diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..796b96d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/build
diff --git a/include/kiwmi/server.h b/include/kiwmi/server.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ce3677
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/kiwmi/server.h
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/* Copyright (c), Charlotte Meyer <dev@buffet.sh>
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
+ * You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ */
+
+#ifndef KIWMI_SERVER_H
+#define KIWMI_SERVER_H
+
+#include <wayland-server.h>
+#include <wlr/backend.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_data_device.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_output_layout.h>
+
+struct kiwmi_server {
+    struct wl_display *wl_display;
+    struct wlr_backend *backend;
+    struct wlr_compositor *compositor;
+    struct wlr_data_device_manager *data_device_manager;
+    struct wlr_output_layout *output_layout;
+    const char *socket;
+};
+
+bool server_init(struct kiwmi_server *server);
+void server_run(struct kiwmi_server *server);
+void server_fini(struct kiwmi_server *server);
+
+#endif /* KIWMI_SERVER_H */
diff --git a/kiwmi/main.c b/kiwmi/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3226fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kiwmi/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/* Copyright (c), Charlotte Meyer <dev@buffet.sh>
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
+ * You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ */
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include <wayland-server.h>
+#include <wlr/util/log.h>
+
+#include "kiwmi/server.h"
+
+int
+main(void)
+{
+    wlr_log_init(WLR_DEBUG, NULL);
+
+    struct kiwmi_server server;
+
+    if (!server_init(&server)) {
+        wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to initialize server");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
+    wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Starting kiwmi v" KIWMI_VERSION);
+
+    server_run(&server);
+
+    server_fini(&server);
+}
diff --git a/kiwmi/meson.build b/kiwmi/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..150c379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kiwmi/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+kiwmi_sources = files(
+  'main.c',
+  'server.c',
+)
+
+kiwmi_deps = [
+  wayland_server,
+  wlroots,
+]
+
+executable(
+  'kiwmi',
+  kiwmi_sources,
+  include_directories: [include],
+  dependencies: kiwmi_deps,
+  install: true,
+)
diff --git a/kiwmi/server.c b/kiwmi/server.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..708ce34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kiwmi/server.c
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+#include "kiwmi/server.h"
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include <wayland-server.h>
+#include <wlr/backend.h>
+#include <wlr/render/wlr_renderer.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_data_device.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_output_layout.h>
+#include <wlr/util/log.h>
+
+bool
+server_init(struct kiwmi_server *server)
+{
+    wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Initializing Wayland server");
+
+    server->wl_display = wl_display_create();
+    server->backend = wlr_backend_autocreate(server->wl_display, NULL);
+    if (!server->backend) {
+        wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to create backend");
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    struct wlr_renderer *renderer = wlr_backend_get_renderer(server->backend);
+    wlr_renderer_init_wl_display(renderer, server->wl_display);
+
+    server->compositor = wlr_compositor_create(server->wl_display, renderer);
+    server->data_device_manager = wlr_data_device_manager_create(server->wl_display);
+
+    server->output_layout = wlr_output_layout_create();
+
+    server->socket = wl_display_add_socket_auto(server->wl_display);
+    if (!server->socket) {
+        wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to open Wayland socket");
+        wlr_backend_destroy(server->backend);
+        wl_display_destroy(server->wl_display);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (!wlr_backend_start(server->backend)) {
+        wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to start backend");
+        wlr_backend_destroy(server->backend);
+        wl_display_destroy(server->wl_display);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    setenv("WAYLAND_DISPLAY", server->socket, true);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+void
+server_run(struct kiwmi_server *server)
+{
+    wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Running Wayland server on display '%s'", server->socket);
+
+    wl_display_run(server->wl_display);
+}
+
+void
+server_fini(struct kiwmi_server *server)
+{
+    wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Shutting down Wayland server");
+
+    wlr_backend_destroy(server->backend);
+    wl_display_destroy_clients(server->wl_display);
+    wl_display_destroy(server->wl_display);
+}
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d2f6ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+project(
+  'kiwmi',
+  'c',
+  license: 'MPL-2.0',
+  default_options: [
+    'c_std=c11',
+    'warning_level=2',
+  ],
+)
+
+add_project_arguments(
+  [
+    '-DWLR_USE_UNSTABLE',
+    '-D_POSIX_C_SOURCE=200112L'
+  ],
+  language: 'c',
+)
+
+git = find_program('git', required: false)
+wayland_server = dependency('wayland-server')
+wlroots = dependency('wlroots')
+
+include = include_directories('include')
+
+version = get_option('kiwmi-version')
+if version != ''
+  version = '"@0@"'.format(version)
+else
+  if not git.found()
+    error('git is required to make the version string')
+  endif
+
+  git_commit_hash = run_command([git.path(), 'describe', '--always', '--tags']).stdout().strip()
+  git_branch = run_command([git.path(), 'rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD']).stdout().strip()
+  version = '"@0@ (" __DATE__ ", branch \'@1@\')"'.format(git_commit_hash, git_branch)
+endif
+add_project_arguments('-DKIWMI_VERSION=@0@'.format(version), language: 'c')
+
+subdir('kiwmi')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d3ccf91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+option('kiwmi-version', type: 'string', description: 'The version string reported in `kiwmi --version`.')