diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/flowobjective/Objective.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/flowobjective/Objective.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3971b03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/flowobjective/Objective.java
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2015 Open Networking Laboratory
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.onosproject.net.flowobjective;
+
+import org.onosproject.core.ApplicationId;
+
+/**
+ * Base representation of an flow description.
+ */
+public interface Objective {
+
+    static final boolean DEFAULT_PERMANENT = true;
+    static final int DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 0;
+    static final int DEFAULT_PRIORITY = 32768;
+
+    /**
+     * Type of operation.
+     */
+    enum Operation {
+        /**
+         * Adds the objective.
+         */
+        ADD,
+
+        /**
+         * Removes the objective.
+         */
+        REMOVE
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * An identifier for this objective.
+     *
+     * @return an integer
+     */
+    int id();
+
+    /**
+     * The priority for this objective.
+     *
+     * @return an integer
+     */
+    int priority();
+
+    /**
+     * The application which applied this objective.
+     *
+     * @return an application id
+     */
+    ApplicationId appId();
+
+    /**
+     * The timeout for this objective.
+     *
+     * @return an integer
+     */
+    int timeout();
+
+    /**
+     * Whether this objective is permanent.
+     *
+     * @return a boolean
+     */
+    boolean permanent();
+
+    /**
+     * The type of operation for this objective.
+     *
+     * @return an operation
+     */
+    Operation op();
+
+    /**
+     * An objective builder.
+     */
+    public interface Builder {
+        /**
+         * Makes the filtering objective temporary.
+         *
+         * @param timeout a timeout
+         * @return an objective builder
+         */
+        public Builder makeTemporary(int timeout);
+
+        /**
+         * Makes the filtering objective permanent.
+         *
+         * @return an objective builder
+         */
+        public Builder makePermanent();
+
+        /**
+         * Specifies the application which applied the filter.
+         *
+         * @param appId an application id
+         * @return an objective builder
+         */
+        public Builder fromApp(ApplicationId appId);
+
+        /**
+         * Sets the priority for this objective.
+         *
+         * @param priority an integer
+         * @return an objective builder
+         */
+        public Builder withPriority(int priority);
+    }
+
+}