diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e9bedfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// For format details, see https://aka.ms/devcontainer.json. For config options, see the
+// README at: https://github.com/devcontainers/templates/tree/main/src/go .
+{
+	"name": "Go",
+	// Or use a Dockerfile or Docker Compose file. More info: https://containers.dev/guide/dockerfile
+	"image": "mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/go:2-1.25-trixie",
+	"customizations": {
+		"vscode": {
+			"extensions": [
+				"golang.go"
+			]
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Features to add to the dev container. More info: https://containers.dev/features.
+	// "features": {},
+
+	// Use 'forwardPorts' to make a list of ports inside the container available locally.
+	// "forwardPorts": [],
+
+	// Use 'postCreateCommand' to run commands after the container is created.
+	// "postCreateCommand": "go version",
+
+	// Configure tool-specific properties.
+	// "customizations": {},
+
+	// Uncomment to connect as root instead. More info: https://aka.ms/dev-containers-non-root.
+	// "remoteUser": "root"
+}
diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f33a02c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# To get started with Dependabot version updates, you'll need to specify which
+# package ecosystems to update and where the package manifests are located.
+# Please see the documentation for more information:
+# https://docs.github.com/github/administering-a-repository/configuration-options-for-dependency-updates
+# https://containers.dev/guide/dependabot
+
+version: 2
+updates:
+ - package-ecosystem: "devcontainers"
+   directory: "/"
+   schedule:
+     interval: weekly
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ac49339..7241516 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,2 +1,328 @@
-# go-tower
+# Tower
 
+Tower is a minimal, composable HTTP web framework for Go built on top of `net/http` and `httprouter`.  
+It provides a small, explicit API for routing, middleware composition, grouping, and structured request/response handling via a custom context.
+
+The framework favors:
+- Small surface area
+- Explicit middleware chaining
+- Typed handler signatures
+- Zero magic abstractions
+- Compatibility with the standard library
+
+---
+
+## Installation
+
+```bash
+go get git.trcreatives.at/TR_Creatives/go-tower
+````
+
+---
+
+## Quick Start
+
+```go
+package main
+
+import (
+	"log"
+
+	"git.trcreatives.at/TR_Creatives/go-tower"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	app := tower.New()
+
+	app.GET("/hello/:name", func(c *tower.Context) error {
+		name := c.Param("name")
+		return c.WriteJSON(200, tower.Map{
+			"message": "Hello " + name,
+		})
+	})
+
+	log.Fatal(app.Start(":8080"))
+}
+```
+
+---
+
+## Core Concepts
+
+### Handler
+
+All route handlers use a unified signature:
+
+```go
+type Handler func(c *Context) error
+```
+
+Returning an error forwards it to the configured error handler.
+
+```go
+app.GET("/ping", func(c *tower.Context) error {
+	return c.WriteString(200, "pong")
+})
+```
+
+---
+
+### Middleware
+
+Middleware wraps handlers and composes into a chain:
+
+```go
+type Middleware func(h Handler) Handler
+```
+
+Example:
+
+```go
+func Logger() tower.Middleware {
+	return func(next tower.Handler) tower.Handler {
+		return func(c *tower.Context) error {
+			err := next(c)
+			log.Printf("%s %s -> %d",
+				c.Request().Method,
+				c.Request().URL.Path,
+				c.Status(),
+			)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+}
+```
+
+Register globally:
+
+```go
+app.Use(Logger())
+```
+
+Or per route:
+
+```go
+app.GET("/secure", handler, AuthMiddleware())
+```
+
+Middleware execution order (outer → inner):
+
+1. Global middleware
+2. Group middleware
+3. Route middleware
+4. Handler
+
+---
+
+## Routing
+
+Tower uses `httprouter`, so parameters are declared with `:name`.
+
+```go
+app.GET("/users/:id", func(c *tower.Context) error {
+	id := c.Param("id")
+	return c.WriteString(200, "User: "+id)
+})
+```
+
+Available helpers:
+
+```go
+app.GET(path, handler, mws...)
+app.POST(path, handler, mws...)
+app.PUT(path, handler, mws...)
+app.PATCH(path, handler, mws...)
+app.DELETE(path, handler, mws...)
+```
+
+Or manually:
+
+```go
+app.Handle("GET", "/custom", handler)
+```
+
+---
+
+## Groups
+
+Groups allow route prefixing and shared middleware.
+
+```go
+api := app.Group("/api")
+
+api.GET("/health", func(c *tower.Context) error {
+	return c.WriteString(200, "ok")
+})
+```
+
+Nested groups:
+
+```go
+v1 := api.Group("/v1")
+v1.GET("/users", listUsers)
+```
+
+Group-level middleware:
+
+```go
+auth := app.Group("/auth", AuthMiddleware())
+auth.GET("/profile", profileHandler)
+```
+
+---
+
+## Static Files
+
+Serve a directory under a URL prefix:
+
+```go
+app.Static("/assets", "./public")
+```
+
+Group variant:
+
+```go
+api.Static("/docs", "./docs")
+```
+
+---
+
+## Context API
+
+`Context` wraps `http.Request` and `http.ResponseWriter` and provides helpers.
+
+### Request Access
+
+```go
+c.Request()         // *http.Request
+c.Param("id")       // path parameter
+c.Query("q")        // query string value
+c.Header("X-Token") // request header
+c.Cookie("session") // cookie
+c.ClientIP()        // best-effort client IP
+```
+
+### Response Helpers
+
+```go
+c.SetStatus(201)
+c.SetHeader("X-App", "tower")
+
+c.WriteString(200, "ok")
+c.WriteJSON(200, data)
+c.WriteXML(200, data)
+c.WriteBytes(200, []byte("raw"), "application/octet-stream")
+c.Redirect(302, "/login")
+```
+
+### Binding Request Bodies
+
+```go
+var payload CreateUserRequest
+if err := c.BindJSON(&payload); err != nil {
+	return err
+}
+```
+
+Also supported:
+
+```go
+c.BindXML(&payload)
+```
+
+### Context Values
+
+```go
+type userKey tower.ContextKey // define your own alias if desired
+
+c.SetValue("userID", "123")
+id := c.Value("userID")
+```
+
+(Values are stored in the underlying `request.Context()`.)
+
+---
+
+## Error Handling
+
+Handlers return errors which are passed to the global error handler.
+
+Set a custom handler:
+
+```go
+app.SetErrorHandler(func(c *tower.Context, err error) error {
+	return c.WriteJSON(500, tower.Map{
+		"error": err.Error(),
+	})
+})
+```
+
+If the error handler itself returns an error, it is logged.
+
+---
+
+## Server Lifecycle
+
+### Start HTTP
+
+```go
+if err := app.Start(":8080"); err != nil {
+	log.Fatal(err)
+}
+```
+
+### Start HTTPS
+
+```go
+log.Fatal(app.StartTLS(":8443", "cert.pem", "key.pem"))
+```
+
+### Graceful Shutdown
+
+```go
+ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+defer cancel()
+
+_ = app.Shutdown(ctx)
+```
+
+---
+
+## Execution Flow
+
+For each incoming request:
+
+1. Route matched via `httprouter`
+2. `Context` constructed
+3. Route middleware applied
+4. Global middleware applied
+5. Handler executed
+6. Returned error passed to `ErrorHandler`
+
+---
+
+## Map Helper
+
+Tower provides a small convenience type:
+
+```go
+type Map map[string]any
+```
+
+Useful for JSON responses:
+
+```go
+return c.WriteJSON(200, tower.Map{
+	"status": "ok",
+})
+```
+
+---
+
+## Design Goals
+
+* Minimal abstraction over `net/http`
+* Deterministic middleware composition
+* No reflection or hidden state
+* Explicit error propagation
+* Fully standard-library compatible
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/context.go b/context.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a7f4583
--- /dev/null
+++ b/context.go
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+package tower
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"encoding/xml"
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter"
+)
+
+type Context struct {
+	request  *http.Request
+	response *responseWriter
+	params   httprouter.Params
+}
+
+type ContextKey string
+
+func (c *Context) Request() *http.Request {
+	return c.request
+}
+
+func (c *Context) Response() http.ResponseWriter {
+	return c.response
+}
+
+func (c *Context) Query(key string) string {
+	return c.request.URL.Query().Get(key)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) Param(key string) string {
+	return c.params.ByName(key)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) Value(key ContextKey) any {
+	return c.request.Context().Value(key)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) SetValue(key ContextKey, value any) {
+	ctx := context.WithValue(c.request.Context(), key, value)
+	c.request = c.request.WithContext(ctx)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) Cookie(key string) (*http.Cookie, error) {
+	return c.request.Cookie(key)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) SetCookie(cookie *http.Cookie) {
+	http.SetCookie(c.response, cookie)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) Header(key string) string {
+	return c.request.Header.Get(key)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) SetHeader(key, value string) {
+	c.response.Header().Set(key, value)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) Status() int {
+	return c.response.Status()
+}
+
+func (c *Context) SetStatus(code int) {
+	c.response.WriteHeader(code)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) ClientIP() string {
+	if ip := c.Header("X-Forwarded-For"); ip != "" {
+		return ip
+	}
+
+	if ip := c.Header("X-Real-IP"); ip != "" {
+		return ip
+	}
+
+	return c.request.RemoteAddr
+}
+
+func (c *Context) Redirect(code int, url string) {
+	http.Redirect(c.response, c.request, url, code)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) WriteBytes(code int, b []byte, contentType string) error {
+	c.SetStatus(code)
+	c.SetHeader("Content-Type", contentType)
+	_, err := c.response.Write(b)
+	return err
+}
+
+func (c *Context) WriteString(code int, v string) error {
+	c.SetStatus(code)
+	c.SetHeader("Content-Type", "text/plain; charset=utf-8")
+	_, err := c.response.Write([]byte(v))
+	return err
+}
+
+func (c *Context) WriteJSON(code int, v any) error {
+	c.SetStatus(code)
+	c.SetHeader("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
+	return json.NewEncoder(c.response).Encode(v)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) WriteXML(code int, v any) error {
+	c.SetStatus(code)
+	c.SetHeader("Content-Type", "application/xml; charset=utf-8")
+	return xml.NewEncoder(c.response).Encode(v)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) BindJSON(v any) error {
+	return json.NewDecoder(c.request.Body).Decode(v)
+}
+
+func (c *Context) BindXML(v any) error {
+	return xml.NewDecoder(c.request.Body).Decode(v)
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e28c55c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module git.trcreatives.at/trcreatives/go-tower
+
+go 1.25.6
+
+require github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter v1.3.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..096c54e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter v1.3.0 h1:U0609e9tgbseu3rBINet9P48AI/D3oJs4dN7jwJOQ1U=
+github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter v1.3.0/go.mod h1:JR6WtHb+2LUe8TCKY3cZOxFyyO8IZAc4RVcycCCAKdM=
diff --git a/group.go b/group.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a89901
--- /dev/null
+++ b/group.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package tower
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+)
+
+type Group struct {
+	prefix           string
+	parent           *Tower
+	groupMiddlewares []Middleware
+}
+
+func (g *Group) Use(groupMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	g.groupMiddlewares = append(g.groupMiddlewares, groupMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (g *Group) Group(prefix string, mws ...Middleware) *Group {
+	child := &Group{
+		parent: g.parent,
+		prefix: g.buildFullPath(prefix),
+	}
+
+	child.groupMiddlewares = make([]Middleware, 0, len(g.groupMiddlewares)+len(mws))
+	child.groupMiddlewares = append(child.groupMiddlewares, g.groupMiddlewares...)
+	child.groupMiddlewares = append(child.groupMiddlewares, mws...)
+
+	return child
+}
+
+func (g *Group) Static(prefix, dir string) {
+	if prefix == "" || prefix[0] != '/' {
+		prefix = "/" + prefix
+	}
+
+	if prefix[len(prefix)-1] == '/' {
+		prefix = prefix[:len(prefix)-1]
+	}
+	prefix += "/*filepath"
+
+	g.parent.router.ServeFiles(g.buildFullPath(prefix), http.Dir(dir))
+}
+
+func (g *Group) GET(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	g.Handle(http.MethodGet, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (g *Group) POST(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	g.Handle(http.MethodPost, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (g *Group) PUT(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	g.Handle(http.MethodPut, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (g *Group) PATCH(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	g.Handle(http.MethodPatch, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (g *Group) DELETE(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	g.Handle(http.MethodDelete, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (g *Group) Handle(method string, path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	fullPath := g.buildFullPath(path)
+
+	mws := make([]Middleware, 0, len(g.groupMiddlewares)+len(routeMiddlewares))
+	mws = append(mws, g.groupMiddlewares...)
+	mws = append(mws, routeMiddlewares...)
+
+	g.parent.Handle(method, fullPath, h, mws...)
+}
+
+func (g *Group) buildFullPath(path string) string {
+	normalizedPrefix := normalizePath(g.prefix)
+	normalizedPath := normalizePath(path)
+
+	if normalizedPrefix == "/" && normalizedPath == "/" {
+		return "/"
+	}
+
+	return normalizePath(g.prefix) + normalizePath(path)
+}
diff --git a/handler.go b/handler.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57b6dc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/handler.go
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package tower
+
+type Handler func(c *Context) error
+
+type ErrorHandler func(c *Context, err error) error
+
+func defaultErrorHandler(c *Context, err error) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/map.go b/map.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..852b654
--- /dev/null
+++ b/map.go
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+package tower
+
+type Map map[string]any
diff --git a/middleware.go b/middleware.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8cede18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/middleware.go
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+package tower
+
+type Middleware func(h Handler) Handler
diff --git a/path.go b/path.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1327665
--- /dev/null
+++ b/path.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package tower
+
+import "strings"
+
+func normalizePath(path string) string {
+	if path == "" {
+		return "/"
+	}
+
+	path = strings.TrimLeft(path, "/")
+	path = strings.TrimRight(path, "/")
+
+	return "/" + path
+}
diff --git a/response_writer.go b/response_writer.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6adc6cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/response_writer.go
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package tower
+
+import "net/http"
+
+type responseWriter struct {
+	http.ResponseWriter
+	status      int
+	wroteHeader bool
+}
+
+func (w *responseWriter) WriteHeader(code int) {
+	if !w.wroteHeader {
+		w.status = code
+		w.wroteHeader = true
+	}
+
+	w.ResponseWriter.WriteHeader(code)
+}
+
+func (w *responseWriter) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
+	if !w.wroteHeader {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}
+
+	return w.ResponseWriter.Write(b)
+}
+
+func (w *responseWriter) Status() int {
+	if w.status == 0 {
+		return http.StatusOK
+	}
+	return w.status
+}
diff --git a/tower.go b/tower.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2358f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tower.go
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+package tower
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"log"
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter"
+)
+
+type Tower struct {
+	router            *httprouter.Router
+	errorHandler      ErrorHandler
+	globalMiddlewares []Middleware
+	server            *http.Server
+}
+
+func New() *Tower {
+	t := &Tower{
+		router:            httprouter.New(),
+		errorHandler:      defaultErrorHandler,
+		globalMiddlewares: []Middleware{},
+	}
+
+	t.server = &http.Server{
+		Handler: t.router,
+	}
+
+	return t
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) Start(listenAddr string) error {
+	t.server.Addr = listenAddr
+	return t.server.ListenAndServe()
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) StartTLS(listenAddr, certFile, keyFile string) error {
+	t.server.Addr = listenAddr
+	return t.server.ListenAndServeTLS(certFile, keyFile)
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) Shutdown(ctx context.Context) error {
+	return t.server.Shutdown(ctx)
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) SetErrorHandler(errorHandler ErrorHandler) {
+	t.errorHandler = errorHandler
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) Use(globalMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	t.globalMiddlewares = append(t.globalMiddlewares, globalMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) Group(prefix string, groupMiddlewares ...Middleware) *Group {
+	return &Group{
+		prefix:           normalizePath(prefix),
+		parent:           t,
+		groupMiddlewares: groupMiddlewares,
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) Static(prefix, dir string) {
+	prefix = normalizePath(prefix)
+	prefix += "/*filepath"
+
+	t.router.ServeFiles(prefix, http.Dir(dir))
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) GET(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	t.Handle(http.MethodGet, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) POST(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	t.Handle(http.MethodPost, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) PUT(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	t.Handle(http.MethodPut, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) PATCH(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	t.Handle(http.MethodPatch, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) DELETE(path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	t.Handle(http.MethodDelete, path, h, routeMiddlewares...)
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) Handle(method string, path string, h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) {
+	t.router.Handle(method, path, t.buildHTTPRouterHandle(h, routeMiddlewares...))
+}
+
+func (t *Tower) buildHTTPRouterHandle(h Handler, routeMiddlewares ...Middleware) httprouter.Handle {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, p httprouter.Params) {
+		ctx := Context{
+			request:  r,
+			response: &responseWriter{ResponseWriter: w},
+			params:   p,
+		}
+
+		wrappedHandler := h
+
+		for i := len(routeMiddlewares) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+			wrappedHandler = routeMiddlewares[i](wrappedHandler)
+		}
+
+		for i := len(t.globalMiddlewares) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+			wrappedHandler = t.globalMiddlewares[i](wrappedHandler)
+		}
+
+		if err := wrappedHandler(&ctx); err != nil {
+			if err := t.errorHandler(&ctx, err); err != nil {
+				log.Printf("[Error] %v", err)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}