diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ba6879c..a1ff030 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -87,3 +87,5 @@ test/ecoli_2kb_region/reads.fasta.index.readdb
 /test/*.index
 /*.paf
 /test/hu
+/example
+build/libsquigulator.a
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6f21823..634d329 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -9,9 +9,14 @@ ifeq ($(zstd),1)
 LDFLAGS		+= -lzstd
 endif
 
+STATICLIB	= $(BUILD_DIR)/libsquigulator.a
+
 BINARY = squigulator
-OBJ = $(BUILD_DIR)/main.o \
-      $(BUILD_DIR)/model.o \
+
+OBJ_BIN = $(BUILD_DIR)/main.o $(OBJ)
+OBJ_LIB = $(BUILD_DIR)/sq_api.o $(OBJ)
+
+OBJ = $(BUILD_DIR)/model.o \
 	  $(BUILD_DIR)/methmodel.o \
 	  $(BUILD_DIR)/misc.o \
 	  $(BUILD_DIR)/sim.o \
@@ -31,8 +36,12 @@ endif
 
 .PHONY: clean distclean test
 
-$(BINARY): $(OBJ) slow5lib/lib/libslow5.a
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(OBJ) slow5lib/lib/libslow5.a $(LDFLAGS) -o $@
+$(BINARY): $(OBJ_BIN) slow5lib/lib/libslow5.a
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(OBJ_BIN) slow5lib/lib/libslow5.a $(LDFLAGS) -o $@
+
+$(STATICLIB): $(OBJ_LIB) slow5lib/lib/libslow5.a
+	cp slow5lib/lib/libslow5.a $@
+	$(AR) rcs $@ $(OBJ_LIB)
 
 HEADERS = src/error.h src/format.h  src/misc.h  src/model.h  \
 		  src/rand.h  src/ref.h  src/seq.h  src/sq.h  src/str.h  src/version.h \
@@ -41,6 +50,9 @@ HEADERS = src/error.h src/format.h  src/misc.h  src/model.h  \
 $(BUILD_DIR)/main.o: src/main.c $(HEADERS)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $< -c -o $@
 
+$(BUILD_DIR)/sq_api.o: src/sq_api.c $(HEADERS) include/squigulator.h
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -I include/ $< -c -o $@
+
 $(BUILD_DIR)/model.o: src/model.c src/model.h  src/misc.h
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $< -c -o $@
 
diff --git a/examples/example.c b/examples/example.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df77bca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/example.c
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// gcc -Wall -I include/ examples/example.c build/libsquigulator.a -o example -lz -lm -lpthread
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <squigulator.h>
+
+int main(){
+
+    squig_opt_t opt;
+    squig_init_opt(&opt);
+    opt.output_blow5 = "test.blow5";
+    opt.profile = "dna-r9-prom";
+    opt.num_threads = 8;
+    opt.batch_size = 1000;
+
+    squig_t *sq = squig_init("test/nCoV-2019.reference.fasta", &opt);
+
+    fprintf(stdout,"read_id\tread_group\tdigitisation\toffset\trange\tlen_raw_signal\tsum_raw_signal\n");
+
+    for(int n=0; n<5; n++){ //1000*5 reads
+
+        squig_batch_t *batch = squig_sim_batch(sq);
+
+        for(int i=0; i < opt.batch_size; i++){
+            squig_rec_t *rec = squig_get_rec(sq, batch, i);
+            fprintf(stdout, "%s\t%d\t%.0f\t%.0f\t%.0f\t%.0f\t%ld\t", rec->read_id, rec->read_group, rec->digitisation, rec->offset, rec->range, rec->sampling_rate, rec->len_raw_signal);
+            int64_t raw_signal_sum = 0;
+            for(int j=0; j < rec->len_raw_signal; j++){
+                raw_signal_sum += rec->raw_signal[j];
+            }
+            fprintf(stdout, "%ld\n", raw_signal_sum);
+        }
+
+        squig_free_batch(batch);
+    }
+
+    squig_free(sq);
+
+    return 0;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/squigulator.h b/include/squigulator.h
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..43d6dee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/squigulator.h
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#ifndef SQUIGULATOR_H
+#define SQUIGULATOR_H
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+typedef struct {
+    //from primary SLOW5 fields
+    char* read_id;
+    uint32_t read_group;
+    double digitisation;
+    double offset;
+    double range;
+    double sampling_rate;
+    uint64_t len_raw_signal;
+    int16_t* raw_signal;
+
+    //from auxilliary SLOW5 fields
+    char *channel_number;
+    double median_before;
+    int32_t read_number;
+    uint8_t start_mux;
+    uint64_t start_time;
+    uint8_t end_reason;
+
+} squig_rec_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t avg_rlen;
+    int64_t random_seed;
+    int32_t num_threads;
+    int32_t batch_size;
+    char *output_blow5;
+    char *profile;
+    //things to add later ...
+} squig_opt_t;
+
+typedef struct squig_s squig_t;
+typedef struct squig_batch_s squig_batch_t;
+
+void squig_init_opt(squig_opt_t *opts);
+squig_t *squig_init(char *ref_fasta, squig_opt_t *opts);
+void squig_free(squig_t *sq);
+squig_batch_t* squig_sim_batch(squig_t *sq);
+void squig_free_batch(squig_batch_t *batch);
+squig_rec_t *squig_get_rec(squig_t *sq, squig_batch_t *batch, int i);
+
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/sim.c b/src/sim.c
index cf516c4..e61d70e 100644
--- a/src/sim.c
+++ b/src/sim.c
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ profile_t minion_rna004_rna_prof = {
     .dwell_std=0.0
 };
 
-static inline profile_t set_profile(char *prof_name, opt_t *opt){
+
+profile_t set_profile(char *prof_name, opt_t *opt){
     //opt->rna = 0;
     if(strcmp(prof_name, "dna-r9-min") == 0){
         return minion_r9_dna_prof;
@@ -191,14 +192,14 @@ static inline profile_t set_profile(char *prof_name, opt_t *opt){
     }
 }
 
-static void print_model_stat(profile_t p){
+static inline void print_model_stat(profile_t p){
     VERBOSE("digitisation: %.1f; sample_rate: %.1f; range: %.1f; offset_mean: %.1f; offset_std: %.1f; dwell_mean: %.1f; dwell_std: %.1f",
         p.digitisation,p.sample_rate,p.range,p.offset_mean,p.offset_std,p.dwell_mean,p.dwell_std);
 }
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////// CORE and DB /////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-static void init_opt(opt_t *opt){
+void init_opt(opt_t *opt){
     //opt->ideal = 0;
     //opt->ideal_time = 0;
     //opt->ideal_amp = 0;
@@ -261,7 +262,7 @@ static void init_rand(core_t *core){
     }
 }
 
-static core_t *init_core(opt_t opt, profile_t p, char *refname, char *output_file, char *fasta, char *paf, char *sam, char *trans_count){
+core_t *init_core(opt_t opt, profile_t p, char *refname, char *output_file, char *fasta, char *paf, char *sam, char *trans_count){
     core_t *core = (core_t *)malloc(sizeof(core_t)); MALLOC_CHK(core);
     core->opt = opt;
 
diff --git a/src/sq_api.c b/src/sq_api.c
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2fc58af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sq_api.c
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+
+#define _XOPEN_SOURCE 700
+#include <string.h>
+#include <slow5/slow5.h>
+
+#include "squigulator.h"
+#include "version.h"
+#include "sq.h"
+#include "ref.h"
+#include "format.h"
+#include "seq.h"
+#include "rand.h"
+#include "error.h"
+#include "misc.h"
+
+
+
+
+
+struct squig_s {
+    core_t *core;
+    squig_opt_t opt;
+    // can later have the header attributes and enum labels here
+};
+
+struct squig_batch_s {
+    db_t *db;
+    squig_rec_t **rec;
+    int n_rec;
+};
+
+core_t *init_core(opt_t opt, profile_t p, char *refname, char *output_file, char *fasta, char *paf, char *sam, char *trans_count);
+void init_opt(opt_t *opt);
+profile_t set_profile(char *prof_name, opt_t *opt);
+void free_core(core_t *core);
+void free_db(db_t* db);
+db_t* init_db(core_t* core, int32_t n_rec);
+void process_db(core_t* core,db_t* db);
+void output_db(core_t* core, db_t* db);
+
+void squig_init_opt(squig_opt_t *opts){
+    opts->avg_rlen = 1000;
+    opts->random_seed = 0;
+    opts->num_threads = 8;
+    opts->batch_size = 1000;
+    opts->output_blow5 = "output.blow5";
+    opts->profile = "dna-r9-prom";
+}
+
+squig_t *squig_init(char *ref_fasta, squig_opt_t *opts){
+    squig_t *sq = (squig_t *)malloc(sizeof(squig_t));
+    MALLOC_CHK(sq);
+
+    opt_t opt;
+    init_opt(&opt);
+
+    opt.rlen = opts->avg_rlen;
+    opt.num_thread = opts->num_threads;
+    opt.batch_size = opts->batch_size;
+    if (opts->random_seed == 0){
+        opts->random_seed = realtime();
+    }
+    opt.seed = opts->random_seed;
+
+    profile_t p = set_profile(opts->profile, &opt);
+
+    char *output_file = opts->output_blow5;
+    char *fasta = NULL;
+    char *paf = NULL;
+    char *sam = NULL;
+    char *trans_count = NULL;
+
+
+    sq->core = init_core(opt, p, ref_fasta, output_file, fasta, paf, sam, trans_count);
+
+    sq->opt = *opts;
+
+    return sq;
+}
+
+void squig_free(squig_t *sq){
+    free_core(sq->core);
+    free(sq);
+
+}
+
+
+void squig_free_batch(squig_batch_t *batch){
+    for(int i = 0; i < batch->n_rec; i++){
+        free(batch->rec[i]->read_id);
+        free(batch->rec[i]->raw_signal);
+        free(batch->rec[i]->channel_number);
+        free(batch->rec[i]);
+    }
+    free(batch->rec);
+    free_db(batch->db);
+    free(batch);
+}
+
+squig_batch_t *squig_sim_batch(squig_t *sq){
+
+    squig_batch_t *batch = (squig_batch_t *)malloc(sizeof(squig_batch_t));
+    MALLOC_CHK(batch);
+    batch->n_rec = sq->opt.batch_size;
+    batch->db = init_db(sq->core, batch->n_rec);
+    batch->rec = (squig_rec_t **)malloc(batch->n_rec * sizeof(squig_rec_t *));
+    MALLOC_CHK(batch->rec);
+    for(int i = 0; i < batch->n_rec; i++){
+        batch->rec[i] = (squig_rec_t *)malloc(sizeof(squig_rec_t));
+        MALLOC_CHK(batch->rec[i]);
+    }
+    process_db(sq->core, batch->db);
+    output_db(sq->core, batch->db);
+    return batch;
+}
+
+//this function is hacky, inefficient and repeats unnecessary work. Can be fixed later if performance becomes an issue,
+// by integrating into core function. Not wanting to touch  those at the moment
+squig_rec_t *squig_get_rec(squig_t *sq, squig_batch_t *batch, int i){
+
+    if(i < 0 || i >= batch->n_rec){
+        fprintf(stderr, "Index out of bounds. batch size: %d, requested index: %d\n", batch->n_rec, i);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    slow5_rec_t *rec = NULL;
+
+    size_t bytes = batch->db->mem_bytes[i];
+    char *mem = (char *)malloc(bytes);
+    MALLOC_CHK(mem);
+
+    if(sq->core->sp->format == SLOW5_FORMAT_ASCII){
+        memcpy(mem, batch->db->mem_records[i], bytes);
+        mem[bytes-1] = '\0';
+    } else if (sq->core->sp->format == SLOW5_FORMAT_BINARY){
+        memcpy(mem, batch->db->mem_records[i]+8, bytes-8);
+    } else {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Something is not right!\n");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
+    if (slow5_decode(&mem, &batch->db->mem_bytes[i], &rec, sq->core->sp) < 0){
+        fprintf(stderr,"Error in decoding record\n");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
+    //from primary SLOW5 fields
+    batch->rec[i]->read_id = strdup(rec->read_id);
+    batch->rec[i]->read_group = rec->read_group;
+    batch->rec[i]->digitisation = rec->digitisation;
+    batch->rec[i]->offset = rec->offset;
+    batch->rec[i]->range = rec->range;
+    batch->rec[i]->sampling_rate = rec->sampling_rate;
+    batch->rec[i]->len_raw_signal = rec->len_raw_signal;
+    batch->rec[i]->raw_signal = rec->raw_signal; rec->raw_signal = NULL;
+
+    //from auxilliary SLOW5 fields
+    int ret=0;
+    uint64_t len=0;
+    batch->rec[i]->channel_number = strdup(slow5_aux_get_string(rec,"channel_number", &len, &ret)); NEG_CHK(ret);
+    batch->rec[i]->median_before = slow5_aux_get_double(rec,"median_before", &ret); NEG_CHK(ret);
+    batch->rec[i]->read_number = slow5_aux_get_int32(rec,"read_number", &ret); NEG_CHK(ret);
+    batch->rec[i]->start_mux = slow5_aux_get_uint8(rec,"start_mux", &ret); NEG_CHK(ret);
+    batch->rec[i]->start_time = slow5_aux_get_uint64(rec,"start_time", &ret); NEG_CHK(ret);
+    batch->rec[i]->end_reason = slow5_aux_get_enum(rec,"end_reason", &ret); NEG_CHK(ret);
+
+    free(mem);
+    slow5_rec_free(rec);
+
+    return batch->rec[i];
+}