diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 632a8c2b..f504262b 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -269,6 +269,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "server"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "anyhow",
+ "tracing",
+ "tracing-subscriber",
+ "transport",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "sharded-slab"
 version = "0.1.7"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 641f9ba7..01c6a095 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ resolver = "2"
 members = [
     "transport",
     "debugger",
+    "server",
 ]
 
 [profile.release]
diff --git a/server/Cargo.toml b/server/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e438ee1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[package]
+name = "server"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2021"
+
+# See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
+
+[dependencies]
+anyhow.workspace = true
+tracing.workspace = true
+transport = { path = "../transport" }
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3.18", features = ["json", "env-filter"] }
diff --git a/server/src/debugpy.rs b/server/src/debugpy.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0c2edae0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/debugpy.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+use std::{
+    io::{BufRead, BufReader},
+    process::{Child, Stdio},
+    sync::mpsc,
+    thread,
+};
+
+use anyhow::Context;
+
+use crate::Server;
+
+pub struct DebugpyServer {
+    child: Child,
+}
+
+impl Server for DebugpyServer {
+    fn on_port(port: impl Into<u16>) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        let port = port.into();
+
+        tracing::debug!(port = ?port, "starting server process");
+        let cwd = std::env::current_dir().unwrap();
+        let mut child = std::process::Command::new("python")
+            .args([
+                "-m",
+                "debugpy.adapter",
+                "--host",
+                "127.0.0.1",
+                "--port",
+                &format!("{port}"),
+                "--log-stderr",
+            ])
+            .stderr(Stdio::piped())
+            .current_dir(cwd.join("..").canonicalize().unwrap())
+            .spawn()
+            .context("spawning background process")?;
+
+        // wait until server is ready
+        tracing::debug!("waiting until server is ready");
+        let stderr = child.stderr.take().unwrap();
+        let reader = BufReader::new(stderr);
+
+        let (tx, rx) = mpsc::channel();
+        thread::spawn(move || {
+            let mut should_signal = true;
+            for line in reader.lines() {
+                let line = line.unwrap();
+                if should_signal && line.contains("Listening for incoming Client connections") {
+                    should_signal = false;
+                    let _ = tx.send(());
+                }
+            }
+        });
+        let _ = rx.recv();
+
+        tracing::debug!("server ready");
+        Ok(Self { child })
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for DebugpyServer {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        tracing::debug!("terminating server");
+        match self.child.kill() {
+            Ok(_) => {
+                tracing::debug!("server terminated");
+                let _ = self.child.wait();
+            }
+            Err(e) => tracing::warn!(error = %e, "could not terminate server process"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use std::{io::IsTerminal, net::TcpStream};
+
+    use anyhow::Context;
+    use tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter;
+    use transport::bindings::get_random_tcp_port;
+
+    use crate::{for_implementation_on_port, Implementation};
+
+    fn init_test_logger() {
+        let in_ci = std::env::var("CI")
+            .map(|val| val == "true")
+            .unwrap_or(false);
+
+        if std::io::stderr().is_terminal() || in_ci {
+            tracing_subscriber::fmt()
+                .with_env_filter(EnvFilter::from_default_env())
+                .init();
+        } else {
+            tracing_subscriber::fmt()
+                .with_env_filter(EnvFilter::from_default_env())
+                .json()
+                .init();
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_create() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        init_test_logger();
+
+        let port = get_random_tcp_port().context("reserving custom port")?;
+        let _server =
+            for_implementation_on_port(Implementation::Debugpy, port).context("creating server")?;
+
+        // server should be running
+        tracing::info!("making connection");
+        let _conn =
+            TcpStream::connect(&format!("127.0.0.1:{port}")).context("connecting to server")?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/server/src/lib.rs b/server/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..08f179bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+use anyhow::Context;
+use transport::DEFAULT_DAP_PORT;
+
+pub mod debugpy;
+
+pub enum Implementation {
+    Debugpy,
+}
+
+pub trait Server {
+    fn on_port(port: impl Into<u16>) -> anyhow::Result<Self>
+    where
+        Self: Sized;
+
+    fn new() -> anyhow::Result<Self>
+    where
+        Self: Sized,
+    {
+        Self::on_port(DEFAULT_DAP_PORT)
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn for_implementation(implementation: Implementation) -> anyhow::Result<Box<dyn Server>> {
+    for_implementation_on_port(implementation, DEFAULT_DAP_PORT)
+}
+
+pub fn for_implementation_on_port(
+    implementation: Implementation,
+    port: impl Into<u16>,
+) -> anyhow::Result<Box<dyn Server>> {
+    match implementation {
+        Implementation::Debugpy => {
+            let server = crate::debugpy::DebugpyServer::on_port(port).context("creating server")?;
+            Ok(Box::new(server))
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/transport/src/lib.rs b/transport/src/lib.rs
index 37bf03a4..c874ca91 100644
--- a/transport/src/lib.rs
+++ b/transport/src/lib.rs
@@ -11,3 +11,6 @@ pub mod types;
 
 pub use client::Client;
 pub use client::Received;
+
+/// The default port the DAP protocol listens on
+pub const DEFAULT_DAP_PORT: u16 = 5678;