diff --git a/cranial/cli/service_template/cookiecutter.json b/cranial/cli/service_template/cookiecutter.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53371f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cranial/cli/service_template/cookiecutter.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+    "project_name": "my_project",
+    "listner": ["zmq","file","stdin","postgresql","kafka","db"],
+    "serde": "json",
+    "module": "",
+    "function": ""
+}
diff --git a/cranial/cli/service_template/hooks/post_gen_project.sh b/cranial/cli/service_template/hooks/post_gen_project.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e797db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cranial/cli/service_template/hooks/post_gen_project.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+cp -rf . ..
+rm -rf -- "$(pwd -P)"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cranial/cli/service_template/hooks/pre_gen_project.py b/cranial/cli/service_template/hooks/pre_gen_project.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f03090f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cranial/cli/service_template/hooks/pre_gen_project.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import os
+import sys
+
+p = os.path.abspath('..')
+sys.path.append(p)
+
+try:
+    import {{ cookiecutter.module }}
+except Exception as e:
+    print('Could not find module. Is module in the current directory?', 'Error: ', e)
+    sys.exit(1)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cranial/cli/service_template/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/{{ cookiecutter.project_name|lower|replace(' ', '-') }}_service.py b/cranial/cli/service_template/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/{{ cookiecutter.project_name|lower|replace(' ', '-') }}_service.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e96c6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cranial/cli/service_template/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/{{ cookiecutter.project_name|lower|replace(' ', '-') }}_service.py	
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+from cranial.listeners.{{cookiecutter.listner}} import Listener
+import {{cookiecutter.module}}
+import {{cookiecutter.serde}} as serde
+
+listener = Listener()
+while True:
+    data = listener.recv() # type: bytes
+    data = serde.loads(data) # type: dict
+    resp =  {{cookiecutter.module}}.{{cookiecutter.function}}(data)
+    resp = serde.dumps(resp).encode('utf-8')
+    listener.resp(resp)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cranial/generate.py b/cranial/generate.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..177c897
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cranial/generate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#! /usr/bin/python3
+"""
+Usage:
+    generate [<type>]
+
+    Possible types are:
+        service: generate a receiving listener with a custom module and function
+                which processes bytes from the specified listener
+"""
+
+from docopt import docopt
+from cookiecutter.main import cookiecutter
+import os
+
+opts = docopt(__doc__)
+
+if opts.get('<type>') == 'service':
+    # todo better way to get to the template
+    cookiecutter(os.getcwd() + '/cranial/cli/service_template')
+else:
+   print('Only types that can be generated are: service')
diff --git a/cranial/messaging/file.py b/cranial/messaging/file.py
index 47dfc8d..5519b96 100644
--- a/cranial/messaging/file.py
+++ b/cranial/messaging/file.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 from cranial.messaging import base
 from cranial.common import logger
+from cranial.connectors import FileConnector
+# from cranial.connectors import file
 
 log = logger.get()
 
@@ -53,12 +55,16 @@ def send(self, address=None, message='', endpoint=None, serde=json,
                 # make sure the path exists for actual local files.
                 if d != '' and '://' not in endpoint:
                     os.makedirs(d, exist_ok=True)
-                self.logfiles[endpoint] = open(endpoint,
-                                               'ab' if append else 'wb')
+                # todo pass to Instantiate File Connector with address and call get
+                #   with endpoint.
+                #   If given a path, break it up into address and endpoint
+                # self.logfiles[endpoint] = open(endpoint, 'ab' if append else 'wb')
+                self.logfiles[endpoint] = FileConnector(endpoint)
 
-            bytes_written = self.logfiles[endpoint].write(
-                message + '\n'.encode('utf-8'))
-            if bytes_written > 0:
+            # todo instead of write use put and pass in path
+            bytes_written = self.logfiles[endpoint].put(
+                message + '\n'.encode('utf-8'), append=append)
+            if bytes_written is True:
                 return message
             else:
                 raise Exception("Couldn't write to destination.")