diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..975f11d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*.inc
+libsccolor
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e4e5bdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
+include premake.make
+
+# git commit hash and version for this build
+COMMIT-HASH != git log 2>/dev/null | sed -e '1s/^commit //;q'
+COMMIT := "const char* commit = \"$(COMMIT-HASH)\";"
+VERSION := "const char* version = \"$(MAJOR).$(MINOR).$(PATCH)\";"
+
+# some important install locations
+PREFIX ?= /usr/local
+BINDIR ?= $(PREFIX)/bin
+CONFIGDIR ?= $(PREFIX)/etc
+INCLUDEDIR ?= $(PREFIX)/include
+LIBDIR ?= $(PREFIX)/lib
+MANDIR ?= $(PREFIX)/man
+DATADIR ?= $(PREFIX)/share/$(PROJ)
+DOCDIR ?= $(DATADIR)/doc
+
+# setup naming and versioning for library product
+ifeq ($(UNAME_S), Darwin)
+	LINKERNAME := $(PROJ).dylib
+	SONAME := $(PROJ).$(MAJOR).dylib
+	REALNAME := $(LINKERNAME)
+else ifeq ($(UNAME_S), OpenBSD)
+	REALNAME := $(PROJ).so.$(MAJOR).$(MINOR)
+else ifeq ($(UNAME_S), Linux)
+	LINKERNAME := $(PROJ).so
+	SONAME := $(LINKERNAME).$(MAJOR)
+	REALNAME := $(SONAME).$(MINOR).$(PATCH)
+endif
+STATICLIB := $(PROJ).a
+
+# select default compiler
+CXX ?= g++
+
+# setup compiler flags and build config
+CXXFLAGS += -Wshadow -Wall -Wpedantic -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter
+CXXFLAGS += -g3 -fPIC
+ifeq ($(DEBUG), 1)
+	CXXFLAGS += -DDEBUG -O0
+	CONFIG := debug
+else
+	CXXFLAGS += -DNDEBUG -O3
+	CONFIG := release
+endif
+
+# setup build locations
+OUTDIR := build/$(CONFIG)
+BUILDDIR := build/obj
+BIN := $(OUTDIR)/$(PROJ)
+
+# define sources and derived files
+# allow for extra sources defined in premake.make
+SRCS += $(notdir $(wildcard src/*.cpp))
+OBJS := $(addprefix $(BUILDDIR)/, $(SRCS:.cpp=.o))
+DEPS := $(addprefix $(BUILDDIR)/, $(SRCS:.cpp=.dep))
+HDRS ?= $(wildcard src/*.hpp)
+MANS := $(addprefix $(PREFIX)/, $(wildcard man/man*/*))
+
+# if project supports plugins, link to libdl where needed
+ifdef PLUGINS
+ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Darwin)
+	LDLIBS += -ldl
+else ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Linux)
+	LDLIBS += -ldl
+endif
+endif
+
+# pattern rules ===========================================================
+
+$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: src/%.cpp
+ifeq ($(PRECOMPILE), 1)
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ -include precomp.hpp -MMD -MP -MT $@ -MF $(BUILDDIR)/$*.dep -c $<
+else
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ -MMD -MP -MT $@ -MF $(BUILDDIR)/$*.dep -c $<
+endif
+
+%.dep: ;
+
+$(MANDIR)/man1/%: man/man1/%
+	install -m 0644 $< $@
+
+$(MANDIR)/man3/%: man/man3/%
+	install -m 0644 $< $@
+
+$(MANDIR)/man5/%: man/man5/%
+	install -m 0644 $< $@
+
+# =========================================================== pattern rules
+
+# targets =================================================================
+
+.PHONY: all commit-hash version plugins test clean dist-clean install-plugins \
+install install-data uninstall-data uninstall-plugins uninstall
+
+# main target
+ifeq ($(PRODUCT), tool)
+all: $(BUILDDIR) $(OUTDIR) commit-hash version plugins $(BIN)
+else ifeq ($(PRODUCT), lib)
+all: $(BUILDDIR) $(OUTDIR) commit-hash version plugins $(OUTDIR)/$(REALNAME) $(OUTDIR)/$(STATICLIB)
+endif
+
+$(BUILDDIR):
+	mkdir -p $@
+
+$(OUTDIR):
+	mkdir -p $@
+
+# product build rules
+ifeq ($(PRODUCT), tool) # -------------------------------------------- tool
+
+ifeq ($(PRECOMPILE), 1)
+$(BIN): precomp.hpp.gch $(OBJS)
+else
+$(BIN): $(OBJS)
+endif
+	$(CXX) -o $(BIN) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJS) $(LDLIBS)
+	@ln -sf $(BIN) $(PROJ)
+
+endif # -------------------------------------------------------------- tool
+
+ifeq ($(PRODUCT), lib) # ---------------------------------------------- lib
+
+ifeq ($(PRECOMPILE), 1)
+$(OUTDIR)/$(REALNAME): precomp.hpp.gch $(OBJS)
+else
+$(OUTDIR)/$(REALNAME): $(OBJS)
+endif
+ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Darwin)
+	$(CXX) -dynamiclib -o $(OUTDIR)/$(REALNAME) -current_version $(MAJOR) -compatibility_version $(MINOR) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJS) $(LDLIBS)
+else ifeq ($(UNAME_S),OpenBSD)
+	$(CXX) -g -shared -Wl,-soname,$(REALNAME) -o $(OUTDIR)/$(REALNAME) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJS) $(LDLIBS)
+else ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Linux)
+	$(CXX) -g -shared -Wl,-soname,$(SONAME) -o $(OUTDIR)/$(REALNAME) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJS) $(LDLIBS)
+endif
+
+$(OUTDIR)/$(STATICLIB): $(OBJS)
+	ar r $(OUTDIR)/$(STATICLIB) $(OBJS)
+
+ifeq ($(GENERATELIBHEADER),1)
+$(OUTDIR)/$(PROJ).hpp: $(HDRS)
+	@echo updating $(OUTDIR)/$(PROJ).hpp
+	@cp /dev/null $(OUTDIR)/$(PROJ).hpp
+	@for h in $(HDRS); \
+	do \
+		sed '/@exclude/d' $$h >> $(OUTDIR)/$(PROJ).hpp; \
+	done
+endif
+
+endif # --------------------------------------------------------------- lib
+
+# get generated dependencies, if any
+-include $(DEPS)
+
+commit-hash:
+	@if ! echo $(COMMIT) | diff -q src/commit.inc - >/dev/null 2>&1 ;\
+	then \
+		echo $(COMMIT) > src/commit.inc ;\
+	fi
+
+version:
+	@if ! echo $(VERSION) | diff -q src/version.inc - >/dev/null 2>&1 ;\
+	then \
+		echo $(VERSION) > src/version.inc ;\
+	fi
+
+$(BUILDDIR)/version.o: src/version.inc src/commit.inc
+
+precomp.hpp.gch: src/precomp.hpp
+	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@
+
+plugins:
+ifdef PLUGINS
+	@for plug in $(PLUGINS) ;\
+	do \
+		$(MAKE) -C $$plug ;\
+	done
+endif
+
+test:
+	$(MAKE) -C tests && tests/tests
+
+clean:
+	rm -rf $(BUILDDIR) tests/build tests/tests tests/src/commit.inc tests/src/version.inc
+ifdef PLUGINS
+	@for plug in $(PLUGINS) ;\
+	do \
+		$(MAKE) -C $$plug clean ;\
+	done
+endif
+
+dist-clean: clean
+	rm -rf build $(PROJ) src/commit.inc src/version.inc precomp.hpp.gch
+
+$(MANDIR)/man1:
+	install -m 0755 -d $@
+
+$(MANDIR)/man3:
+	install -m 0755 -d $@
+
+$(MANDIR)/man5:
+	install -m 0755 -d $@
+
+$(DATADIR):
+	install -m 0755 -d $@
+
+# (un)install targets
+
+ifdef DATAFILES
+install-data: $(DATADIR)
+	install -m 0644 $(DATAFILES) $(DATADIR)
+else
+install-data:
+endif
+
+uninstall-data:
+	rm -rf $(DATADIR)
+
+install-plugins:
+ifdef PLUGINS
+	@for plug in $(PLUGINS) ;\
+	do \
+		$(MAKE) -C $$plug install ;\
+	done
+endif
+
+uninstall-plugins:
+ifdef PLUGINS
+	@for plug in $(PLUGINS) ;\
+	do \
+		$(MAKE) -C $$plug uninstall ;\
+	done
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(PRODUCT), tool) # -------------------------------------------- tool
+
+$(BINDIR):
+	install -m 0755 -d $@
+
+install: $(MANDIR)/man1 $(MANDIR)/man3 $(MANDIR)/man5 $(BINDIR) $(MANS) install-data install-plugins
+	install -m 0755 $(BIN) $(BINDIR)
+
+uninstall: uninstall-data uninstall-plugins
+	rm -f $(BINDIR)/$(PROJ) $(MANS)
+
+endif # -------------------------------------------------------------- tool
+
+ifeq ($(PRODUCT), lib) # ---------------------------------------------- lib
+
+$(LIBDIR):
+	install -m 0755 -d $@
+
+$(INCLUDEDIR):
+	install -m 0755 -d $@
+
+$(INCLUDEDIR)/$(PROJ):
+	install -m 0755 -d $@
+
+ifeq ($(GENERATELIBHEADER), 1)
+install: $(MANDIR)/man1 $(MANDIR)/man3 $(MANDIR)/man5 $(LIBDIR) $(INCLUDEDIR) $(MANS) $(OUTDIR)/$(PROJ).hpp install-data install-plugins
+	install -m 0644 $(OUTDIR)/$(PROJ).hpp $(INCLUDEDIR)
+else
+install: $(MANDIR)/man1 $(MANDIR)/man3 $(MANDIR)/man5 $(LIBDIR) $(INCLUDEDIR) $(MANS) $(INCLUDEDIR)/$(PROJ) install-data install-plugins
+	install -m 0644 $(HDRS) $(INCLUDEDIR)/$(PROJ)
+endif
+	install -m 0644 $(OUTDIR)/$(REALNAME) $(LIBDIR)
+	install -m 0644 $(OUTDIR)/$(STATICLIB) $(LIBDIR)
+ifeq ($(UNAME_S), Darwin)
+	cd $(LIBDIR) && ln -sf $(REALNAME) $(SONAME)
+else ifeq ($(UNAME_S), Linux)
+ifeq ($(USER), root)
+	ldconfig
+else
+	cd $(LIBDIR) && ln -sf $(REALNAME) $(SONAME)
+endif
+	cd $(LIBDIR) && ln -sf $(SONAME) $(LINKERNAME)
+else ifeq ($(UNAME_S), OpenBSD)
+	ldconfig -R
+endif
+
+uninstall: uninstall-data uninstall-plugins
+	rm -rf $(INCLUDEDIR)/$(PROJ).hpp $(INCLUDEDIR)/$(PROJ) $(MANS) $(LIBDIR)/$(STATICLIB) $(LIBDIR)/$(REALNAME) $(LIBDIR)/$(SONAME) $(LIBDIR)/$(LINKERNAME)
+ifeq ($(UNAME_S), Linux)
+	ldconfig
+else ifeq ($(UNAME_S), OpenBSD)
+	ldconfig -R
+endif
+
+endif # --------------------------------------------------------------- lib
+
+# ================================================================= targets
+
+# project-specific targets go in here
+-include postmake.make
diff --git a/man/man3/libsccolor.3 b/man/man3/libsccolor.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d8c036
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/man3/libsccolor.3
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+.Dd $Mdocdate$
+.Dt libsccolor 3
+.Os
+.Sh NAME
+.Nm libsccolor
+.Nd one line about what it does
+.\" .Sh LIBRARY
+.\" For sections 2, 3, and 9 only.
+.\" Not used in OpenBSD.
+.Sh DESCRIPTION
+The
+.Nm
+library ...
+.\" .Sh RETURN VALUES
+.\" For sections 2, 3, and 9 function return values only.
+.\" .Sh ENVIRONMENT
+.\" .Sh FILES
+.\" .Sh EXAMPLES
+.\" .Sh ERRORS
+.\" For sections 2, 3, 4, and 9 errno settings only.
+.\" .Sh SEE ALSO
+.\" .Xr foobar 1
+.\" .Sh STANDARDS
+.\" .Sh HISTORY
+.Sh AUTHORS
+Bob Polis
+.\" .Sh CAVEATS
+.\" .Sh BUGS
+.\" .Sh SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS
+.\" Not used in OpenBSD.
diff --git a/premake.make b/premake.make
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d5e0c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/premake.make
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Define linker flags here, like: -lsqlite3 -lpthread
+LDLIBS :=
+
+# Dir name becomes product name.
+PROJ := $(shell basename $$(pwd))
+
+# Find out what platform we're on, e.g. Darwin, Linux, OpenBSD.
+UNAME_S := $(shell uname -s)
+
+# We will build a library, not a tool.
+PRODUCT := lib
+
+# Single source of truth for version.
+MAJOR := 1
+MINOR := 0
+PATCH := 0
+
+# Specify desired C++ standard for this project.
+CXXFLAGS += -std=c++20
+
+# Set to 1 if you want a precompiled header for the C++ Standard Library.
+PRECOMPILE := 0
+
+# Set to 0 if you want to create a library header by hand.
+# By default, it will concatenate all headers, leaving out
+# lines containing: @exclude
+GENERATELIBHEADER := 1
+
+# List of extra files to be installed in DATADIR (/usr/local/share/$(PROJ) by default)
+DATAFILES :=
+
+# Define plugin sub-projects here. Assumption here is a directory "plugins"
+# containing plugin sub-projects, each in its own directory.
+# Rename and/or repeat accordingly.
+PLUGINS := $(wildcard plugins/*)
+MAKE += --no-print-directory
diff --git a/src/precomp.hpp b/src/precomp.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..182bcb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/precomp.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+// C++98 (first official C++ standard)
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <bitset>
+#include <cassert>
+#include <cctype>
+#include <cerrno>
+#include <climits>
+#include <cmath>
+#include <complex>
+#include <cstdarg>
+#include <cstddef>
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <cstring>
+#include <ctime>
+#include <cwchar>
+#include <cwctype>
+#include <deque>
+#include <exception>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <functional>
+#include <iomanip>
+#include <ios>
+#include <iosfwd>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <istream>
+#include <iterator>
+#include <limits>
+#include <list>
+#include <locale>
+#include <map>
+#include <memory>
+#include <new>
+#include <numeric>
+#include <ostream>
+#include <queue>
+#include <set>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <stack>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <streambuf>
+#include <string>
+#include <typeinfo>
+#include <utility>
+#include <valarray>
+#include <vector>
+
+#if (__cplusplus >= 201103L) // C++11
+#include <array>
+#include <atomic>
+#include <cfenv>
+#include <chrono>
+#include <cinttypes>
+#include <codecvt> // deprecated in C++17, removed in C++26
+#include <condition_variable>
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <cuchar>
+#include <forward_list>
+#include <future>
+#include <initializer_list>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <random>
+#include <ratio>
+#include <regex>
+#include <scoped_allocator>
+#include <system_error>
+#include <thread>
+#include <tuple>
+#include <type_traits>
+#include <typeindex>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include <unordered_set>
+#endif // C++11
+
+#if (__cplusplus >= 201402L) // C++14
+#include <shared_mutex>
+#endif // C++14
+
+#if (__cplusplus >= 201703L) // C++17
+#include <any>
+#include <charconv>
+#include <execution>
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <memory_resource>
+#include <optional>
+#include <string_view>
+#include <variant>
+#endif // C++17
+
+#if (__cplusplus >= 202002L) // C++20
+#include <barrier>
+#include <bit>
+#include <compare>
+#include <concepts>
+#include <coroutine>
+#include <format>
+#include <latch>
+#include <numbers>
+#include <ranges>
+#include <semaphore>
+#include <source_location>
+#include <span>
+//#include <stop_token> not yet supported by clang 16
+//#include <syncstream> not yet supported by clang 17
+#include <version>
+#endif // C++20
+
+#if (__cplusplus >= 202302L) // C++23
+#include <expected>
+#include <flat_map>
+#include <flat_set>
+#include <generator>
+#include <mdspan>
+#include <print>
+#include <spanstream>
+#include <stacktrace>
+#include <stdfloat>
+#endif // C++23
+
+#if (__cplusplus > 202302L) // C++26
+#include <debugging>
+#include <hazard_pointer>
+#include <inplace_vector>
+#include <linalg>
+#include <rcu>
+#include <text_encoding>
+#endif // C++26
diff --git a/src/version.cpp b/src/version.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1453ce2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/version.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#include "version.hpp"
+#include "version.inc"
+#include "commit.inc"
+#include <sstream>
+
+std::string libsccolor_version() {
+    std::ostringstream oss;
+    oss << "libsccolor version " << version;
+#ifdef DEBUG
+    oss << " DEBUG";
+#endif
+    oss << '\n';
+    if (commit[0] != '\0') {
+        oss << "build " << commit << ", ";
+    }
+    oss << __DATE__ << ", " << __TIME__ << '\n';
+    oss << "(c) Bob Polis, all rights reserved";
+    return oss.str();
+}
diff --git a/src/version.hpp b/src/version.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d3e792
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/version.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#ifndef VERSION_H_
+#define VERSION_H_
+
+#include <string>
+
+std::string libsccolor_version();
+
+#endif // VERSION_H_
diff --git a/tests/Makefile b/tests/Makefile
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..d0b0e8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../Makefile
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/postmake.make b/tests/postmake.make
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39e713a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/postmake.make
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: ../src/%.cpp
+ifeq ($(PRECOMPILE), 1)
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ -include precomp.hpp -MMD -MP -MT $@ -MF $(BUILDDIR)/$*.dep -c $<
+else
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ -MMD -MP -MT $@ -MF $(BUILDDIR)/$*.dep -c $<
+endif
diff --git a/tests/premake.make b/tests/premake.make
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5cfa47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/premake.make
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+include ../premake.make
+LDLIBS += -lboost_unit_test_framework
+CXXFLAGS += -I../src
+SRCS := $(notdir $(filter-out ../src/main.cpp,$(wildcard ../src/*.cpp)))
+PRODUCT := tool
diff --git a/tests/src/main.cpp b/tests/src/main.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..533ab2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/src/main.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#define BOOST_TEST_MODULE My Test
+#define BOOST_TEST_DYN_LINK
+#include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(first_test)
+{
+    BOOST_TEST(1 == 1);
+}
diff --git a/tests/src/precomp.hpp b/tests/src/precomp.hpp
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..821bca7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/src/precomp.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../src/precomp.hpp
\ No newline at end of file