diff --git a/commands/command_base.py b/commands/command_base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..569f9a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands/command_base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
+
+
+class AbstractCommand(metaclass=ABCMeta):
+    """
+    This is the base class for commands. In order to load a command a few conditions must be met:
+    1) The class name MUST begin with 'Command' i.e. CommandTTS, CommandBan, etc...
+    2) the class MUST extend AbstractCommand
+
+    Generally, it would be advisable to define the command (something like !so, !tts, !songrequest) as a variable of the
+    class and to then call super().__init__(command)
+    """
+    def __init__(self, command: str):
+        self.command = command
+
+    def honk(self):
+        print("Success! %s" % self.command)
+
+    def get_command(self) -> str:
+        return self.command
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def do_command(self, fulltext):
+        pass
diff --git a/commands/implemented/command_tts.py b/commands/implemented/command_tts.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c172cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands/implemented/command_tts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from abc import ABCMeta
+
+from commands.command_base import AbstractCommand
+
+
+class CommandTTS(AbstractCommand, metaclass=ABCMeta):
+
+    command = "!tts"
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__(CommandTTS.command)
+
+    def do_command(self, fulltext):
+        print(fulltext)
+
diff --git a/commands/loader.py b/commands/loader.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38c3685
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands/loader.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+import importlib
+import importlib.util
+import inspect
+import os
+import sys
+
+from commands.command_base import AbstractCommand
+
+
+def load_commands() -> dict:
+    clear_compiled()
+    commands = compile_and_load()
+    return commands
+
+
+def compile_and_load_file(path: str) -> (str, AbstractCommand):
+    module_name = os.path.split(path)[1].replace(".py", "")
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, path)
+    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    sys.modules[module_name] = module
+    spec.loader.load_module(module_name)
+
+    for name, obj in inspect.getmembers(module):
+        if inspect.isclass(obj) and name.startswith("Command"):
+            command_inst = obj()
+            print("Successfully loaded %s: %s" % (name, command_inst.get_command()))
+            return command_inst.get_command(), command_inst
+    return "", None
+
+
+def compile_and_load() -> dict:
+    dic = {}
+    compiled_path = get_implementations_dir()
+    for dirName, subdirList, fileList in os.walk(compiled_path):
+        for file in fileList:
+            name = os.path.join(dirName, file)
+            print("compiling %s" % name)
+            name, command = compile_and_load_file(name)
+            dic[name] = command
+        break
+    return dic
+
+
+def clear_compiled():
+    compiled_path = get_compiled_dir()
+    for dirName, subdirList, fileList in os.walk(compiled_path):
+        for file in fileList:
+            name = os.path.join(dirName, file)
+            os.remove(name)
+        break
+
+
+def get_base_dir():
+    cwd = os.getcwd()
+    split = os.path.split(cwd)
+    current = split[len(split) - 1]
+    if current == 'commands':
+        return check_dir(cwd)
+    if current == 'Praxis_Bot':
+        return check_dir(os.path.join(current, "commands"))
+    else:
+        print("could not find working directory for Praxis_Bot/commands")
+        raise
+
+
+def script_to_pyc(path: str):
+    split = os.path.split(path)
+    current = split[len(split) - 1]
+    full = os.path.join(get_compiled_dir(), current + 'c')
+    return full
+
+
+def get_implementations_dir():
+    return check_dir(os.path.join(get_base_dir(), "implemented"))
+
+
+def get_compiled_dir():
+    return check_dir(os.path.join(get_base_dir(), "compiled"))
+
+
+def check_dir(path: str):
+    if not os.path.exists(path):
+        os.mkdir(path, 0x777)
+    return path
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    load_commands()