diff --git a/rs/Cargo.toml b/rs/Cargo.toml
index ad4c64c..82ad7e8 100644
--- a/rs/Cargo.toml
+++ b/rs/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,8 +3,14 @@ name = "atelier"
 version = "0.0.0"
 edition = "2024"
 
+[workspace]
+resolver = "2"
+members = [".", "newt"]
+
 [dependencies]
 rusqlite = { version = "*" }
 async-channel = { version = "*" }
 urlpattern = { version = "*" }
-url = { version = "*" }
\ No newline at end of file
+url = { version = "*" }
+
+newt = { path = "./newt" }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rs/newt/Cargo.lock b/rs/newt/Cargo.lock
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..725dfcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rs/newt/Cargo.lock
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# This file is automatically @generated by Cargo.
+# It is not intended for manual editing.
+version = 4
+
+[[package]]
+name = "newt"
+version = "0.0.0"
diff --git a/rs/newt/Cargo.toml b/rs/newt/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d982884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rs/newt/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+[package]
+name = "newt"
+
+[workspace]
+resolver = "2"
+# members = ["derive", "derive/core"]
+
+[workspace.dependencies]
+proc-macro-error = "1.0"
+proc-macro2 = "1"
+syn = { version = "2", features = ["full"] }
+quote = "1"
+
+[dependencies]
+# newt-derive = { path = "derive", optional = true }
+
+[features]
+# derive = ["dep:newt-derive"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rs/newt/src/builtin_impls.rs b/rs/newt/src/builtin_impls.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1cfc72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rs/newt/src/builtin_impls.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+use crate::prelude_internal::*;
+
+impl Value for () {
+}
+
+impl Value for &str {
+	fn render(&self, fmt: &mut dyn Write) -> FmtResult {
+		write!(fmt, "{self}")
+	}
+}
+
+impl<const N: usize> Value for [(&str, &dyn Value); N] {
+	fn lookup(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&dyn Value> {
+		for (k, v) in self.iter() {
+			if *k == name {
+				return Some(*v);
+			}
+		}
+
+		None
+	}
+}
diff --git a/rs/newt/src/lib.rs b/rs/newt/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4293c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rs/newt/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+mod builtin_impls;
+pub mod parse;
+pub mod prelude;
+mod prelude_internal;
+
+use crate::prelude_internal::*;
+
+pub trait Value {
+	fn render(&self, w: &mut dyn Write) -> FmtResult {
+		Ok(())
+	}
+
+	fn lookup(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&dyn Value> {
+		None
+	}
+}
+
+pub struct Template {
+	commands: Vec<Command>,
+}
+impl Template {
+	pub fn render(&self, env: &dyn Value, target: &mut dyn Write) {
+		for command in self.commands.iter() {
+			match command {
+				Command::Print(s) => {
+					let _ = write!(target, "{s}");
+				},
+				Command::LookupPrint(s) => {
+					if let Some(value) = env.lookup(s) {
+						value.render(target);
+					} else {
+						let _ = write!(target, "<<<'{s}' not found>>>");
+					}
+				},
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+pub enum Command {
+	Print(String),
+	LookupPrint(String),
+}
+
+pub fn parse(input: &str) -> Template {
+	let mut state = parse::ParseState::new(input);
+	let mut commands = vec![];
+
+	state.parse_root(&mut commands);
+
+	Template { commands }
+}
+
+pub fn render(input: &str, env: &dyn Value) -> String {
+	let template = parse(input);
+	let mut output = String::new();
+
+	template.render(env, &mut output);
+
+	output
+}
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! env {
+	($($name:literal : $value:expr),* $(,)?) => {
+		&[$(($name, &$value as &dyn crate::Value),)*]
+	};
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+	macro_rules! go {
+		(($input:expr, $env:expr), $output:expr) => {
+			assert_eq!(crate::render($input, $env), $output)
+		};
+	}
+
+	#[test]
+	fn simple() {
+		go!(("Hello, World!", &()), "Hello, World!");
+	}
+
+	#[test]
+	fn lookup() {
+		go!(
+			("Hello, {name}!", env! { "name": "Steve" }),
+			"Hello, Steve!"
+		);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/rs/newt/src/parse.rs b/rs/newt/src/parse.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a32b890
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rs/newt/src/parse.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+use crate::prelude_internal::*;
+
+pub struct ParseState<'a> {
+	input: &'a str,
+	at: usize,
+}
+impl<'a> ParseState<'a> {
+	pub fn new(input: &'a str) -> Self {
+		Self { input, at: 0 }
+	}
+
+	pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+		self.head().is_empty()
+	}
+
+	pub fn head(&self) -> &str {
+		&self.input[self.at..]
+	}
+
+	pub fn goto(&mut self, at: usize) {
+		self.at = at;
+	}
+
+	pub fn skip(&mut self, amt: usize) {
+		self.at += amt;
+	}
+
+	pub fn back(&mut self, amt: usize) {
+		self.at -= amt;
+	}
+
+	pub fn parse_root(&mut self, out: &mut Vec<Command>) {
+		while !self.is_empty() {
+			let head = self.head();
+			if let Some(bo) = head.find('{') {
+				if bo != 0 {
+					out.push(Command::Print(head[0..bo].to_string()));
+				}
+
+				self.goto(bo);
+				self.parse_directive(out);
+			} else {
+				out.push(Command::Print(head.to_string()));
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	pub fn parse_directive(&mut self, out: &mut Vec<Command>) {
+		assert!(self.head().starts_with('{'));
+
+		let mut ok = Err(self.at);
+
+		'inner: {
+			self.skip(1);
+			let head = self.head();
+			if let Some(bo) = head.find('}') {
+				let inner = &head[..bo];
+				let bo = bo + 1;
+
+				let mut inner = inner.split(' ').collect::<Vec<_>>();
+				match inner.as_slice() {
+					&[name] => {
+						out.push(Command::LookupPrint(name.to_string()));
+						ok = Ok(bo);
+					},
+					_ => (),
+				}
+			} else {
+			}
+		};
+
+		match ok {
+			Err(checkpoint) => self.goto(checkpoint),
+			Ok(skip) => self.skip(skip),
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/rs/newt/src/prelude.rs b/rs/newt/src/prelude.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f23295
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rs/newt/src/prelude.rs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pub use crate::{Command, Template, Value};
diff --git a/rs/newt/src/prelude_internal.rs b/rs/newt/src/prelude_internal.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f6c9c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rs/newt/src/prelude_internal.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+pub use crate::prelude::*;
+
+pub use std::fmt::{Display, Formatter, Result as FmtResult, Write};
diff --git a/rs/src/lib.rs b/rs/src/lib.rs
index 4883262..07398dd 100644
--- a/rs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rs/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 pub mod containers;
+pub mod prelude;
 pub mod router;
 pub mod rusqlite_thread_pool;
 
diff --git a/rs/src/prelude.rs b/rs/src/prelude.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5aa9b65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rs/src/prelude.rs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pub use core::fmt::{Display, Formatter, Result as FmtResult};
diff --git a/rs/src/router.rs b/rs/src/router.rs
index 6d6c24b..4addd21 100644
--- a/rs/src/router.rs
+++ b/rs/src/router.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ impl<T> Router<T> {
 		}
 	}
 
-	pub fn register(&mut self, method: String, pathname: String, value: T) {
+	pub fn register(&mut self, method: &str, pathname: &str, value: T) {
+		let pathname = pathname.to_string();
+		let method = method.to_string();
+
 		let upwi = UrlPatternWithInput {
 			pathname: pathname.clone(),
 			pattern: UrlPattern::parse(
@@ -90,3 +93,9 @@ impl<T> Router<T> {
 		Err(404)
 	}
 }
+
+pub mod methods {
+	pub const GET: &'static str = "GET";
+	pub const POST: &'static str = "POST";
+	pub const PUT: &'static str = "PUT";
+}
diff --git a/rustfmt.toml b/rustfmt.toml
index 7000591..e135cbf 100644
--- a/rustfmt.toml
+++ b/rustfmt.toml
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ hard_tabs = true
 match_block_trailing_comma = true
 max_width = 80
 empty_item_single_line = false
+format_strings = true
diff --git a/shelves/Cargo.lock b/shelves/Cargo.lock
index b1c5745..1c1d768 100644
--- a/shelves/Cargo.lock
+++ b/shelves/Cargo.lock
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ name = "atelier"
 version = "0.0.0"
 dependencies = [
  "async-channel",
+ "newt",
  "rusqlite",
  "url",
  "urlpattern",
@@ -586,6 +587,10 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "newt"
+version = "0.0.0"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "object"
 version = "0.36.7"
diff --git a/shelves/backend/main.rs b/shelves/backend/main.rs
index a825387..4c4bf3c 100644
--- a/shelves/backend/main.rs
+++ b/shelves/backend/main.rs
@@ -1,21 +1,15 @@
+mod prelude;
+use prelude::*;
+mod routes;
+mod templates;
+
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
-use std::pin::Pin;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use axum::handler::HandlerWithoutStateExt;
-use axum::response::IntoResponse;
 use std::error::Error;
 use tokio::net::TcpListener;
 
-pub type AnyError = Box<dyn Error + Send + Sync + 'static>;
-pub type Result<T> = core::result::Result<T, AnyError>;
-
-pub type Dbs = atelier::rusqlite_thread_pool::PoolSender;
-pub struct RequestCtx {
-	dbs: Dbs,
-	path_params: atelier::router::PathParams,
-}
-
 fn migrate(connection: &mut rusqlite::Connection) -> Result<()> {
 	Ok(())
 }
@@ -24,58 +18,7 @@ fn init(connection: &mut rusqlite::Connection) -> rusqlite::Result<()> {
 	Ok(())
 }
 
-type Request = axum::extract::Request;
-type Response = axum::response::Response;
-type Handler = Box<
-	dyn Fn(
-			Request,
-			RequestCtx,
-		) -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Response> + Send + 'static>>
-		+ Send
-		+ Sync
-		+ 'static,
->;
-type Router = atelier::router::Router<Handler>;
-
-fn make_handler<Fut, F>(f: F) -> Handler
-where
-	Fut: Future<Output = Response> + Send + 'static,
-	F: FnMut(Request, RequestCtx) -> Fut + Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
-{
-	Box::new(move |req, ctx| {
-		let mut f = f.clone();
-		Box::pin(async move { f(req, ctx).await })
-	})
-}
-
-async fn get_hello(req: Request, ctx: RequestCtx) -> Response {
-	"hello".into_response()
-}
-
-async fn get_hello_name(req: Request, ctx: RequestCtx) -> Response {
-	format!("Hello, {}", ctx.path_params.get("name")).into_response()
-}
-
-fn make_router() -> Router {
-	let mut router = atelier::router::Router::new();
-
-	macro_rules! r {
-		($m:expr, $p:expr, $h:expr) => {
-			router.register($m.to_string(), $p.to_string(), make_handler($h))
-		};
-	}
-
-	r!("GET", "/hello", get_hello);
-	r!("GET", "/hello/:name", get_hello_name);
-
-	router
-}
-
-async fn serve(
-	dbs: Dbs,
-	router: Arc<Router>,
-	req: axum::extract::Request,
-) -> axum::response::Response {
+async fn serve(dbs: DbS, router: Arc<Router>, req: Request) -> Response {
 	let method = req.method().as_str();
 	let uri = format!("{}", req.uri());
 
@@ -104,7 +47,7 @@ async fn go() -> Result<()> {
 	let addr = "127.0.0.1:8333".parse::<SocketAddr>()?;
 	let listener = TcpListener::bind(addr).await?;
 
-	let router = Arc::new(make_router());
+	let router = Arc::new(routes::make_router());
 	let s = move |req: Request| {
 		let tx = tx.clone();
 		let router = router.clone();
diff --git a/shelves/backend/prelude.rs b/shelves/backend/prelude.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e73b596
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shelves/backend/prelude.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+use std::error::Error;
+use std::pin::Pin;
+
+pub use atelier::rusqlite_thread_pool::PoolSender as DbS;
+pub type Request = axum::extract::Request;
+pub struct RequestCtx {
+	pub dbs: DbS,
+	pub path_params: atelier::router::PathParams,
+}
+
+pub type Response = axum::response::Response;
+pub type Handler = Box<
+	dyn Fn(
+			Request,
+			RequestCtx,
+		) -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Response> + Send + 'static>>
+		+ Send
+		+ Sync
+		+ 'static,
+>;
+pub type Router = atelier::router::Router<Handler>;
+pub type AnyError = Box<dyn Error + Send + Sync + 'static>;
+pub type Result<T> = core::result::Result<T, AnyError>;
+
+pub use axum::response::IntoResponse;
+pub enum HandlerError {
+	InternalServerError(AnyError),
+}
+impl<E> From<E> for HandlerError
+where
+	E: Error + Send + Sync + 'static,
+{
+	fn from(v: E) -> Self {
+		Self::InternalServerError(Box::new(v))
+	}
+}
+impl IntoResponse for HandlerError {
+	fn into_response(self) -> Response {
+		"".into_response()
+	}
+}
+
+pub type HandlerResult<T: IntoResponse> = core::result::Result<T, HandlerError>;
+
+pub use crate::templates::{template_fn, Template, TemplateFn};
+pub use core::fmt::{Display, Formatter};
+pub type FmtResult = core::fmt::Result;
+pub use axum::response::Html;
diff --git a/shelves/backend/routes/hello.rs b/shelves/backend/routes/hello.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7cb8025
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shelves/backend/routes/hello.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+fn Hello(name: &str) -> impl Template {
+	template_fn(move |f| write!(f, "Hello, {name}"))
+}
+
+pub async fn view(
+	request: Request,
+	ctx: RequestCtx,
+) -> HandlerResult<impl IntoResponse> {
+	let name = ctx.path_params.get("name");
+
+	let template = Hello(name).display();
+	let output = format!("{template}");
+
+	Ok(Html(output))
+}
diff --git a/shelves/backend/routes/home.rs b/shelves/backend/routes/home.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04aa74c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shelves/backend/routes/home.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+enum ActivityType {
+	CreatedItem,
+}
+struct Activity {
+	activity_type: ActivityType,
+	item_xid: String,
+	created_timestamp: String,
+}
+
+pub async fn view(req: Request, ctx: RequestCtx) -> HandlerResult<String> {
+	let activities: Vec<_> = ctx
+		.dbs
+		.send(|conn| {
+			let mut stmt = conn.prepare(
+				r#"
+				select activity_json_blob from activity
+				order by json_extract(activity_json_blob, '$.created_timestamp')
+				limit 20
+				"#,
+			)?;
+
+			Ok(stmt.query_map([], |r| r.get::<_, String>(0))?.collect())
+		})
+		.await?;
+
+	todo!()
+	/*
+	db.prepare(`
+	`).values<[string]>().map(([blob]) => JSON.parse(blob));
+
+	const body = `
+		<h1>Recent Activity</h1>
+		${ActivityList({ activities: recentActivities })}
+	`;
+	return html(View({ title: 'Home', body }));
+	*/
+}
+
+/*
+import { View } from '@/backend/templates/index.ts';
+import { html } from '@atelier/responses.ts';
+import { arrayIsEmpty } from '@atelier/array.ts';
+
+type ActivityType = 'created_item';
+type Activity = {
+	activityType: ActivityType;
+	itemXid: string;
+	createdTimestamp: string;
+};
+
+function Activity(props: { activity: Activity }) {}
+function ActivityList(props: { activities: Activity[] }) {
+	if (arrayIsEmpty(props.activities)) {
+		return 'No activities yet!';
+	}
+
+	const activities = props.activities.map((activity) => Activity({ activity }));
+	return `
+	<ul>
+
+	</ul>
+	`;
+}
+
+export function viewHome(req: Request, { db }: RequestCtx) {
+	const recentActivities: Activity[] = db.prepare(`
+	select activity_json_blob from activity
+	order by json_extract(activity_json_blob, '$.createdTimestamp')
+	limit 20
+	`).values<[string]>().map(([blob]) => JSON.parse(blob));
+
+	const body = `
+		<h1>Recent Activity</h1>
+		${ActivityList({ activities: recentActivities })}
+	`;
+	return html(View({ title: 'Home', body }));
+}
+
+*/
diff --git a/shelves/backend/routes/items.rs b/shelves/backend/routes/items.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..939bf8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shelves/backend/routes/items.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+pub async fn view(req: Request, ctx: RequestCtx) -> HandlerResult<String> {
+	todo!()
+}
+
+pub async fn view_one(req: Request, ctx: RequestCtx) -> HandlerResult<String> {
+	todo!()
+}
+
+pub async fn view_create(
+	req: Request,
+	ctx: RequestCtx,
+) -> HandlerResult<String> {
+	todo!()
+}
+
+pub async fn post_create(
+	req: Request,
+	ctx: RequestCtx,
+) -> HandlerResult<String> {
+	todo!()
+}
diff --git a/shelves/backend/routes/mod.rs b/shelves/backend/routes/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dceb268
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shelves/backend/routes/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+mod hello;
+mod home;
+mod items;
+mod shelves;
+
+use atelier::router::methods::*;
+use std::pin::Pin;
+
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+fn make_handler<Fut, F, R>(f: F) -> Handler
+where
+	Fut: Future<Output = R> + Send + 'static,
+	F: FnMut(Request, RequestCtx) -> Fut + Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
+	R: IntoResponse,
+{
+	Box::new(move |req, ctx| {
+		let mut f = f.clone();
+		Box::pin(async move { f(req, ctx).await.into_response() })
+	})
+}
+
+pub fn make_router() -> Router {
+	let mut router = atelier::router::Router::new();
+
+	macro_rules! r {
+		($m:expr, $p:expr, $h:expr) => {
+			router.register($m, $p, make_handler($h))
+		};
+	}
+
+	r!(GET, "/", home::view);
+	r!(GET, "/shelves", shelves::view);
+	r!(GET, "/shelves/:shelf_xid", shelves::view_one);
+	r!(GET, "/items", items::view);
+	r!(GET, "/items/create", items::view_create);
+	r!(GET, "/items/:item_xid", items::view_one);
+	r!(POST, "/items/create", items::post_create);
+	r!(GET, "/hello/:name", hello::view);
+
+	r!(GET, "/static/*", serve_static);
+
+	router
+}
+
+pub async fn serve_static(req: Request, ctx: RequestCtx) -> Response {
+	let url = req.uri().path();
+
+	"".into_response()
+}
diff --git a/shelves/backend/routes/shelves.rs b/shelves/backend/routes/shelves.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..331403a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shelves/backend/routes/shelves.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+pub async fn view(req: Request, ctx: RequestCtx) -> HandlerResult<String> {
+	todo!()
+}
+
+pub async fn view_one(req: Request, ctx: RequestCtx) -> HandlerResult<String> {
+	todo!()
+}
+
+pub async fn view_create(
+	req: Request,
+	ctx: RequestCtx,
+) -> HandlerResult<String> {
+	todo!()
+}
diff --git a/shelves/backend/templates/mod.rs b/shelves/backend/templates/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e33dab1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shelves/backend/templates/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+pub trait Template {
+	fn render(&self, fmt: &mut Formatter) -> FmtResult;
+
+	fn display(self) -> impl Display
+	where
+		Self: Sized,
+	{
+		struct D<T>(T);
+		impl<T: Template> Display for D<T> {
+			fn fmt(&self, fmt: &mut Formatter) -> FmtResult {
+				self.0.render(fmt)
+			}
+		}
+
+		D(self)
+	}
+}
+
+pub struct TemplateFn<F>(F);
+pub fn template_fn<F>(f: F) -> TemplateFn<F>
+where
+	F: Fn(&mut Formatter) -> FmtResult,
+{
+	TemplateFn(f)
+}
+impl<F> Template for TemplateFn<F>
+where
+	F: Fn(&mut Formatter) -> FmtResult,
+{
+	fn render(&self, fmt: &mut Formatter) -> FmtResult {
+		self.0(fmt)
+	}
+}