diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b8e5b53..8cb2683 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -53,3 +53,4 @@ Mkfile.old
 dkms.conf
 
 bin/
+zig-cache/
diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba5a37e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+const Builder = @import("std").build.Builder;
+
+pub fn build(b: *Builder) void {
+    const mode = b.standardReleaseOptions();
+    const exe = b.addExecutable("journal", null);
+    exe.setBuildMode(mode);
+    exe.linkSystemLibrary("c");
+
+    //exe.addCompileFlags([][]const u8{"-W -O"});
+
+    const source_files = [][]const u8{
+        "src/journal/main.c",
+        "src/journal/journal.c",
+    };
+
+    for (source_files) |source| {
+        exe.addCSourceFile(source, [][]const u8{});
+    }
+
+    // enable us to run the main journal executable via
+    // the build system
+    const run_cmd = exe.run();
+    const run_step = b.step("run", "Run journal");
+    run_step.dependOn(&run_cmd.step);
+
+    b.default_step.dependOn(&exe.step);
+    b.installArtifact(exe);
+}