diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index f2ceeb7..e37c3ae 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -405,6 +405,27 @@ dependencies = [
  "subtle",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "dirs"
+version = "5.0.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "44c45a9d03d6676652bcb5e724c7e988de1acad23a711b5217ab9cbecbec2225"
+dependencies = [
+ "dirs-sys",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "dirs-sys"
+version = "0.4.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "520f05a5cbd335fae5a99ff7a6ab8627577660ee5cfd6a94a6a929b52ff0321c"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+ "option-ext",
+ "redox_users",
+ "windows-sys 0.48.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "dotenv"
 version = "0.15.0"
@@ -780,11 +801,13 @@ dependencies = [
  "axum",
  "bus",
  "clap",
+ "dirs",
  "dotenv",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "similar-asserts",
  "sqlx",
+ "tempfile",
  "tokio",
  "tower-http",
  "tracing",
@@ -871,6 +894,16 @@ version = "0.2.8"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "4ec2a862134d2a7d32d7983ddcdd1c4923530833c9f2ea1a44fc5fa473989058"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "libredox"
+version = "0.1.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c0ff37bd590ca25063e35af745c343cb7a0271906fb7b37e4813e8f79f00268d"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.4.2",
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "libsqlite3-sys"
 version = "0.27.0"
@@ -1050,6 +1083,12 @@ version = "1.18.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "dd8b5dd2ae5ed71462c540258bedcb51965123ad7e7ccf4b9a8cafaa4a63576d"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "option-ext"
+version = "0.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "04744f49eae99ab78e0d5c0b603ab218f515ea8cfe5a456d7629ad883a3b6e7d"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "overload"
 version = "0.1.1"
@@ -1074,7 +1113,7 @@ checksum = "93f00c865fe7cabf650081affecd3871070f26767e7b2070a3ffae14c654b447"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "libc",
- "redox_syscall 0.3.5",
+ "redox_syscall",
  "smallvec",
  "windows-targets 0.48.0",
 ]
@@ -1229,12 +1268,14 @@ dependencies = [
 ]
 
 [[package]]
-name = "redox_syscall"
-version = "0.4.1"
+name = "redox_users"
+version = "0.4.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4722d768eff46b75989dd134e5c353f0d6296e5aaa3132e776cbdb56be7731aa"
+checksum = "bd283d9651eeda4b2a83a43c1c91b266c40fd76ecd39a50a8c630ae69dc72891"
 dependencies = [
- "bitflags 1.3.2",
+ "getrandom",
+ "libredox",
+ "thiserror",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1816,13 +1857,12 @@ checksum = "2047c6ded9c721764247e62cd3b03c09ffc529b2ba5b10ec482ae507a4a70160"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "tempfile"
-version = "3.9.0"
+version = "3.10.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "01ce4141aa927a6d1bd34a041795abd0db1cccba5d5f24b009f694bdf3a1f3fa"
+checksum = "85b77fafb263dd9d05cbeac119526425676db3784113aa9295c88498cbf8bff1"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "fastrand",
- "redox_syscall 0.4.1",
  "rustix 0.38.31",
  "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/Cargo.toml b/crates/hyperlog/Cargo.toml
index 991b09d..5a84bc1 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ uuid = { version = "1.7.0", features = ["v4"] }
 tower-http = { version = "0.5.2", features = ["cors", "trace"] }
 serde_json = "1.0.116"
 bus = "2.4.1"
+dirs = "5.0.1"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 similar-asserts = "1.5.0"
+tempfile = "3.10.1"
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/src/commander.rs b/crates/hyperlog/src/commander.rs
index fb1d2de..dc7e599 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog/src/commander.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/src/commander.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
-use std::{collections::BTreeMap, sync::RwLock};
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 
 use serde::Serialize;
 
 use crate::{
-    engine::Engine,
     events::Events,
     log::{GraphItem, ItemState},
+    shared_engine::SharedEngine,
+    storage::Storage,
 };
 
 #[derive(Serialize, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, Clone)]
@@ -31,22 +32,30 @@ pub enum Command {
     },
 }
 
-#[derive(Default)]
 pub struct Commander {
-    engine: RwLock<Engine>,
+    engine: SharedEngine,
+    storage: Storage,
     events: Events,
 }
 
 impl Commander {
+    pub fn new(engine: SharedEngine, storage: Storage, events: Events) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        Ok(Self {
+            engine,
+            storage,
+            events,
+        })
+    }
+
     pub fn execute(&self, cmd: Command) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         tracing::debug!("executing event: {}", serde_json::to_string(&cmd)?);
 
-        match cmd {
+        match cmd.clone() {
             Command::CreateRoot { root } => {
-                self.engine.write().unwrap().create_root(&root)?;
+                self.engine.create_root(&root)?;
             }
             Command::CreateSection { root, path } => {
-                self.engine.write().unwrap().create(
+                self.engine.create(
                     &root,
                     &path.iter().map(|p| p.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
                     GraphItem::Section(BTreeMap::default()),
@@ -58,7 +67,7 @@ impl Commander {
                 title,
                 description,
                 state,
-            } => self.engine.write().unwrap().create(
+            } => self.engine.create(
                 &root,
                 &path.iter().map(|p| p.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
                 GraphItem::Item {
@@ -67,13 +76,17 @@ impl Commander {
                     state,
                 },
             )?,
-            Command::Move { root, src, dest } => self.engine.write().unwrap().section_move(
+            Command::Move { root, src, dest } => self.engine.section_move(
                 &root,
                 &src.iter().map(|p| p.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
                 &dest.iter().map(|p| p.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
             )?,
         }
 
+        self.storage.store(&self.engine)?;
+
+        self.events.enque_command(cmd)?;
+
         Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/src/engine.rs b/crates/hyperlog/src/engine.rs
index 717d6af..9816b49 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog/src/engine.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/src/engine.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::{collections::BTreeMap, fmt::Display};
 
-use anyhow::anyhow;
+use anyhow::{anyhow, Context};
 
 use crate::log::{Graph, GraphItem};
 
@@ -10,6 +10,16 @@ pub struct Engine {
 }
 
 impl Engine {
+    pub fn engine_from_str(input: &str) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        let graph: Graph = serde_json::from_str(input)?;
+
+        Ok(Self { graph })
+    }
+
+    pub fn to_str(&self) -> anyhow::Result<String> {
+        serde_json::to_string_pretty(&self.graph).context("failed to serialize graph")
+    }
+
     pub fn create_root(&mut self, root: &str) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         self.graph
             .try_insert(root.to_string(), GraphItem::User(BTreeMap::default()))
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/src/events.rs b/crates/hyperlog/src/events.rs
index 89cf7fd..8a654e0 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog/src/events.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/src/events.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::sync::Mutex;
+use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 
 use bus::{Bus, BusReader};
 
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ pub enum Event {
     CommandEvent { command: Command },
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Events {
-    bus: Mutex<Bus<Event>>,
+    bus: Arc<Mutex<Bus<Event>>>,
 }
 
 impl Default for Events {
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ impl Default for Events {
         let bus = Bus::new(10);
 
         Self {
-            bus: Mutex::new(bus),
+            bus: Arc::new(Mutex::new(bus)),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/src/main.rs b/crates/hyperlog/src/main.rs
index 16eb2fc..2ba29c2 100644
--- a/crates/hyperlog/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/src/main.rs
@@ -11,9 +11,14 @@ use sqlx::{Pool, Postgres};
 use tower_http::trace::TraceLayer;
 
 pub mod commander;
+pub mod querier;
+
 pub mod engine;
 pub mod events;
 pub mod log;
+pub mod shared_engine;
+pub mod state;
+pub mod storage;
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[command(author, version, about, long_about = None, subcommand_required = true)]
@@ -28,6 +33,29 @@ enum Commands {
         #[arg(env = "SERVICE_HOST", long, default_value = "127.0.0.1:3000")]
         host: SocketAddr,
     },
+
+    CreateRoot {
+        #[arg(long = "root")]
+        root: String,
+    },
+
+    CreateSection {
+        #[arg(long = "root")]
+        root: String,
+
+        #[arg(long = "path")]
+        path: Option<String>,
+    },
+
+    Get {
+        #[arg(long = "root")]
+        root: String,
+
+        #[arg(long = "path")]
+        path: Option<String>,
+    },
+
+    Info {},
 }
 
 #[tokio::main]
@@ -37,37 +65,72 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 
     let cli = Command::parse();
 
-    if let Some(Commands::Serve { host }) = cli.command {
-        tracing::info!("Starting service");
+    let state = state::State::new()?;
 
-        let state = SharedState(Arc::new(State::new().await?));
+    match cli.command {
+        Some(Commands::Serve { host }) => {
+            tracing::info!("Starting service");
 
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/", get(root))
-            .with_state(state.clone())
-            .layer(
-                TraceLayer::new_for_http().make_span_with(|request: &Request<_>| {
-                    // Log the matched route's path (with placeholders not filled in).
-                    // Use request.uri() or OriginalUri if you want the real path.
-                    let matched_path = request
-                        .extensions()
-                        .get::<MatchedPath>()
-                        .map(MatchedPath::as_str);
+            let state = SharedState(Arc::new(State::new().await?));
 
-                    tracing::info_span!(
-                        "http_request",
-                        method = ?request.method(),
-                        matched_path,
-                        some_other_field = tracing::field::Empty,
-                    )
-                }), // ...
+            let app = Router::new()
+                .route("/", get(root))
+                .with_state(state.clone())
+                .layer(
+                    TraceLayer::new_for_http().make_span_with(|request: &Request<_>| {
+                        // Log the matched route's path (with placeholders not filled in).
+                        // Use request.uri() or OriginalUri if you want the real path.
+                        let matched_path = request
+                            .extensions()
+                            .get::<MatchedPath>()
+                            .map(MatchedPath::as_str);
+
+                        tracing::info_span!(
+                            "http_request",
+                            method = ?request.method(),
+                            matched_path,
+                            some_other_field = tracing::field::Empty,
+                        )
+                    }), // ...
+                );
+
+            tracing::info!("listening on {}", host);
+            let listener = tokio::net::TcpListener::bind(host).await.unwrap();
+            axum::serve(listener, app.into_make_service())
+                .await
+                .unwrap();
+        }
+        Some(Commands::CreateRoot { root }) => state
+            .commander
+            .execute(commander::Command::CreateRoot { root })?,
+        Some(Commands::CreateSection { root, path }) => {
+            state.commander.execute(commander::Command::CreateSection {
+                root,
+                path: path
+                    .unwrap_or_default()
+                    .split('.')
+                    .map(|s| s.to_string())
+                    .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
+                    .collect::<Vec<String>>(),
+            })?
+        }
+        Some(Commands::Get { root, path }) => {
+            let res = state.querier.get(
+                &root,
+                path.unwrap_or_default()
+                    .split('.')
+                    .filter(|s| !s.is_empty()),
             );
 
-        tracing::info!("listening on {}", host);
-        let listener = tokio::net::TcpListener::bind(host).await.unwrap();
-        axum::serve(listener, app.into_make_service())
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
+            let output = serde_json::to_string_pretty(&res)?;
+
+            println!("{}", output);
+        }
+        Some(Commands::Info {}) => {
+            println!("graph stored at: {}", state.storage.info()?)
+        }
+
+        None => {}
     }
 
     Ok(())
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/src/querier.rs b/crates/hyperlog/src/querier.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98ca177
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/src/querier.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+use crate::{log::GraphItem, shared_engine::SharedEngine};
+
+pub struct Querier {
+    engine: SharedEngine,
+}
+
+impl Querier {
+    pub fn new(engine: SharedEngine) -> Self {
+        Self { engine }
+    }
+
+    pub fn get(
+        &self,
+        root: &str,
+        path: impl IntoIterator<Item = impl Into<String>>,
+    ) -> Option<GraphItem> {
+        let path = path.into_iter().map(|i| i.into()).collect::<Vec<String>>();
+
+        tracing::debug!("quering: {}, len: ({}))", path.join("."), path.len());
+
+        self.engine
+            .get(root, &path.iter().map(|i| i.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/src/shared_engine.rs b/crates/hyperlog/src/shared_engine.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb53bda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/src/shared_engine.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
+
+use crate::{engine::Engine, log::GraphItem};
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct SharedEngine {
+    inner: Arc<RwLock<Engine>>,
+}
+
+impl From<Engine> for SharedEngine {
+    fn from(value: Engine) -> Self {
+        SharedEngine {
+            inner: Arc::new(RwLock::new(value)),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl SharedEngine {
+    pub fn to_str(&self) -> anyhow::Result<String> {
+        self.inner.read().unwrap().to_str()
+    }
+
+    pub fn create_root(&self, root: &str) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        self.inner.write().unwrap().create_root(root)
+    }
+
+    pub fn create(&self, root: &str, path: &[&str], item: GraphItem) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        self.inner.write().unwrap().create(root, path, item)
+    }
+
+    pub fn get(&self, root: &str, path: &[&str]) -> Option<GraphItem> {
+        self.inner.read().unwrap().get(root, path).cloned()
+    }
+
+    pub fn section_move(
+        &self,
+        root: &str,
+        src_path: &[&str],
+        dest_path: &[&str],
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        self.inner
+            .write()
+            .unwrap()
+            .section_move(root, src_path, dest_path)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/src/state.rs b/crates/hyperlog/src/state.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6dff701
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/src/state.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+use crate::{
+    commander::Commander, events::Events, querier::Querier, shared_engine::SharedEngine,
+    storage::Storage,
+};
+
+pub struct State {
+    engine: SharedEngine,
+    pub storage: Storage,
+    events: Events,
+
+    pub commander: Commander,
+    pub querier: Querier,
+}
+
+impl State {
+    pub fn new() -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        let storage = Storage::new();
+        let engine = storage.load()?;
+        let events = Events::default();
+        let engine = SharedEngine::from(engine);
+
+        Ok(Self {
+            engine: engine.clone(),
+            storage: storage.clone(),
+            events: events.clone(),
+
+            commander: Commander::new(engine.clone(), storage, events)?,
+            querier: Querier::new(engine),
+        })
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/hyperlog/src/storage.rs b/crates/hyperlog/src/storage.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3a2177
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/hyperlog/src/storage.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+use std::{
+    path::{Path, PathBuf},
+    sync::{Arc, Mutex},
+    time::Duration,
+};
+
+use crate::{engine::Engine, shared_engine::SharedEngine};
+
+pub struct LockFile(PathBuf);
+
+impl Drop for LockFile {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        std::fs::remove_file(&self.0).expect("to be able to delete lockfile")
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<PathBuf> for LockFile {
+    fn from(value: PathBuf) -> Self {
+        Self(value)
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct Storage {
+    base: PathBuf,
+    lock_file: Arc<Mutex<Option<LockFile>>>,
+}
+
+impl Default for Storage {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new()
+    }
+}
+
+impl Storage {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        let data_dir = dirs::data_local_dir()
+            .ok_or(anyhow::anyhow!("failed to retrieve the users data dir"))
+            .expect("to be able to find config");
+
+        Self {
+            base: data_dir,
+            lock_file: Arc::new(Mutex::new(None)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_base(&mut self, base: &Path) {
+        self.base = base.to_path_buf();
+    }
+
+    pub fn store(&self, engine: &SharedEngine) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let state_path = self.state()?;
+
+        std::fs::write(state_path, engine.to_str()?)?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn load(&self) -> anyhow::Result<Engine> {
+        let mut lock = self.lock_file.lock().unwrap();
+        if lock.is_none() {
+            let lock_file = self.state_lock_file()?;
+            *lock = Some(lock_file);
+        }
+
+        let engine = match self.state_file()? {
+            Some(contents) => Engine::engine_from_str(&contents)?,
+            None => Engine::default(),
+        };
+
+        Ok(engine)
+    }
+
+    pub fn unload(self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        drop(self);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn state(&self) -> anyhow::Result<PathBuf> {
+        self.cache().map(|c| c.join("graph.json"))
+    }
+
+    fn state_file(&self) -> anyhow::Result<Option<String>> {
+        let state_path = self.state()?;
+
+        if !state_path.exists() {
+            return Ok(None);
+        }
+
+        let contents = std::fs::read_to_string(&state_path)?;
+
+        Ok(Some(contents))
+    }
+
+    fn state_lock(&self) -> anyhow::Result<PathBuf> {
+        self.cache().map(|c| c.join("graph.lock"))
+    }
+
+    fn create_lock_file(&self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let lock_path = self.state_lock()?;
+
+        if let Some(parent) = lock_path.parent() {
+            std::fs::create_dir_all(parent)?;
+        }
+        std::fs::write(lock_path, "hyperlog-lock")?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn state_lock_file(&self) -> anyhow::Result<LockFile> {
+        let lock_path = self.state_lock()?;
+
+        if !lock_path.exists() {
+            self.create_lock_file()?;
+            return Ok(LockFile::from(lock_path));
+        }
+
+        if let Ok(modified) = lock_path.metadata()?.modified() {
+            if modified.elapsed()? > Duration::from_secs(86400) {
+                std::fs::remove_file(&lock_path)?;
+
+                self.create_lock_file()?;
+                return Ok(LockFile::from(lock_path));
+            }
+        }
+
+        anyhow::bail!("lock file exists and is valid. Aborting");
+    }
+
+    fn cache(&self) -> anyhow::Result<PathBuf> {
+        Ok(self.base.join("hyperlog"))
+    }
+
+    pub fn info(&self) -> anyhow::Result<String> {
+        Ok(format!("storage:\n\tgraph: {}", self.state()?.display()))
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+
+    use similar_asserts::assert_eq;
+
+    use crate::log::GraphItem;
+
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn can_create_state() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let tempdir = tempfile::tempdir()?;
+
+        let mut storage = Storage::default();
+        storage.with_base(tempdir.path());
+
+        let engine = SharedEngine::from(storage.load()?);
+        engine.create_root("can_create_state")?;
+
+        storage.store(&engine)?;
+
+        let graph = std::fs::read_to_string(tempdir.path().join("hyperlog").join("graph.json"))?;
+        let lock = std::fs::read_to_string(tempdir.path().join("hyperlog").join("graph.lock"))?;
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            r#"{
+  "can_create_state": {
+    "type": "user"
+  }
+}"#
+            .to_string(),
+            graph
+        );
+        assert_eq!(r#"hyperlog-lock"#.to_string(), lock);
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn lock_already_exists() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let tempdir = tempfile::tempdir()?;
+
+        let mut storage = Storage::default();
+        storage.with_base(tempdir.path());
+
+        let _engine = storage.load()?;
+
+        let mut storage_should_fail = Storage::default();
+        storage_should_fail.with_base(tempdir.path());
+
+        let engine_should_fail = storage_should_fail.load();
+
+        assert!(engine_should_fail.is_err());
+        if let Err(e) = engine_should_fail {
+            assert_eq!(
+                "lock file exists and is valid. Aborting".to_string(),
+                e.to_string()
+            );
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn lock_is_cleaned_up() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let tempdir = tempfile::tempdir()?;
+
+        let mut storage = Storage::default();
+        storage.with_base(tempdir.path());
+
+        let engine = SharedEngine::from(storage.load()?);
+        engine.create_root("can_create_state")?;
+
+        storage.store(&engine)?;
+        storage.unload()?;
+
+        assert!(!tempdir.path().join("hyperlog").join("graph.lock").exists());
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn can_load_state() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let tempdir = tempfile::tempdir()?;
+
+        let mut storage = Storage::default();
+        storage.with_base(tempdir.path());
+
+        let engine = SharedEngine::from(storage.load()?);
+        engine.create_root("can_create_state")?;
+
+        storage.store(&engine)?;
+
+        let graph = std::fs::read_to_string(tempdir.path().join("hyperlog").join("graph.json"))?;
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            r#"{
+  "can_create_state": {
+    "type": "user"
+  }
+}"#
+            .to_string(),
+            graph
+        );
+
+        let engine = storage.load()?;
+
+        let res = engine.get("can_create_state", &[]);
+
+        assert_eq!(Some(GraphItem::User(BTreeMap::default())), res.cloned());
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}