diff --git a/tools/nfdc/command-arguments.hpp b/tools/nfdc/command-arguments.hpp
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+++ b/tools/nfdc/command-arguments.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2016,  Regents of the University of California,
+ *                           Arizona Board of Regents,
+ *                           Colorado State University,
+ *                           University Pierre & Marie Curie, Sorbonne University,
+ *                           Washington University in St. Louis,
+ *                           Beijing Institute of Technology,
+ *                           The University of Memphis.
+ *
+ * This file is part of NFD (Named Data Networking Forwarding Daemon).
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of NFD authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * NFD is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
+ * of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+ * either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * NFD is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
+ * without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+ * PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * NFD, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#ifndef NFD_TOOLS_NFDC_COMMAND_ARGUMENTS_HPP
+#define NFD_TOOLS_NFDC_COMMAND_ARGUMENTS_HPP
+
+#include "core/common.hpp"
+#include <boost/any.hpp>
+
+namespace nfd {
+namespace tools {
+namespace nfdc {
+
+/** \brief contains named command arguments
+ */
+class CommandArguments : public std::map<std::string, boost::any>
+{
+public:
+  /** \return the argument value, or a default value if the argument is omitted on command line
+   */
+  template<typename T>
+  T
+  get(const std::string& key, const T& defaultValue = T()) const
+  {
+    auto i = find(key);
+    return i == end() ? defaultValue : boost::any_cast<T>(i->second);
+  }
+};
+
+} // namespace nfdc
+} // namespace tools
+} // namespace nfd
+
+#endif // NFD_TOOLS_NFDC_COMMAND_ARGUMENTS_HPP