diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f5003b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+.*.swp
+warren
diff --git a/cmd.go b/cmd.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a520d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+)
+
+// shamelessly snagged from the go tool
+// each command gets its own set of args,
+// defines its own entry point, and provides its own help
+type Command struct {
+	Run  func(cmd *Command, args ...string)
+	Flag flag.FlagSet
+
+	Name  string
+	Usage string
+
+	Summary string
+	Help    string
+}
+
+func (c *Command) Exec(args []string) {
+	c.Flag.Usage = func() {
+		// helpFunc(c, c.Name)
+	}
+	c.Flag.Parse(args)
+	c.Run(c, c.Flag.Args()...)
+}
diff --git a/cmd_build.go b/cmd_build.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73535ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd_build.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package main
+
+import ()
+
+var buildCmd = &Command{
+	Name:    "build",
+	Usage:   "",
+	Summary: "build the go server in the current directory",
+	Help:    `build extended help here...`,
+	Run:     buildRun,
+}
+
+func buildRun(cmd *Command, args ...string) {
+
+}
diff --git a/warren.go b/warren.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a597fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/warren.go
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"text/template"
+)
+
+var usagePrefix = `
+warren is a tool for building, deploying and running multiple versions of a Go server
+
+Usage: 
+	warren command [args]
+`
+
+var usageTmpl = template.Must(template.New("usage").Parse(`
+Commands:{{range .}}
+     {{.Name | printf "%-10s"}} {{.Summary}}{{end}}
+ `))
+
+var commands = []*Command{
+	buildCmd,
+}
+
+func usage() {
+	fmt.Print(usagePrefix)
+	usageTmpl.Execute(os.Stdout, commands)
+}
+
+func main() {
+
+	flag.Usage = usage
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	args := flag.Args()
+	if len(args) == 0 || args[0] == "-h" {
+		flag.Usage()
+		return
+	}
+
+	var cmd *Command
+	name := args[0]
+	for _, c := range commands {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(c.Name, name) {
+			cmd = c
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	if cmd == nil {
+		fmt.Printf("error: unknown command %q\n", name)
+		flag.Usage()
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	cmd.Exec(args[1:])
+
+}