diff --git a/ndn-cpp/encoding/WireFormat.hpp b/ndn-cpp/encoding/WireFormat.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c90c1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ndn-cpp/encoding/WireFormat.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/* 
+ * Author: Jeff Thompson
+ *
+ * BSD license, See the LICENSE file for more information.
+ */
+
+
+#ifndef NDN_WIREFORMAT_HPP
+#define	NDN_WIREFORMAT_HPP
+
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace ndn {
+  
+class Name;
+class Interest;
+  
+class WireFormat {
+public:
+  virtual void encodeName(Name &name, std::vector<unsigned char> &output);
+  virtual void decodeName(Name &name, std::vector<unsigned char> &input);
+
+  virtual void encodeInterest(Interest &interest, std::vector<unsigned char> &output);
+  virtual void decodeInterest(Interest &interest, std::vector<unsigned char> &input);
+
+  // etc. for each type of object.
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif
+