diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/api/newintent/IntentCompiler.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/api/newintent/IntentCompiler.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c778c11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/api/newintent/IntentCompiler.java
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package net.onrc.onos.api.newintent;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * Abstraction of a compiler which is capable of taking an intent
+ * and translating it to other, potentially installable, intents.
+ *
+ * @param <T> the type of intent
+ */
+public interface IntentCompiler<T extends Intent> {
+    /**
+     * Compiles the specified intent into other intents.
+     *
+     * @param intent intent to be compiled
+     * @return list of resulting intents
+     * @throws IntentException if issues are encountered while compiling the intent
+     */
+    List<Intent> compile(T intent);
+}