diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b324f13..cf8aa04 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,9 @@ __pycache__/
 .venv/
 *.wav
 .openwakeword-cache/
+
+# .NET build outputs (don't catch root-level bin/ scripts)
+backend/bin/
+backend/obj/
+backend.tests/bin/
+backend.tests/obj/
diff --git a/Assistant.sln b/Assistant.sln
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f628431
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Assistant.sln
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+
+Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
+# Visual Studio Version 17
+VisualStudioVersion = 17.0.31903.59
+MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
+Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "backend", "backend\backend.csproj", "{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}"
+EndProject
+Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "backend.tests", "backend.tests\backend.tests.csproj", "{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}"
+EndProject
+Global
+	GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
+		Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
+		Debug|x64 = Debug|x64
+		Debug|x86 = Debug|x86
+		Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
+		Release|x64 = Release|x64
+		Release|x86 = Release|x86
+	EndGlobalSection
+	GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Debug|x64.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Debug|x64.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Debug|x86.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Debug|x86.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Release|x64.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Release|x64.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Release|x86.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{98CFCD4D-61C0-4FCA-BB6A-C6F68D5F4E40}.Release|x86.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Debug|x64.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Debug|x64.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Debug|x86.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Debug|x86.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Release|x64.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Release|x64.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Release|x86.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{63423BEA-4ECF-45CF-B0E8-611AC65AE463}.Release|x86.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+	EndGlobalSection
+	GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
+		HideSolutionNode = FALSE
+	EndGlobalSection
+EndGlobal
diff --git a/backend.tests/UnitTest1.cs b/backend.tests/UnitTest1.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8463914
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend.tests/UnitTest1.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+namespace backend.tests;
+
+public class UnitTest1
+{
+    [Fact]
+    public void Test1()
+    {
+
+    }
+}
diff --git a/backend.tests/backend.tests.csproj b/backend.tests/backend.tests.csproj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2236110
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend.tests/backend.tests.csproj
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>net9.0</TargetFramework>
+    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
+    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
+    <IsPackable>false</IsPackable>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <PackageReference Include="coverlet.collector" Version="6.0.2" />
+    <PackageReference Include="FluentAssertions" Version="8.10.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Testing" Version="9.0.8" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="17.12.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="xunit" Version="2.9.2" />
+    <PackageReference Include="xunit.runner.visualstudio" Version="2.8.2" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Using Include="Xunit" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\backend\backend.csproj" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+</Project>
diff --git a/backend/Program.cs b/backend/Program.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f8299f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/Program.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
+var app = builder.Build();
+
+app.MapGet("/", () => "Hello World!");
+
+app.Run();
+
+public partial class Program { }
diff --git a/backend/Properties/launchSettings.json b/backend/Properties/launchSettings.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0232076
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/Properties/launchSettings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json.schemastore.org/launchsettings.json",
+  "profiles": {
+    "http": {
+      "commandName": "Project",
+      "dotnetRunMessages": true,
+      "launchBrowser": true,
+      "applicationUrl": "http://localhost:5252",
+      "environmentVariables": {
+        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development"
+      }
+    },
+    "https": {
+      "commandName": "Project",
+      "dotnetRunMessages": true,
+      "launchBrowser": true,
+      "applicationUrl": "https://localhost:7061;http://localhost:5252",
+      "environmentVariables": {
+        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/backend/appsettings.Development.json b/backend/appsettings.Development.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff66ba6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/appsettings.Development.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "Logging": {
+    "LogLevel": {
+      "Default": "Information",
+      "Microsoft.AspNetCore": "Warning"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/backend/appsettings.json b/backend/appsettings.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4d56694
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/appsettings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "Logging": {
+    "LogLevel": {
+      "Default": "Information",
+      "Microsoft.AspNetCore": "Warning"
+    }
+  },
+  "AllowedHosts": "*"
+}
diff --git a/backend/backend.csproj b/backend/backend.csproj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08f689c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/backend.csproj
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web">
+
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>net9.0</TargetFramework>
+    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
+    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+</Project>