diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4f0d1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+build/*
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f62281
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10)
+
+project(maiden)
+
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+
+set(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR})
+
+# add_subdirectory() to nest CMakeLists
+
+add_executable(maiden
+    src/main.cpp
+    # include extra source files here
+)
+
+target_include_directories(maiden PRIVATE
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src"
+    # add additional include directories here
+)
+
+target_link_libraries(maiden PRIVATE
+    # add libraries here
+)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e6fa26c..12a1452 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,5 +15,3 @@ The maiden project is a GPU accelerated 3D rendering engine built with C++ based
 
 ## Development Roadmap
 ### lots of todo here
-
-
diff --git a/assets/.gitkeep b/assets/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/config/.gitkeep b/config/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/lib/.gitkeep b/lib/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/scripts/build.sh b/scripts/build.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e7b57f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+
+    std::cout << "hi mom !" << std::endl;
+
+    return 0;
+}