diff --git a/src/display_buffer.hh b/src/display_buffer.hh
index 869ef7a6..5a5f1558 100644
--- a/src/display_buffer.hh
+++ b/src/display_buffer.hh
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ public:
     using const_iterator = AtomList::const_iterator;
 
     explicit DisplayLine(LineCount buffer_line) : m_buffer_line(buffer_line) {}
+    DisplayLine(LineCount buffer_line, AtomList atoms)
+        : m_buffer_line(buffer_line), m_atoms(std::move(atoms)) {}
 
     LineCount buffer_line() const { return m_buffer_line; }
 
@@ -138,6 +140,8 @@ public:
     const_iterator begin() const { return m_atoms.begin(); }
     const_iterator end() const { return m_atoms.end(); }
 
+    const AtomList& atoms() const { return m_atoms; }
+
     // Split atom pointed by it at pos, returns an iterator to the first atom
     iterator split(iterator it, BufferIterator pos);
 
diff --git a/src/remote.cc b/src/remote.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4dadeeba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/remote.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,230 @@
+#include "remote.hh"
+
+#include "display_buffer.hh"
+
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+
+namespace Kakoune
+{
+
+enum class RemoteUIMsg
+{
+    PrintStatus,
+    MenuShow,
+    MenuSelect,
+    MenuHide,
+    Draw
+};
+
+class Message
+{
+public:
+    Message(int sock) : m_socket(sock) {}
+    ~Message() { ::write(m_socket, m_stream.data(), m_stream.size()); }
+
+    void write(const char* val, size_t size)
+    {
+        m_stream.insert(m_stream.end(), val, val + size);
+    }
+
+private:
+    std::vector<char> m_stream;
+    int m_socket;
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+void write(Message& msg, const T& val)
+{
+    msg.write((const char*)&val, sizeof(val));
+};
+
+void write(Message& msg, const String& str)
+{
+    write(msg, str.length());
+    msg.write(str.c_str(), (int)str.length());
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+void write(Message& msg, const memoryview<T>& view)
+{
+    write<uint32_t>(msg, view.size());
+    for (auto& val : view)
+        write(msg, val);
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+void write(Message& msg, const std::vector<T>& vec)
+{
+    write(msg, memoryview<T>(vec));
+}
+
+void write(Message& msg, const DisplayAtom& atom)
+{
+    write(msg, atom.fg_color);
+    write(msg, atom.bg_color);
+    write(msg, atom.attribute);
+    write(msg, atom.content.content());
+}
+
+void write(Message& msg, const DisplayLine& line)
+{
+    write(msg, line.atoms());
+}
+
+void write(Message& msg, const DisplayBuffer& display_buffer)
+{
+    write(msg, display_buffer.lines());
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+T read(int socket)
+{
+    char value[sizeof(T)];
+    auto res = ::read(socket, value, sizeof(T));
+    assert(res == sizeof(T));
+    return *(T*)(value);
+};
+
+template<>
+String read<String>(int socket)
+{
+    ByteCount length = read<ByteCount>(socket);
+    char buffer[2048];
+    assert(length < 2048);
+    auto res = ::read(socket, buffer, (int)length);
+    assert(res == (int)length);
+    return String(buffer, buffer+(int)length);
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+std::vector<T> read_vector(int socket)
+{
+    uint32_t size = read<uint32_t>(socket);
+    std::vector<T> res;
+    res.reserve(size);
+    while (size--)
+        res.push_back(read<T>(socket));
+    return res;
+};
+
+template<>
+DisplayAtom read<DisplayAtom>(int socket)
+{
+    Color fg_color = read<Color>(socket);
+    Color bg_color = read<Color>(socket);
+    Attribute attribute = read<Attribute>(socket);
+    DisplayAtom atom(AtomContent(read<String>(socket)));
+    atom.fg_color = fg_color;
+    atom.bg_color = bg_color;
+    atom.attribute = attribute;
+    return atom;
+}
+template<>
+DisplayLine read<DisplayLine>(int socket)
+{
+    return DisplayLine(0, read_vector<DisplayAtom>(socket));
+}
+
+template<>
+DisplayBuffer read<DisplayBuffer>(int socket)
+{
+    DisplayBuffer db;
+    db.lines() = read_vector<DisplayLine>(socket);
+    return db;
+}
+
+void RemoteUI::print_status(const String& status, CharCount cursor_pos)
+{
+    Message msg(m_socket);
+    write(msg, RemoteUIMsg::PrintStatus);
+    write(msg, status);
+    write(msg, cursor_pos);
+}
+
+void RemoteUI::menu_show(const memoryview<String>& choices,
+                         const DisplayCoord& anchor, MenuStyle style)
+{
+    Message msg(m_socket);
+    write(msg, RemoteUIMsg::MenuShow);
+    write(msg, choices);
+    write(msg, anchor);
+    write(msg, style);
+}
+
+void RemoteUI::menu_select(int selected)
+{
+    Message msg(m_socket);
+    write(msg, RemoteUIMsg::MenuSelect);
+    write(msg, selected);
+}
+
+void RemoteUI::menu_hide()
+{
+    Message msg(m_socket);
+    write(msg, RemoteUIMsg::MenuHide);
+}
+
+void RemoteUI::draw(const DisplayBuffer& display_buffer,
+                    const String& status_line)
+{
+    Message msg(m_socket);
+    write(msg, RemoteUIMsg::Draw);
+    write(msg, display_buffer);
+    write(msg, status_line);
+}
+
+Key RemoteUI::get_key()
+{
+    Key key = read<Key>(m_socket);
+    return key;
+}
+
+DisplayCoord RemoteUI::dimensions()
+{
+    return m_dimensions;
+}
+
+void RemoteClient::process_next_message()
+{
+    RemoteUIMsg msg = read<RemoteUIMsg>(m_socket);
+    switch (msg)
+    {
+    case RemoteUIMsg::PrintStatus:
+    {
+         auto status = read<String>(m_socket);
+         auto cursor_pos = read<CharCount>(m_socket);
+         m_ui->print_status(status, cursor_pos);
+         break;
+    }
+    case RemoteUIMsg::MenuShow:
+    {
+         auto choices = read_vector<String>(m_socket);
+         auto anchor = read<DisplayCoord>(m_socket);
+         auto style = read<MenuStyle>(m_socket);
+         m_ui->menu_show(choices, anchor, style);
+         break;
+    }
+    case RemoteUIMsg::MenuSelect:
+         m_ui->menu_select(read<int>(m_socket));
+         break;
+    case RemoteUIMsg::MenuHide:
+         m_ui->menu_hide();
+         break;
+    case RemoteUIMsg::Draw:
+    {
+         DisplayBuffer display_buffer = read<DisplayBuffer>(m_socket);
+         String status_line = read<String>(m_socket);
+         m_ui->draw(display_buffer, status_line);
+         break;
+    }
+    }
+}
+
+void RemoteClient::write_next_key()
+{
+    Message msg(m_socket);
+    write(msg, m_ui->get_key());
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/src/remote.hh b/src/remote.hh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0717e7ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/remote.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#ifndef remote_hh_INCLUDED
+#define remote_hh_INCLUDED
+
+#include "user_interface.hh"
+#include "display_buffer.hh"
+
+namespace Kakoune
+{
+
+class RemoteUI : public UserInterface
+{
+public:
+    RemoteUI(int socket) : m_socket(socket) {}
+
+    void print_status(const String& status, CharCount cursor_pos) override;
+    void menu_show(const memoryview<String>& choices,
+                   const DisplayCoord& anchor, MenuStyle style) override;
+    void menu_select(int selected) override;
+    void menu_hide() override;
+    void draw(const DisplayBuffer& display_buffer,
+              const String& status_line) override;
+    Key  get_key() override;
+    DisplayCoord dimensions() override;
+    void set_dimensions(const DisplayCoord dim) { m_dimensions = dim; }
+
+private:
+    int          m_socket;
+    DisplayCoord m_dimensions;
+};
+
+class RemoteClient
+{
+public:
+    RemoteClient(int socket, UserInterface* ui) : m_ui(ui), m_socket(socket) {}
+
+    void process_next_message();
+    void write_next_key();
+
+private:
+    int                            m_socket;
+    std::unique_ptr<UserInterface> m_ui;
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif // remote_hh_INCLUDED
+