diff --git a/rib/rib-update.hpp b/rib/rib-update.hpp
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/rib/rib-update.hpp
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+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2015,  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_RIB_RIB_UPDATE_HPP
+#define NFD_RIB_RIB_UPDATE_HPP
+
+#include "common.hpp"
+#include "route.hpp"
+
+namespace nfd {
+namespace rib {
+
+/** RibUpdate
+ *  \brief represents a route that will be added to or removed from a namespace
+ *
+ *  \note This type is copyable so that it can be stored in STL containers.
+ */
+class RibUpdate
+{
+public:
+  enum Action {
+    REGISTER     = 0,
+    UNREGISTER   = 1,
+
+    /** \brief An update triggered by a face destruction notification
+     *
+     *  \note indicates a Route needs to be removed after a face is destroyed
+     */
+    REMOVE_FACE = 2
+  };
+
+  RibUpdate();
+
+  RibUpdate&
+  setAction(Action action);
+
+  Action
+  getAction() const;
+
+  RibUpdate&
+  setName(const Name& name);
+
+  const Name&
+  getName() const;
+
+  RibUpdate&
+  setRoute(const Route& route);
+
+  const Route&
+  getRoute() const;
+
+private:
+  Action m_action;
+  Name m_name;
+  Route m_route;
+};
+
+inline RibUpdate&
+RibUpdate::setAction(Action action)
+{
+  m_action = action;
+  return *this;
+}
+
+inline RibUpdate::Action
+RibUpdate::getAction() const
+{
+  return m_action;
+}
+
+inline RibUpdate&
+RibUpdate::setName(const Name& name)
+{
+  m_name = name;
+  return *this;
+}
+
+inline const Name&
+RibUpdate::getName() const
+{
+  return m_name;
+}
+
+inline RibUpdate&
+RibUpdate::setRoute(const Route& route)
+{
+  m_route = route;
+  return *this;
+}
+
+inline const Route&
+RibUpdate::getRoute() const
+{
+  return m_route;
+}
+
+std::ostream&
+operator<<(std::ostream& os, const RibUpdate::Action action);
+
+std::ostream&
+operator<<(std::ostream& os, const RibUpdate& update);
+
+} // namespace rib
+} // namespace nfd
+
+#endif // NFD_RIB_RIB_UPDATE_HPP