diff --git a/include/fc/process.hpp b/include/fc/process.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08c74ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/fc/process.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <fc/shared_impl.hpp>
+#include <fc/future.hpp>
+
+namespace fc {
+  class istream;
+  class ostream;
+  class path;
+  class string;
+  template<typename> class vector;
+
+  /**
+   *  @brief start and manage an external process
+   *
+   *  @note this class implements reference semantics.
+   */
+  class process  {
+    public:
+      enum exec_opts {
+        open_none   = 0,
+        open_stdin  = 0x01, 
+        open_stdout = 0x02, 
+        open_stderr = 0x04,
+        open_all    = open_stdin|open_stdout|open_stderr,
+      };
+      /**
+       *  Return a new process executing the specified exe with the specified args.
+       */
+      fc::future<int> exec( const fc::path& exe, int opt = open_all );
+      fc::future<int> exec( const fc::path& exe, const fc::path& wd, int opt = open_all );
+      fc::future<int> exec( const fc::path& exe, fc::vector<fc::string>&& args , int opt = open_all );
+      fc::future<int> exec( const fc::path& exe, fc::vector<fc::string>&& args, const fc::path& wd, int opt = open_all  );
+
+      /**
+       *  Forcefully kills the process.
+       */
+      void kill();
+      
+      /**
+       *  @brief returns a stream that writes to the process' stdin
+       */
+      fc::ostream& in_stream();
+
+      /**
+       *  @brief returns a stream that reads from the process' stdout
+       */
+      fc::istream& out_stream();
+      /**
+       *  @brief returns a stream that reads from the process' stderr
+       */
+      fc::istream& err_stream();
+
+      FC_REFERENCE_TYPE(process) 
+  };
+
+} // namespace fc
diff --git a/src/process.cpp b/src/process.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..705d343
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/process.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+#include <fc/process.hpp>
+#include <fc/iostream.hpp>
+#include <fc/iostream_wrapper.hpp>
+#include <fc/asio.hpp>
+#include <fc/filesystem.hpp>
+#include <fc/vector.hpp>
+#include <boost/process.hpp>
+#include <boost/iostreams/stream.hpp>
+
+namespace fc {
+
+  namespace bp = boost::process;
+  namespace io = boost::iostreams;
+
+  class process_sink : public io::sink {
+    public:
+      struct category : io::sink::category, io::flushable_tag {};
+      typedef char      type;
+
+      process_sink( std::shared_ptr<bp::pipe>& p ):m_in(p){}
+  
+      std::streamsize write( const char* s, std::streamsize n ) {
+       if( !m_in ) return -1;
+       return static_cast<std::streamsize>(fc::asio::write( *m_in, 
+                                boost::asio::const_buffers_1( s, static_cast<size_t>(n) ) ));
+      }
+      void close() { if(m_in) m_in->close(); }
+      bool flush() { return true; }
+  
+    private:
+      std::shared_ptr<bp::pipe>&      m_in;
+  };
+
+  class process_source : public io::source {
+    public:
+      typedef char      type;
+
+      process_source(  std::shared_ptr<bp::pipe>& pi )
+      :m_pi(pi){}
+
+      std::streamsize read( char* s, std::streamsize n ) {
+        if( !m_pi ) return -1;
+        try {
+            return static_cast<std::streamsize>(fc::asio::read_some( *m_pi, boost::asio::buffer( s, static_cast<size_t>(n) ) ));
+        } catch ( const boost::system::system_error& e ) {
+          if( e.code() == boost::asio::error::eof )  
+              return -1;
+          throw;
+        }
+      }
+    private:
+      std::shared_ptr<bp::pipe>& m_pi;
+  };
+} // namespace fc
+
+FC_START_SHARED_IMPL( fc::process )
+  impl()
+  :stat( fc::asio::default_io_service() ),
+    std_out(process_source(outp)),
+   std_err(process_source(errp)),
+   std_in(process_sink(inp)),
+   _ins(std_in),
+   _outs(std_out),
+   _errs(std_err){}
+
+  std::shared_ptr<bp::child> child;
+  std::shared_ptr<bp::pipe>  outp;
+  std::shared_ptr<bp::pipe>  errp;
+  std::shared_ptr<bp::pipe>  inp;
+
+  bp::status                 stat;
+  bp::context                pctx;
+
+  // provide useful buffering 
+  io::stream<fc::process_source>   std_out;
+  io::stream<fc::process_source>   std_err;
+  io::stream<fc::process_sink>     std_in;
+
+  // adapt to ostream and istream interfaces
+  fc::ostream_wrapper              _ins;
+  fc::istream_wrapper              _outs;
+  fc::istream_wrapper              _errs;
+FC_END_SHARED_IMPL
+#include <fc/shared_impl.cpp>
+
+namespace fc {
+
+FC_REFERENCE_TYPE_IMPL( process )
+
+
+fc::future<int> process::exec( const fc::path& exe, fc::vector<fc::string>&& args, 
+                                            const fc::path& work_dir, int opt  ) {
+
+  my->pctx.work_dir = work_dir.string();
+    
+  if( opt&open_stdout)
+      my->pctx.streams[boost::process::stdout_id] = bp::behavior::async_pipe();
+  else 
+      my->pctx.streams[boost::process::stdout_id] = bp::behavior::null();
+
+
+  if( opt& open_stderr )
+      my->pctx.streams[boost::process::stderr_id] = bp::behavior::async_pipe();
+  else
+      my->pctx.streams[boost::process::stderr_id] = bp::behavior::null();
+
+  if( opt& open_stdout )
+      my->pctx.streams[boost::process::stdin_id]  = bp::behavior::async_pipe();
+  else
+      my->pctx.streams[boost::process::stdin_id]  = bp::behavior::close();
+
+  std::vector<std::string> a;
+  a.reserve(args.size());
+  for( uint32_t i = 0; i < args.size(); ++i ) {
+    a.push_back( args[i] ); 
+  }
+  my->child.reset( new bp::child( bp::create_child( exe.string(), fc::move(a), my->pctx ) ) );
+
+  if( opt & open_stdout ) {
+     bp::handle outh = my->child->get_handle( bp::stdout_id );
+     my->outp.reset( new bp::pipe( fc::asio::default_io_service(), outh.release() ) );
+  }
+  if( opt & open_stderr ) {
+     bp::handle errh = my->child->get_handle( bp::stderr_id );
+     my->errp.reset( new bp::pipe( fc::asio::default_io_service(), errh.release() ) );
+  }
+  if( opt & open_stdin ) {
+     bp::handle inh  = my->child->get_handle( bp::stdin_id );
+     my->inp.reset(  new bp::pipe( fc::asio::default_io_service(), inh.release()  ) );
+  }
+
+
+  promise<int>::ptr p(new promise<int>("process"));
+  my->stat.async_wait(  my->child->get_id(), [=]( const boost::system::error_code& ec, int exit_code )
+    {
+      slog( "process::result %1%", exit_code );
+      if( !ec ) {
+          #ifdef BOOST_POSIX_API
+          try {
+             if( WIFEXITED(exit_code) )
+                 p->set_value(  WEXITSTATUS(exit_code) );
+             else {
+                 FC_THROW_MSG( "process exited with: %s ", strsignal(WTERMSIG(exit_code)) );
+             }
+          } catch ( ... ) {
+             p->set_exception( fc::current_exception() ); 
+          }
+          #else
+          p->set_value(exit_code);
+          #endif
+       }
+       else p->set_exception( fc::copy_exception( boost::system::system_error(ec) ) );
+    });
+  return p;
+
+}
+
+/**
+ *  Forcefully kills the process.
+ */
+void process::kill() {
+    my->child->terminate();
+}
+
+/**
+ *  @brief returns a stream that writes to the process' stdin
+ */
+fc::ostream& process::in_stream() {
+  return my->_ins;
+}
+
+/**
+ *  @brief returns a stream that reads from the process' stdout
+ */
+fc::istream& process::out_stream() {
+  return my->_outs;
+}
+/**
+ *  @brief returns a stream that reads from the process' stderr
+ */
+fc::istream& process::err_stream() {
+  return my->_errs;
+}
+
+}