diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/Topbar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/Topbar.tsx
index 65fd02d8..c648eb6d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/Topbar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/Topbar.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import { Bell, MessageSquare, Plus, Search, Sparkles, Menu, Moon, Sun } from "lucide-react";
+import { MessageSquare, Plus, Search, Sparkles, Menu, Moon, Sun } from "lucide-react";
 import { Link } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { currentUser } from "@/mocks/seed";
 import { useTheme } from "@/hooks/useTheme";
+import { NotificationCenter } from "@/components/shared/NotificationCenter";
 
 export function Topbar({ onMenu }: { onMenu: () => void }) {
   const { isDark, toggleTheme } = useTheme();
@@ -46,9 +47,7 @@ export function Topbar({ onMenu }: { onMenu: () => void }) {
         >
           {isDark ? <Sun size={16} /> : <Moon size={16} />}
         </button>
-        <IconButton to="/notifications" count={8}>
-          <Bell size={16} />
-        </IconButton>
+        <NotificationCenter />
         <IconButton to="/messages" count={3}>
           <MessageSquare size={16} />
         </IconButton>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/shared/NotificationCenter.tsx b/frontend/src/components/shared/NotificationCenter.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7534c22d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/shared/NotificationCenter.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,254 @@
+import React, { useState } from "react";
+import { 
+  Bell, 
+  Check, 
+  CheckCircle, 
+  FolderPlus, 
+  MessageCircle, 
+  MessageSquare, 
+  Users, 
+  XCircle,
+  AtSign
+} from "lucide-react";
+import { formatDistanceToNow } from "date-fns";
+import { Popover, PopoverContent, PopoverTrigger } from "@/components/ui/popover";
+import { Tabs, TabsContent, TabsList, TabsTrigger } from "@/components/ui/tabs";
+import { ScrollArea } from "@/components/ui/scroll-area";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+type NotificationType = 
+  | "project_invitation" 
+  | "team_request" 
+  | "comment" 
+  | "mention" 
+  | "application_accepted" 
+  | "application_rejected" 
+  | "message_received";
+
+interface Notification {
+  id: string;
+  type: NotificationType;
+  title: string;
+  description: string;
+  createdAt: Date;
+  read: boolean;
+  avatar?: string;
+}
+
+const mockNotifications: Notification[] = [
+  {
+    id: "1",
+    type: "project_invitation",
+    title: "Project Invitation",
+    description: "Sarah invited you to join the 'Next.js E-commerce' project.",
+    createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 1000 * 60 * 5),
+    read: false,
+  },
+  {
+    id: "2",
+    type: "mention",
+    title: "Mentioned you",
+    description: "Alex mentioned you in a comment: '@johndoe can you review this?'",
+    createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 1000 * 60 * 30),
+    read: false,
+  },
+  {
+    id: "3",
+    type: "team_request",
+    title: "Team Request",
+    description: "David wants to join your 'DevLink' team.",
+    createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 1000 * 60 * 60 * 2),
+    read: false,
+  },
+  {
+    id: "4",
+    type: "application_accepted",
+    title: "Application Accepted",
+    description: "Your application for 'Senior React Developer' was accepted!",
+    createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24),
+    read: true,
+  },
+  {
+    id: "5",
+    type: "comment",
+    title: "New Comment",
+    description: "Emily commented on your post 'State Management in 2024'.",
+    createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 1000 * 60 * 60 * 48),
+    read: true,
+  },
+  {
+    id: "6",
+    type: "application_rejected",
+    title: "Application Status Update",
+    description: "Unfortunately, your application for 'UI Designer' was not selected.",
+    createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 1000 * 60 * 60 * 72),
+    read: true,
+  },
+  {
+    id: "7",
+    type: "message_received",
+    title: "New Message",
+    description: "Michael sent you a message: 'Hey, are you available for a quick chat?'",
+    createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 1000 * 60 * 60 * 96),
+    read: true,
+  },
+];
+
+const getNotificationIcon = (type: NotificationType) => {
+  switch (type) {
+    case "project_invitation":
+      return <FolderPlus className="h-4 w-4 text-blue-500" />;
+    case "team_request":
+      return <Users className="h-4 w-4 text-indigo-500" />;
+    case "comment":
+      return <MessageCircle className="h-4 w-4 text-green-500" />;
+    case "mention":
+      return <AtSign className="h-4 w-4 text-purple-500" />;
+    case "application_accepted":
+      return <CheckCircle className="h-4 w-4 text-emerald-500" />;
+    case "application_rejected":
+      return <XCircle className="h-4 w-4 text-red-500" />;
+    case "message_received":
+      return <MessageSquare className="h-4 w-4 text-sky-500" />;
+  }
+};
+
+export function NotificationCenter() {
+  const [notifications, setNotifications] = useState<Notification[]>(mockNotifications);
+  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
+
+  const unreadCount = notifications.filter((n) => !n.read).length;
+
+  const markAllAsRead = () => {
+    setNotifications(notifications.map((n) => ({ ...n, read: true })));
+  };
+
+  const markAsRead = (id: string) => {
+    setNotifications(notifications.map((n) => (n.id === id ? { ...n, read: true } : n)));
+  };
+
+  const NotificationItem = ({ notification }: { notification: Notification }) => (
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        "flex gap-3 px-4 py-3 hover:bg-muted/50 transition-colors cursor-pointer group",
+        !notification.read && "bg-muted/30"
+      )}
+      onClick={() => markAsRead(notification.id)}
+    >
+      <div className="mt-1 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-background p-1.5 shadow-sm border border-border">
+        {getNotificationIcon(notification.type)}
+      </div>
+      <div className="flex-1 space-y-1 overflow-hidden">
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+          <p className="text-sm font-medium leading-none text-foreground truncate">
+            {notification.title}
+          </p>
+          <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground whitespace-nowrap shrink-0">
+            {formatDistanceToNow(notification.createdAt, { addSuffix: true })}
+          </span>
+        </div>
+        <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground line-clamp-2">
+          {notification.description}
+        </p>
+      </div>
+      {!notification.read && (
+        <div className="shrink-0 flex items-center">
+          <div className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full bg-primary" />
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <Popover open={isOpen} onOpenChange={setIsOpen}>
+      <PopoverTrigger asChild>
+        <button
+          className="relative grid h-9 w-9 place-items-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-muted hover:text-foreground outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-primary/20"
+          aria-label="Notifications"
+        >
+          <Bell size={16} />
+          {unreadCount > 0 && (
+            <span className="absolute -right-0.5 -top-0.5 grid h-4 min-w-[16px] place-items-center rounded-full bg-destructive px-1 text-[10px] font-semibold text-destructive-foreground animate-in zoom-in">
+              {unreadCount > 99 ? "99+" : unreadCount}
+            </span>
+          )}
+        </button>
+      </PopoverTrigger>
+      <PopoverContent 
+        className="w-[380px] p-0 sm:w-[420px] rounded-xl shadow-xl overflow-hidden" 
+        align="end" 
+        sideOffset={8}
+      >
+        <Tabs defaultValue="all" className="w-full">
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-between px-4 py-3 border-b border-border bg-surface">
+            <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground">Notifications</h2>
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+              <TabsList className="h-8">
+                <TabsTrigger value="all" className="text-xs px-3">All</TabsTrigger>
+                <TabsTrigger value="unread" className="text-xs px-3">
+                  Unread
+                  {unreadCount > 0 && (
+                    <span className="ml-1.5 rounded-full bg-primary/10 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-medium text-primary">
+                      {unreadCount}
+                    </span>
+                  )}
+                </TabsTrigger>
+              </TabsList>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+          
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-between px-4 py-2 border-b border-border/50 bg-muted/20">
+            <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground font-medium">
+              You have {unreadCount} unread notifications
+            </span>
+            {unreadCount > 0 && (
+              <Button 
+                variant="ghost" 
+                size="sm" 
+                className="h-7 text-xs px-2 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+                onClick={markAllAsRead}
+              >
+                <Check className="mr-1.5 h-3 w-3" />
+                Mark all as read
+              </Button>
+            )}
+          </div>
+
+          <ScrollArea className="h-[400px]">
+            <TabsContent value="all" className="m-0 focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-0">
+              {notifications.length === 0 ? (
+                <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center h-40 text-muted-foreground">
+                  <Bell className="h-8 w-8 mb-2 opacity-20" />
+                  <p className="text-sm">No notifications yet</p>
+                </div>
+              ) : (
+                <div className="flex flex-col divide-y divide-border/50">
+                  {notifications.map((notification) => (
+                    <NotificationItem key={notification.id} notification={notification} />
+                  ))}
+                </div>
+              )}
+            </TabsContent>
+            <TabsContent value="unread" className="m-0 focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-0">
+              {notifications.filter((n) => !n.read).length === 0 ? (
+                <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center h-40 text-muted-foreground">
+                  <CheckCircle className="h-8 w-8 mb-2 opacity-20 text-emerald-500" />
+                  <p className="text-sm">You're all caught up!</p>
+                </div>
+              ) : (
+                <div className="flex flex-col divide-y divide-border/50">
+                  {notifications
+                    .filter((n) => !n.read)
+                    .map((notification) => (
+                      <NotificationItem key={notification.id} notification={notification} />
+                    ))}
+                </div>
+              )}
+            </TabsContent>
+          </ScrollArea>
+        </Tabs>
+      </PopoverContent>
+    </Popover>
+  );
+}