diff --git a/sixtyfps_compiler/generator.rs b/sixtyfps_compiler/generator.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8a7666439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sixtyfps_compiler/generator.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+mod cpp;
+
+pub fn generate(component: &crate::lower::LoweredComponent) {
+    println!("{}", cpp::generate(component));
+}
diff --git a/sixtyfps_compiler/generator/cpp.rs b/sixtyfps_compiler/generator/cpp.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..17bee7406
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sixtyfps_compiler/generator/cpp.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+mod cpp_ast {
+
+    use std::fmt::{Display, Error, Formatter};
+
+    #[derive(Default, Debug)]
+    pub struct File {
+        pub includes: Vec<String>,
+        pub declarations: Vec<Declaration>,
+    }
+
+    impl Display for File {
+        fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result<(), Error> {
+            for i in &self.includes {
+                writeln!(f, "#include {}", i)?;
+            }
+            for d in &self.declarations {
+                write!(f, "\n{}", d)?;
+            }
+            Ok(())
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Debug, derive_more::Display)]
+    pub enum Declaration {
+        Struct(Struct),
+        Function(Function),
+        Var(Var),
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Default, Debug)]
+    pub struct Struct {
+        pub name: String,
+        pub members: Vec<Declaration>,
+    }
+
+    impl Display for Struct {
+        fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result<(), Error> {
+            writeln!(f, "struct {} {{", self.name)?;
+            for m in &self.members {
+                // FIXME! identation
+                write!(f, "{}", m)?;
+            }
+            writeln!(f, "}};")
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Default, Debug)]
+    pub struct Function {
+        pub name: String,
+        /// (...) -> ...
+        pub signature: String,
+        pub is_constructor: bool,
+        pub statements: Vec<String>,
+    }
+
+    impl Display for Function {
+        fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result<(), Error> {
+            if !self.is_constructor {
+                write!(f, "auto ")?;
+            }
+            writeln!(f, "{} {} {{", self.name, self.signature)?;
+            for s in &self.statements {
+                writeln!(f, "    {}", s)?;
+            }
+            writeln!(f, "}}")
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Default, Debug)]
+    pub struct Var {
+        pub ty: String,
+        pub name: String,
+        pub init: Option<String>,
+    }
+
+    impl Display for Var {
+        fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result<(), Error> {
+            write!(f, "{} {}", self.ty, self.name)?;
+            if let Some(i) = &self.init {
+                write!(f, " = {}", i)?;
+            }
+            writeln!(f, ";")
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn generate(component: &crate::lower::LoweredComponent) -> impl std::fmt::Display {
+    use cpp_ast::*;
+    let mut x = File::default();
+
+    x.includes.push("<sixtyfps.h>".into());
+
+    x.declarations.push(Declaration::Struct(Struct {
+        name: component.id.clone(),
+        members: vec![
+            Declaration::Var(Var {
+                ty: component.root_item.native_type.class_name.clone(),
+                name: "root".to_owned(),
+                ..Default::default()
+            }),
+            Declaration::Function(Function {
+                name: component.id.clone(),
+                signature: "()".to_owned(),
+                is_constructor: true,
+                statements: component
+                    .root_item
+                    .init_properties
+                    .iter()
+                    .map(|(s, i)| format!("root.{} = \"{}\";", s, i))
+                    .collect(),
+            }),
+        ],
+    }));
+
+    x.declarations.push(Declaration::Var(Var {
+        ty: "sixtyfps::ItemTreeNode".to_owned(),
+        name: format!("{}_children[]", component.id),
+        init: Some(format!(
+            "{{ sixtyfps::ItemTreeNode{{0, &{}, 0, 0}} }}",
+            component.root_item.native_type.vtable
+        )),
+    }));
+
+    x.declarations.push(Declaration::Function(Function {
+        name: "main".into(),
+        signature: "() -> int".to_owned(),
+        is_constructor: false,
+        statements: vec![
+            format!("{} component;", component.id),
+            format!("sixtyfps::run(&component, ComponentType{{ nullptr, nullptr, []{{return &{}_array }}  }});", component.id),
+        ],
+    }));
+    x
+}
diff --git a/sixtyfps_compiler/lib.rs b/sixtyfps_compiler/lib.rs
index 15507ed97..c8d3bb419 100644
--- a/sixtyfps_compiler/lib.rs
+++ b/sixtyfps_compiler/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 pub mod diagnostics;
+pub mod generator;
+pub mod lower;
 pub mod object_tree;
 pub mod parser;
 
diff --git a/sixtyfps_compiler/lower.rs b/sixtyfps_compiler/lower.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4e2328009
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sixtyfps_compiler/lower.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+//! This module contains the code that lower the tree to the datastructure that that the runtime understand
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::rc::Rc;
+
+#[derive(Default, Debug)]
+pub struct NativeItemType {
+    /*render_function: String,
+    geometry_function: String,
+    imput_function: String,*/
+    /// The C symbol of the VTable
+    pub vtable: String,
+
+    /// The class name
+    pub class_name: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Default, Debug)]
+pub struct LoweredItem {
+    pub native_type: Rc<NativeItemType>,
+    pub init_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
+    pub children: Vec<LoweredItem>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Default, Debug)]
+pub struct LoweredComponent {
+    pub id: String,
+    pub root_item: LoweredItem,
+}
+
+impl LoweredComponent {
+    pub fn lower(component: &crate::object_tree::Component) -> Self {
+        LoweredComponent {
+            id: component.id.clone(),
+            root_item: LoweredComponent::lower_item(&*component.root_element),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn lower_item(element: &crate::object_tree::Element) -> LoweredItem {
+        // FIXME: lookup base instead of assuming
+        let native_type = Rc::new(NativeItemType {
+            vtable: format!("{}VTable", element.base),
+            class_name: element.base.clone(),
+        });
+        LoweredItem {
+            native_type,
+            init_properties: element
+                .bindings
+                .iter()
+                .map(|(s, c)| (s.clone(), c.value.clone()))
+                .collect(),
+            children: vec![],
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/sixtyfps_compiler/main.rs b/sixtyfps_compiler/main.rs
index 240f22fca..f50504a21 100644
--- a/sixtyfps_compiler/main.rs
+++ b/sixtyfps_compiler/main.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 use structopt::StructOpt;
 
 mod diagnostics;
+mod generator;
+mod lower;
 mod object_tree;
 mod parser;
 
@@ -14,9 +16,10 @@ struct Cli {
 fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
     let args = Cli::from_args();
     let source = std::fs::read_to_string(&args.path)?;
-    let (res, mut diag) = parser::parse(&source);
-    println!("{:#?}", res);
-    println!("{:#?}", object_tree::Document::from_node(res, &mut diag));
+    let (syntax_node, mut diag) = parser::parse(&source);
+    //println!("{:#?}", syntax_node);
+    let tree = object_tree::Document::from_node(syntax_node, &mut diag);
+    //println!("{:#?}", tree);
     if !diag.inner.is_empty() {
         let mut codemap = codemap::CodeMap::new();
         let file = codemap.add_file(args.path.to_string_lossy().into_owned(), source);
@@ -45,6 +48,10 @@ fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
             Some(&codemap),
         );
         emitter.emit(&diags);
+        std::process::exit(-1);
     }
+
+    let l = lower::LoweredComponent::lower(&*tree.root_component);
+    generator::generate(&l);
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/sixtyfps_compiler/object_tree.rs b/sixtyfps_compiler/object_tree.rs
index a5a7f04a8..996a78c38 100644
--- a/sixtyfps_compiler/object_tree.rs
+++ b/sixtyfps_compiler/object_tree.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use std::rc::Rc;
 #[derive(Default, Debug)]
 pub struct Document {
     //     node: SyntaxNode,
-    root_component: Rc<Component>,
+    pub root_component: Rc<Component>,
 }
 
 impl Document {
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ impl Document {
 #[derive(Default, Debug)]
 pub struct Component {
     //     node: SyntaxNode,
-    id: String,
-    root_element: Rc<Element>,
+    pub id: String,
+    pub root_element: Rc<Element>,
 }
 
 impl Component {
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ impl Component {
 #[derive(Default, Debug)]
 pub struct Element {
     //     node: SyntaxNode,
-    base: String,
-    bindings: HashMap<String, CodeStatement>,
+    pub base: String,
+    pub bindings: HashMap<String, CodeStatement>,
 }
 
 impl Element {
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ impl Element {
 #[derive(Default, Debug)]
 pub struct CodeStatement {
     //     node: SyntaxNode,
-    value: String,
+    pub value: String,
 }
 
 impl CodeStatement {
diff --git a/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/datastructures.rs b/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/datastructures.rs
index b1d058ae3..f47b24d56 100644
--- a/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/datastructures.rs
+++ b/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/datastructures.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 type ComponentImpl = ();
 
 #[repr(C)]
-struct ComponentType {
+pub struct ComponentType {
     /// Allocate an instance of this component
     create: fn(*const ComponentType) -> *mut ComponentImpl,
 
@@ -25,15 +25,15 @@ type ItemImpl = ();
 // 64    | RenderNode | render node index
 
 #[repr(C)]
-struct RenderNode {
+pub struct RenderNode {
     /// Used and modified by the backend, should be initialized to 0 by the user code
-    cache_index: Cell<usize>,
+    cache_index: core::cell::Cell<usize>,
     /// Set to true by the user code, and reset to false by the backend
-    dirty_bit: Cell<bool>,
+    dirty_bit: core::cell::Cell<bool>,
 }
 
 #[repr(C)]
-struct ItemTreeNode {
+pub struct ItemTreeNode {
     /// byte offset where we can find the item (from the *ComponentImpl)
     offset: isize,
     /// virtual table of the item
@@ -47,23 +47,23 @@ struct ItemTreeNode {
 }
 
 #[repr(C)]
-struct ItemVTable {
-
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub struct ItemVTable {
     // Rectangle: x/y/width/height ==> (path -> vertices/indicies(triangle))
-    geometry: fn(*const ItemImpl) -> PrimitiveRectangle, // like kurbo::Rect
+    pub geometry: Option<fn(*const ItemImpl) -> ()>, // like kurbo::Rect
 
     // offset in bytes fromthe *const ItemImpl
-    renderNodeIndexOffset: usize,
+    pub render_node_index_offset: Option<usize>,
     // fn(*const ItemImpl) -> usize,
 
     // ???
-    rendering_info: Option<fn(*const ItemImpl) -> RenderingInfo>,
+    pub rendering_info: Option<fn(*const ItemImpl) -> RenderingInfo>,
 
     /// We would need max/min/preferred size, and all layout info
-    layouting_info: Option<fn(*const ItemImpl) -> LayoutInfo>,
+    pub layouting_info: Option<fn(*const ItemImpl) -> LayoutInfo>,
 
     /// input event
-    input_event: Option<fn(*const ItemImpl, MouseEvent)>,
+    pub input_event: Option<fn(*const ItemImpl, MouseEvent)>,
 }
 
 // given an ItemImpl & ItemVTable
@@ -71,20 +71,22 @@ struct ItemVTable {
 // (2) change the width
 
 #[repr(C)]
-struct LayoutInfo {
+pub struct LayoutInfo {
     min_size: f32,
     //...
     width_offset: isize,
 }
 
 #[repr(C)]
-enum RenderingInfo {
+pub enum RenderingInfo {
     NoContents,
-    Path(Vec<PathElement>),
+    /*Path(Vec<PathElement>),
     Image(OpaqueImageHandle, AspectRatio),
-    Text(String)
+    Text(String)*/
 }
 
+type MouseEvent = ();
+/*
 
 /*
 Button { visible: false; text: "foo"}
@@ -177,7 +179,7 @@ pub static RECTANGLE_VTABLE: ItemVTable = ItemVTable {
 //#[derive(SixtyFpsItem)]
 struct QtButton {
     text: String,
-    is_pressed: bool, 
+    is_pressed: bool,
 }
 
 
@@ -210,4 +212,5 @@ main() {
 sixtyfps_runtime::run(&foo, ComponentType{ nullptr, nullptr, []{return array}  })
 }
 
-"#
\ No newline at end of file
+"#
+*/
diff --git a/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/lib.rs b/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/lib.rs
index 6d5391c48..b35e28842 100644
--- a/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/lib.rs
+++ b/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+pub mod datastructures;
 pub mod graphics;
+pub mod primitives;
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
diff --git a/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/primitives.rs b/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/primitives.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..843d12657
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sixtyfps_runtime/corelib/primitives.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+// FIXME:  more properties
+#[repr(C)]
+pub struct Rectangle {
+    // FIXME! this is not suppàosed to be a String
+    color: &'static str,
+}
+
+#[allow(non_upper_case_globals)]
+// FIXME
+pub static RectangleVTable: crate::datastructures::ItemVTable = crate::datastructures::ItemVTable {
+    geometry: None,
+    render_node_index_offset: None,
+    rendering_info: None,
+    layouting_info: None,
+    input_event: None,
+};