diff --git a/src/template.rs b/src/template.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8fdcdc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/template.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+use anyhow::{Result, bail};
+
+#[derive(Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Debug)]
+enum Component {
+    Constant(String),
+    Parameter(String),
+}
+
+#[derive(Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct Template {
+    components: Vec<Component>,
+}
+
+impl Template {
+    pub fn compile(&self) -> String {
+        let mut out = "        let url = format!(\"{}".to_string();
+        for c in self.components.iter() {
+            out.push('/');
+            match c {
+                Component::Constant(n) => out.push_str(n),
+                Component::Parameter(_) => out.push_str("{}"),
+            }
+        }
+        out.push_str("\",\n");
+        out.push_str("            self.baseurl,\n");
+        for c in self.components.iter() {
+            if let Component::Parameter(n) = &c {
+                out.push_str(&format!("            {},\n", n));
+            }
+        }
+        out.push_str("        );\n");
+        out
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn parse(t: &str) -> Result<Template> {
+    enum State {
+        Start,
+        ConstantOrParameter,
+        Parameter,
+        Constant,
+    }
+
+    let mut s = State::Start;
+    let mut a = String::new();
+    let mut components = Vec::new();
+
+    for c in t.chars() {
+        match s {
+            State::Start => {
+                if c == '/' {
+                    s = State::ConstantOrParameter;
+                } else {
+                    bail!("path must start with a slash");
+                }
+            }
+            State::ConstantOrParameter => {
+                if c == '/' || c == '}' {
+                    bail!("expected a constant or parameter");
+                } else if c == '{' {
+                    s = State::Parameter;
+                } else {
+                    s = State::Constant;
+                    a.push(c);
+                }
+            }
+            State::Constant => {
+                if c == '/' {
+                    components.push(Component::Constant(a));
+                    a = String::new();
+                    s = State::ConstantOrParameter;
+                } else if c == '{' || c == '}' {
+                    bail!("unexpected parameter");
+                } else {
+                    a.push(c);
+                }
+            }
+            State::Parameter => {
+                if c == '}' {
+                    components.push(Component::Parameter(a));
+                    a = String::new();
+                    s = State::ConstantOrParameter;
+                } else if c == '/' || c == '{' {
+                    bail!("expected parameter");
+                } else {
+                    a.push(c);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    match s {
+        State::Start => bail!("empty path"),
+        State::ConstantOrParameter => (),
+        State::Constant => components.push(Component::Constant(a)),
+        State::Parameter => bail!("unterminated parameter"),
+    }
+
+    Ok(Template { components, })
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use anyhow::{anyhow, Context, Result};
+    use super::{parse, Template, Component};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn basic() -> Result<()> {
+        let trials = vec![
+            ("/info", Template {
+                components: vec![
+                    Component::Constant("info".into()),
+                ],
+            }),
+            ("/measure/{number}", Template {
+                components: vec![
+                    Component::Constant("measure".into()),
+                    Component::Parameter("number".into()),
+                ],
+            }),
+        ];
+
+        for (path, want) in trials.iter() {
+            let t = parse(path)
+                .with_context(|| anyhow!("path {}", path))?;
+            assert_eq!(&t, want);
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn compile() -> Result<()> {
+        let t = parse("/measure/{number}")?;
+        let out = t.compile();
+        let want = "        let url = format!(\"{}/measure/{}\",\
+            \n            self.baseurl,\
+            \n            number,\
+            \n        );\n";
+        assert_eq!(want, &out);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}