diff --git a/lib/AnyEvent/NSQ/Client.pm b/lib/AnyEvent/NSQ/Client.pm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6fd00ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/AnyEvent/NSQ/Client.pm
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+package AnyEvent::NSQ::Client;
+
+# ABSTRACT: base class for NSQ.io consumers and producers
+# VERSION
+# AUTHORITY
+
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+use AnyEvent;
+use AnyEvent::Socket ();
+use Carp 'croak';
+use AnyEvent::NSQ::Connection;
+
+
+sub new {
+  my ($class, %args) = @_;
+  my $self = bless {}, $class;
+
+  $self->_parse_args(\%args);
+  $self->_connect();
+
+  return $self;
+}
+
+
+#### Argument parsing
+
+## Parse all common arguments
+sub _parse_args {
+  my ($self, $args) = @_;
+
+  $self->{disconnect_cb} = delete($args->{disconnect_cb}) || sub { };
+  $self->{error_cb}      = delete($args->{error_cb})      || sub { croak($_[1]) };
+
+  for my $arg (qw( client_id hostname connect_timeout )) {
+    $self->{$arg} = delete($args->{$arg}) if exists $args->{$arg};
+  }
+
+  if (my $lookupd_http_addresses = delete $args->{lookupd_http_addresses}) {
+    $lookupd_http_addresses = [$lookupd_http_addresses] unless ref($lookupd_http_addresses) eq 'ARRAY';
+    $self->{lookupd_http_addresses} = $lookupd_http_addresses;
+    $self->{use_lookupd}            = 1;
+  }
+
+  if (my $nsqd_tcp_addresses = delete $args->{nsqd_tcp_addresses}) {
+    croak(q{FATAL: only one of 'lookupd_http_addresses' and 'nsqd_tcp_addresses' is allowed}) if $self->{use_lookupd};
+
+    $nsqd_tcp_addresses = [$nsqd_tcp_addresses] unless ref($nsqd_tcp_addresses) eq 'ARRAY';
+    $self->{nsqd_tcp_addresses} = $nsqd_tcp_addresses;
+    $self->{use_lookupd}        = 0;
+  }
+
+  ## There can be only one, there must be at least one
+  croak(q{FATAL: one of 'nsqd_tcp_addresses' or 'lookup'}) unless defined $self->{use_lookupd};
+}
+
+
+#### Connection management
+
+## support both modes of operation, direct or with lookupd discovery
+sub _connect {
+  my $self = shift;
+
+  if ($self->{use_lookupd}) {
+    $self->_start_lookupd_poolers;
+  }
+  else {
+    $self->_start_nsqd_connections;
+  }
+
+  return;
+}
+
+## direct nsqd connection
+sub _start_nsqd_connections {
+  my ($self) = @_;
+
+  for my $nsqd_tcp_address (@{ $self->{nsqd_tcp_addresses} }) {
+    $self->_start_nsqd_connection($nsqd_tcp_address, reconnect => 1);
+  }
+}
+
+## nsqlookupd support - not there yet
+sub _start_lookupd_poolers { }
+
+
+#### nsqd pool connection management
+
+## connect to a single element of the pool
+sub _start_nsqd_connection {
+  my ($self, $nsqd_tcp_address, %args) = @_;
+
+  my $conns = $self->{nsqd_conns} ||= {};
+  return if $conns->{$nsqd_tcp_address};
+
+  my ($host, $port) = AnyEvent::Socket::parse_hostport($nsqd_tcp_address, 4150);    ## 4150 is the default port for nsqd
+  croak(qq{FATAL: could not parse '$nsqd_tcp_address' as a valid address/port combination}) unless $host and $port;
+
+  my %conn = (host => $host, port => $port);
+  for my $arg (qw( client_id hostname error_cb connect_timeout )) {
+    $conn{$arg} = $self->{$arg} if exists $self->{$arg};
+  }
+
+  $conn{connect_cb}    = sub { $self->_connected(@_) };
+  $conn{disconnect_cb} = sub { $self->_disconnected(@_) };
+
+  $conns->{$nsqd_tcp_address}{conn}  = AnyEvent::NSQ::Connection->new(%conn);
+  $conns->{$nsqd_tcp_address}{state} = 'connecting';
+
+  return;
+}
+
+
+#### Hooks for the main states of the connection
+sub _connected {
+  my $self = shift;
+
+  ## FIXME: access $nsqd_tcp_address, and update state
+
+  $self->{connect_cb}->(@_) if $self->{connect_cb};
+  $_[0]->identify(sub { $self->_identified(@_) });
+}
+
+sub _identified   { $_[0]->{identify_cb}->(@_)   if $_[0]->{identify_cb} }
+sub _disconnected { $_[0]->{disconnect_cb}->(@_) if $_[0]->{disconnect_cb} }
+
+1;