diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/ChatColor.java b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ChatColor.java
similarity index 99%
rename from proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/ChatColor.java
rename to api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ChatColor.java
index ca157672..a72c01d1 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/ChatColor.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ChatColor.java
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package net.md_5.bungee;
+package net.md_5.bungee.api;
 
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/plugin/Command.java b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/plugin/Command.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d89a910d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/plugin/Command.java
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+package net.md_5.bungee.api.plugin;
+
+import lombok.AccessLevel;
+import lombok.Data;
+import lombok.RequiredArgsConstructor;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.CommandSender;
+
+/**
+ * A command that can be executed by a {@link CommandSender}.
+ */
+@Data
+@RequiredArgsConstructor(access = AccessLevel.NONE)
+public abstract class Command
+{
+
+    private final String name;
+    private final String permission;
+    private final String[] aliases;
+
+    /**
+     * Construct a new command.
+     *
+     * @param name primary name of this command
+     * @param permission the permission node required to execute this command,
+     * null or empty string allows it to be executed by everyone
+     * @param aliases aliases which map back to this command
+     */
+    public Command(String name, String permission, String... aliases)
+    {
+        this.name = name;
+        this.permission = permission;
+        this.aliases = aliases;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Execute this command with the specified sender and arguments.
+     *
+     * @param sender the executor of this command
+     * @param args arguments used to invoke this command
+     */
+    public abstract void execute(CommandSender sender, String[] args);
+}
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/plugin/PluginManager.java b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/plugin/PluginManager.java
index 8974c0a2..89ec5aa0 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/plugin/PluginManager.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/plugin/PluginManager.java
@@ -7,12 +7,16 @@ import java.io.File;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.net.URL;
 import java.net.URLClassLoader;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.jar.JarEntry;
 import java.util.jar.JarFile;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.CommandSender;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.ProxyServer;
 import org.yaml.snakeyaml.Yaml;
 
@@ -23,9 +27,72 @@ import org.yaml.snakeyaml.Yaml;
 public class PluginManager
 {
 
+    private static final Pattern argsSplit = Pattern.compile(" ");
+    /*========================================================================*/
     private final Yaml yaml = new Yaml();
     private final EventBus eventBus = new EventBus();
     private final Map<String, Plugin> plugins = new HashMap<>();
+    private final Map<String, Command> commandMap = new HashMap<>();
+
+    /**
+     * Register a command so that it may be executed.
+     *
+     * @param command the command to register
+     */
+    public void registerCommand(Command command)
+    {
+        commandMap.put(command.getName(), command);
+        for (String alias : command.getAliases())
+        {
+            commandMap.put(alias, command);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Unregister a command so it will no longer be executed.
+     *
+     * @param command the command to unregister
+     */
+    public void unregisterCommand(Command command)
+    {
+        commandMap.values().remove(command);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Execute a command if it is registered, else return false.
+     *
+     * @param sender the sender executing the command
+     * @param commandLine the complete command line including command name and
+     * arguments
+     * @return whether the command was handled
+     */
+    public boolean dispatchCommand(CommandSender sender, String commandLine)
+    {
+        String[] split = argsSplit.split(commandLine);
+        Command command = commandMap.get(split[0]);
+        if (command == null)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        String permission = command.getPermission();
+        if (permission != null && !permission.isEmpty() && !sender.hasPermission(permission))
+        {
+            sender.sendMessage(ChatColor.RED + "You do not have permission to execute this command!");
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        String[] args = Arrays.copyOfRange(split, 1, split.length);
+        try
+        {
+            command.execute(sender, args);
+        } catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            sender.sendMessage(ChatColor.RED + "An internal error occurred whilst executing this command, please check the console log for details.");
+            ProxyServer.getInstance().getLogger().log(Level.WARNING, "Error in dispatching command", ex);
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
 
     /**
      * Returns the {@link Plugin} objects corresponding to all loaded plugins.
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/BungeeCord.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/BungeeCord.java
index b25ef180..c8d9fdf2 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/BungeeCord.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/BungeeCord.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import static net.md_5.bungee.Logger.$;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.command.*;
 import net.md_5.bungee.packet.DefinedPacket;
 import net.md_5.bungee.packet.PacketFAPluginMessage;
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/Configuration.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/Configuration.java
index 23ec2af3..01b507b0 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/Configuration.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/Configuration.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.UUID;
 import static net.md_5.bungee.Logger.$;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.command.CommandSender;
 import net.md_5.bungee.command.ConsoleCommandSender;
 import org.yaml.snakeyaml.DumperOptions;
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/InitialHandler.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/InitialHandler.java
index 28872d34..b2fe6660 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/InitialHandler.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/InitialHandler.java
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 package net.md_5.bungee;
 
-import java.io.BufferedOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.net.Socket;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import javax.crypto.SecretKey;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.packet.Packet2Handshake;
 import net.md_5.bungee.packet.PacketFCEncryptionResponse;
 import net.md_5.bungee.packet.PacketFDEncryptionRequest;
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandAlert.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandAlert.java
index 270e89c1..f8d1c761 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandAlert.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandAlert.java
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
 import net.md_5.bungee.BungeeCord;
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.Permission;
 import net.md_5.bungee.UserConnection;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 public class CommandAlert extends Command
 {
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandBungee.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandBungee.java
index 8ea902df..7e34debb 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandBungee.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandBungee.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
 import net.md_5.bungee.BungeeCord;
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 public class CommandBungee extends Command
 {
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandEnd.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandEnd.java
index 3750dfd1..570d308c 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandEnd.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandEnd.java
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
 import net.md_5.bungee.BungeeCord;
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.Permission;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 /**
  * Command to terminate the proxy instance. May only be used by the console.
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandIP.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandIP.java
index d1b75f4b..755f7b6c 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandIP.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandIP.java
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
 import net.md_5.bungee.BungeeCord;
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.Permission;
 import net.md_5.bungee.UserConnection;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 public class CommandIP extends Command
 {
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandList.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandList.java
index 42584a4d..988106dd 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandList.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandList.java
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
 import java.util.Collection;
 import net.md_5.bungee.BungeeCord;
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.UserConnection;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 /**
  * Command to list all players connected to the proxy.
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandMotd.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandMotd.java
index 3d26c066..3acab4c1 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandMotd.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandMotd.java
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
 import net.md_5.bungee.BungeeCord;
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.Permission;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 /**
  * Command to set a temp copy of the motd in real-time without stopping the
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandReload.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandReload.java
index 18c922d0..337fdf1e 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandReload.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandReload.java
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
 import net.md_5.bungee.BungeeCord;
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.Permission;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 public class CommandReload extends Command
 {
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandServer.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandServer.java
index a2956b56..f7bdce4d 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandServer.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/CommandServer.java
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
 import java.util.Collection;
 import net.md_5.bungee.BungeeCord;
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.UserConnection;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 /**
  * Command to list and switch a player between available servers.
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/ConsoleCommandSender.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/ConsoleCommandSender.java
index 79401a03..52d2216c 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/ConsoleCommandSender.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/command/ConsoleCommandSender.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 package net.md_5.bungee.command;
 
-import net.md_5.bungee.ChatColor;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatColor;
 
 /**
  * Command sender representing the proxy console.