diff --git a/Data/ByteString/Class.hs b/Data/ByteString/Class.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Data/ByteString/Class.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE TypeSynonymInstances #-}
+---------------------------------------------------------
+--
+-- Module        : Data.ByteString.Class
+-- Copyright     : Michael Snoyman
+-- License       : BSD3
+--
+-- Maintainer    : Michael Snoyman <michael@snoyman.com>
+-- Stability     : Stable
+-- Portability   : portable
+--
+-- Classes for automatic conversion to and from strict and lazy bytestrings.
+--
+-- Please note: the instance for 'String' uses UTF-8 encoding.
+--
+---------------------------------------------------------
+module Data.ByteString.Class
+    ( StrictByteString (..)
+    , LazyByteString (..)
+    ) where
+
+import qualified Data.ByteString as S
+import qualified Data.ByteString.UTF8 as SU
+import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy as L
+import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy.UTF8 as LU
+
+class StrictByteString a where
+    toStrictByteString :: a -> S.ByteString
+    fromStrictByteString :: S.ByteString -> a
+
+instance StrictByteString S.ByteString where
+    toStrictByteString = id
+    fromStrictByteString = id
+
+instance StrictByteString L.ByteString where
+    toStrictByteString = S.concat . L.toChunks
+    fromStrictByteString = L.fromChunks . return
+
+instance StrictByteString String where
+    toStrictByteString = SU.fromString
+    fromStrictByteString = SU.toString
+
+class LazyByteString a where
+    toLazyByteString :: a -> L.ByteString
+    fromLazyByteString :: L.ByteString -> a
+
+instance LazyByteString L.ByteString where
+    toLazyByteString = id
+    fromLazyByteString = id
+
+instance LazyByteString S.ByteString where
+    toLazyByteString = fromStrictByteString
+    fromLazyByteString = toStrictByteString
+
+instance LazyByteString String where
+    toLazyByteString = LU.fromString
+    fromLazyByteString = LU.toString
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+The following license covers this documentation, and the source code, except
+where otherwise indicated.
+
+Copyright 2008, Michael Snoyman. All rights reserved.
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+
+* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
+  list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+
+* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+  this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+  and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO
+EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
+NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA,
+OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE
+OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
+ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
diff --git a/Setup.lhs b/Setup.lhs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Setup.lhs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env runhaskell
+
+> module Main where
+> import Distribution.Simple
+
+> main :: IO ()
+> main = defaultMain
diff --git a/bytestring-class.cabal b/bytestring-class.cabal
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bytestring-class.cabal
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+name:            bytestring-class
+version:         0.0.0
+license:         BSD3
+license-file:    LICENSE
+author:          Michael Snoyman <michael@snoyman.com>
+maintainer:      Michael Snoyman <michael@snoyman.com>
+synopsis:        Classes for automatic conversion to and from strict and lazy bytestrings.
+description:     In theory, this allows the design of more data-agnostic
+                 APIs.
+category:        Data
+stability:       stable
+cabal-version:   >= 1.2
+build-type:      Simple
+
+library
+    build-depends:   base, bytestring, utf8-string
+    exposed-modules: Data.ByteString.Class
+    ghc-options:     -Wall