diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0c68b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+PORT=3000
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index c8d7834..327b573 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ edition = "2021"
 # See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
 
 [dependencies]
+axum = {version = "0.7.4"}
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
+tokio = { version = "1.0", features = ["full"] }
 serde_json = "1.0"
+tower-http = { version = "0.4.0", features = ["full"] }
+dotenv = "0.15.0"
 rocksdb = "0.22.0"
+
+pretty_assertions = "0.7"
+select = "0.5"
diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78d6859
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pub mod parameters;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/config/parameters.rs b/src/config/parameters.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b530dac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/parameters.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+use dotenv;
+
+// load the env file
+pub fn init() {
+    dotenv::dotenv().ok().expect("Failed to load .env file");
+}
+
+// get the parameters from the env file and throw errors appropriately
+pub fn get(parameter: &str) -> String {
+    let env_parameter = std::env::var(parameter)
+        .expect(&format!("{} is not defined in the environment", parameter));
+    env_parameter
+}
diff --git a/src/handlers/mod.rs b/src/handlers/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee0c763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/handlers/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+pub mod namespace_handler;
+pub mod table_handler;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/handlers/namespace_handler.rs b/src/handlers/namespace_handler.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..127dabd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/handlers/namespace_handler.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+use axum::{
+    extract::{Json, Path},
+    http::StatusCode,
+    response::IntoResponse,
+};
+
+
+
+#[derive(Debug, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
+pub struct Namespace {
+    
+}
+
+
+pub async fn list_namespaces() -> Json<Vec<String>> {
+    // Logic to list namespaces
+    let namespaces: Vec<String> = vec!["accounting".to_string(), "tax".to_string(), "paid".to_string()];
+    Json(namespaces)
+}
+
+pub async fn create_namespace(new_namespace: Json<Namespace>) -> Json<Namespace> {
+    // Logic to create a new namespace
+
+    // Logic to persist the namespace and add properties
+    new_namespace
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
+pub struct NamespaceMetadata {
+    // Define your namespace metadata properties here
+    // Example: pub metadata_property: String,
+    data: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
+pub struct NamespaceProperties {
+    data: String,
+}
+
+pub async fn load_namespace_metadata(Path(namespace): Path<String>) -> Json<NamespaceMetadata> {
+    print!("Namespaces: {}", namespace);
+    // Logic to load metadata properties for a namespace
+    let metadata = NamespaceMetadata {
+        data: namespace,
+        // Populate with actual metadata properties
+    };
+    Json(metadata)
+}
+
+pub async fn namespace_exists(Path(namespace): Path<String>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to check if a namespace exists
+    // This route just needs to return a status code, no body required
+    // Return HTTP status code 200 to indicate namespace exists
+    StatusCode::FOUND
+}
+
+pub async fn drop_namespace(Path(namespace): Path<String>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to drop a namespace from the catalog
+    // Ensure the namespace is empty before dropping
+    // Return HTTP status code 204 to indicate successful deletion
+    StatusCode::NO_CONTENT
+}
+
+pub async fn set_namespace_properties(Path(namespace): Path<String>) -> Json<NamespaceProperties> {
+    // Logic to set and/or remove properties on a namespace
+    // Deserialize request body and process properties
+    // Return HTTP status code 200 to indicate success
+
+    let prop = NamespaceProperties {
+        data: "namespace properties".to_string(),
+    };
+    
+    Json(prop)
+}
diff --git a/src/handlers/table_handler.rs b/src/handlers/table_handler.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a898129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/handlers/table_handler.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+use axum::{
+    extract::{Json, Path},
+    http::StatusCode,
+    response::IntoResponse,
+};
+
+
+pub async fn list_tables(Path(namespace): Path<String>) -> Json<Vec<String>> {
+    // Dummy response for demonstration
+    let tables: Vec<String> = vec!["accounting".to_string(), "tax".to_string(), "paid".to_string()];
+    Json(tables)
+    
+}
+
+pub async fn create_table(Path(namespace): Path<String>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to create a table in the given namespace
+    "Table created".to_string()
+}
+
+pub async fn register_table(Path(namespace): Path<String>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to register a table in the given namespace using metadata file location
+    "Table registered".to_string()
+}
+
+pub async fn load_table(Path((namespace, table)): Path<(String, String)>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to load a table from the catalog
+    Json(table)
+}
+
+pub async fn delete_table(Path((namespace, table)): Path<(String, String)>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to drop a table from the catalog
+    "Table dropped".to_string()
+}
+
+pub async fn table_exists(Path((namespace, table)): Path<(String, String)>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to check if a table exists within a given namespace
+    StatusCode::OK 
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
+pub struct MetricsReport {
+    
+}
+
+// Handler functions
+pub async fn rename_table(table_rename: String) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to rename a table from its current name to a new name
+    "Table renamed".to_string()
+}
+
+pub async fn report_metrics(Path((namespace, table)): Path<(String, String)>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to process metrics report
+    Json(table)
+}
+
+pub async fn find_tuple_location(Path((namespace, table, tuple_id)): Path<(String, String, String)>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    // Logic to return the physical file location for a given tuple ID
+    format!("Physical file location for tuple ID {} of table {} in namespace {}.", tuple_id, table, namespace)
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 2fe40a1..11b2b1c 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
-fn main() {
-    println!("hello world!");
+mod routes;
+mod dto;
+mod handlers;
+mod config;
+mod tests;
+
+use crate::config::parameters;
+
+#[tokio::main]
+async fn main() {
+    parameters::init();
+    let host = format!("0.0.0.0:{}", parameters::get("PORT"));
+
+    let listener = tokio::net::TcpListener::bind(host).await.unwrap();
+    let app = routes::root::routes();
+    axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/mod.rs b/src/routes/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..136fb5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+pub mod namespace;
+pub mod table;
+pub mod root;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/routes/namespace.rs b/src/routes/namespace.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34e2e46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/namespace.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+use axum::{ routing::{get, post, head, delete}, Router};
+use crate::handlers::namespace_handler;
+
+pub fn routes() -> Router<> {
+    let router = Router::new()
+        .route("/namespaces", get(namespace_handler::list_namespaces))
+        .route("/namespaces", post(namespace_handler::create_namespace))
+        .route("/namespace/:namespace", get(namespace_handler::load_namespace_metadata))
+        .route("/namespace/:namespace", head(namespace_handler::namespace_exists))
+        .route("/namespace/:namespace", delete(namespace_handler::drop_namespace))
+        .route("/namespace/:namespace/properties", post(namespace_handler::set_namespace_properties));
+    return router;
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/root.rs b/src/routes/root.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34e10c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/root.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+use crate::routes::{namespace, table};
+use axum::routing::IntoMakeService;
+use axum::Router;
+use tower_http::trace::TraceLayer;
+
+pub fn routes() -> Router {
+
+    // merge the 2 routes
+    let app_router = Router::new()
+    .nest("/", table::routes())
+    .nest("/", namespace::routes());
+
+    app_router
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/table.rs b/src/routes/table.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a3ba5ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/table.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+use axum::{ routing::{get, post, head, delete}, Router};
+use crate::handlers::table_handler;
+
+
+pub fn routes() -> Router<> {
+    let router = Router::new()
+        .route("/namespaces/:namespace/tables", get(table_handler::list_tables))
+        .route("/namespaces/:namespace/tables", post(table_handler::create_table))
+        .route("/namespaces/:namespace/register", post(table_handler::register_table))
+        .route("/namespaces/:namespace/tables/:table", get(table_handler::load_table))
+        .route("/namespaces/:namespace/tables/:table", delete(table_handler::delete_table))
+        .route("/namespaces/:namespace/tables/:table", head(table_handler::table_exists))
+        .route("/tables/rename", post(table_handler::rename_table))
+        .route("/namespaces/:namespace/tables/:table/metrics", post(table_handler::report_metrics))
+    .route("/namespaces/:namespace/tables/:table/find/:tuple_id", get(table_handler::find_tuple_location));
+        
+    return router;
+}
diff --git a/src/tests/mod.rs b/src/tests/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/tests/namespace_test.rs b/src/tests/namespace_test.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e6e447
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/namespace_test.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+use axum::{http::StatusCode, response::Json};
+use axum::extract::Json as JsonExtractor;
+use axum::handler::post;
+use axum::routing::Router;
+use serde_json::json;
+use axum::test::extract;
+
+use crate::{create_namespace, list_namespaces, Namespace};
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_list_namespaces() {
+    // Create a test router with the list_namespaces route
+    let app = Router::new().route("/namespaces", post(list_namespaces));
+
+    // Perform a request to the route
+    let response = axum::test::call(&app, axum::test::request::Request::post("/namespaces").body(()).unwrap()).await;
+
+    // Ensure that the response status code is OK
+    assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+
+    // Ensure that the response body contains the expected JSON data
+    let body = extract::<Json<Vec<String>>>(response.into_body()).await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body.0, vec!["accounting", "tax", "paid"]);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_create_namespace() {
+    // Create a test router with the create_namespace route
+    let app = Router::new().route("/namespaces", post(create_namespace));
+
+    // Create a JSON payload representing a new namespace
+    let payload = json!({});
+
+    // Perform a request to the route with the JSON payload
+    let response = axum::test::call(&app, axum::test::request::Request::post("/namespaces").body(payload.to_string()).unwrap()).await;
+
+    // Ensure that the response status code is OK
+    assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+
+    // Ensure that the response body contains the expected JSON data
+    let body = extract::<Json<Namespace>>(response.into_body()).await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body, Json(Namespace {}));
+}