diff --git a/confluent/pluginapi.py b/confluent/pluginapi.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ee8854d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/confluent/pluginapi.py
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+# concept here that mapping from the resource tree and arguments go to
+# specific python class signatures.  The intent is to require
+# plugin authors to come here if they *really* think they need new 'commands'
+# and hopefully curtail deviation by each plugin author
+
+# have to specify a standard place for cfg selection of *which* plugin
+# as well a standard to map api requests to python funcitons
+# e.g. <nodeelement>/power/state maps to some plugin HardwareManager.get_power/set_power
+# selected by hardwaremanagement.method
+# plugins can advertise a set of names if there is a desire for readable things
+# exceptions to handle os images
+# endpoints point to a class... usually, the class should have:
+# -create
+# -retrieve
+# -update
+# -delete
+# functions.  Console is special and just get's passed through
+# see API.txt
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+pluginmap = {}
+
+
+def load_plugins():
+    # To know our plugins directory, we get the parent path of 'bin'
+    path=os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+    plugindir = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(path,'..','plugins'))
+    sys.path.append(plugindir)
+    plugins = set()
+    #two passes, to avoid adding both py and pyc files
+    for plugin in os.listdir(plugindir):
+        plugin = os.path.splitext(plugin)[0]
+        plugins.add(plugin)
+    for plugin in plugins:
+        if plugin.startswith('.'):
+            continue
+        tmpmod = __import__(plugin)
+        if 'plugin_names' in tmpmod.__dict__:
+            for name in tmpmod.plugin_names:
+                pluginmap[name] = tmpmod
+        else:
+            pluginmap[plugin] = tmpmod
+
+nodetree = {
+    '/': ['power/', 'boot/', 'console/', 'attributes/'],
+    '/power/': ['state'],
+    '/boot/': ['device'],
+    '/console/': ['session', 'logging'],
+}
+
+# _ elements are for internal use (e.g. special console scheme)
+nodeelements = {
+    '_console/session': {
+        'pluginattrs': ['console.method' ,'hardwaremanagement.method'],
+    },
+    'console/session': {
+        'pluginattrs': ['console.method' ,'hardwaremanagement.method'],
+    },
+    'power/state': {
+        'pluginattrs': ['hardwaremanagement.method'],
+    },
+    'boot/device': {
+        'pluginattrs': ['hardwaremanagement.method'],
+    }
+}
+
+def handle_path(path, operation, configmanager):
+    '''Given a full path request, return an object.
+
+    The plugins should generally return some sort of iterator.
+    An exception is made for console/session, which should return
+    a class with read(), write(bytes), and close()
+    '''
+    if (path.startswith("/node/") or path.startswith("/system/") or
+        # single node requests
+            path.startswith("/vm/")):
+        nodeidx = path.find("/",1) + 1
+        node = path[nodeidx:]
+        node, _, element = path.partition("/")
+        if element not in nodeelements:
+            raise Exception("Invalid element requested")
+        plugroute = nodeelements[element]
+        if 'pluginattrs' in plugroute:
+            nodeattr = configmanager.get_node_attributes(
+                [node], plugroute['pluginattrs'])
+            for attrname in plugroute['pluginattrs']:
+                if attrname in nodeattr:
+                    return pluginmap[nodeattr[attrname]].__dict__[operation](
+                        node=(node), operation=operation,
+                        configmanager=configmanager)
+
+
+