diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 956ea8867..f3f555c3a 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ target_link_libraries(tablet
 
 add_executable(compositor
     compositor/main.c
+    compositor/wl_compositor.c
+    compositor/wl_shell.c
     shared.c
 )
 
diff --git a/examples/compositor.h b/examples/compositor.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4773b83d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/compositor.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#ifndef _EXAMPLE_COMPOSITOR_H
+#define _EXAMPLE_COMPOSITOR_H
+#include <wayland-server.h>
+
+struct wl_compositor_state {
+	struct wl_global *wl_global;
+	struct wl_list wl_resources;
+};
+
+void wl_compositor_init(struct wl_display *display,
+		struct wl_compositor_state *state);
+
+struct wl_shell_state {
+	struct wl_global *wl_global;
+	struct wl_list wl_resources;
+};
+
+void wl_shell_init(struct wl_display *display,
+		struct wl_shell_state *state);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/examples/compositor/main.c b/examples/compositor/main.c
index 3e83978ed..062669a2a 100644
--- a/examples/compositor/main.c
+++ b/examples/compositor/main.c
@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_output.h>
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h>
 #include "shared.h"
+#include "compositor.h"
 
 struct sample_state {
 	struct wlr_renderer *renderer;
+	struct wl_compositor_state compositor;
+	struct wl_shell_state shell;
 };
 
 void handle_output_frame(struct output_state *output, struct timespec *ts) {
@@ -37,6 +40,8 @@ int main() {
 
 	state.renderer = wlr_gles2_renderer_init();
 	wl_display_init_shm(compositor.display);
+	wl_compositor_init(compositor.display, &state.compositor);
+	wl_shell_init(compositor.display, &state.shell);
 
 	compositor_run(&compositor);
 }
diff --git a/examples/compositor/wl_compositor.c b/examples/compositor/wl_compositor.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0cd73afb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/compositor/wl_compositor.c
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#include <assert.h>
+#include <wayland-server.h>
+#include <wlr/util/log.h>
+#include "compositor.h"
+
+static void wl_compositor_create_surface(struct wl_client *client,
+			   struct wl_resource *resource, uint32_t id) {
+	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "TODO: implement create_surface");
+}
+
+static void wl_compositor_create_region(struct wl_client *client,
+			  struct wl_resource *resource, uint32_t id) {
+	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "TODO: implement create_region");
+}
+
+struct wl_compositor_interface wl_compositor_impl = {
+	.create_surface = wl_compositor_create_surface,
+	.create_region = wl_compositor_create_region
+};
+
+static void wl_compositor_destroy(struct wl_resource *resource) {
+	struct wl_compositor_state *state = wl_resource_get_user_data(resource);
+	struct wl_resource *_resource = NULL;
+	wl_resource_for_each(_resource, &state->wl_resources) {
+		if (_resource == resource) {
+			struct wl_list *link = wl_resource_get_link(_resource);
+			wl_list_remove(link);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static void wl_compositor_bind(struct wl_client *wl_client, void *_state,
+		uint32_t version, uint32_t id) {
+	struct wl_compositor_state *state = _state;
+	assert(wl_client && state);
+	if (version > 4) {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Client requested unsupported wl_compositor version, disconnecting");
+		wl_client_destroy(wl_client);
+		return;
+	}
+	struct wl_resource *wl_resource = wl_resource_create(
+			wl_client, &wl_compositor_interface, version, id);
+	wl_resource_set_implementation(wl_resource, &wl_compositor_impl,
+			state, wl_compositor_destroy);
+	wl_list_insert(&state->wl_resources, wl_resource_get_link(wl_resource));
+}
+
+void wl_compositor_init(struct wl_display *display,
+		struct wl_compositor_state *state) {
+	struct wl_global *wl_global = wl_global_create(display,
+		&wl_compositor_interface, 4, state, wl_compositor_bind);
+	state->wl_global = wl_global;
+	wl_list_init(&state->wl_resources);
+}
diff --git a/examples/compositor/wl_shell.c b/examples/compositor/wl_shell.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2ec3c56c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/compositor/wl_shell.c
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#include <assert.h>
+#include <wayland-server.h>
+#include <wlr/util/log.h>
+#include "compositor.h"
+
+void wl_shell_get_shell_surface(struct wl_client *client,
+				  struct wl_resource *resource, uint32_t id,
+				  struct wl_resource *surface) {
+	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "TODO: implement get_shell_surface");
+}
+
+static struct wl_shell_interface wl_shell_impl = {
+	.get_shell_surface = wl_shell_get_shell_surface
+};
+
+static void wl_shell_destroy(struct wl_resource *resource) {
+	struct wl_shell_state *state = wl_resource_get_user_data(resource);
+	struct wl_resource *_resource = NULL;
+	wl_resource_for_each(_resource, &state->wl_resources) {
+		if (_resource == resource) {
+			struct wl_list *link = wl_resource_get_link(_resource);
+			wl_list_remove(link);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static void wl_shell_bind(struct wl_client *wl_client, void *_state,
+		uint32_t version, uint32_t id) {
+	struct wl_shell_state *state = _state;
+	assert(wl_client && state);
+	if (version > 1) {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Client requested unsupported wl_shell version, disconnecting");
+		wl_client_destroy(wl_client);
+		return;
+	}
+	struct wl_resource *wl_resource = wl_resource_create(
+			wl_client, &wl_shell_interface, version, id);
+	wl_resource_set_implementation(wl_resource, &wl_shell_impl,
+			state, wl_shell_destroy);
+	wl_list_insert(&state->wl_resources, wl_resource_get_link(wl_resource));
+}
+
+void wl_shell_init(struct wl_display *display,
+		struct wl_shell_state *state) {
+	struct wl_global *wl_global = wl_global_create(display,
+		&wl_shell_interface, 1, state, wl_shell_bind);
+	state->wl_global = wl_global;
+	wl_list_init(&state->wl_resources);
+}