diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..234ae30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# will have compiled files and executables
+debug/
+target/
+.vscode/
+.zed/
+.helix/
+
+# These are backup files generated by rustfmt
+**/*.rs.bk
+
+# MSVC Windows builds of rustc generate these, which store debugging information
+*.pdb
+
+# RustRover
+#  JetBrains specific template is maintained in a separate JetBrains.gitignore that can
+#  be found at https://github.com/github/gitignore/blob/main/Global/JetBrains.gitignore
+#  and can be added to the global gitignore or merged into this file.  For a more nuclear
+#  option (not recommended) you can uncomment the following to ignore the entire idea folder.
+#.idea/
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..22ae2c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# This file is automatically @generated by Cargo.
+# It is not intended for manual editing.
+version = 4
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tak_bot"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "tak_lib",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tak_lib"
+version = "0.1.0"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tak_server"
+version = "0.1.0"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tak_visualizer"
+version = "0.1.0"
diff --git a/tak_bot/Cargo.toml b/tak_bot/Cargo.toml
index a0cc400..6c59ae3 100644
--- a/tak_bot/Cargo.toml
+++ b/tak_bot/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 edition = "2024"
 
 [dependencies]
+tak_lib = { path = "../tak_lib" }
diff --git a/tak_lib/src/lib.rs b/tak_lib/src/lib.rs
index b93cf3f..17d9ebd 100644
--- a/tak_lib/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tak_lib/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
-pub fn add(left: u64, right: u64) -> u64 {
-    left + right
-}
+pub mod piece;
+pub mod tile;
 
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod tests {
-    use super::*;
+use crate::{piece::Color, tile::Tile};
 
-    #[test]
-    fn it_works() {
-        let result = add(2, 2);
-        assert_eq!(result, 4);
-    }
+#[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Debug, Hash)]
+pub struct Board<const N: usize> {
+    to_move: Color,
+    tiles: [[Tile; N]; N],
 }
diff --git a/tak_lib/src/piece.rs b/tak_lib/src/piece.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b28f92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tak_lib/src/piece.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+use std::fmt::Display;
+
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Debug, Hash)]
+#[repr(u8)]
+pub enum Color {
+    White = 0,
+    Black = 1,
+}
+
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash, Debug)]
+#[repr(u8)]
+pub enum Piece {
+    None = 0,
+    Flat = 1,
+    Wall = 2,
+    Caps = 3,
+}
+impl Display for Piece {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            Piece::None => write!(f, "----"),
+            Piece::Flat => write!(f, "Flat"),
+            Piece::Wall => write!(f, "Wall"),
+            Piece::Caps => write!(f, "Caps"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash, Debug)]
+#[repr(u8)]
+pub enum ColoredPiece {
+    None = 0,
+    WhiteFlat = 1,
+    WhiteWall = 2,
+    WhiteCaps = 3,
+
+    BlackFlat = 5,
+    BlackWall = 6,
+    BlackCaps = 7,
+}
+
+impl ColoredPiece {
+    /// Constructs a new `ColoredPiece`.
+    pub fn new(piece: Piece, color: Color) -> Self {
+        let mut piece_val = (piece as u8) | ((color as u8) << 2);
+        if piece_val == 4 {
+            piece_val = 0;
+        }
+        // safety: value will always be in range
+        unsafe { std::mem::transmute(piece_val) }
+    }
+
+    /// Gets the color of the piece,
+    /// returning `Color::White` if `self` is `None`.
+    pub fn color(&self) -> Color {
+        if (*self as u8 >> 2) == 1 {
+            Color::Black
+        } else {
+            Color::White
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Gets the color of the piece,
+    /// returning `None` if `self` is `None`.
+    pub fn color_opt(&self) -> Option<Color> {
+        let val = *self as u8;
+        if val == 0 {
+            return None;
+        } else if (val >> 2) == 1 {
+            Some(Color::Black)
+        } else {
+            Some(Color::White)
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Gets the piece type of this piece.
+    pub fn piece(&self) -> Piece {
+        let piece_val = *self as u8 & 0b11;
+        // safety: value will always be in range
+        unsafe { std::mem::transmute(piece_val) }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tak_lib/src/tile.rs b/tak_lib/src/tile.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29e7ecb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tak_lib/src/tile.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+use std::fmt::Debug;
+
+use crate::piece::Piece;
+
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
+pub struct Tile {
+    /// The colors of the stacked pieces.
+    ///
+    /// bit 0 represents the top of the stack (not counting the top piece).
+    stack: u64,
+    /// The length of the stack.
+    stack_len: u8,
+    /// The piece that is on the tile
+    piece: Piece,
+}
+
+impl Debug for Tile {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        if self.stack_len == 0 {
+            write!(f, "{}", self.piece)
+        } else {
+            let stack: String = (0..self.stack_len)
+                .rev()
+                .map(|i| if (self.stack >> i) & 1 == 1 { 'w' } else { 'b' })
+                .collect();
+            write!(f, "{}{}", stack, self.piece)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Tile {
+    pub fn stack_len(&self) -> u8 {
+        self.stack_len
+    }
+}