diff --git a/handler.hpp b/handler.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77ad55c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/handler.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace ethstats
+{
+
+class EthStatsInterface
+{
+  public:
+    virtual ~EthStatsInterface() = default;
+
+    /** Given an ifname and a statistic, validate both.
+     *
+     * @param[in] path - the interface name and statistics field
+     * @return true if both valid, false otherwise.
+     */
+    virtual bool validIfNameAndField(const std::string& path) const = 0;
+
+    /** Given an ifname and a statistic, return the value.
+     *
+     * @param[in] path - the interface name and statistics field
+     * @return the value of that statistic for that interface.
+     */
+    virtual std::uint64_t readStatistic(const std::string& path) const = 0;
+};
+
+class EthStats : public EthStatsInterface
+{
+  public:
+    EthStats() = default;
+    ~EthStats() = default;
+
+    bool validIfNameAndField(const std::string& path) const override;
+    std::uint64_t readStatistic(const std::string& path) const override;
+};
+
+extern EthStats handler;
+
+} // namespace ethstats