diff --git a/container.go b/container.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4dc26de88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/container.go
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+package containerkit
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
+
+	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
+)
+
+func NewContainer(root, id string, m Mount, s *specs.Spec, driver ExecutionDriver) (*Container, error) {
+	path := filepath.Join(root, id)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(path, s.Root.Path), 0711); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	// FIXME: find a better UI for this
+	s.Mounts = append([]specs.Mount{
+		{
+			Type:        m.Type,
+			Source:      m.Source,
+			Destination: "/",
+			Options:     m.Options,
+		},
+	}, s.Mounts...)
+	f, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(path, "config.json"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	// write the spec file to the container's directory
+	err = json.NewEncoder(f).Encode(s)
+	f.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &Container{
+		id:     id,
+		path:   path,
+		s:      s,
+		driver: driver,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+type Container struct {
+	mu   sync.Mutex
+	id   string
+	path string
+	s    *specs.Spec
+
+	driver ExecutionDriver
+
+	Stdin  io.Reader
+	Stdout io.Writer
+	Stderr io.Writer
+
+	// init is the container's init processes
+	init *Process
+	// processes is a list of additional processes executed inside the container
+	// via the NewProcess method on the container
+	processes []*Process
+}
+
+// ID returns the id of the container
+func (c *Container) ID() string {
+	return c.id
+}
+
+// Path returns the fully qualified path to the container on disk
+func (c *Container) Path() string {
+	return c.path
+}
+
+// Create will create the container on the system by running the runtime's
+// initial setup and process waiting for the user process to be started
+func (c *Container) Create() error {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	d, err := c.driver.Create(c)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	c.init = &Process{
+		d:      d,
+		driver: c.driver,
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Start will start the container's user specified process
+func (c *Container) Start() error {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	return c.driver.Start(c)
+}
+
+// NewProcess will create a new process that will be executed inside the
+// container and tied to the init processes lifecycle
+func (c *Container) NewProcess(spec *specs.Process) (*Process, error) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	process := &Process{
+		s:    spec,
+		c:    c,
+		exec: true,
+	}
+	c.processes = append(c.processes, process)
+	return process, nil
+}
+
+// Pid returns the pid of the init or main process hosted inside the container
+func (c *Container) Pid() int {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	if c.init == nil {
+		c.mu.Unlock()
+		return -1
+	}
+	pid := c.init.Pid()
+	c.mu.Unlock()
+	return pid
+}
+
+// Wait will perform a blocking wait on the init process of the container
+func (c *Container) Wait() (uint32, error) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	return c.init.Wait()
+}
+
+// Signal will send the provided signal to the init process of the container
+func (c *Container) Signal(s os.Signal) error {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	return c.init.Signal(s)
+}
+
+// Delete will delete the container if it no long has any processes running
+// inside the container and removes all state on disk for the container
+func (c *Container) Delete() error {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	err := c.driver.Delete(c)
+	if rerr := os.RemoveAll(c.path); err == nil {
+		err = rerr
+	}
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/example/main.go b/example/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2ecdf7d39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,207 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+
+	"github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
+	"github.com/docker/containerkit"
+	"github.com/docker/containerkit/osutils"
+	"github.com/docker/containerkit/runc"
+	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
+)
+
+var RWM = "rwm"
+
+// "Hooks do optional work. Drivers do mandatory work"
+func main() {
+	if err := osutils.SetSubreaper(1); err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := runTest(); err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func runTest() error {
+	// create a new runc runtime that implements the ExecutionDriver interface
+	driver, err := runc.New("/run/runc", "/tmp/runc")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// create a new container
+	container, err := containerkit.NewContainer(
+		"/var/lib/containerkit", /* container root */
+		"test",                  /* container id */
+		containerkit.Mount{
+			Type:   "bind",
+			Source: "/containers/redis/rootfs",
+			Options: []string{
+				"rbind",
+				"rw",
+			},
+		}, /* mount from the graph subsystem for the container */
+		spec("test"), /* the spec for the container */
+		driver,       /* the exec driver to use for the container */
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// setup some stdio for our container
+	container.Stdin = os.Stdin
+	container.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	container.Stderr = os.Stderr
+
+	// go ahead and set the container in the create state and have it ready to start
+	logrus.Info("create container")
+	if err := container.Create(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// start the user defined process in the container
+	logrus.Info("start container")
+	if err := container.Start(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// wait for it to exit and get the exit status
+	logrus.Info("wait container")
+	status, err := container.Wait()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// delete the container after it is done
+	logrus.Info("delete container")
+	if container.Delete(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	logrus.Infof("exit status %d", status)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// bla bla bla spec stuff
+func spec(id string) *specs.Spec {
+	cgpath := filepath.Join("/containerkit", id)
+	return &specs.Spec{
+		Version: specs.Version,
+		Platform: specs.Platform{
+			OS:   runtime.GOOS,
+			Arch: runtime.GOARCH,
+		},
+		Root: specs.Root{
+			Path:     "rootfs",
+			Readonly: false,
+		},
+		Process: specs.Process{
+			Env:             []string{"PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"},
+			Args:            []string{"sleep", "10"},
+			Terminal:        false,
+			Cwd:             "/",
+			NoNewPrivileges: true,
+			Capabilities: []string{
+				"CAP_AUDIT_WRITE",
+				"CAP_KILL",
+				"CAP_FOWNER",
+				"CAP_CHOWN",
+				"CAP_MKNOD",
+				"CAP_FSETID",
+				"CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE",
+				"CAP_SETFCAP",
+				"CAP_SETPCAP",
+				"CAP_SETGID",
+				"CAP_SETUID",
+				"CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE",
+			},
+		},
+		Hostname: "containerkit",
+		Mounts: []specs.Mount{
+			{
+				Destination: "/proc",
+				Type:        "proc",
+				Source:      "proc",
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/dev",
+				Type:        "tmpfs",
+				Source:      "tmpfs",
+				Options:     []string{"nosuid", "strictatime", "mode=755", "size=65536k"},
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/dev/pts",
+				Type:        "devpts",
+				Source:      "devpts",
+				Options:     []string{"nosuid", "noexec", "newinstance", "ptmxmode=0666", "mode=0620", "gid=5"},
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/dev/shm",
+				Type:        "tmpfs",
+				Source:      "shm",
+				Options:     []string{"nosuid", "noexec", "nodev", "mode=1777", "size=65536k"},
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/dev/mqueue",
+				Type:        "mqueue",
+				Source:      "mqueue",
+				Options:     []string{"nosuid", "noexec", "nodev"},
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/sys",
+				Type:        "sysfs",
+				Source:      "sysfs",
+				Options:     []string{"nosuid", "noexec", "nodev"},
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/run",
+				Type:        "tmpfs",
+				Source:      "tmpfs",
+				Options:     []string{"nosuid", "strictatime", "mode=755", "size=65536k"},
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/etc/resolv.conf",
+				Type:        "bind",
+				Source:      "/etc/resolv.conf",
+				Options:     []string{"rbind", "ro"},
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/etc/hosts",
+				Type:        "bind",
+				Source:      "/etc/hosts",
+				Options:     []string{"rbind", "ro"},
+			},
+			{
+				Destination: "/etc/localtime",
+				Type:        "bind",
+				Source:      "/etc/localtime",
+				Options:     []string{"rbind", "ro"},
+			},
+		},
+		Linux: &specs.Linux{
+			CgroupsPath: &cgpath,
+			Resources: &specs.Resources{
+				Devices: []specs.DeviceCgroup{
+					{
+						Allow:  false,
+						Access: &RWM,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			Namespaces: []specs.Namespace{
+				{
+					Type: "pid",
+				},
+				{
+					Type: "ipc",
+				},
+				{
+					Type: "uts",
+				},
+				{
+					Type: "mount",
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/execution.go b/execution.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..62a61e841
--- /dev/null
+++ b/execution.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package containerkit
+
+import "errors"
+
+var (
+	ErrProcessSet = errors.New("containerkit: container process is already set")
+)
+
+type ExecutionDriver interface {
+	Create(*Container) (ProcessDelegate, error)
+	Start(*Container) error
+	Delete(*Container) error
+	Exec(*Container, *Process) (ProcessDelegate, error)
+}
diff --git a/process.go b/process.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..37f30958b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/process.go
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package containerkit
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+
+	specs "github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
+)
+
+var (
+	ErrNotExecProcess = errors.New("containerkit: process not an exec process")
+)
+
+type ProcessDelegate interface {
+	Pid() int
+	Wait() (uint32, error)
+	Signal(os.Signal) error
+}
+
+type Process struct {
+	Stdin  io.Reader
+	Stdout io.Writer
+	Stderr io.Writer
+
+	exec bool
+	s    *specs.Process
+
+	driver ExecutionDriver
+	c      *Container
+	d      ProcessDelegate
+}
+
+func (p *Process) Spec() *specs.Process {
+	return p.s
+}
+
+func (p *Process) Start() error {
+	if !p.exec {
+		return ErrNotExecProcess
+	}
+	d, err := p.driver.Exec(p.c, p)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	p.d = d
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (p *Process) Pid() int {
+	return p.d.Pid()
+}
+
+func (p *Process) Wait() (uint32, error) {
+	return p.d.Wait()
+}
+
+func (p *Process) Signal(s os.Signal) error {
+	return p.d.Signal(s)
+}
diff --git a/runc/runc.go b/runc/runc.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0ef44241e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runc/runc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+package runc
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
+	"syscall"
+
+	"github.com/docker/containerkit"
+)
+
+func New(root, log string) (*Runc, error) {
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(root, 0711); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &Runc{
+		root: root,
+		log:  log,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+type Runc struct {
+	root string
+	log  string
+}
+
+func (r *Runc) Create(c *containerkit.Container) (containerkit.ProcessDelegate, error) {
+	pidFile := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s.pid", filepath.Join(r.root, c.ID()), "init")
+	cmd := r.command("create", "--pid-file", pidFile, "--bundle", c.Path(), c.ID())
+	cmd.Stdin, cmd.Stdout, cmd.Stderr = c.Stdin, c.Stdout, c.Stderr
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(pidFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	i, err := strconv.Atoi(string(data))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return newProcess(i)
+}
+
+func (r *Runc) Start(c *containerkit.Container) error {
+	return r.command("start", c.ID()).Run()
+}
+
+func (r *Runc) Delete(c *containerkit.Container) error {
+	return r.command("delete", c.ID()).Run()
+}
+
+func (r *Runc) Exec(c *containerkit.Container, p *containerkit.Process) (containerkit.ProcessDelegate, error) {
+	f, err := ioutil.TempFile(filepath.Join(r.root, c.ID()), "process")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	path := f.Name()
+	pidFile := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s.pid", filepath.Join(r.root, c.ID()), filepath.Base(path))
+	err = json.NewEncoder(f).Encode(p.Spec())
+	f.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	cmd := r.command("exec", "--process", path, "--pid-file", pidFile, c.ID())
+	cmd.Stdin, cmd.Stdout, cmd.Stderr = p.Stdin, p.Stdout, p.Stderr
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(pidFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	i, err := strconv.Atoi(string(data))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return newProcess(i)
+}
+
+func (r *Runc) command(args ...string) *exec.Cmd {
+	return exec.Command("runc", append([]string{
+		"--root", r.root,
+		"--log", r.log,
+	}, args...)...)
+}
+
+func newProcess(pid int) (*process, error) {
+	proc, err := os.FindProcess(pid)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &process{
+		proc: proc,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+type process struct {
+	proc *os.Process
+}
+
+func (p *process) Pid() int {
+	return p.proc.Pid
+}
+
+func (p *process) Wait() (uint32, error) {
+	state, err := p.proc.Wait()
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, nil
+	}
+	return uint32(state.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus).ExitStatus()), nil
+}
+
+func (p *process) Signal(s os.Signal) error {
+	return p.proc.Signal(s)
+}