diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..96ef6c0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+/target
+Cargo.lock
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9792a1ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[package]
+name = "libcosmic"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2021"
+
+[dependencies]
+cascade = "1"
+gdk4 = "0.3.1"
+gdk4-x11 = "0.3.0"
+gtk4 = "0.3.1"
+x11 = { version = "2", features = ["xlib"] }
+# examples/launcher
+pop-launcher = "1.0.3"
+serde_json = "1.0.70"
diff --git a/examples/launcher/ipc.rs b/examples/launcher/ipc.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c1ce7576
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/launcher/ipc.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+use pop_launcher::{Request, Response};
+use std::process;
+use std::io::{self, BufRead, Write};
+
+pub struct LauncherIpc {
+    child: process::Child,
+    stdin: process::ChildStdin,
+    stdout: io::BufReader<process::ChildStdout>,
+    exited: bool,
+}
+
+impl LauncherIpc {
+    pub fn new() -> io::Result<Self> {
+        let mut child = process::Command::new("pop-launcher")
+            .stdin(process::Stdio::piped())
+            .stdout(process::Stdio::piped())
+            .spawn()?;
+
+        let stdin = child.stdin.take().ok_or(
+            io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, "failed to find child stdin")
+        )?;
+
+        let stdout = io::BufReader::new(child.stdout.take().ok_or(
+                io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, "failed to find child stdout")
+        )?);
+
+        Ok(Self {
+            child,
+            stdin,
+            stdout,
+            exited: false,
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn send_request(&mut self, request: Request) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let mut request_json = serde_json::to_string(&request).map_err(|err| {
+            io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidInput, err)
+        })?;
+        request_json.push('\n');
+        self.stdin.write_all(request_json.as_bytes())
+    }
+
+    fn recv_response(&mut self) -> io::Result<Response> {
+        let mut response_json = String::new();
+        self.stdout.read_line(&mut response_json)?;
+        serde_json::from_str(&response_json).map_err(|err| {
+            io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, err)
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub fn request(&mut self, request: Request) -> io::Result<Response> {
+        self.send_request(request)?;
+        self.recv_response()
+    }
+
+    //TODO: better exit implementation
+    pub fn exit(&mut self) -> io::Result<Option<process::ExitStatus>> {
+        if ! self.exited {
+            self.send_request(Request::Exit)?;
+            let status = self.child.wait()?;
+            self.exited = true;
+            Ok(Some(status))
+        } else {
+            Ok(None)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for LauncherIpc {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        match self.exit() {
+            Ok(_) => (),
+            Err(err) => eprintln!("LauncherIpc::drop failed: {}", err),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/examples/launcher/main.rs b/examples/launcher/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..08de7d30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/launcher/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+use gdk4 as gdk;
+use gtk4 as gtk;
+
+use gdk::prelude::*;
+use gtk::prelude::*;
+use libcosmic::x;
+use std::{
+    cell::RefCell,
+    rc::Rc,
+};
+
+use self::ipc::LauncherIpc;
+mod ipc;
+
+fn main() {
+    let launcher = Rc::new(RefCell::new(
+        LauncherIpc::new().expect("failed to connect to launcher service")
+    ));
+
+    let app = gtk::Application::builder()
+        .application_id("com.system76.Launcher")
+        .build();
+
+    app.connect_activate(move |app| {
+        let display = gdk::Display::default().unwrap();
+        let monitors = display.monitors().unwrap();
+
+        for i in 0..monitors.n_items() {
+            let monitor: gdk::Monitor = monitors.item(i).unwrap().downcast().unwrap();
+            let rect = monitor.geometry();
+            //TODO: get monitor with mouse cursor
+            if i == 0 {
+                let window = gtk::ApplicationWindow::builder()
+                    .application(app)
+                    .default_width(480)
+                    .default_height(440)
+                    .title("Launcher")
+                    .build();
+
+                let vbox = gtk::Box::new(gtk::Orientation::Vertical, 4);
+                window.set_child(Some(&vbox));
+
+                let search = gtk::Entry::new();
+                vbox.append(&search);
+
+                {
+                    let launcher = launcher.clone();
+                    search.connect_changed(move |search| {
+                        let response = launcher.borrow_mut().request(
+                            pop_launcher::Request::Search(search.text().to_string())
+                        ).expect("failed to access launcher service");
+
+                        println!("{:?}", response);
+                    });
+                }
+
+                window.show();
+
+                if let Some((display, surface)) = x::get_window_x11(&window) {
+                    unsafe {
+                        x::change_property(
+                            &display,
+                            &surface,
+                            "_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE",
+                            x::PropMode::Replace,
+                            &[x::Atom::new(&display, "_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DIALOG").unwrap()],
+                        );
+                        x::set_position(
+                            &display,
+                            &surface,
+                            rect.x + (rect.width - 480) / 2,
+                            rect.y + (rect.height - 440) / 2
+                        );
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    println!("Failed to get X11 window");
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    });
+
+    app.run();
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7a788f24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pub mod x;
diff --git a/src/x.rs b/src/x.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f535c5ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/x.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+use cascade::cascade;
+use gdk4::prelude::*;
+use gdk4_x11::x11::xlib;
+use glib::translate::ToGlibPtr;
+use gtk4::{glib, prelude::*};
+use std::{
+    ffi::{CString, NulError},
+    os::raw::c_long,
+    ptr,
+};
+
+pub use std::os::raw::{c_int, c_uchar, c_ulong, c_ushort};
+
+pub fn get_window_x11<T: IsA<gtk4::Window>>(
+    window: &T,
+) -> Option<(gdk4_x11::X11Display, gdk4_x11::X11Surface)> {
+    let surface = window
+        .upcast_ref()
+        .surface()?
+        .downcast::<gdk4_x11::X11Surface>()
+        .ok()?;
+    let display = surface.display()?.downcast::<gdk4_x11::X11Display>().ok()?;
+    Some((display, surface))
+}
+
+#[repr(transparent)]
+pub struct Atom(xlib::Atom);
+
+impl Atom {
+    pub fn new(display: &gdk4_x11::X11Display, prop: &str) -> Result<Self, NulError> {
+        unsafe {
+            let prop = CString::new(prop)?;
+            Ok(Self(gdk4_x11::ffi::gdk_x11_get_xatom_by_name_for_display(
+                display.to_glib_none().0,
+                prop.as_ptr(),
+            )))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub unsafe trait XElement {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom;
+    const SIZE: c_int;
+}
+
+unsafe impl XElement for c_uchar {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom = xlib::XA_CARDINAL;
+    const SIZE: c_int = 8;
+}
+
+unsafe impl XElement for c_ushort {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom = xlib::XA_CARDINAL;
+    const SIZE: c_int = 16;
+}
+
+unsafe impl XElement for c_ulong {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom = xlib::XA_CARDINAL;
+    const SIZE: c_int = 32;
+}
+
+unsafe impl XElement for Atom {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom = xlib::XA_ATOM;
+    const SIZE: c_int = 32;
+}
+
+pub unsafe trait XProp {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom;
+    const SIZE: c_int;
+
+    fn ptr(&self) -> *const u8;
+
+    fn nelements(&self) -> c_int;
+}
+
+unsafe impl<T: XElement, const LEN: usize> XProp for &[T; LEN] {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom = T::TYPE;
+    const SIZE: c_int = T::SIZE;
+
+    fn ptr(&self) -> *const u8 {
+        self.as_ptr() as _
+    }
+
+    fn nelements(&self) -> c_int {
+        LEN as c_int
+    }
+}
+
+unsafe impl<T: XElement> XProp for &[T] {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom = T::TYPE;
+    const SIZE: c_int = T::SIZE;
+
+    fn ptr(&self) -> *const u8 {
+        self.as_ptr() as _
+    }
+
+    fn nelements(&self) -> c_int {
+        self.len() as c_int
+    }
+}
+
+unsafe impl XProp for &str {
+    const TYPE: xlib::Atom = xlib::XA_STRING;
+    const SIZE: c_int = 8;
+
+    fn ptr(&self) -> *const u8 {
+        self.as_ptr()
+    }
+
+    fn nelements(&self) -> c_int {
+        self.len() as c_int
+    }
+}
+
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+pub enum PropMode {
+    Replace,
+    Prepend,
+    Append,
+}
+
+pub unsafe fn change_property<T: XProp>(
+    display: &gdk4_x11::X11Display,
+    surface: &gdk4_x11::X11Surface,
+    prop: &str,
+    mode: PropMode,
+    value: T,
+) {
+    // TODO check error return value
+    let mode = match mode {
+        PropMode::Replace => xlib::PropModeReplace,
+        PropMode::Prepend => xlib::PropModePrepend,
+        PropMode::Append => xlib::PropModeAppend,
+    };
+    xlib::XChangeProperty(
+        display.xdisplay(),
+        surface.xid(),
+        Atom::new(display, prop).unwrap().0,
+        T::TYPE,
+        T::SIZE,
+        mode,
+        value.ptr(),
+        value.nelements(),
+    );
+}
+
+pub unsafe fn set_position(
+    display: &gdk4_x11::X11Display,
+    surface: &gdk4_x11::X11Surface,
+    x: c_int,
+    y: c_int,
+) {
+    // XXX check error return value
+    xlib::XMoveWindow(display.xdisplay(), surface.xid(), x, y);
+}
+
+pub unsafe fn wm_state_add(
+    display: &gdk4_x11::X11Display,
+    surface: &gdk4_x11::X11Surface,
+    state: &str,
+) {
+    const _NET_WM_STATE_ADD: c_long = 1;
+    // XXX check error return value
+    let mut event = xlib::XEvent {
+        client_message: xlib::XClientMessageEvent {
+            type_: xlib::ClientMessage,
+            serial: 0,
+            send_event: 0,
+            display: ptr::null_mut(),
+            window: surface.xid(),
+            message_type: Atom::new(display, "_NET_WM_STATE").unwrap().0,
+            format: 32,
+            data: cascade! {
+                xlib::ClientMessageData::new();
+                ..set_long(0, _NET_WM_STATE_ADD);
+                ..set_long(1, Atom::new(display, state).unwrap().0 as _);
+                ..set_long(2, Atom::new(display, "").unwrap().0 as _);
+                ..set_long(3, 1);
+                ..set_long(3, 0);
+            },
+        },
+    };
+    xlib::XSendEvent(
+        display.xdisplay(),
+        display.xrootwindow(),
+        0,
+        xlib::SubstructureRedirectMask | xlib::SubstructureNotifyMask,
+        &mut event,
+    );
+}