diff --git a/protocoldb/protocoldb.go b/protocoldb/protocoldb.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0f2e72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/protocoldb/protocoldb.go
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+package protocoldb
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"gitea.mmo.to/ProtocolPacketForger/ppf/protocol"
+	"gitea.mmo.to/ProtocolPacketForger/ppf/protocolctl"
+)
+
+type PPFDatabases struct {
+	Databases []ProtocolDatabaseProvider
+}
+
+type ProtocolDatabaseProvider interface {
+	Open(path string) error
+	Close() error
+	Protocols() map[string]protocol.DOPMeta
+}
+
+type ProtocolDatabaseManager interface {
+	Add(prot *protocol.ProtocolStructure, path string)
+	Update(prot *protocol.ProtocolStructure, path string)
+	// no remove.
+	UpdateDatabase() error // scans for new protocols
+}
+
+type DatabaseEntry struct {
+	Path     string
+	Protocol protocol.DOPMeta
+}
+
+// FileDatabase implements ProtocolDatabaseProvider and ProtocolDatabaseManager
+type FileDatabase struct {
+	Path      string
+	protocols map[string]DatabaseEntry
+	closed    bool
+}
+
+type FileDatabaseFromGitRemote struct {
+	FileDatabase
+	RemoteGitRepository string
+}
+
+func (fd *FileDatabase) Open(path string) error {
+	fileinfo, err := os.Stat(path)
+	if err == os.ErrNotExist {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !fileinfo.IsDir() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Path %s is not a directory", path)
+	}
+	fd.Path = path
+	fd.closed = false
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (fd *FileDatabase) Close() error {
+	for k := range fd.protocols {
+		delete(fd.protocols, k)
+	}
+	fd.closed = true
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (fd *FileDatabase) Protocols() map[string]DatabaseEntry {
+	if !fd.closed {
+		fd.protocols = map[string]DatabaseEntry{}
+		// recurse recursively through the path
+		filepath.Walk(fd.Path, func(path string, info fs.FileInfo, err error) error {
+			if !info.IsDir() {
+				prot, err := protocolctl.LoadNew(path)
+				if err != nil {
+					// add to map
+					fd.protocols[prot.Metadata.Name] = DatabaseEntry{path, prot.Metadata}
+				}
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
+	}
+	return fd.protocols
+}
+
+func (fd *FileDatabase) Add(prot *protocol.ProtocolStructure, path string) {
+
+}
+func (fd *FileDatabase) Update(prot *protocol.ProtocolStructure, path string) {
+
+}
+func (fd *FileDatabase) UpdateDatabase() error {
+
+}