diff --git a/debug.go b/debug.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58fafdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debug.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// Author: jacobsa@google.com (Aaron Jacobs)
+
+package fuseutil
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+)
+
+var fEnableDebug = flag.Bool(
+	"fuseutil.debug",
+	false,
+	"Write FUSE debugging messages to stderr.")
+
+// Create a logger based on command-line flag settings.
+func getLogger() *log.Logger {
+	var writer io.Writer = ioutil.Discard
+	if *fEnableDebug {
+		writer = os.Stderr
+	}
+
+	return log.New(writer, "fuseutil: ", log.LstdFlags)
+}
diff --git a/errors.go b/errors.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dba5d04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/errors.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// Author: jacobsa@google.com (Aaron Jacobs)
+
+package fuseutil
+
+import "bazil.org/fuse"
+
+const (
+	// Errors corresponding to kernel error numbers. These may be treated
+	// specially when returned by a FileSystem method.
+	ENOSYS = fuse.ENOSYS
+)
diff --git a/file_system.go b/file_system.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a3c9422
--- /dev/null
+++ b/file_system.go
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// Author: jacobsa@google.com (Aaron Jacobs)
+
+package fuseutil
+
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	"bazil.org/fuse"
+
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+// An interface that must be implemented by file systems to be mounted with
+// FUSE. See also the comments on request and response structs.
+//
+// Not all methods need to have interesting implementations. Embed a field of
+// type NotImplementedFileSystem to inherit defaults that return ENOSYS to the
+// kernel.
+//
+// Must be safe for concurrent access via all methods.
+type FileSystem interface {
+	// Open a file or directory identified by an inode ID. The kernel calls this
+	// method when setting up a struct file for a particular inode, usually in
+	// response to an open(2) call from a user-space process. This may have side
+	// effects, depending on the flags passed.
+	Open(
+		ctx context.Context,
+		req *OpenRequest) (*OpenResponse, error)
+
+	// Look up a child by name within a parent directory. The kernel calls this
+	// when resolving user paths to dentry structs, which are then cached.
+	Lookup(
+		ctx context.Context,
+		req *LookupRequest) (*LookupResponse, error)
+
+	// Forget an inode ID previously issued (e.g. by Lookup). The kernel calls
+	// this when removing an inode from its internal caches.
+	//
+	// The kernel guarantees that the node ID will not be used in further calls
+	// to the file system (unless it is reissued by the file system).
+	Forget(
+		ctx context.Context,
+		req *ForgetRequest) (*ForgetResponse, error)
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Simple types
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+// A 64-bit number used to uniquely identify a file or directory in the file
+// system. File systems may mint inode IDs with any value except for
+// RootInodeID.
+//
+// This corresponds to struct inode::i_no in the VFS layer.
+// (Cf. http://goo.gl/tvYyQt)
+type InodeID uint64
+
+// A distinguished inode ID that identifies the root of the file system, e.g.
+// in a request to Open or Lookup. Unlike all other inode IDs, which are minted
+// by the file system, the FUSE VFS layer may send a request for this ID
+// without the file system ever having referenced it in a previous response.
+const RootInodeID InodeID = InodeID(fuse.RootID)
+
+// A generation number for an inode. Irrelevant for file systems that won't be
+// exported over NFS. For those that will and that reuse inode IDs when they
+// become free, the generation number must change when an ID is reused.
+//
+// This corresponds to struct inode::i_generation in the VFS layer.
+// (Cf. http://goo.gl/tvYyQt)
+//
+// Some related reading:
+//
+//     http://fuse.sourceforge.net/doxygen/structfuse__entry__param.html
+//     http://stackoverflow.com/q/11071996/1505451
+//     http://goo.gl/CqvwyX
+//     http://julipedia.meroh.net/2005/09/nfs-file-handles.html
+//     http://goo.gl/wvo3MB
+//
+type GenerationNumber uint64
+
+// Attributes for a file or directory inode. Corresponds to struct inode (cf.
+// http://goo.gl/tvYyQt).
+type InodeAttributes struct {
+	// The size of the file in bytes.
+	Size uint64
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Requests and responses
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+type OpenRequest struct {
+	// The ID of the inode to be opened.
+	Inode InodeID
+
+	// Mode and options flags.
+	Flags fuse.OpenFlags
+}
+
+// Currently nothing interesting here. The file system should perform any
+// checking and side effects necessary as part of FileSystem.Open, and return
+// an error if appropriate.
+type OpenResponse struct {
+}
+
+type LookupRequest struct {
+	// The ID of the directory inode to which the child belongs.
+	Parent InodeID
+
+	// The name of the child of interest, relative to the parent. For example, in
+	// this directory structure:
+	//
+	//     foo/
+	//         bar/
+	//             baz
+	//
+	// the file system may receive a request to look up the child named "bar" for
+	// the parent foo/.
+	Name string
+}
+
+type LookupResponse struct {
+	// The ID of the child inode. The file system must ensure that the returned
+	// inode ID remains valid until a later call to Forget.
+	Child InodeID
+
+	// A generation number for this incarnation of the inode with the given ID.
+	// See comments on type GenerationNumber for more.
+	Generation GenerationNumber
+
+	// Current ttributes for the child inode.
+	Attributes InodeAttributes
+
+	// The FUSE VFS layer in the kernel maintains a cache of file attributes,
+	// used whenever up to date information about size, mode, etc. is needed.
+	//
+	// For example, this is the abridged call chain for fstat(2):
+	//
+	//  *  (http://goo.gl/tKBH1p) fstat calls vfs_fstat.
+	//  *  (http://goo.gl/3HeITq) vfs_fstat eventuall calls vfs_getattr_nosec.
+	//  *  (http://goo.gl/DccFQr) vfs_getattr_nosec calls i_op->getattr.
+	//  *  (http://goo.gl/dpKkst) fuse_getattr calls fuse_update_attributes.
+	//  *  (http://goo.gl/yNlqPw) fuse_update_attributes uses the values in the
+	//     struct inode if allowed, otherwise calling out to the user-space code.
+	//
+	// In addition to obvious cases like fstat, this is also used in more subtle
+	// cases like updating size information before seeking (http://goo.gl/2nnMFa)
+	// or reading (http://goo.gl/FQSWs8).
+	//
+	// Most 'real' file systems do not set inode_operations::getattr, and
+	// therefore vfs_getattr_nosec calls generic_fillattr which simply grabs the
+	// information from the inode struct. This makes sense because these file
+	// systems cannot spontaneously change; all modifications go through the
+	// kernel which can update the inode struct as appropriate.
+	//
+	// In contrast, a FUSE file system may have spontaneous changes, so it calls
+	// out to user space to fetch attributes. However this is expensive, so the
+	// FUSE layer in the kernel caches the attributes if requested.
+	//
+	// This field controls when the attributes returned in this response and
+	// stashed in the struct inode should be re-queried. Leave at the zero value
+	// to disable caching.
+	//
+	// More reading:
+	//     http://stackoverflow.com/q/21540315/1505451
+	AttributesExpiration time.Time
+
+	// The time until which the kernel may maintain an entry for this name to
+	// inode mapping in its dentry cache. After this time, it will revalidate the
+	// dentry.
+	//
+	// As in the discussion of attribute caching above, unlike real file systems,
+	// FUSE file systems may spontaneously change their name -> inode mapping.
+	// Therefore the FUSE VFS layer uses dentry_operations::d_revalidate
+	// (http://goo.gl/dVea0h) to intercept lookups and revalidate by calling the
+	// user-space Lookup method. However the latter may be slow, so it caches the
+	// entries until the time defined by this field.
+	//
+	// Example code walk:
+	//
+	//     * (http://goo.gl/M2G3tO) lookup_dcache calls d_revalidate if enabled.
+	//     * (http://goo.gl/ef0Elu) fuse_dentry_revalidate just uses the dentry's
+	//     inode if fuse_dentry_time(entry) hasn't passed. Otherwise it sends a
+	//     lookup request.
+	//
+	// Leave at the zero value to disable caching.
+	EntryExpiration time.Time
+}
+
+type ForgetRequest struct {
+	// The inode to be forgotten. The kernel guarantees that the node ID will not
+	// be used in further calls to the file system (unless it is reissued by the
+	// file system).
+	ID InodeID
+}
+
+type ForgetResponse struct {
+}
diff --git a/mounted_file_system.go b/mounted_file_system.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..998952f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mounted_file_system.go
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// Author: jacobsa@google.com (Aaron Jacobs)
+
+package fuseutil
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+
+	"bazil.org/fuse"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+// A struct representing the status of a mount operation, with methods for
+// waiting on the mount to complete, waiting for unmounting, and causing
+// unmounting.
+type MountedFileSystem struct {
+	dir string
+
+	// The result to return from WaitForReady. Not valid until the channel is
+	// closed.
+	readyStatus          error
+	readyStatusAvailable chan struct{}
+
+	// The result to return from Join. Not valid until the channel is closed.
+	joinStatus          error
+	joinStatusAvailable chan struct{}
+}
+
+// Return the directory on which the file system is mounted (or where we
+// attempted to mount it.)
+func (mfs *MountedFileSystem) Dir() string {
+	return mfs.dir
+}
+
+// Wait until the mount point is ready to be used. After a successful return
+// from this function, the contents of the mounted file system should be
+// visible in the directory supplied to NewMountPoint. May be called multiple
+// times.
+func (mfs *MountedFileSystem) WaitForReady(ctx context.Context) error {
+	select {
+	case <-mfs.readyStatusAvailable:
+		return mfs.readyStatus
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return ctx.Err()
+	}
+}
+
+// Block until a mounted file system has been unmounted. The return value will
+// be non-nil if anything unexpected happened while serving. May be called
+// multiple times. Must not be called unless WaitForReady has returned nil.
+func (mfs *MountedFileSystem) Join(ctx context.Context) error {
+	select {
+	case <-mfs.joinStatusAvailable:
+		return mfs.joinStatus
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return ctx.Err()
+	}
+}
+
+// Attempt to unmount the file system. Use Join to wait for it to actually be
+// unmounted. You must first call WaitForReady to ensure there is no race with
+// mounting.
+func (mfs *MountedFileSystem) Unmount() error {
+	return fuse.Unmount(mfs.dir)
+}
+
+// Runs in the background.
+func (mfs *MountedFileSystem) mountAndServe(
+	server *server,
+	options []fuse.MountOption) {
+	logger := getLogger()
+
+	// Open a FUSE connection.
+	logger.Println("Opening a FUSE connection.")
+	c, err := fuse.Mount(mfs.dir, options...)
+	if err != nil {
+		mfs.readyStatus = errors.New("fuse.Mount: " + err.Error())
+		close(mfs.readyStatusAvailable)
+		return
+	}
+
+	defer c.Close()
+
+	// Start a goroutine that will notify the MountedFileSystem object when the
+	// connection says it is ready (or it fails to become ready).
+	go func() {
+		logger.Println("Waiting for the FUSE connection to be ready.")
+		<-c.Ready
+		logger.Println("The FUSE connection is ready.")
+
+		mfs.readyStatus = c.MountError
+		close(mfs.readyStatusAvailable)
+	}()
+
+	// Serve the connection using the file system object.
+	logger.Println("Serving the FUSE connection.")
+	if err := server.Serve(c); err != nil {
+		mfs.joinStatus = errors.New("Serve: " + err.Error())
+		close(mfs.joinStatusAvailable)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Signal that everything is okay.
+	close(mfs.joinStatusAvailable)
+}
+
+// Attempt to mount the supplied file system on the given directory.
+// mfs.WaitForReady() must be called to find out whether the mount was
+// successful.
+func Mount(
+	dir string,
+	fs FileSystem,
+	options ...fuse.MountOption) (mfs *MountedFileSystem, err error) {
+	// Create a server object.
+	server, err := newServer(fs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Initialize the struct.
+	mfs = &MountedFileSystem{
+		dir:                  dir,
+		readyStatusAvailable: make(chan struct{}),
+		joinStatusAvailable:  make(chan struct{}),
+	}
+
+	// Mount in the background.
+	go mfs.mountAndServe(server, options)
+
+	return
+}
diff --git a/not_implemented_file_system.go b/not_implemented_file_system.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b2eb8eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/not_implemented_file_system.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// Author: jacobsa@google.com (Aaron Jacobs)
+
+package fuseutil
+
+import "golang.org/x/net/context"
+
+// Embed this within your file system type to inherit default implementations
+// of all methods that return ENOSYS.
+type NotImplementedFileSystem struct {
+}
+
+var _ FileSystem = &NotImplementedFileSystem{}
+
+func (fs *NotImplementedFileSystem) Open(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	req *OpenRequest) (*OpenResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ENOSYS
+}
+
+func (fs *NotImplementedFileSystem) Lookup(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	req *LookupRequest) (*LookupResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ENOSYS
+}
+
+func (fs *NotImplementedFileSystem) Forget(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	req *ForgetRequest) (*ForgetResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ENOSYS
+}
diff --git a/samples/hello_fs.go b/samples/hello_fs.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c604144
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/hello_fs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// Author: jacobsa@google.com (Aaron Jacobs)
+
+package samples
+
+import (
+	"github.com/jacobsa/gcsfuse/fuseutil"
+	"github.com/jacobsa/gcsfuse/timeutil"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+// A file system with a fixed structure that looks like this:
+//
+//     hello
+//     dir/
+//         world
+//
+// Each file contains the string "Hello, world!".
+type HelloFS struct {
+	fuseutil.NotImplementedFileSystem
+	Clock timeutil.Clock
+}
+
+var _ fuseutil.FileSystem = &HelloFS{}
+
+func (fs *HelloFS) Open(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	req *fuseutil.OpenRequest) (resp *fuseutil.OpenResponse, err error) {
+	// We always allow opening the root directory.
+	if req.Inode == fuseutil.RootInodeID {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// TODO(jacobsa): Handle others.
+	err = fuseutil.ENOSYS
+	return
+}
diff --git a/samples/hello_fs_test.go b/samples/hello_fs_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..013f47e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/hello_fs_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// Author: jacobsa@google.com (Aaron Jacobs)
+
+package samples_test
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/jacobsa/gcsfuse/fuseutil"
+	"github.com/jacobsa/gcsfuse/fuseutil/samples"
+	"github.com/jacobsa/gcsfuse/timeutil"
+	. "github.com/jacobsa/ogletest"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+func TestHelloFS(t *testing.T) { RunTests(t) }
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Boilerplate
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+type HelloFSTest struct {
+	clock timeutil.SimulatedClock
+	mfs   *fuseutil.MountedFileSystem
+}
+
+var _ SetUpInterface = &HelloFSTest{}
+var _ TearDownInterface = &HelloFSTest{}
+
+func init() { RegisterTestSuite(&HelloFSTest{}) }
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) SetUp(ti *TestInfo) {
+	var err error
+
+	// Set up a fixed, non-zero time.
+	t.clock.AdvanceTime(time.Now().Sub(t.clock.Now()))
+
+	// Set up a temporary directory for mounting.
+	mountPoint, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "hello_fs_test")
+	if err != nil {
+		panic("ioutil.TempDir: " + err.Error())
+	}
+
+	// Mount a file system.
+	fs := &samples.HelloFS{
+		Clock: &t.clock,
+	}
+
+	if t.mfs, err = fuseutil.Mount(mountPoint, fs); err != nil {
+		panic("Mount: " + err.Error())
+	}
+
+	if err = t.mfs.WaitForReady(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		panic("MountedFileSystem.WaitForReady: " + err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) TearDown() {
+	// Unmount the file system. Try again on "resource busy" errors.
+	delay := 10 * time.Millisecond
+	for {
+		err := t.mfs.Unmount()
+		if err == nil {
+			break
+		}
+
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "resource busy") {
+			log.Println("Resource busy error while unmounting; trying again")
+			time.Sleep(delay)
+			delay = time.Duration(1.3 * float64(delay))
+			continue
+		}
+
+		panic("MountedFileSystem.Unmount: " + err.Error())
+	}
+
+	if err := t.mfs.Join(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		panic("MountedFileSystem.Join: " + err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Test functions
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) ReadDir_Root() {
+	entries, err := ioutil.ReadDir(t.mfs.Dir())
+
+	AssertEq(nil, err)
+	AssertEq(2, len(entries))
+	var fi os.FileInfo
+
+	// dir
+	fi = entries[0]
+	ExpectEq("dir", fi.Name())
+	ExpectEq(0, fi.Size())
+	ExpectEq(os.ModeDir|0500, fi.Mode())
+	ExpectEq(t.clock.Now(), fi.ModTime())
+	ExpectTrue(fi.IsDir())
+
+	// hello
+	fi = entries[1]
+	ExpectEq("hello", fi.Name())
+	ExpectEq(len("Hello, world!"), fi.Size())
+	ExpectEq(0400, fi.Mode())
+	ExpectEq(t.clock.Now(), fi.ModTime())
+	ExpectFalse(fi.IsDir())
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) ReadDir_Dir() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) ReadDir_NonExistent() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) Stat_Hello() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) Stat_Dir() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) Stat_World() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) Stat_NonExistent() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) Read_Hello() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) Read_World() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
+
+func (t *HelloFSTest) Open_NonExistent() {
+	AssertTrue(false, "TODO")
+}
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4498801
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server.go
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+// Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// Author: jacobsa@google.com (Aaron Jacobs)
+
+package fuseutil
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+
+	"bazil.org/fuse"
+)
+
+// An object that terminates one end of the userspace <-> FUSE VFS connection.
+type server struct {
+	logger *log.Logger
+	fs     FileSystem
+}
+
+// Create a server that relays requests to the supplied file system.
+func newServer(fs FileSystem) (s *server, err error) {
+	s = &server{
+		logger: getLogger(),
+		fs:     fs,
+	}
+
+	return
+}
+
+// Serve the fuse connection by repeatedly reading requests from the supplied
+// FUSE connection, responding as dictated by the file system. Return when the
+// connection is closed or an unexpected error occurs.
+func (s *server) Serve(c *fuse.Conn) (err error) {
+	// Read a message at a time, dispatching to goroutines doing the actual
+	// processing.
+	for {
+		var fuseReq fuse.Request
+		fuseReq, err = c.ReadRequest()
+
+		// ReadRequest returns EOF when the connection has been closed.
+		//
+		// TODO(jacobsa): Remove this and verify it's actually needed.
+		if err == io.EOF {
+			err = nil
+			return
+		}
+
+		// Otherwise, forward on errors.
+		if err != nil {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("Conn.ReadRequest: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		go s.handleFuseRequest(fuseReq)
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *server) handleFuseRequest(fuseReq fuse.Request) {
+	// Log the request.
+	s.logger.Println("Received:", fuseReq)
+
+	// TODO(jacobsa): Support cancellation when interrupted, if we can coax the
+	// system into reproducing such requests.
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// Attempt to handle it.
+	switch typed := fuseReq.(type) {
+	case *fuse.InitRequest:
+		// Responding to this is required to make mounting work, at least on OS X.
+		// We don't currently expose the capability for the file system to
+		// intercept this.
+		fuseResp := &fuse.InitResponse{}
+		s.logger.Println("Responding:", fuseResp)
+		typed.Respond(fuseResp)
+
+	case *fuse.StatfsRequest:
+		// Responding to this is required to make mounting work, at least on OS X.
+		// We don't currently expose the capability for the file system to
+		// intercept this.
+		fuseResp := &fuse.StatfsResponse{}
+		s.logger.Println("Responding:", fuseResp)
+		typed.Respond(fuseResp)
+
+	case *fuse.OpenRequest:
+		// Convert the request.
+		req := &OpenRequest{
+			Inode: InodeID(typed.Header.Node),
+			Flags: typed.Flags,
+		}
+
+		// Call the file system.
+		if _, err := s.fs.Open(ctx, req); err != nil {
+			s.logger.Print("Responding:", err)
+			typed.RespondError(err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		// There is nothing interesting to convert in the response.
+		fuseResp := &fuse.OpenResponse{}
+		s.logger.Print("Responding:", fuseResp)
+		typed.Respond(fuseResp)
+
+	default:
+		s.logger.Println("Unhandled type. Returning ENOSYS.")
+		typed.RespondError(ENOSYS)
+	}
+}