diff --git a/common/include/software_manager.hpp b/common/include/software_manager.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd3a467
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/include/software_manager.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "device.hpp"
+#include "sdbusplus/async/proxy.hpp"
+
+#include <boost/asio/steady_timer.hpp>
+#include <phosphor-logging/lg2.hpp>
+#include <sdbusplus/asio/connection.hpp>
+#include <sdbusplus/asio/object_server.hpp>
+#include <sdbusplus/async/context.hpp>
+#include <sdbusplus/timer.hpp>
+
+#include <string>
+
+// This is the base class for the code updater
+// Every code updater can inherit from this
+class SoftwareManager
+{
+  public:
+    SoftwareManager(sdbusplus::async::context& ctx,
+                    const std::string& busNameSuffix, bool dryRun);
+
+    // @param state   desired powerstate (true means on)
+    // @returns       true on success
+    sdbusplus::async::task<bool> setHostPowerstate(bool state);
+
+    // @returns       true when powered
+    // @returns       std::nullopt on failure to query power state
+    sdbusplus::async::task<std::optional<bool>> getHostPowerstate();
+
+    // Fetches initial configuration from dbus.
+    // This should be called once by a code updater at startup.
+    // It will call 'getInitialConfigurationSingleDevice' for each device
+    // configured
+    // @param configurationInterfaces    the dbus interfaces from which to fetch
+    // configuration
+    sdbusplus::async::task<> getInitialConfiguration(
+        const std::vector<std::string>& configurationInterfaces);
+
+    // request the bus name on dbus after all configuration has been parsed
+    // and the devices have been initialized
+    // @returns        the name on dbus
+    std::string setupBusName();
+
+    // set of devices found through configuration and probing
+    std::set<std::unique_ptr<Device>> devices;
+
+  protected:
+    const bool dryRun;
+
+    template <typename T>
+    sdbusplus::async::task<std::optional<T>>
+        dbusGetRequiredConfigurationProperty(
+            const std::string& service, const std::string& path,
+            const std::string& property, DeviceConfig& config)
+    {
+        std::string configIface =
+            "xyz.openbmc_project.Configuration." + config.configType;
+        std::optional<T> res = co_await dbusGetRequiredProperty<T>(
+            service, path, configIface, property);
+        co_return res;
+    }
+
+    // this variant also logs the error
+    template <typename T>
+    sdbusplus::async::task<std::optional<T>> dbusGetRequiredProperty(
+        const std::string& service, const std::string& path,
+        const std::string& intf, const std::string& property)
+    {
+        std::optional<T> opt =
+            co_await dbusGetProperty<T>(service, path, intf, property);
+        if (!opt.has_value())
+        {
+            lg2::error(
+                "[config] missing property {PROPERTY} on path {PATH}, interface {INTF}",
+                "PROPERTY", property, "PATH", path, "INTF", intf);
+        }
+        co_return opt;
+    }
+
+    template <typename T>
+    sdbusplus::async::task<std::optional<T>>
+        dbusGetProperty(const std::string& service, const std::string& path,
+                        const std::string& intf, const std::string& property)
+    {
+        auto client =
+            sdbusplus::async::proxy().service(service).path(path).interface(
+                "org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties");
+
+        try
+        {
+            std::variant<T> result = co_await client.call<std::variant<T>>(
+                ctx, "Get", intf, property);
+
+            T res = std::get<T>(result);
+            co_return res;
+        }
+        catch (std::exception& e)
+        {
+            co_return std::nullopt;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // This function receives a dbus name and object path for a single device,
+    // which was configured.
+    // The component code updater overrides this function and may create a
+    // device instance internally, or reject the configuration as invalid.
+    // @param service       The dbus name where our configuration is
+    // @param config        The common configuration properties which are shared
+    // by all devices.
+    //                      Also includes the object path to fetch other
+    //                      configuration properties.
+    virtual sdbusplus::async::task<> getInitialConfigurationSingleDevice(
+        const std::string& service, const std::string& path,
+        DeviceConfig& config) = 0;
+
+    sdbusplus::async::context& ctx;
+
+  private:
+    // this is appended to the common prefix to construct the dbus name
+    std::string busNameSuffix;
+
+    sdbusplus::server::manager_t manager;
+
+    friend Software;
+    friend Device;
+};