diff --git a/.luacheckrc b/.luacheckrc
index 830ebfd..d9b2fbe 100644
--- a/.luacheckrc
+++ b/.luacheckrc
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ globals = {
     "minetest", "core",
 
     --mod provided
-
+    "controls",
 }
 
 read_globals = {
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index e69de29..8e11cc2 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+controls = {
+    modpath = minetest.get_modpath("controls"),
+    testsmode = minetest.settings:get_bool("controls_enable_tests", false)
+}
+
+--api functions
+function controls.register_on_press(callback)
+
+end
+
+function controls.register_on_hold(callback)
+
+end
+
+function controls.register_on_release(callback)
+
+end
+
+if(controls.testsmode) then
+    dofile(controls.modpath .. "/test.lua")
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/settingtypes.txt b/settingtypes.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..68a05d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/settingtypes.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+controls_enable_tests (enable testing mode for player controls) bool false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test.lua b/test.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d0be2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+controls.register_on_press(function(player, key)
+    minetest.chat_send_all(player:get_player_name() .. " pressed " .. key)
+end)
+
+controls.register_on_hold(function(player, key, length)
+    minetest.chat_send_all(player:get_player_name() .. " held " .. key .. " for " .. length .. " seconds")
+end)
+
+controls.register_on_release(function(player, key, length)
+    minetest.chat_send_all(player:get_player_name() .. " released " .. key .. " after " .. length .. " seconds")
+end)
\ No newline at end of file