diff --git a/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/CoreStatement.java b/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/CoreStatement.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f71827d07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/CoreStatement.java
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package org.github.tursodatabase.core;
+
+// TODO: add fields and methods
+public class CoreStatement {
+}
diff --git a/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/DB.java b/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/DB.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4d82a7a92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/DB.java
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+package org.github.tursodatabase.core;
+
+import java.sql.SQLException;
+import java.sql.SQLFeatureNotSupportedException;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
+
+/**
+ * Interface to Limbo. It provides some helper functions
+ * used by other parts of the driver. The goal of the helper functions here
+ * are not only to provide functionality, but to handle contractual
+ * differences between the JDBC specification and the Limbo API.
+ */
+public abstract class DB {
+    private final String url;
+    private final String fileName;
+    private final AtomicBoolean closed = new AtomicBoolean(true);
+
+    public DB(String url, String fileName) throws SQLException {
+        this.url = url;
+        this.fileName = fileName;
+    }
+
+    public String getUrl() {
+        return url;
+    }
+
+    public boolean isClosed() {
+        return closed.get();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Aborts any pending operation and returns at its earliest opportunity.
+     */
+    public abstract void interrupt() throws SQLException;
+
+    /**
+     * Executes an SQL statement.
+     *
+     * @param sql SQL statement to be executed.
+     * @param autoCommit Whether to auto-commit the transaction.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    public final synchronized void exec(String sql, boolean autoCommit) throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an SQLite interface to a database for the given connection.
+     * @see <a href="https://www.sqlite.org/c3ref/c_open_autoproxy.html">SQLite Open Flags</a>
+     *
+     * @param fileName The database.
+     * @param openFlags Flags for opening the database.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    public final synchronized void open(String fileName, int openFlags) throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Closes a database connection and finalizes any remaining statements before the closing
+     * operation.
+     *
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    public final synchronized void close() throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Compiles an SQL statement.
+     *
+     * @param stmt The SQL statement to compile.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    public final synchronized void prepare(CoreStatement stmt) throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Destroys a statement.
+     *
+     * @param safePtr the pointer wrapper to remove from internal structures.
+     * @param ptr     the raw pointer to free.
+     * @return <a href="https://www.sqlite.org/c3ref/c_abort.html">Result Codes</a>
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    public synchronized int finalize(SafeStmtPtr safePtr, long ptr) throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an SQLite interface to a database with the provided open flags.
+     * @see <a href="https://www.sqlite.org/c3ref/c_open_autoproxy.html">SQLite Open Flags</a>
+     *
+     * @param filename The database to open.
+     * @param openFlags Flags for opening the database.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    protected abstract void _open(String filename, int openFlags) throws SQLException;
+
+    /**
+     * Closes the SQLite interface to a database.
+     *
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    protected abstract void _close() throws SQLException;
+
+    /**
+     * Compiles, evaluates, executes and commits an SQL statement.
+     *
+     * @param sql An SQL statement.
+     * @return Result code.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    public abstract int _exec(String sql) throws SQLException;
+
+    /**
+     * Compiles an SQL statement.
+     *
+     * @param sql An SQL statement.
+     * @return A SafeStmtPtr object.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    protected abstract SafeStmtPtr prepare(String sql) throws SQLException;
+
+    /**
+     * Destroys a prepared statement.
+     *
+     * @param stmt Pointer to the statement pointer.
+     * @return Result code.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    protected abstract int finalize(long stmt) throws SQLException;
+
+    /**
+     * Evaluates a statement.
+     *
+     * @param stmt Pointer to the statement.
+     * @return Result code.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    public abstract int step(long stmt) throws SQLException;
+
+    /**
+     * Executes a statement with the provided parameters.
+     *
+     * @param stmt Stmt object.
+     * @param vals Array of parameter values.
+     * @return True if a row of ResultSet is ready; false otherwise.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     * @see <a href="https://www.sqlite.org/c_interface.html#sqlite_exec">SQLite Exec</a>
+     */
+    public final synchronized boolean execute(CoreStatement stmt, Object[] vals) throws SQLException {
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Executes an SQL INSERT, UPDATE or DELETE statement with the Stmt object and an array of
+     * parameter values of the SQL statement.
+     *
+     * @param stmt Stmt object.
+     * @param vals Array of parameter values.
+     * @return Number of database rows that were changed or inserted or deleted by the most recently
+     * completed SQL.
+     * @throws SQLException if a database access error occurs.
+     */
+    public final synchronized long executeUpdate(CoreStatement stmt, Object[] vals) throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/LimboDB.java b/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/LimboDB.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..095da6910
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/LimboDB.java
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+package org.github.tursodatabase.core;
+
+
+import java.sql.SQLException;
+import java.sql.SQLFeatureNotSupportedException;
+
+/**
+ * This class provides a thin JNI layer over the SQLite3 C API.
+ */
+public final class LimboDB extends DB {
+    /**
+     * SQLite connection handle.
+     */
+    private long pointer = 0;
+
+    private static boolean isLoaded;
+    private static boolean loadSucceeded;
+
+    static {
+        if ("The Android Project".equals(System.getProperty("java.vm.vendor"))) {
+            System.loadLibrary("sqlitejdbc");
+            isLoaded = true;
+            loadSucceeded = true;
+        } else {
+            // continue with non Android execution path
+            isLoaded = false;
+            loadSucceeded = false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // TODO: receive config as argument
+    public LimboDB(String url, String fileName) throws SQLException {
+        super(url, fileName);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Loads the SQLite interface backend.
+     *
+     * @return True if the SQLite JDBC driver is successfully loaded; false otherwise.
+     */
+    public static boolean load() throws Exception {
+        if (isLoaded) return loadSucceeded;
+
+        try {
+            System.loadLibrary("_limbo_java");
+            loadSucceeded = true;
+        } finally {
+            isLoaded = true;
+        }
+        return loadSucceeded;
+    }
+
+    // WRAPPER FUNCTIONS ////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+    @Override
+    protected synchronized void _open(String file, int openFlags) throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    // TODO: add support for JNI
+    synchronized native void _open_utf8(byte[] fileUtf8, int openFlags) throws SQLException;
+
+    // TODO: add support for JNI
+    @Override
+    protected synchronized native void _close() throws SQLException;
+
+    @Override
+    public synchronized int _exec(String sql) throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    // TODO: add support for JNI
+    synchronized native int _exec_utf8(byte[] sqlUtf8) throws SQLException;
+
+    // TODO: add support for JNI
+    @Override
+    public native void interrupt();
+
+    @Override
+    protected synchronized SafeStmtPtr prepare(String sql) throws SQLException {
+        // TODO: add implementation
+        throw new SQLFeatureNotSupportedException();
+    }
+
+    // TODO: add support for JNI
+    @Override
+    protected synchronized native int finalize(long stmt);
+
+    // TODO: add support for JNI
+    @Override
+    public synchronized native int step(long stmt);
+}
diff --git a/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/SafeStmtPtr.java b/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/SafeStmtPtr.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7c6902c42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bindings/java/src/main/java/org/github/tursodatabase/core/SafeStmtPtr.java
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package org.github.tursodatabase.core;
+
+// TODO: add fields and methods
+public class SafeStmtPtr {
+}