor(json_obj) {
+    var content;
 
-  Object.defineProperty(this, "content", {
-    get: function() {
-      return content;
-    },
-    set: function(value) {
-      var finalValue = value;
+    Object.defineProperty(this, "content", {
+      get: function() {
+        return content;
+      },
+      set: function(value) {
+        var finalValue = value;
 
-      if(typeof value === 'string') {
-        try {
-          decodedValue = JSON.parse(value);
-          finalValue = decodedValue;
-        }
-        catch(e) {
-          finalValue = value;
+        if(typeof value === 'string') {
+          try {
+            decodedValue = JSON.parse(value);
+            finalValue = decodedValue;
+          }
+          catch(e) {
+            finalValue = value;
+          }
         }
+
+        content = finalValue;
+      },
+      enumerable: true,
+    });
+
+    this.setContentRaw = function(rawContent) {
+      content = rawContent;
+    }
+
+    _.merge(this, json_obj);
+
+    if(!this.content) {
+      this.content = {title: "", text: ""};
+    }
+  }
+
+  filterDummyNotes(notes) {
+    var filtered = notes.filter(function(note){return note.dummy == false || note.dummy == null});
+    return filtered;
+  }
+
+  updateReferencesLocalMapping() {
+    super.updateReferencesLocalMapping();
+    this.groups = this.referencesMatchingContentType("Group");
+  }
+
+  get hasOnePublicGroup() {
+    var hasPublicGroup = false;
+    this.groups.forEach(function(group){
+      if(group.isPublic()) {
+        hasPublicGroup = true;
+        return;
       }
+    })
 
-      content = finalValue;
-    },
-    enumerable: true,
-  });
-
-  this.setContentRaw = function(rawContent) {
-    content = rawContent;
+    return hasPublicGroup;
   }
 
-  _.merge(this, json_obj);
-
-  if(!this.content) {
-    this.content = {title: "", text: ""};
+  function isPublic() {
+    return super.isPublic() || this.hasOnePublicGroup;
   }
-};
-
-Note.filterDummyNotes = function(notes) {
-  var filtered = notes.filter(function(note){return note.dummy == false || note.dummy == null});
-  return filtered;
-}
-
-/* Returns true if note is shared individually or via group */
-Note.prototype.isPublic = function() {
-  return this.presentation || (this.group && this.group.presentation);
-};
-
-Note.prototype.isEncrypted = function() {
-  return this.encryptionEnabled() && typeof this.content === 'string' ? true : false;
-}
-
-Note.prototype.encryptionEnabled = function() {
-  return this.loc_eek;
-}
-
-Note.prototype.presentationURL = function() {
-  return this.presentation.url;
 }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/user.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/user.js
index a6ff61349..4e6ddac6a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/user.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/frontend/models/user.js
@@ -1,23 +1,23 @@
-var User = function (json_obj) {
-  _.merge(this, json_obj);
+class User {
+  constructor(json_obj) {
+    _.merge(this, json_obj);
 
-  this.notes = _.map(this.notes, function(json_obj) {
-    return new Note(json_obj);
-  });
+    this.itemManager = new ItemManager();
+    this.itemManager.items = this.items;
+    this.items = null;
 
-  this.groups = _.map(this.groups, function(json_obj) {
-    return new Group(json_obj);
-  });
-
-  this.groups.forEach(function(group){
-    var notes = this.notes.filter(function(note){return note.group_id && note.group_id == group.id});
-    notes.forEach(function(note){
-      note.group = group;
+    this.notes = _.map(this.itemManager.itemsForContentType("Note"), function(json_obj) {
+      return new Note(json_obj);
     })
-    group.notes = notes;
-  }.bind(this))
-};
 
-User.prototype.filteredNotes = function() {
-  return Note.filterDummyNotes(this.notes);
+    this.groups = _.map(this.itemManager.itemsForContentType("Group"), function(json_obj) {
+      var group = Group(json_obj);
+      group.updateReferencesLocalMapping();
+      return group;
+    })
+  }
+
+  filteredNotes() {
+    return Note.filterDummyNotes(this.notes);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/apiController.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/apiController.js
index 41a1c2d96..1f7a13247 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/apiController.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/services/apiController.js
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ angular.module('app.services')
       Ensures that if encryption is disabled, all local notes are uncrypted,
       and that if it's enabled, that all local notes are encrypted
       */
-      this.verifyEncryptionStatusOfAllNotes = function(user, callback) {
+      this.verifyEncryptionStatusOfAllItems = function(user, callback) {
         var allNotes = user.filteredNotes();
         var notesNeedingUpdate = [];
         allNotes.forEach(function(note){
@@ -168,83 +168,13 @@ angular.module('app.services')
 
 
       /*
-      Groups
+      Items
       */
 
-      this.restangularizeGroup = function(group, user) {
-        var request = Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("groups", group.id);
-        _.merge(request, group);
-        return request;
-      }
-
-      this.saveGroup = function(user, group, callback) {
-        if(user.id) {
-          if(!group.route) {
-            group = this.restangularizeGroup(group, user);
-          }
-          group.customOperation(group.id ? "put" : "post").then(function(response) {
-            callback(response.plain());
-          })
-        } else {
-          this.writeUserToLocalStorage(user);
-          callback(group);
-        }
-      }
-
-      this.deleteGroup = function(user, group, callback) {
-        if(!user.id) {
-          _.remove(user.groups, group);
-          this.writeUserToLocalStorage(user);
-          callback(true);
-        } else {
-          Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("groups", group.id).remove()
-          .then(function(response) {
-            _.remove(user.groups, group);
-            callback(true);
-          })
-        }
-      }
-
-      this.shareGroup = function(user, group, callback) {
-          Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("groups", group.id).one("presentations").post()
-          .then(function(response){
-            var presentation = response.plain();
-            _.merge(group, {presentation: presentation});
-            callback(presentation);
-
-            if(group.notes.length > 0) {
-              // decrypt notes
-              this.saveBatchNotes(user, group.notes, function(success){})
-            }
-          }.bind(this))
-      }
-
-      this.unshareGroup = function(user, group, callback) {
-        var request = Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("groups", group.id).one("presentations", group.presentation.id);
-        request.remove().then(function(response){
-          group.presentation = null;
-          callback(null);
-
-          if(group.notes.length > 0) {
-            // encrypt notes
-            var notes = group.notes;
-            this.saveBatchNotes(user, notes, function(success){})
-          }
-        }.bind(this))
-      }
-
-
-
-
-
-      /*
-      Notes
-      */
-
-      this.saveBatchNotes = function(user, notes, callback) {
-        var request = Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("notes/batch_update");
-        request.notes = _.map(notes, function(note){
-          return this.createRequestParamsFromNote(note, user);
+      this.saveBatchItems = function(user, items, callback) {
+        var request = Restangular.one("users", user.uuid).one("items/batch_update");
+        request.items = _.map(items, function(item){
+          return this.createRequestParamsFromItem(item, user);
         }.bind(this));
         request.put().then(function(response){
           var success = response.plain().success;
@@ -252,95 +182,88 @@ angular.module('app.services')
         })
       }
 
-      this.saveNote = function(user, note, callback) {
+      this.saveItem = function(user, item, callback) {
         if(!user.id) {
           this.writeUserToLocalStorage(user);
-          callback(note);
+          callback(item);
           return;
         }
 
-        var params = this.createRequestParamsFromNote(note, user);
+        var params = this.createRequestParamsForItem(item, user);
 
-        var request = Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("notes", note.id);
+        var request = Restangular.one("users", user.uuid).one("item", item.uuid);
         _.merge(request, params);
-        request.customOperation(request.id ? "put" : "post")
+        request.customOperation(request.uuid ? "put" : "post")
         .then(function(response) {
           var responseObject = response.plain();
-          responseObject.content = note.content;
-          _.merge(note, responseObject);
-          callback(note);
+          responseObject.content = item.content;
+          _.merge(item, responseObject);
+          callback(item);
         })
         .catch(function(response){
           callback(null);
         })
       }
 
-      this.createRequestParamsFromNote = function(note, user) {
-        var params = {id: note.id};
+      this.createRequestParamsForItem = function(item, user) {
+        var params = {uuid: item.uuid};
 
-        if(!note.pending_share && !note.isPublic()) {
+        if(!item.isPublic()) {
           // encrypted
-          var noteCopy = _.cloneDeep(note);
-          this.encryptSingleNote(noteCopy, this.retrieveGk());
-          params.content = noteCopy.content;
-          params.loc_eek = noteCopy.loc_eek;
+          var itemCopy = _.cloneDeep(item);
+          this.encryptSingleNote(itemCopy, this.retrieveGk());
+          params.content = itemCopy.content;
+          params.loc_eek = itemCopy.loc_eek;
         }
         else {
           // decrypted
-          params.content = JSON.stringify(note.content);
+          params.content = JSON.stringify(item.content);
           params.loc_eek = null;
         }
         return params;
       }
 
 
-      this.deleteNote = function(user, note, callback) {
+      this.deleteItem = function(user, item, callback) {
         if(!user.id) {
           this.writeUserToLocalStorage(user);
           callback(true);
         } else {
-          Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("notes", note.id).remove()
+          Restangular.one("users", user.uuid).one("items", item.uuid).remove()
           .then(function(response) {
             callback(true);
           })
         }
       }
 
-      this.shareNote = function(user, note, callback) {
+      this.shareItem = function(user, item, callback) {
         if(!user.id) {
-          if(confirm("Note: You are not signed in. Any note you share cannot be edited or unshared.")) {
-            var request = Restangular.one("notes").one("share");
-            _.merge(request, {name: note.content.title, content: note.content});
-            request.post().then(function(response){
-              var presentation = response.plain();
-              _.merge(note, {presentation: presentation});
-              note.locked = true;
-              this.writeUserToLocalStorage(user);
-              callback(note);
-            }.bind(this))
-          }
+          alert("You must be signed in to share.");
         } else {
-          var shareFn = function(note, callback) {
-            Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("notes", note.id).one("presentations").post()
-            .then(function(response){
-              var presentation = response.plain();
-              _.merge(note, {presentation: presentation});
-              callback(note);
-            })
-          }
+          Restangular.one("users", user.uuid).one("items", item.uuid).one("presentations").post()
+          .then(function(response){
+            var presentation = response.plain();
+            _.merge(item, {presentation: presentation});
+            callback(item);
 
-          note.pending_share = true;
-          this.saveNote(user, note, function(saved_note){
-            shareFn(saved_note, callback);
+            // decrypt references
+            if(item.references.length > 0) {
+              this.saveBatchItems(user, item.references, function(success){})
+            }
           })
         }
       }
 
-      this.unshareNote = function(user, note, callback) {
-        var request = Restangular.one("users", user.id).one("notes", note.id).one("presentations", note.presentation.id);
+      this.unshareItem = function(user, item, callback) {
+        var request = Restangular.one("users", user.uuid).one("notes", item.uuid).one("presentations", item.presentation.uuid);
         request.remove().then(function(response){
-          note.presentation = null;
+          item.presentation = null;
           callback(null);
+
+          // encrypt references
+          if(item.references.length > 0) {
+            this.saveBatchItems(user, item.references, function(success){})
+          }
         })
       }
 
@@ -351,7 +274,7 @@ angular.module('app.services')
 
       this.updatePresentation = function(resource, presentation, callback) {
         var request = Restangular.one("users", user.id)
-        .one(resource.constructor.name.toLowerCase() + "s", resource.id)
+        .one("items", resource.id)
         .one("presentations", resource.presentation.id);
         _.merge(request, presentation);
         request.patch().then(function(response){
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f409561d4..e90025918 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
   "name": "neeto",
   "version": "1.0.0",
   "devDependencies": {
+    "babel-preset-es2015": "^6.18.0",
     "grunt": "^1.0.1",
     "grunt-angular-templates": "^1.1.0",
+    "grunt-babel": "^6.0.0",
     "grunt-contrib-concat": "^1.0.1",
     "grunt-contrib-cssmin": "^1.0.2",
     "grunt-contrib-jshint": "~0.10.0",