diff --git a/kernel/base/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/BeakerXClient.java b/kernel/base/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/BeakerXClient.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9a94dbda6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel/base/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/BeakerXClient.java
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/*
+ *  Copyright 2018 TWO SIGMA OPEN SOURCE, LLC
+ *
+ *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ */
+package com.twosigma.beakerx;
+
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.concurrent.SynchronousQueue;
+
+public interface BeakerXClient {
+
+  void showProgressUpdate(String message, int progress);
+
+  void delBeaker();
+
+  String update(String name, Object value);
+
+  Object set(String name, Object value);
+
+  Object get(final String name);
+
+  SynchronousQueue<Object> getMessageQueue(String channel);
+
+  List<CodeCell> getCodeCells(String tagFilter);
+
+  void runByTag(String tag);
+
+  String getContext();
+}