diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# 0.1.0.0 2024-07-31
+
+* Initial release
+
+---
+
+`hnix-store-json` uses [PVP Versioning][1].
+
+[1]: https://pvp.haskell.org
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
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diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# hnix-store-json
+
+Aeson instances for core types.
diff --git a/hnix-store-json.cabal b/hnix-store-json.cabal
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hnix-store-json.cabal
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+cabal-version:       2.2
+name:                hnix-store-json
+version:             0.1.0.0
+synopsis:            JSON serialization for core types
+description:
+  Aeson instances for core types, required for remote store protocol
+homepage:            https://github.com/haskell-nix/hnix-store
+license:             Apache-2.0
+license-file:        LICENSE
+author:              Sorki
+maintainer:          srk@48.io
+copyright:           2023 Sorki
+category:            Nix
+build-type:          Simple
+extra-doc-files:
+    CHANGELOG.md
+extra-source-files:
+    README.md
+
+common commons
+  ghc-options:  -Wall
+  default-extensions:
+      DataKinds
+    , DeriveAnyClass
+    , DeriveGeneric
+    , DerivingVia
+    , FlexibleInstances
+    , LambdaCase
+    , RecordWildCards
+    , StandaloneDeriving
+    , TypeApplications
+  default-language: Haskell2010
+
+library
+  import: commons
+  exposed-modules:
+      System.Nix.JSON
+  build-depends:
+      base >=4.12 && <5
+    , hnix-store-core >= 0.8
+    , aeson >= 2.0 && < 3.0
+    , attoparsec
+    , deriving-aeson >= 0.2
+    , text
+  hs-source-dirs:      src
+
+test-suite json
+  import: commons
+  type: exitcode-stdio-1.0
+  main-is: Spec.hs
+  other-modules:
+    JSONSpec
+  hs-source-dirs:
+    tests
+  build-tool-depends:
+    hspec-discover:hspec-discover
+  build-depends:
+      base
+    , hnix-store-core
+    , hnix-store-json
+    , hnix-store-tests
+    , aeson
+    , containers
+    , data-default-class
+    , hspec
diff --git a/src/System/Nix/JSON.hs b/src/System/Nix/JSON.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/System/Nix/JSON.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
+{-# OPTIONS_GHC -fno-warn-orphans #-}
+{-|
+Description : JSON serialization
+
+This module is mostly a stub for now
+providing (From|To)JSON for Realisation type
+which is required for `-remote`.
+-}
+module System.Nix.JSON where
+
+import Data.Aeson
+import Deriving.Aeson
+import System.Nix.Base (BaseEncoding(NixBase32))
+import System.Nix.OutputName (OutputName)
+import System.Nix.Realisation (DerivationOutput, Realisation, RealisationWithId(..))
+import System.Nix.Signature (Signature)
+import System.Nix.StorePath (StoreDir(..), StorePath, StorePathName, StorePathHashPart)
+
+import qualified Data.Aeson.KeyMap
+import qualified Data.Aeson.Types
+import qualified Data.Attoparsec.Text
+import qualified Data.Char
+import qualified Data.Text
+import qualified Data.Text.Lazy
+import qualified Data.Text.Lazy.Builder
+import qualified System.Nix.Base
+import qualified System.Nix.OutputName
+import qualified System.Nix.Realisation
+import qualified System.Nix.Signature
+import qualified System.Nix.StorePath
+
+instance ToJSON StorePathName where
+  toJSON = toJSON . System.Nix.StorePath.unStorePathName
+  toEncoding = toEncoding . System.Nix.StorePath.unStorePathName
+
+instance FromJSON StorePathName where
+  parseJSON =
+    withText "StorePathName"
+    ( either (fail . show) pure
+    . System.Nix.StorePath.mkStorePathName)
+
+instance ToJSON StorePathHashPart where
+  toJSON = toJSON . System.Nix.StorePath.storePathHashPartToText
+  toEncoding = toEncoding . System.Nix.StorePath.storePathHashPartToText
+
+instance FromJSON StorePathHashPart where
+  parseJSON =
+    withText "StorePathHashPart"
+    ( either
+        (fail . show)
+        (pure . System.Nix.StorePath.unsafeMakeStorePathHashPart)
+    . System.Nix.Base.decodeWith NixBase32
+    )
+
+instance ToJSON StorePath where
+  toJSON =
+    toJSON
+    -- TODO: hacky, we need to stop requiring StoreDir for
+    -- StorePath rendering and have a distinct
+    -- types for rooted|unrooted paths
+    . Data.Text.drop 1
+    . System.Nix.StorePath.storePathToText (StoreDir mempty)
+
+  toEncoding =
+    toEncoding
+    . Data.Text.drop 1
+    . System.Nix.StorePath.storePathToText (StoreDir mempty)
+
+instance FromJSON StorePath where
+  parseJSON =
+    withText "StorePath"
+    ( either
+        (fail . show)
+        pure
+    . System.Nix.StorePath.parsePathFromText (StoreDir mempty)
+    . Data.Text.cons '/'
+    )
+
+instance ToJSON (DerivationOutput OutputName) where
+  toJSON =
+    toJSON
+    . Data.Text.Lazy.toStrict
+    . Data.Text.Lazy.Builder.toLazyText
+    . System.Nix.Realisation.derivationOutputBuilder
+        System.Nix.OutputName.unOutputName
+
+  toEncoding =
+    toEncoding
+    . Data.Text.Lazy.toStrict
+    . Data.Text.Lazy.Builder.toLazyText
+    . System.Nix.Realisation.derivationOutputBuilder
+        System.Nix.OutputName.unOutputName
+
+instance ToJSONKey (DerivationOutput OutputName) where
+  toJSONKey =
+    Data.Aeson.Types.toJSONKeyText
+    $ Data.Text.Lazy.toStrict
+    . Data.Text.Lazy.Builder.toLazyText
+    . System.Nix.Realisation.derivationOutputBuilder
+        System.Nix.OutputName.unOutputName
+
+instance FromJSON (DerivationOutput OutputName) where
+  parseJSON =
+    withText "DerivationOutput OutputName"
+    ( either
+        (fail . show)
+        pure
+    . System.Nix.Realisation.derivationOutputParser
+        System.Nix.OutputName.mkOutputName
+    )
+
+instance FromJSONKey (DerivationOutput OutputName) where
+  fromJSONKey =
+    FromJSONKeyTextParser
+    ( either
+        (fail . show)
+        pure
+    . System.Nix.Realisation.derivationOutputParser
+        System.Nix.OutputName.mkOutputName
+    )
+
+instance ToJSON Signature where
+  toJSON = toJSON . System.Nix.Signature.signatureToText
+  toEncoding = toEncoding . System.Nix.Signature.signatureToText
+
+instance FromJSON Signature where
+  parseJSON =
+    withText "Signature"
+    ( either
+        (fail . show)
+        pure
+    . Data.Attoparsec.Text.parseOnly
+        System.Nix.Signature.signatureParser
+    )
+
+data LowerLeading
+instance StringModifier LowerLeading where
+  getStringModifier "" = ""
+  getStringModifier (c:xs) = Data.Char.toLower c : xs
+
+deriving
+  via CustomJSON
+    '[FieldLabelModifier
+       '[ StripPrefix "realisation"
+        , LowerLeading
+        , Rename "dependencies" "dependentRealisations"
+        ]
+     ] Realisation
+  instance ToJSON Realisation
+deriving
+  via CustomJSON
+    '[FieldLabelModifier
+       '[ StripPrefix "realisation"
+        , LowerLeading
+        , Rename "dependencies" "dependentRealisations"
+        ]
+     ] Realisation
+  instance FromJSON Realisation
+
+-- For a keyed version of Realisation
+-- we use RealisationWithId (DerivationOutput OutputName, Realisation)
+-- instead of Realisation.id :: (DerivationOutput OutputName)
+-- field.
+instance ToJSON RealisationWithId where
+  toJSON (RealisationWithId (drvOut, r)) =
+    case toJSON r of
+      Object o -> Object $ Data.Aeson.KeyMap.insert "id" (toJSON drvOut) o
+      _ -> error "absurd"
+
+instance FromJSON RealisationWithId where
+  parseJSON v@(Object o) = do
+    r <- parseJSON @Realisation v
+    drvOut <- o .: "id"
+    pure (RealisationWithId (drvOut, r))
+  parseJSON x = fail $ "Expected Object but got " ++ show x
diff --git a/tests/JSONSpec.hs b/tests/JSONSpec.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/JSONSpec.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
+module JSONSpec where
+
+import Data.Aeson (ToJSON, FromJSON, decode, encode)
+import Data.Default.Class (Default(def))
+import Test.Hspec (Expectation, Spec, describe, it, shouldBe)
+import Test.Hspec.QuickCheck (prop)
+import Test.Hspec.Nix (forceRight, roundtrips)
+
+import System.Nix.Arbitrary ()
+import System.Nix.JSON ()
+import System.Nix.OutputName (OutputName)
+import System.Nix.Realisation (DerivationOutput(..), Realisation(..))
+import System.Nix.Signature (Signature)
+import System.Nix.StorePath (StorePath, StorePathName, StorePathHashPart)
+
+import qualified Data.Map
+import qualified Data.Set
+import qualified System.Nix.Hash
+import qualified System.Nix.OutputName
+import qualified System.Nix.Signature
+import qualified System.Nix.StorePath
+
+roundtripsJSON
+  :: ( Eq a
+     , Show a
+     , ToJSON a
+     , FromJSON a
+     )
+  => a
+  -> Expectation
+roundtripsJSON = roundtrips encode decode
+
+sampleDerivationOutput :: DerivationOutput OutputName
+sampleDerivationOutput = DerivationOutput
+  { derivationOutputHash =
+      forceRight
+      $ System.Nix.Hash.mkNamedDigest
+          "sha256"
+          "1b4sb93wp679q4zx9k1ignby1yna3z7c4c2ri3wphylbc2dwsys0"
+  , derivationOutputOutput =
+      forceRight
+      $ System.Nix.OutputName.mkOutputName "foo"
+  }
+
+sampleRealisation0 :: Realisation
+sampleRealisation0 = Realisation
+  { realisationOutPath =
+      forceRight
+      $ System.Nix.StorePath.parsePath
+          def
+          "/nix/store/cdips4lakfk1qbf1x68fq18wnn3r5r14-builder.sh"
+  , realisationSignatures = mempty
+  , realisationDependencies = mempty
+  }
+
+sampleRealisation1 :: Realisation
+sampleRealisation1 = Realisation
+  { realisationOutPath =
+      forceRight
+      $ System.Nix.StorePath.parsePath
+          def
+          "/nix/store/5rwxzi7pal3qhpsyfc16gzkh939q1np6-curl-7.82.0.drv"
+  , realisationSignatures =
+      Data.Set.fromList
+      $ forceRight
+      . System.Nix.Signature.parseSignature
+      <$> [ "fW3iEMfyx6IZzGNswD54BjclfkXiYzh0xRXddrXfJ1rp1l8p1xTi9/0g2EibbwLFb6p83cwIJv5KtTGksC54CQ=="
+          , "SMjnB3mPgXYjXacU+xN24BdzXlAgGAuFnYwPddU3bhjfHBeQus/OimdIPMgR/JMKFPHXORrk7pbjv68vecTEBA=="
+          ]
+  , realisationDependencies =
+      Data.Map.fromList
+      [ ( sampleDerivationOutput
+        , forceRight
+          $ System.Nix.StorePath.parsePathFromText
+              def
+              "/nix/store/9472ijanf79nlkb5n1yh57s7867p1930-testFixed"
+        )
+      ]
+  }
+
+spec :: Spec
+spec = do
+  describe "JSON" $ do
+    describe "roundtrips" $ do
+      prop "StorePathName" $ roundtripsJSON @StorePathName
+      prop "StorePathHashPart" $ roundtripsJSON @StorePathHashPart
+      prop "StorePath" $ roundtripsJSON @StorePath
+      prop "DerivationOutput OutputName" $ roundtripsJSON @(DerivationOutput OutputName)
+      prop "Signature" $ roundtripsJSON @Signature
+      prop "Realisation" $ roundtripsJSON @Realisation
+
+    describe "ground truth" $ do
+      it "sampleDerivationOutput matches preimage" $
+        encode sampleDerivationOutput `shouldBe` "\"sha256:1b4sb93wp679q4zx9k1ignby1yna3z7c4c2ri3wphylbc2dwsys0!foo\""
+
+      it "sampleRealisation0 matches preimage" $
+        encode sampleRealisation0 `shouldBe` "{\"outPath\":\"cdips4lakfk1qbf1x68fq18wnn3r5r14-builder.sh\",\"signatures\":[],\"dependentRealisations\":{}}"
+
+      it "sampleRealisation1 matches preimage" $
+        encode sampleRealisation1 `shouldBe` "{\"outPath\":\"5rwxzi7pal3qhpsyfc16gzkh939q1np6-curl-7.82.0.drv\",\"signatures\":[\"SMjnB3mPgXYjXacU+xN24BdzXlAgGAuFnYwPddU3bhjfHBeQus/OimdIPMgR/JMKFPHXORrk7pbjv68vecTEBA==\",\"fW3iEMfyx6IZzGNswD54BjclfkXiYzh0xRXddrXfJ1rp1l8p1xTi9/0g2EibbwLFb6p83cwIJv5KtTGksC54CQ==\"],\"dependentRealisations\":{\"sha256:1b4sb93wp679q4zx9k1ignby1yna3z7c4c2ri3wphylbc2dwsys0!foo\":\"9472ijanf79nlkb5n1yh57s7867p1930-testFixed\"}}"
diff --git a/tests/Spec.hs b/tests/Spec.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Spec.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+{-# OPTIONS_GHC -F -pgmF hspec-discover #-}
