diff --git a/state/base.py b/state/base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07f7055
--- /dev/null
+++ b/state/base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,287 @@
+from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+from typing import Any, List, Tuple, TypeVar, Optional, Union, Generator
+import uuid
+
+primitive_types = (int, float, str, bool)
+
+
+Node = str
+Edge = str
+Element = Union[Node, Edge]
+
+
+class State(ABC):
+    """
+    Abstract base class for MvS CRUD interface defined in:
+    http://msdl.cs.mcgill.ca/people/yentl/files/thesis.pdf
+    """
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def new_id() -> str:
+        """
+        Generates a new UUID
+        """
+        return str(uuid.uuid4())
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_valid_datavalue(value: Any) -> bool:
+        """
+        Checks whether value type is supported.
+
+        Args:
+            value: value whose type needs to be checked
+
+        Returns:
+            True if value type is supported, False otherwise.
+        """
+        if not isinstance(value, primitive_types):
+            return False
+        elif isinstance(value, int) and not (-2**63 <= value <= 2**63 - 1):
+            return False
+        return True
+
+    def purge(self):
+        """
+        Implements a garbage collection routine for implementations that don't have automatic garbage collection.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    # =========================================================================
+    # CREATE
+    # =========================================================================
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def create_node(self) -> Node:
+        """
+        Creates node.
+
+        Returns:
+            The created node.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def create_edge(self, source: Element, target: Element) -> Optional[Edge]:
+        """
+        Creates edge. Source and target elements should already exist.
+
+        Args:
+            source: source element of edge
+            target: target element of edge
+
+        Returns:
+            The created edge, None if source or target element doesn't exist.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def create_nodevalue(self, value: Any) -> Optional[Node]:
+        """
+        Creates node containing value.
+
+        Args:
+            value: value to assign to new node
+
+        Returns:
+            The created node, None if type of value is not supported.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def create_dict(self, source: Element, value: Any, target: Element) -> Optional[Tuple[Edge, Edge, Node]]:
+        """
+        Creates named edge between two graph elements.
+
+        Args:
+            source: source element of edge
+            value: edge label
+            target: target element of edge
+
+        Returns:
+            Tuple containing the created edges and label node, None is source or target don't exist
+            or value type doesn't exist. First edge goes from source to target, second from edge to label.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    # =========================================================================
+    # READ
+    # =========================================================================
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_root(self) -> Node:
+        """
+        Reads state's root node.
+
+        Returns:
+            The state's root node.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_value(self, node: Node) -> Optional[Any]:
+        """
+        Reads value of given node.
+
+        Args:
+            node: node whose value to read
+
+        Returns:
+            I node exists, value stored in node, else None.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_outgoing(self, elem: Element) -> Optional[List[Edge]]:
+        """
+        Retrieves edges whose source is given element.
+        Args:
+            elem: source element of edges to retrieve
+
+        Returns:
+            If elem exists, list of edges whose source is elem, else None.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_incoming(self, elem: Element) -> Optional[List[Edge]]:
+        """
+        Retrieves edges whose target is given element.
+        Args:
+            elem: target element of edges to retrieve
+
+        Returns:
+            If elem exists, list of edges whose target is elem, else None.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_edge(self, edge: Edge) -> Tuple[Optional[Node], Optional[Node]]:
+        """
+        Reads source and target of given edge.
+
+        Args:
+            edge: edge whose source and target to read
+
+        Returns:
+            If edge exists, tuple containing source (first) and target (second) node, else (None, None)
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_dict(self, elem: Element, value: Any) -> Optional[Element]:
+        """
+        Reads element connected to given element through edge with label = value.
+
+        Args:
+            elem: source element
+            value: edge label
+
+        Returns:
+            If elem doesn't exist or no edge is found with given label, None, else target element of edge  with label = value originating from source.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_dict_keys(self, elem: Element) -> Optional[List[Any]]:
+        """
+        Reads labels of outgoing edges starting in given node.
+
+        Args:
+            elem: source element
+
+        Returns:
+            If elem exists, list of (unique) edge labels, else None.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_dict_edge(self, elem: Element, value: Any) -> Optional[Edge]:
+        """
+        Reads edge between two elements connected through edge with label = value.
+
+        Args:
+            elem: source element
+            value: edge label
+
+        Returns:
+            If elem doesn't exist or no edge is found with given label, None, else edge with label = value originating from source.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_dict_node(self, elem: Element, value_node: Node) -> Optional[Element]:
+        """
+        Reads element connected to given element through edge with label node = value_node.
+
+        Args:
+            elem: source element
+            value_node: edge label node
+
+        Returns:
+            If elem exists, target element of edge with label stored in value_node originating from elem, else None.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_dict_node_edge(self, elem: Element, value_node: Node) -> Optional[Edge]:
+        """
+        Reads edge connecting two elements through edge with label node = value_node.
+
+        Args:
+            elem: source element
+            value_node: edge label node
+
+        Returns:
+            If elem exists, edge with label node = value_node, originating from source, else None.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def read_reverse_dict(self, elem: Element, value: Any) -> Optional[List[Element]]:
+        """
+        Retrieves a list of all elements that have an outgoing edge, having label = value, towards the passed element.
+
+        Args:
+            elem: target element
+            value: edge label
+
+        Returns:
+            If elem exists, list of elements with an outgoing edge with label = value towards elem, else None.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    # =========================================================================
+    # UPDATE
+    # =========================================================================
+    """
+    Updates are done by performing subsequent CREATE and DELETE operations:
+    http://msdl.cs.mcgill.ca/people/yentl/files/thesis.pdf
+    """
+
+    # =========================================================================
+    # DELETE
+    # =========================================================================
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def delete_node(self, node: Node) -> None:
+        """
+        Deletes given node from state graph.
+        Args:
+            node: node to be deleted
+
+        Returns:
+            None
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def delete_edge(self, edge: Edge) -> None:
+        """
+        Deletes given edge from state graph.
+        Args:
+            edge: edge to be deleted
+
+        Returns:
+            None
+        """
+        pass