diff --git a/test/main.c b/test/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8017f791
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// 19 january 2020
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+	if (argc != 2) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s [-list|TestName]\n", argv[0]);
+		return 1;
+	}
+	if (strcmp(argv[1], "-list") == 0) {
+		// TODO
+		return 0;
+	}
+	// TODO
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/test/meson.build b/test/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7860091e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# 19 january 2020
diff --git a/test/testing.h b/test/testing.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea5f4070
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testing.h
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+// 27 february 2018
+
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+#define testingprivImplName(basename) testingprivImpl ## basename
+
+// references:
+// - https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/glib/blob/master/glib/gconstructor.h
+// - https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/glib/blob/master/gio/glib-compile-resources.c
+// - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb918180.aspx
+#define testingprivCtorName(basename) testingprivCtor ## basename
+#define testingprivCtorPtrName(basename) testingprivCtorPtr ## basename
+#if defined(__GNUC__)
+#define testingprivMkCtor(basename) \
+	__attribute__((constructor)) static void testingprivCtorName(basename)(void) { testingprivRegisterTest(#basename, testingprivImplName(basename), __FILE__, __LINE__); }
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+#define testingprivMkCtor(basename) \
+	static int testingprivCtorName(basename)(void) { testingprivRegisterTest(#basename, testingprivImplName(basename), __FILE__, __LINE__); return 0; } \
+	__pragma(section(".CRT$XCU",read)) \
+	__declspec(allocate(".CRT$XCU")) static int (*testingprivCtorPtrName(basename))(void) = testingprivCtorName(basename);
+#elif defined(__SUNPRO_C)
+#define testingprivMkCtor(basename) \
+	static void testingprivCtorName(basename)(void) { testingprivRegisterTest(#basename, testingprivImplName(basename), __FILE__, __LINE__); } \
+	_Pragma(init(testingprivCtorName(basename)))
+#else
+#error unknown compiler for making constructors in C; cannot continue
+#endif
+
+#define testingprivMk(basename, argtype, argname) \
+	void testingprivImplName(basename)(argtype *argname); \
+	testingprivMkCtor(basename) \
+	void testingprivImplName(basename)(argtype *argname)
+
+#define Test(Name) \
+	testingprivMk(Test ## Name, testingT, t)
+
+typedef struct testingSet testingSet;
+typedef struct testingOptions testingOptions;
+
+struct testingOptions {
+	bool Verbose;
+};
+
+extern void testingSetRun(testingSet *set, const struct testingOptions *options, bool *anyRun, bool *anyFailed);
+
+typedef struct testingT testingT;
+
+#define testingTLogf(t, ...) \
+	testingprivTLogfFullThen(t, NULL, __FILE__, __LINE__, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define testingTLogvf(t, format, ap) \
+	testingprivTLogvfFullThen(t, NULL, __FILE__, __LINE__, format, ap)
+#define testingTLogfFull(t, file, line, ...) \
+	testingprivTLogfFullThen(t, NULL, file, line, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define testingTLogvfFull(t, file, line, format, ap) \
+	testingprivTLogvfFullThen(t, NULL, file, line, format, ap)
+
+#define testingTErrorf(t, ...) \
+	testingprivTLogfFullThen(t, testingTFail, __FILE__, __LINE__, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define testingTErrorvf(t, format, ap) \
+	testingprivTLogvfFullThen(t, testingTFail, __FILE__, __LINE__, format, ap)
+#define testingTErrorfFull(t, file, line, ...) \
+	testingprivTLogfFullThen(t, testingTFail, file, line, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define testingTErrorvfFull(t, file, line, format, ap) \
+	testingprivTLogvfFullThen(t, testingTFail, file, line, format, ap)
+
+#define testingTFatalf(t, ...) \
+	testingprivTLogfFullThen(t, testingTFailNow, __FILE__, __LINE__, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define testingTFatalvf(t, format, ap) \
+	testingprivTLogvfFullThen(t, testingTFailNow, __FILE__, __LINE__, format, ap)
+#define testingTFatalfFull(t, file, line, ...) \
+	testingprivTLogfFullThen(t, testingTFailNow, file, line, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define testingTFatalvfFull(t, file, line, format, ap) \
+	testingprivTLogvfFullThen(t, testingTFailNow, file, line, format, ap)
+
+#define testingTSkipf(t, ...) \
+	testingprivTLogfFullThen(t, testingTSkipNow, __FILE__, __LINE__, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define testingTSkipvf(t, format, ap) \
+	testingprivTLogvfFullThen(t, testingTSkipNow, __FILE__, __LINE__, format, ap)
+#define testingTSkipfFull(t, file, line, ...) \
+	testingprivTLogfFullThen(t, testingTSkipNow, file, line, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define testingTSkipvfFull(t, file, line, format, ap) \
+	testingprivTLogvfFullThen(t, testingTSkipNow, file, line, format, ap)
+
+extern void testingTFail(testingT *t);
+extern void testingTFailNow(testingT *t);
+extern void testingTSkipNow(testingT *t);
+
+extern void testingTDefer(testingT *t, void (*f)(testingT *t, void *data), void *data);
+extern void testingTRun(testingT *t, const char *subname, void (*subfunc)(testingT *t, void *data), void *data);
+
+extern void testingprivSetRegisterTest(testingSet **pset, const char *, void (*)(testingT *, void *), void *, const char *, long);
+#include "../../sharedbits/printfwarn_header.h"
+sharedbitsPrintfFunc(
+	extern void testingprivTLogfFullThen(testingT *, void (*)(testingT *), const char *, long, const char *, ...),
+	5, 6);
+#undef sharedbitsPrintfFunc
+extern void testingprivTLogvfFullThen(testingT *, void (*)(testingT *), const char *, long, const char *, va_list);
+
+// Utility functions, provided here to avoid mucking up the sharedbits functions.
+extern char *testingUtilStrdup(const char *s);
+extern void testingUtilFreeStrdup(char *s);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif