diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/test.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/test.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bed5ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+name: Run Tests
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+  pull_request:
+      types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: mlugg/setup-zig@v1
+        with:
+          version: 0.13.0
+      - run: zig build test
+  lint:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 3
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: mlugg/setup-zig@v1
+        with:
+          version: 0.13.0
+      - run: zig fmt --check .
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3389c86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+.zig-cache/
+zig-out/
diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6667936
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+
+// Although this function looks imperative, note that its job is to
+// declaratively construct a build graph that will be executed by an external
+// runner.
+pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
+    // Standard target options allows the person running `zig build` to choose
+    // what target to build for. Here we do not override the defaults, which
+    // means any target is allowed, and the default is native. Other options
+    // for restricting supported target set are available.
+    const target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{});
+
+    // Standard optimization options allow the person running `zig build` to select
+    // between Debug, ReleaseSafe, ReleaseFast, and ReleaseSmall. Here we do not
+    // set a preferred release mode, allowing the user to decide how to optimize.
+    const optimize = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{});
+
+    const zlog_module = b.addModule("zlog", .{
+        // In this case the main source file is merely a path, however, in more
+        // complicated build scripts, this could be a generated file.
+        .root_source_file = b.path("src/zlog.zig"),
+        .target = target,
+        .optimize = optimize,
+    });
+
+    const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
+        .name = "zlog",
+        .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
+        .target = target,
+        .optimize = optimize,
+    });
+    exe.root_module.addImport("zlog", zlog_module);
+
+    // This declares intent for the executable to be installed into the
+    // standard location when the user invokes the "install" step (the default
+    // step when running `zig build`).
+    b.installArtifact(exe);
+
+    // This *creates* a Run step in the build graph, to be executed when another
+    // step is evaluated that depends on it. The next line below will establish
+    // such a dependency.
+    const run_cmd = b.addRunArtifact(exe);
+
+    // By making the run step depend on the install step, it will be run from the
+    // installation directory rather than directly from within the cache directory.
+    // This is not necessary, however, if the application depends on other installed
+    // files, this ensures they will be present and in the expected location.
+    run_cmd.step.dependOn(b.getInstallStep());
+
+    // This allows the user to pass arguments to the application in the build
+    // command itself, like this: `zig build run -- arg1 arg2 etc`
+    if (b.args) |args| {
+        run_cmd.addArgs(args);
+    }
+
+    // This creates a build step. It will be visible in the `zig build --help` menu,
+    // and can be selected like this: `zig build run`
+    // This will evaluate the `run` step rather than the default, which is "install".
+    const run_step = b.step("run", "Run the app");
+    run_step.dependOn(&run_cmd.step);
+
+    // Creates a step for unit testing. This only builds the test executable
+    // but does not run it.
+    const lib_unit_tests = b.addTest(.{
+        .root_source_file = b.path("src/zlog.zig"),
+        .target = target,
+        .optimize = optimize,
+    });
+
+    const run_lib_unit_tests = b.addRunArtifact(lib_unit_tests);
+
+    // Similar to creating the run step earlier, this exposes a `test` step to
+    // the `zig build --help` menu, providing a way for the user to request
+    // running the unit tests.
+    const test_step = b.step("test", "Run unit tests");
+    test_step.dependOn(&run_lib_unit_tests.step);
+}
diff --git a/build.zig.zon b/build.zig.zon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47fe730
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.zig.zon
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+.{
+    .name = "zlog",
+    // version name should match the zig version except for the last number,
+    // which stands for the version inside a given zig version
+    .version = "0.13.0",
+    .minimum_zig_version = "0.13.0",
+    .paths = .{
+        "build.zig",
+        "build.zig.zon",
+        "src",
+        "LICENSE",
+    },
+}
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc04de1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const zlog = @import("zlog");
+
+const Options = enum {
+    a,
+    b,
+    c,
+};
+
+const Struct = struct {
+    a: usize = 42,
+    b: bool = true,
+    c: [5]u16 = .{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 },
+    d: []const u8 = "string",
+    e: Options = Options.b,
+
+    // pub fn format(value: Struct, comptime fmt: []const u8, options: std.fmt.FormatOptions, writer: anytype) !void {
+    //     // TODO: make the creation of this function comptime
+    //     try writer.writeAll("main.Struct{ ");
+    //     try writer.writeAll(".a: usize = ");
+    //     try std.fmt.formatIntValue(value.a, fmt, options, writer);
+    //     try writer.writeAll(", ");
+
+    //     try writer.writeAll(".b: bool = ");
+    //     try std.fmt.formatBuf(if (value.b) "true" else "false", options, writer);
+    //     try writer.writeAll(", ");
+
+    //     try writer.writeAll(".c: [5]u16 = ");
+    //     try std.fmt.format(writer, "{any}", .{value.c});
+    //     try writer.writeAll(", ");
+
+    //     try writer.writeAll(".d: []const u8 = ");
+    //     try std.fmt.format(writer, "\"{s}\"", .{value.d});
+    //     try writer.writeAll(", ");
+
+    //     try writer.writeAll(".e: main.Options = ");
+    //     try std.fmt.format(writer, "{any}", .{value.e});
+
+    //     try writer.writeAll(" }");
+    // }
+
+    // TODO: can this become comptime entirely? - i.e. create the entire struct through a helper function and provide the created one with the format function already attached?
+    pub fn format(value: Struct, comptime fmt: []const u8, options: std.fmt.FormatOptions, writer: anytype) anyerror!void {
+        try zlog.generic_format(value, fmt, options, writer);
+    }
+};
+
+pub const std_options = zlog.std_options;
+
+pub fn main() void {
+    // initialize zlog with the scope of `main`
+    const log = std.log.scoped(.main);
+    // NOTE: the scope of `default` will result in no scoping being printed in
+    // the resulting output
+
+    // some variables to log
+    const int_var = 42;
+    const array_var = [_]i32{ 1, 2, 3, 4 };
+    const string_var = "This is a test";
+    const option_var = Options.a;
+    const struct_var: Struct = .{};
+
+    // NOTE: Depending on the optimization target some of these log messages
+    // will not show, which is inline with the behavior of `std.log`.
+    log.debug("Debug message {any}", .{int_var});
+    log.info("Info message {any}", .{array_var});
+    log.info("Info message \"{s}\"", .{string_var});
+    log.warn("Warning message {any}", .{option_var});
+    log.err("Error message {any}", .{struct_var});
+}
diff --git a/src/zlog.zig b/src/zlog.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af15bae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/zlog.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+
+const max_depth = 5;
+
+// pub fn format(value: ?, comptime fmt: []const u8, options: std.fmt.FormatOptions, writer: anytype) !void
+// TODO: provide comptime helper function to add format function for user types:
+// - pretty printing
+// - compact printing
+// - show types of struct members
+// Maybe the corresponding configurations for the `format` function could also
+// be effected by build time configurations
+
+pub const std_options: std.Options = .{
+    .logFn = logFn,
+};
+
+// zlog defaultLog function replacement, which adjusts the surrounding contents of every std.log message.
+fn logFn(
+    comptime message_level: std.log.Level,
+    comptime scope: @Type(.EnumLiteral),
+    comptime format: []const u8,
+    args: anytype,
+) void {
+    // TODO: provide build time configuration to allow tweaking corresponding output
+    // - add timestamp to all log messages
+    // - change output file for writing messages to (default `stderr`)
+
+    // TODO: improve formatting output, such that the resulting log has a good feel
+    // - should there be indenting?
+    // - should there be spacing?
+    // - should the messages be aligned (left, center, right)?
+    const level_txt = comptime message_level.asText();
+    const prefix2 = if (scope == .default) ":\t" else "(" ++ @tagName(scope) ++ "):\t";
+    const stderr = std.io.getStdErr().writer();
+    var bw = std.io.bufferedWriter(stderr);
+    const writer = bw.writer();
+
+    std.debug.lockStdErr();
+    defer std.debug.unlockStdErr();
+    nosuspend {
+        writer.print(level_txt ++ prefix2 ++ format ++ "\n", args) catch return;
+        bw.flush() catch return;
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn generic_format(object: anytype, comptime fmt: []const u8, options: std.fmt.FormatOptions, writer: anytype) !void {
+    _ = fmt;
+    _ = options;
+    const Object = @TypeOf(object);
+    const object_info = @typeInfo(Object);
+    switch (object_info) {
+        .Struct => |s| {
+            try writer.writeAll(@typeName(Object));
+            try writer.writeAll(" = {\n");
+            inline for (s.fields) |field| {
+                try writer.writeAll("\t .");
+                try writer.writeAll(field.name);
+                try writer.writeAll(" = ");
+                // TODO check corresponding type and try to adapt fmt accordingly!
+                try std.fmt.format(writer, "{any}", .{@field(object, field.name)});
+                try writer.writeAll(",\n");
+            }
+            try writer.writeAll("}");
+        },
+        else => {},
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn enhance_format(comptime object: type) type {
+    // TODO: append a function to the type if it is a user defined type
+
+    // NOTE: this has the clear disadvantage that the type is not the same anymore! (but maybe this is still fine)
+    const object_info = @typeInfo(object);
+    switch (object_info) {
+        .Struct => |s| {
+            return @Type(.{
+                .Struct = .{
+                    .layout = .auto,
+                    .fields = s.fields,
+                    .decls = s.decls,
+                    .is_tuple = false,
+                },
+            });
+        },
+        else => {},
+    }
+    return object;
+}