diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c82b07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+zig-cache
+zig-out
diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7dbbef2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+
+// Although this function looks imperative, note that its job is to
+// declaratively construct a build graph that will be executed by an external
+// runner.
+pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
+    const target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{});
+    const optimize = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{});
+    const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
+        .name = "hyprman",
+        .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
+        .target = target,
+        .optimize = optimize,
+    });
+    b.installArtifact(exe);
+    const run_cmd = b.addRunArtifact(exe);
+    run_cmd.step.dependOn(b.getInstallStep());
+
+    if (b.args) |args| run_cmd.addArgs(args);
+
+    const run_step = b.step("run", "Run the app");
+    run_step.dependOn(&run_cmd.step);
+
+    // const exe_unit_tests = b.addTest(.{
+    //     .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
+    //     .target = target,
+    //     .optimize = optimize,
+    // });
+    //
+    // const run_exe_unit_tests = b.addRunArtifact(exe_unit_tests);
+    //     const test_step = b.step("test", "Run unit tests");
+    //     test_step.dependOn(&run_exe_unit_tests.step);
+}
diff --git a/build.zig.zon b/build.zig.zon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a9c12b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.zig.zon
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+.{
+    .name = "hyprman",
+    // This is a [Semantic Version](https://semver.org/).
+    // In a future version of Zig it will be used for package deduplication.
+    .version = "0.0.0",
+
+    // This field is optional.
+    // This is currently advisory only; Zig does not yet do anything
+    // with this value.
+    //.minimum_zig_version = "0.11.0",
+
+    // This field is optional.
+    // Each dependency must either provide a `url` and `hash`, or a `path`.
+    // `zig build --fetch` can be used to fetch all dependencies of a package, recursively.
+    // Once all dependencies are fetched, `zig build` no longer requires
+    // internet connectivity.
+    .dependencies = .{
+        // See `zig fetch --save <url>` for a command-line interface for adding dependencies.
+        //.example = .{
+        //    // When updating this field to a new URL, be sure to delete the corresponding
+        //    // `hash`, otherwise you are communicating that you expect to find the old hash at
+        //    // the new URL.
+        //    .url = "https://example.com/foo.tar.gz",
+        //
+        //    // This is computed from the file contents of the directory of files that is
+        //    // obtained after fetching `url` and applying the inclusion rules given by
+        //    // `paths`.
+        //    //
+        //    // This field is the source of truth; packages do not come from a `url`; they
+        //    // come from a `hash`. `url` is just one of many possible mirrors for how to
+        //    // obtain a package matching this `hash`.
+        //    //
+        //    // Uses the [multihash](https://multiformats.io/multihash/) format.
+        //    .hash = "...",
+        //
+        //    // When this is provided, the package is found in a directory relative to the
+        //    // build root. In this case the package's hash is irrelevant and therefore not
+        //    // computed. This field and `url` are mutually exclusive.
+        //    .path = "foo",
+
+        //    // When this is set to `true`, a package is declared to be lazily
+        //    // fetched. This makes the dependency only get fetched if it is
+        //    // actually used.
+        //    .lazy = false,
+        //},
+    },
+
+    // Specifies the set of files and directories that are included in this package.
+    // Only files and directories listed here are included in the `hash` that
+    // is computed for this package.
+    // Paths are relative to the build root. Use the empty string (`""`) to refer to
+    // the build root itself.
+    // A directory listed here means that all files within, recursively, are included.
+    .paths = .{
+        // This makes *all* files, recursively, included in this package. It is generally
+        // better to explicitly list the files and directories instead, to insure that
+        // fetching from tarballs, file system paths, and version control all result
+        // in the same contents hash.
+        "",
+        // For example...
+        //"build.zig",
+        //"build.zig.zon",
+        //"src",
+        //"LICENSE",
+        //"README.md",
+    },
+}
diff --git a/flake.lock b/flake.lock
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e08c434
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flake.lock
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+{
+  "nodes": {
+    "flake-utils": {
+      "inputs": {
+        "systems": "systems"
+      },
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1705309234,
+        "narHash": "sha256-uNRRNRKmJyCRC/8y1RqBkqWBLM034y4qN7EprSdmgyA=",
+        "owner": "numtide",
+        "repo": "flake-utils",
+        "rev": "1ef2e671c3b0c19053962c07dbda38332dcebf26",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "numtide",
+        "repo": "flake-utils",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
+    "nixpkgs": {
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1714314149,
+        "narHash": "sha256-yNAevSKF4krRWacmLUsLK7D7PlfuY3zF0lYnGYNi9vQ=",
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "rev": "cf8cc1201be8bc71b7cbbbdaf349b22f4f99c7ae",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "ref": "nixpkgs-unstable",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
+    "nixpkgs_2": {
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1706063522,
+        "narHash": "sha256-o1m9en7ovSjyktXgX3n/6GJEwG06WYa/9Mfx5hTTf5g=",
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "rev": "95c1439b205d507f3cb88aae76e02cd6a01ac504",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
+    "root": {
+      "inputs": {
+        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs",
+        "zig2nix": "zig2nix"
+      }
+    },
+    "systems": {
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1681028828,
+        "narHash": "sha256-Vy1rq5AaRuLzOxct8nz4T6wlgyUR7zLU309k9mBC768=",
+        "owner": "nix-systems",
+        "repo": "default",
+        "rev": "da67096a3b9bf56a91d16901293e51ba5b49a27e",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "nix-systems",
+        "repo": "default",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
+    "zig2nix": {
+      "inputs": {
+        "flake-utils": "flake-utils",
+        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs_2"
+      },
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1714441187,
+        "narHash": "sha256-ZxbKh27jHGbzF0JM6l80jSzpTMhYrzkg75g9RnVPPiE=",
+        "owner": "Cloudef",
+        "repo": "zig2nix",
+        "rev": "d2e6a19c4c97df944142ad9d6f8b661f8bb6a716",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "Cloudef",
+        "repo": "zig2nix",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "root": "root",
+  "version": 7
+}
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81b48a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+{
+  description = "hyprman";
+  inputs = {
+    nixpkgs.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixpkgs-unstable";
+    zig2nix.url = "github:Cloudef/zig2nix";
+  };
+
+  outputs =
+    inputs@{
+      self,
+      nixpkgs,
+      zig2nix,
+      ...
+    }:
+    let
+      inherit (nixpkgs.lib) genAttrs;
+      supportedSystems = [
+        "x86_64-linux"
+        "x86_64-darwin"
+        "aarch64-linux"
+        "aarch64-darwin"
+      ];
+      forAllSystems = f: genAttrs supportedSystems (system: f nixpkgs.legacyPackages.${system});
+      zig-env =
+        system:
+        zig2nix.outputs.zig-env.${system} { zig = zig2nix.outputs.packages.${system}.zig.default.bin; };
+    in
+    {
+      devShells = forAllSystems (pkgs: {
+        default = (zig-env pkgs.system).mkShell { };
+      });
+      packages = forAllSystems (pkgs: {
+        hyprman = (zig-env pkgs.system).package {
+          name = "hyprman";
+          version = "2023.1001";
+          src = nixpkgs.lib.cleanSource ./.;
+        };
+        default = self.packages.${pkgs.system}.hyprman;
+      });
+      formatter = forAllSystems (pkgs: pkgs.nixfmt-rfc-style);
+    };
+}
diff --git a/src/hyprland.zig b/src/hyprland.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ae3c4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hyprland.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const Allocator = std.mem.Allocator;
+
+pub const Workspace = struct {
+    id: u8,
+    name: []const u8,
+};
+
+pub const Client = struct {
+    workspace: Workspace,
+    class: []const u8,
+    title: []const u8,
+};
+
+pub const Monitor = struct { id: u8, activeWorkspace: Workspace };
+
+pub fn getSocketPath(allocator: Allocator, path: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
+    const runtime_dir = std.posix.getenv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR").?;
+    const hyprland_instance = std.posix.getenv("HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE").?;
+    return try std.fmt.allocPrint(
+        allocator,
+        "{s}/hypr/{s}/{s}",
+        .{ runtime_dir, hyprland_instance, path },
+    );
+}
+
+pub fn getDataFromSocket(allocator: Allocator, comptime msg: []const u8, comptime T: type) ![]T {
+    const sock = try std.net.connectUnixSocket(
+        try getSocketPath(allocator, ".socket.sock"),
+    );
+    defer sock.close();
+
+    _ = try sock.write(msg);
+    const out = try sock.reader().readAllAlloc(allocator, std.math.maxInt(u32));
+    const value = try std.json.parseFromSliceLeaky(
+        []T,
+        allocator,
+        out,
+        .{ .ignore_unknown_fields = true },
+    );
+
+    return value;
+}
+
+const Event = enum {
+    monitoradded,
+    monitorremoved,
+};
+
+pub fn runEwwCommand(event: Event, allocator: Allocator) !void {
+    std.time.sleep(1 * std.time.ns_per_s);
+    std.log.debug("reacting to monitor change", .{});
+    var p = std.ChildProcess.init(
+        &.{
+            "eww",
+            switch (event) {
+                .monitoradded => "open",
+                .monitorremoved => "close",
+            },
+            "bar1",
+        },
+        allocator,
+    );
+    _ = try p.spawnAndWait();
+}
+
+pub fn startEww(allocator: Allocator) !void {
+    const monitors = try getDataFromSocket(allocator, "[-j]/monitors", Monitor);
+    std.log.debug("starting eww", .{});
+    for (0..monitors.len) |i| {
+        const bar = try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "bar{d}", .{i});
+        defer allocator.free(bar);
+
+        var p = std.ChildProcess.init(
+            &.{ "eww", "open", bar },
+            allocator,
+        );
+        _ = try p.spawnAndWait();
+    }
+}
+pub fn watchMonitors(allocator: Allocator) !void {
+    try startEww(allocator);
+    const sock = try std.net.connectUnixSocket(
+        try getSocketPath(allocator, ".socket2.sock"),
+    );
+    defer sock.close();
+    while (true) {
+        const out = try sock.reader().readUntilDelimiterAlloc(
+            allocator,
+            '\n',
+            std.math.maxInt(u32),
+        );
+        defer allocator.free(out);
+        var iterator = std.mem.split(u8, out, ">>");
+        if (std.meta.stringToEnum(Event, iterator.next().?)) |event| {
+            try runEwwCommand(event, allocator);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c365df2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const Allocator = std.mem.Allocator;
+
+const hypr = @import("hyprland.zig");
+const Client = hypr.Client;
+const Monitor = hypr.Monitor;
+
+const Icons = struct {
+    allocator: Allocator,
+    map: std.ArrayHashMapUnmanaged([]const u8, []const u8, std.array_hash_map.StringContext, true),
+
+    pub fn init(allocator: Allocator) !Icons {
+        var config_dir: ?[]const u8 = std.posix.getenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIR");
+        if (config_dir == null) {
+            config_dir = try std.fmt.allocPrint(
+                allocator,
+                "{s}/.config",
+                .{std.posix.getenv("HOME").?},
+            );
+        }
+        defer {
+            if (config_dir) |cd| allocator.free(cd);
+        }
+
+        const icon_path = try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}/hyprman/icons.json", .{config_dir.?});
+        defer allocator.free(icon_path);
+
+        const file = try std.fs.openFileAbsolute(icon_path, .{});
+        defer file.close();
+
+        const buffer = try file.readToEndAlloc(allocator, (try file.stat()).size);
+        defer allocator.free(buffer);
+
+        const icons = (try std.json.ArrayHashMap([]const u8).jsonParseFromValue(
+            allocator,
+            try std.json.parseFromSliceLeaky(std.json.Value, allocator, buffer, .{}),
+            .{},
+        )).map;
+
+        return Icons{
+            .allocator = allocator,
+            .map = icons,
+        };
+    }
+
+    pub fn get(self: *const Icons, k: []const u8) []const u8 {
+        return self.map.get(k) orelse "";
+    }
+};
+
+const WorkspaceIcon = struct {
+    id: u8,
+    icon: []const u8,
+    class: []const u8,
+};
+
+pub fn allocWorkspaces(
+    allocator: Allocator,
+    len_monitors: usize,
+    len_workspaces: usize,
+) ![][]WorkspaceIcon {
+    var list = std.ArrayList([]WorkspaceIcon).init(allocator);
+    errdefer {
+        for (list.items) |slice| allocator.free(slice);
+        list.deinit();
+    }
+    for (0..len_monitors) |_| {
+        var workspaces = std.ArrayList(WorkspaceIcon).init(allocator);
+        errdefer workspaces.deinit();
+        for (0..len_workspaces) |i| {
+            var id: u8 = @intCast(i);
+            id += 1;
+            try workspaces.append(WorkspaceIcon{
+                .id = id,
+                .class = try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "ws-button-{d}", .{id}),
+                .icon = "",
+            });
+        }
+        try list.append(try workspaces.toOwnedSlice());
+    }
+    return list.toOwnedSlice();
+}
+
+pub fn listenWorkspaces(child_allocator: Allocator, iconLookup: Icons) !void {
+    var arena = std.heap.ArenaAllocator.init(child_allocator);
+    while (true) {
+        defer _ = arena.reset(.free_all);
+        const allocator = arena.allocator();
+
+        const clients = try hypr.getDataFromSocket(allocator, "[-j]/clients", Client);
+        const monitors = try hypr.getDataFromSocket(allocator, "[-j]/monitors", Monitor);
+        const workspaces = try allocWorkspaces(allocator, monitors.len, 9);
+
+        for (clients) |c| {
+            for (0..monitors.len) |i| {
+                var ws = &workspaces[i][c.workspace.id - 1];
+                ws.icon = try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}{s}", .{
+                    ws.icon,
+                    iconLookup.get(c.class),
+                });
+            }
+        }
+
+        for (workspaces, 0..) |ws_list, i| {
+            for (ws_list) |*ws| {
+                if (monitors[i].activeWorkspace.id == ws.id)
+                    ws.*.class =
+                        try std.fmt.allocPrint(
+                        allocator,
+                        "{s} {s}",
+                        .{ ws.class, "ws-button-open" },
+                    );
+
+                if (std.mem.eql(u8, ws.icon, ""))
+                    ws.*.icon = "";
+            }
+        }
+        const stderr = std.io.getStdOut().writer();
+        try std.json.stringify(workspaces, .{}, stderr);
+        try stderr.writeAll("\n");
+
+        std.time.sleep(500 * std.time.ns_per_ms);
+    }
+}
+
+const Cmd = enum {
+    workspaces,
+    monitors,
+};
+
+const Context = struct {
+    allocator: Allocator,
+    cmd: Cmd,
+    pub fn init(allocator: Allocator) !Context {
+        const args = try std.process.argsAlloc(allocator);
+        defer std.process.argsFree(allocator, args);
+        if ((args.len == 1) or (args.len > 3)) {
+            std.debug.print("please provide one of: workspaces, monitors\n", .{});
+            std.process.exit(1);
+        }
+        const cmd = std.meta.stringToEnum(Cmd, args[1]);
+        if (cmd == null) {
+            std.debug.print("unknown cmd: {s}\n", .{args[1]});
+            std.process.exit(1);
+        }
+        return .{ .allocator = allocator, .cmd = cmd.? };
+    }
+};
+
+pub fn main() !void {
+    var arena = std.heap.ArenaAllocator.init(std.heap.page_allocator);
+    defer arena.deinit();
+    const allocator = arena.allocator();
+    const ctx = try Context.init(allocator);
+    switch (ctx.cmd) {
+        .workspaces => {
+            const iconLookup = try Icons.init(allocator);
+            try listenWorkspaces(allocator, iconLookup);
+        },
+        .monitors => {
+            try hypr.watchMonitors(allocator);
+        },
+    }
+}