diff --git a/Data/FilePath.hs b/Data/FilePath.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Data/FilePath.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE CPP, GADTs, DataKinds, KindSignatures, StandaloneDeriving, RankNTypes, DeriveDataTypeable, FlexibleInstances, MagicHash #-}
+module Data.FilePath (Path, From, FilePath(..), rootPath, relativePath, (</>), mkDirPath, mkFilePath, mkFullFilePath, showp, dirpathQ, filepathQ) where
+
+import Prelude hiding (FilePath)
+import Data.Data
+import Data.Char
+import Data.List.Split
+import Data.Maybe (fromJust)
+import Language.Haskell.TH
+import Language.Haskell.TH.Quote
+import GHC.Types
+
+data Path = File | Directory
+data From = Root | Relative
+data FilePath (a :: From) (b :: Path) where
+  RootPath      :: FilePath Root Directory
+  RelativePath  :: FilePath Relative Directory
+  FilePath      :: FilePath a Directory -> String -> FilePath a File
+  DirectoryPath :: FilePath a Directory -> String -> FilePath a Directory
+
+
+-- Path API
+rootPath :: FilePath Root Directory
+rootPath = RootPath
+
+relativePath :: FilePath Relative Directory
+relativePath = RelativePath
+
+infixr 5 </>
+(</>) :: FilePath a Directory -> FilePath Relative b -> FilePath a b
+p </> RelativePath = p
+p </> (DirectoryPath u s) = DirectoryPath (p </> u) s
+p </> (FilePath u s) = FilePath (p </> u) s
+
+mkDirPath :: String -> Maybe (FilePath Relative Directory)
+mkDirPath s = DirectoryPath RelativePath `fmap` (mkf s)
+
+mkFilePath :: String -> Maybe (FilePath Relative File)
+mkFilePath s = FilePath RelativePath `fmap` (mkf s)
+
+mkFullFilePath :: String -> Maybe (FilePath Root File)
+mkFullFilePath ('/':s) = do
+  y <- x
+  ys <- xs
+  return $ foldl (</>) (RootPath) ys </> y
+  where
+    ss = splitOn "/" s
+    xs = sequence $ map mkDirPath $ init ss
+    x  = mkFilePath $ last ss
+mkFullFilePath _ = Nothing -- all full file paths must start from /
+
+showp :: FilePath a b -> String
+showp RootPath = ""
+showp RelativePath = "."
+showp (DirectoryPath u s) = showp u ++ "/" ++ s
+showp (FilePath u s) = showp u ++ "/" ++ s
+
+mkf :: String -> Maybe String
+mkf "" = Nothing -- an empty string is an invalid file/dir name
+mkf s = if any (\x -> x == '/' || isControl x) s
+  then Nothing
+  else Just s
+
+-- TODO: could it split the delimiters?
+dirpathQ :: QuasiQuoter
+dirpathQ = QuasiQuoter qExp qPat (error "dir paths are not types") (error "dir paths are not decs")
+  where
+    qExp :: String -> ExpQ
+    qExp s = dataToExpQ (const Nothing) (DirectoryPath RelativePath (fromJust (mkf s)) :: FilePath Relative Directory)
+    qPat = undefined
+
+filepathQ :: QuasiQuoter
+filepathQ = QuasiQuoter qExp qPat (error "file paths are not types") (error "file paths are not decs")
+  where
+    qExp :: String -> ExpQ
+    qExp s = dataToExpQ (const Nothing) (FilePath RelativePath (fromJust (mkf s)) :: FilePath Relative File)
+    qPat = undefined
+
+-- data / typeable
+-- deriving instance Show (FilePath a b)
+instance Show (FilePath a b) where
+  show = showp
+
+instance Data
+           (FilePath
+              Relative Directory) where
+  gfoldl _k_aFi z_aFj RelativePath
+    = z_aFj RelativePath
+  gfoldl
+    k_aFo
+    z_aFp
+    (DirectoryPath a1_aFq a2_aFr)
+    = ((z_aFp DirectoryPath `k_aFo` a1_aFq)
+       `k_aFo` a2_aFr)
+  gunfold k_aFs z_aFt c_aFu
+    = case constrIndex c_aFu of
+        GHC.Types.I# 2# -> z_aFt RelativePath
+        GHC.Types.I# 4# -> k_aFs (k_aFs (z_aFt DirectoryPath))
+        _ -> error "impossible"
+  toConstr RelativePath
+    = (cRelativePath)
+  toConstr (DirectoryPath _ _)
+    = (cDirectoryPath)
+  dataTypeOf _ = (tFilePath)
+
+instance Data
+           (FilePath
+              Root Directory) where
+  gfoldl _k_aFv z_aFw RootPath
+    = z_aFw RootPath
+  gfoldl
+    k_aFD
+    z_aFE
+    (DirectoryPath a1_aFF a2_aFG)
+    = ((z_aFE DirectoryPath `k_aFD` a1_aFF)
+       `k_aFD` a2_aFG)
+  gunfold k_aFH z_aFI c_aFJ
+    = case constrIndex c_aFJ of
+        GHC.Types.I# 1# -> z_aFI RootPath
+        GHC.Types.I# 4# -> k_aFH (k_aFH (z_aFI DirectoryPath))
+        _ -> error "impossible"
+  toConstr RootPath
+    = (cRootPath)
+  toConstr (DirectoryPath _ _)
+    = (cDirectoryPath)
+  dataTypeOf _ = (tFilePath)
+
+instance Data
+           (FilePath
+              Relative File) where
+  gfoldl k_aFO z_aFP (FilePath a1_aFQ a2_aFR)
+    = ((z_aFP FilePath `k_aFO` a1_aFQ) `k_aFO` a2_aFR)
+  gunfold k_aFW z_aFX c_aFY
+    = case constrIndex c_aFY of
+        GHC.Types.I# 3# -> k_aFW (k_aFW (z_aFX FilePath))
+        _ -> error "impossible"
+  toConstr (FilePath _ _)
+    = (cFilePath)
+  dataTypeOf _ = (tFilePath)
+
+instance Data
+           (FilePath Root File) where
+  gfoldl k_aG3 z_aG4 (FilePath a1_aG5 a2_aG6)
+    = ((z_aG4 FilePath `k_aG3` a1_aG5) `k_aG3` a2_aG6)
+  gunfold k_aGb z_aGc c_aGd
+    = case constrIndex c_aGd of
+        GHC.Types.I# 3# -> k_aGb (k_aGb (z_aGc FilePath))
+        _ -> error "impossible"
+  toConstr (FilePath _ _)
+    = (cFilePath)
+  dataTypeOf _ = (tFilePath)
+
+tFilePath :: DataType
+cRootPath :: Constr
+cRelativePath :: Constr
+cFilePath :: Constr
+cDirectoryPath :: Constr
+tFilePath
+  = mkDataType
+      "FilePath"
+      [(cRootPath), (cRelativePath),
+       (cFilePath), (cDirectoryPath)]
+cRootPath
+  = mkConstr
+      (tFilePath) "RootPath" [] Prefix
+cRelativePath
+  = mkConstr
+      (tFilePath) "RelativePath" [] Prefix
+cFilePath
+  = mkConstr
+      (tFilePath) "FilePath" [] Prefix
+cDirectoryPath
+  = mkConstr
+      (tFilePath) "DirectoryPath" [] Prefix
+
+#if (__GLASGOW_HASKELL__==706)
+{-# NOINLINE fTyCon #-}
+fTyCon :: TyCon
+fTyCon = mkTyCon3 "main" "Data.FilePath" "FilePath"
+
+instance Typeable (FilePath Relative Directory) where
+  typeOf _ = mkTyConApp fTyCon []
+
+instance Typeable (FilePath Root Directory) where
+  typeOf _ = mkTyConApp fTyCon []
+
+instance Typeable (FilePath Relative File) where
+  typeOf _ = mkTyConApp fTyCon []
+
+instance Typeable (FilePath Root File) where
+  typeOf _ = mkTyConApp fTyCon []
+#endif
+#if (__GLASGOW_HASKELL__==708)
+deriving instance Typeable Directory
+deriving instance Typeable Relative
+deriving instance Typeable Root
+deriving instance Typeable File
+deriving instance Typeable FilePath
+#endif
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+Copyright (c) 2014, Maxwell Swadling
+
+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.
+
+    * Neither the name of Maxwell Swadling nor the names of other
+      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+      from this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+"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
+OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS 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.hs b/Setup.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Setup.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import Distribution.Simple
+main = defaultMain
diff --git a/data-filepath.cabal b/data-filepath.cabal
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data-filepath.cabal
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+name:                data-filepath
+version:             1.0.0.0
+synopsis:            A type safe file path data structure
+-- description:         
+license:             BSD3
+license-file:        LICENSE
+author:              Maxwell Swadling
+maintainer:          maxwellswadling@gmail.com
+-- copyright:           
+category:            Data
+build-type:          Simple
+-- extra-source-files:  
+cabal-version:       >=1.10
+
+library
+  exposed-modules:     Data.FilePath
+  other-extensions:    CPP, GADTs, DataKinds, KindSignatures, StandaloneDeriving, RankNTypes, DeriveDataTypeable, FlexibleInstances, MagicHash
+  build-depends:       base >=4.6 && <4.8, split >=0.2 && <0.3, template-haskell, ghc-prim
+  default-language:    Haskell2010