diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c4f0d1e..43ac2cb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 
+.vscode/*
 build/*
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f96ff36..272b052 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ endif()
 set(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR})
 
 #add_subdirectory(src)
+
+set(Vulkan_INCLUDE_DIR "${VULKAN_PATH}/Include")
+set(Vulkan_LIBRARY "${VULKAN_PATH}/Lib/vulkan-1.lib")
+find_package(Vulkan REQUIRED)
+
+# TODO: use SDL in the vulkanSDK if available
 set(SDL3_DIR "${SDL3_PATH}/cmake")
 find_package(SDL3 REQUIRED)
 
@@ -42,4 +48,5 @@ endif()
 
 target_link_libraries(ouros PRIVATE
     SDL3::SDL3
+    Vulkan::Vulkan
 )
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c29ee07..679e6c8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ $ git clone https://git.vxbard.net/homeburger/ouros.git --recursive
 ```
 ### Configure and build project:
 ```bash
-$ cmake -S . -B build -DSDL3_PATH="${SDL3_INSTALL_PATH}" # either set this variable or substitute it in
+$ cmake -S . -B build \
+  -VULKAN_PATH="${VULKAN_INSTALL_PATH}" \ # either set these variables or substitute them in
+  -DSDL3_PATH="${SDL3_INSTALL_PATH}"  # optional, dont need if youre using the sdl in the vulkan sdk
 $ cmake --build build -j
 ```
 ### Execute application:
diff --git a/src/app/App.cpp b/src/app/App.cpp
index 2021857..c705816 100644
--- a/src/app/App.cpp
+++ b/src/app/App.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ int App::run() {
 
     utils::debugPrint(__FUNCTION__, __LINE__, "Run app.", utils::DebugLevel::Trace);
 
+    engine_->exec();
+
     bool quit = false;
 	while (!quit) {
         // app loop for as long as the window is open
diff --git a/src/engine/Engine.cpp b/src/engine/Engine.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99b4567
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/Engine.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+
+#include "Engine.hpp"
+
+#include "vulkan/vulkan.h"
+
+#include "utils/utils.hpp"
+
+Engine::Engine(Window* window): window_(window) {
+
+    init();
+
+}
+
+void Engine::init() {
+
+}
+
+void Engine::exec() {
+
+    VkApplicationInfo appInfo {
+        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_APPLICATION_INFO,
+        .pApplicationName = "How to Vulkan",
+        .apiVersion = VK_API_VERSION_1_3
+    };
+
+    uint32_t instanceExtensionsCount = 0;
+    char const* const* instanceExtensions{ SDL_Vulkan_GetInstanceExtensions(&instanceExtensionsCount) };
+
+    VkInstanceCreateInfo instanceCI {
+        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_INSTANCE_CREATE_INFO,
+        .pApplicationInfo = &appInfo,
+        .enabledExtensionCount = instanceExtensionsCount,
+        .ppEnabledExtensionNames = instanceExtensions,
+    };
+
+    VkInstance instance;
+    VkResult result = vkCreateInstance(&instanceCI, nullptr, &instance);
+    if(result == VK_SUCCESS) {
+        utils::debugPrint(__FUNCTION__, __LINE__, "Vulkan instance successfully created.", utils::DebugLevel::Info);
+    } else {
+        utils::debugPrint(__FUNCTION__, __LINE__, "Error creating Vulkan instance", utils::DebugLevel::Error);
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/engine/Engine.hpp b/src/engine/Engine.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8100683
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/Engine.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "app/Window.hpp"
+
+#define VK_USE_PLATFORM_WIN32_KHR 1
+
+class Engine {
+
+public:
+
+    Engine(Window* window);
+    ~Engine() = default;
+
+    void exec();
+
+private:
+
+    void init();
+
+    // TODO: smart pointers probably would be smart
+    Window* window_;
+
+};
\ No newline at end of file