diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ee6fc24fb..0cac5965e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -11,4 +11,5 @@ llarpd
 *.test
 *.bin
 
-callgrind.*
\ No newline at end of file
+callgrind.*
+.gdb_history
diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c406e22d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+    // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
+    // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
+    "version": "2.0.0",
+    "tasks": [
+        {
+            "label": "build",
+            "type": "shell",
+            "command": "make"
+        },
+        {
+            "label": "rebuild",
+            "type": "shell",
+            "command": "make clean all"
+        }
+    ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/daemon/main.c b/daemon/main.c
index 86dc1c486..08395d0ff 100644
--- a/daemon/main.c
+++ b/daemon/main.c
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ struct llarp_main {
   struct llarp_threadpool *worker;
   struct llarp_logic *logic;
   struct llarp_config *config;
+  struct llarp_nodedb *nodedb;
   struct llarp_ev_loop *mainloop;
+  char nodedb_dir[256];
 };
 
 void iter_main_config(struct llarp_config_iterator *itr, const char *section,
@@ -22,6 +24,11 @@ void iter_main_config(struct llarp_config_iterator *itr, const char *section,
       }
     }
   }
+  if (!strcmp(section, "nodedb")) {
+    if (!strcmp(key, "dir")) {
+      strncpy(m->nodedb_dir, val, sizeof(m->nodedb_dir));
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 static void progress() {
@@ -76,17 +83,26 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     iter.visit = iter_main_config;
     llarp_config_iter(llarp.config, &iter);
 
-    if (!llarp.worker) llarp.worker = llarp_init_threadpool(2);
-    llarp.router = llarp_init_router(llarp.worker);
+    llarp.nodedb = llarp_nodedb_new();
 
-    if (llarp_configure_router(llarp.router, llarp.config)) {
-      llarp.logic = llarp_init_logic();
-      printf("starting router\n");
-      llarp_run_router(llarp.router, llarp.logic);
-      printf("running mainloop\n");
-      llarp_ev_loop_run(llarp.mainloop);
-    } else
-      printf("Failed to configure router\n");
+    if (llarp.nodedb_dir[0]) {
+      llarp.nodedb_dir[sizeof(llarp.nodedb_dir) - 1] = 0;
+      char *dir = llarp.nodedb_dir;
+      if (llarp_nodedb_ensure_dir(dir)) {
+        if (!llarp.worker) llarp.worker = llarp_init_threadpool(2);
+        llarp.router = llarp_init_router(llarp.worker);
+
+        if (llarp_configure_router(llarp.router, llarp.config)) {
+          llarp.logic = llarp_init_logic();
+          printf("starting router\n");
+          llarp_run_router(llarp.router, llarp.logic);
+          printf("running mainloop\n");
+          llarp_ev_loop_run(llarp.mainloop);
+        } else
+          printf("Failed to configure router\n");
+      } else
+        printf("failed to initialize nodedb at %s\n", dir);
+    }
   } else
     printf("Failed to load config %s\n", conffname);
 
diff --git a/include/llarp.h b/include/llarp.h
index bca5595a9..2da899d05 100644
--- a/include/llarp.h
+++ b/include/llarp.h
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@
 #include <llarp/mem.h>
 #include <llarp/ev.h>
 #include <llarp/logic.h>
+#include <llarp/nodedb.h>
 #endif
diff --git a/include/llarp/address_info.h b/include/llarp/address_info.h
index 71224e5bd..f259cf400 100644
--- a/include/llarp/address_info.h
+++ b/include/llarp/address_info.h
@@ -20,12 +20,15 @@ struct llarp_ai {
 };
 
 bool llarp_ai_bencode(struct llarp_ai *ai, llarp_buffer_t *buff);
-bool llarp_ai_bdecode(struct llarp_ai *ai, llarp_buffer_t buff);
+bool llarp_ai_bdecode(struct llarp_ai *ai, llarp_buffer_t *buff);
 
 struct llarp_ai_list;
 
 struct llarp_ai_list *llarp_ai_list_new();
-void llarp_ai_list_free(struct llarp_ai_list *l);
+void llarp_ai_list_free(struct llarp_ai_list **l);
+
+bool llarp_ai_list_bencode(struct llarp_ai_list *l, llarp_buffer_t *buff);
+bool llarp_ai_list_bdecode(struct llarp_ai_list *l, llarp_buffer_t *buff);
 
 struct llarp_ai llarp_ai_list_popfront(struct llarp_ai_list *l);
 void llarp_ai_list_pushback(struct llarp_ai_list *l, struct llarp_ai *ai);
diff --git a/include/llarp/bencode.h b/include/llarp/bencode.h
index 9a839085f..f9a57c1b1 100644
--- a/include/llarp/bencode.h
+++ b/include/llarp/bencode.h
@@ -10,45 +10,45 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-bool INLINE bencode_write_bytestring(llarp_buffer_t* buff, const void* data,
-                                     size_t sz) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_write_bytestring(llarp_buffer_t* buff,
+                                            const void* data, size_t sz) {
   if (!llarp_buffer_writef(buff, "%ld:", sz)) return false;
   return llarp_buffer_write(buff, data, sz);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_write_int(llarp_buffer_t* buff, int i) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_write_int(llarp_buffer_t* buff, int i) {
   return llarp_buffer_writef(buff, "i%de", i);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_write_uint16(llarp_buffer_t* buff, uint16_t i) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_write_uint16(llarp_buffer_t* buff, uint16_t i) {
   return llarp_buffer_writef(buff, "i%de", i);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_write_int64(llarp_buffer_t* buff, int64_t i) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_write_int64(llarp_buffer_t* buff, int64_t i) {
   return llarp_buffer_writef(buff, "i%lde", i);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_write_uint64(llarp_buffer_t* buff, uint64_t i) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_write_uint64(llarp_buffer_t* buff, uint64_t i) {
   return llarp_buffer_writef(buff, "i%lde", i);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_write_sizeint(llarp_buffer_t* buff, size_t i) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_write_sizeint(llarp_buffer_t* buff, size_t i) {
   return llarp_buffer_writef(buff, "i%lde", i);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_start_list(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_start_list(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
   return llarp_buffer_write(buff, "l", 1);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_start_dict(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_start_dict(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
   return llarp_buffer_write(buff, "d", 1);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_end(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_end(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
   return llarp_buffer_write(buff, "e", 1);
 }
 
-bool INLINE bencode_write_version_entry(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
+static bool INLINE bencode_write_version_entry(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
   return llarp_buffer_writef(buff, "1:vi%de", LLARP_PROTO_VERSION);
 }
 
diff --git a/include/llarp/buffer.h b/include/llarp/buffer.h
index 109b7f717..0240d4939 100644
--- a/include/llarp/buffer.h
+++ b/include/llarp/buffer.h
@@ -16,24 +16,9 @@ typedef struct llarp_buffer_t {
   char *cur;
 } llarp_buffer_t;
 
-size_t INLINE llarp_buffer_size_left(llarp_buffer_t *buff) {
-  size_t diff = buff->cur - buff->base;
-  if (diff > buff->sz)
-    return 0;
-  else
-    return buff->sz - diff;
-}
+size_t llarp_buffer_size_left(llarp_buffer_t *buff);
 
-bool INLINE llarp_buffer_write(llarp_buffer_t *buff, const void *data,
-                               size_t sz) {
-  size_t left = llarp_buffer_size_left(buff);
-  if (left >= sz) {
-    memcpy(buff->cur, data, sz);
-    buff->cur += sz;
-    return true;
-  }
-  return false;
-}
+bool llarp_buffer_write(llarp_buffer_t *buff, const void *data, size_t sz);
 
 bool llarp_buffer_writef(llarp_buffer_t *buff, const char *fmt, ...);
 
diff --git a/include/llarp/exit_info.h b/include/llarp/exit_info.h
index 6d7a41b6e..bc507d53d 100644
--- a/include/llarp/exit_info.h
+++ b/include/llarp/exit_info.h
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ bool llarp_xi_bencode(struct llarp_xi *xi, llarp_buffer_t *buf);
 struct llarp_xi_list;
 
 struct llarp_xi_list *llarp_xi_list_new();
-void llarp_xi_list_free(struct llarp_xi_list *l);
+void llarp_xi_list_free(struct llarp_xi_list **l);
+
+bool llarp_xi_list_bdecode(struct llarp_xi_list *l, llarp_buffer_t *buf);
+bool llarp_xi_list_bencode(struct llarp_xi_list *l, llarp_buffer_t *buf);
 
 struct llarp_xi_list_iter {
   void *user;
diff --git a/llarp/address_info.c b/llarp/address_info.c
index 18dc91bd9..3253f6b22 100644
--- a/llarp/address_info.c
+++ b/llarp/address_info.c
@@ -36,31 +36,55 @@ bool llarp_ai_bencode(struct llarp_ai *ai, llarp_buffer_t *buff) {
   return bencode_end(buff);
 }
 
-struct llarp_ai_list {
-  struct llarp_ai_list *next;
+static bool llarp_ai_list_iter_bencode(struct llarp_ai_list_iter *iter,
+                                       struct llarp_ai *ai) {
+  return llarp_ai_bencode(ai, iter->user);
+}
+
+bool llarp_ai_list_bencode(struct llarp_ai_list *l, llarp_buffer_t *buff) {
+  if (!bencode_start_list(buff)) return false;
+  struct llarp_ai_list_iter ai_itr = {.user = buff,
+                                      .visit = &llarp_ai_list_iter_bencode};
+  llarp_ai_list_iterate(l, &ai_itr);
+  return bencode_end(buff);
+}
+
+struct llarp_ai_list_node {
   struct llarp_ai data;
+  struct llarp_ai_list_node *next;
+};
+
+struct llarp_ai_list {
+  struct llarp_ai_list_node *root;
 };
 
 struct llarp_ai_list *llarp_ai_list_new() {
-  return llarp_g_mem.alloc(sizeof(struct llarp_ai_list), 8);
+  struct llarp_ai_list *l = llarp_g_mem.alloc(sizeof(struct llarp_ai_list), 8);
+  if (l) {
+    l->root = NULL;
+  }
+  return l;
 }
 
-void llarp_ai_list_free(struct llarp_ai_list *l) {
-  struct llarp_ai_list *cur = l;
-  struct llarp_ai_list *tmp;
-  do {
-    tmp = cur->next;
-    llarp_g_mem.free(cur);
-    cur = tmp;
-  } while (cur->next);
+void llarp_ai_list_free(struct llarp_ai_list **l) {
+  if (*l) {
+    struct llarp_ai_list_node *cur = (*l)->root;
+    while (cur) {
+      struct llarp_ai_list_node *tmp = cur->next;
+      llarp_g_mem.free(cur);
+      cur = tmp;
+    }
+    llarp_g_mem.free(*l);
+    *l = NULL;
+  }
 }
 
 void llarp_ai_list_iterate(struct llarp_ai_list *l,
                            struct llarp_ai_list_iter *itr) {
-  struct llarp_ai_list *cur = l;
+  struct llarp_ai_list_node *cur = l->root;
   itr->list = l;
-  do {
+  while (cur) {
     if (!itr->visit(itr, &cur->data)) return;
     cur = cur->next;
-  } while (cur->next);
+  };
 }
diff --git a/llarp/address_info.hpp b/llarp/address_info.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index aec492cdf..000000000
--- a/llarp/address_info.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef LLARP_AI_HPP
-#define LLARP_AI_HPP
-#include <llarp/address_info.h>
-#include <cstring>
-#include <list>
-
-struct llarp_ai_list {
-  llarp_ai *data;
-  llarp_ai_list *next = nullptr;
-};
-
-static std::list<llarp_ai> ai_list_to_std(struct llarp_ai_list *l) {
-  std::list<llarp_ai> list;
-  if (l && l->data) {
-    do {
-      llarp_ai copy;
-      memcpy(&copy, l->data, sizeof(llarp_ai));
-      list.push_back(copy);
-      l = l->next;
-    } while (l->next);
-  }
-  return list;
-}
-
-#endif
diff --git a/llarp/buffer.cpp b/llarp/buffer.cpp
index 7f30314bc..90a2bce06 100644
--- a/llarp/buffer.cpp
+++ b/llarp/buffer.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,15 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 
 extern "C" {
+
+size_t llarp_buffer_size_left(llarp_buffer_t* buff) {
+  size_t diff = buff->cur - buff->base;
+  if (diff > buff->sz)
+    return 0;
+  else
+    return buff->sz - diff;
+}
+
 bool llarp_buffer_writef(llarp_buffer_t* buff, const char* fmt, ...) {
   int written;
   size_t sz = llarp_buffer_size_left(buff);
@@ -15,6 +24,16 @@ bool llarp_buffer_writef(llarp_buffer_t* buff, const char* fmt, ...) {
   return true;
 }
 
+bool llarp_buffer_write(llarp_buffer_t* buff, const void* data, size_t sz) {
+  size_t left = llarp_buffer_size_left(buff);
+  if (left >= sz) {
+    memcpy(buff->cur, data, sz);
+    buff->cur += sz;
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 bool llarp_buffer_readfile(llarp_buffer_t* buff, FILE* f, llarp_alloc* mem) {
   ssize_t len;
   fseek(f, 0, SEEK_END);
diff --git a/llarp/exit_info.c b/llarp/exit_info.c
index 4fe29e79a..113995adf 100644
--- a/llarp/exit_info.c
+++ b/llarp/exit_info.c
@@ -1,8 +1,63 @@
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <llarp/bencode.h>
 #include <llarp/exit_info.h>
+#include <llarp/mem.h>
 #include <llarp/string.h>
 
+struct llarp_xi_list_node {
+  struct llarp_xi data;
+  struct llarp_xi_list_node *next;
+};
+
+struct llarp_xi_list {
+  struct llarp_xi_list_node *root;
+};
+
+struct llarp_xi_list *llarp_xi_list_new() {
+  struct llarp_xi_list *l = llarp_g_mem.alloc(sizeof(struct llarp_xi_list), 8);
+  if (l) {
+    l->root = NULL;
+  }
+  return l;
+}
+
+void llarp_xi_list_free(struct llarp_xi_list **l) {
+  if (*l) {
+    struct llarp_xi_list_node *current = (*l)->root;
+    while (current) {
+      struct llarp_xi_list_node *tmp = current->next;
+      llarp_g_mem.free(current);
+      current = tmp;
+    }
+    llarp_g_mem.free(*l);
+    *l = NULL;
+  }
+}
+
+static bool llarp_xi_iter_bencode(struct llarp_xi_list_iter *iter,
+                                  struct llarp_xi *xi) {
+  return llarp_xi_bencode(xi, iter->user);
+}
+
+bool llarp_xi_list_bencode(struct llarp_xi_list *l, llarp_buffer_t *buff) {
+  if (!bencode_start_list(buff)) return false;
+  struct llarp_xi_list_iter xi_itr = {.user = buff,
+                                      .visit = &llarp_xi_iter_bencode};
+  llarp_xi_list_iterate(l, &xi_itr);
+  return bencode_end(buff);
+}
+
+void llarp_xi_list_iterate(struct llarp_xi_list *l,
+                           struct llarp_xi_list_iter *iter) {
+  struct llarp_xi_list_node *current = l->root;
+  iter->list = l;
+  while (current) {
+    if (!iter->visit(iter, &current->data)) return;
+
+    current = current->next;
+  }
+}
+
 bool llarp_xi_bencode(struct llarp_xi *xi, llarp_buffer_t *buff) {
   char addr_buff[128] = {0};
   const char *addr;
diff --git a/llarp/exit_info.hpp b/llarp/exit_info.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index e81b6ea69..000000000
--- a/llarp/exit_info.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef LLARP_XI_HPP
-#define LLARP_XI_HPP
-#include <llarp/exit_info.h>
-#include <list>
-
-struct llarp_xi_list {
-  std::list<llarp_xi> list;
-};
-
-static std::list<llarp_xi> xi_list_to_std(struct llarp_xi_list *l) {
-  std::list<llarp_xi> list;
-  if (l->list.size())
-    for (const auto &xi : l->list) list.push_back(xi);
-  return list;
-}
-
-#endif
diff --git a/llarp/router_contact.c b/llarp/router_contact.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9fe9df37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/llarp/router_contact.c
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#include <llarp/bencode.h>
+#include <llarp/router_contact.h>
+#include <llarp/version.h>
+
+void llarp_rc_free(struct llarp_rc *rc) {
+  llarp_xi_list_free(&rc->exits);
+  llarp_ai_list_free(&rc->addrs);
+}
+
+bool llarp_rc_bencode(struct llarp_rc *rc, llarp_buffer_t *buff) {
+  /* write dict begin */
+  if (!bencode_start_dict(buff)) return false;
+  if (rc->addrs) {
+    /* write ai if they exist */
+    if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, "a", 1)) return false;
+    if (!llarp_ai_list_bencode(rc->addrs, buff)) return false;
+  }
+  /* write pubkey */
+  if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, "k", 1)) return false;
+  if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, rc->pubkey, sizeof(llarp_pubkey_t)))
+    return false;
+
+  /* write version */
+  if (!bencode_write_version_entry(buff)) return false;
+
+  if (rc->exits) {
+    /* write ai if they exist */
+    if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, "x", 1)) return false;
+    if (!llarp_xi_list_bencode(rc->exits, buff)) return false;
+  }
+
+  /* write signature */
+  if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, "z", 1)) return false;
+  if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, rc->signature, sizeof(llarp_sig_t)))
+    return false;
+  return bencode_end(buff);
+}
diff --git a/llarp/router_contact.cpp b/llarp/router_contact.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 863910579..000000000
--- a/llarp/router_contact.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,65 +0,0 @@
-#include "router_contact.hpp"
-#include <llarp/bencode.h>
-#include <llarp/version.h>
-#include "address_info.hpp"
-#include "exit_info.hpp"
-
-namespace llarp {
-
-static bool bencode_rc_ai_write(struct llarp_ai_list_iter *i,
-                                struct llarp_ai *ai) {
-  llarp_buffer_t *buff = static_cast<llarp_buffer_t *>(i->user);
-  return llarp_ai_bencode(ai, buff);
-}
-
-static bool bencode_rc_xi_write(struct llarp_xi_list_iter *i,
-                                struct llarp_xi *xi) {
-  llarp_buffer_t *buff = static_cast<llarp_buffer_t *>(i->user);
-  return llarp_xi_bencode(xi, buff);
-}
-}  // namespace llarp
-
-extern "C" {
-
-void llarp_rc_free(struct llarp_rc *rc) {
-  if (rc->exits) llarp_xi_list_free(rc->exits);
-  if (rc->addrs) llarp_ai_list_free(rc->addrs);
-}
-
-bool llarp_rc_bencode(struct llarp_rc *rc, llarp_buffer_t *buff) {
-  /* write dict begin */
-  if (!bencode_start_dict(buff)) return false;
-  if (rc->addrs) {
-    /* write ai if they exist */
-    if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, "a", 1)) return false;
-    if (!bencode_start_list(buff)) return false;
-    struct llarp_ai_list_iter ai_itr = {
-        .user = buff, .list = nullptr, .visit = &llarp::bencode_rc_ai_write};
-    llarp_ai_list_iterate(rc->addrs, &ai_itr);
-    if (!bencode_end(buff)) return false;
-  }
-  /* write pubkey */
-  if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, "k", 1)) return false;
-  if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, rc->pubkey, sizeof(llarp_pubkey_t)))
-    return false;
-
-  /* write version */
-  if (!bencode_write_version_entry(buff)) return false;
-
-  if (rc->exits) {
-    /* write ai if they exist */
-    if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, "x", 1)) return false;
-    if (!bencode_start_list(buff)) return false;
-    struct llarp_xi_list_iter xi_itr = {
-        .user = buff, .list = nullptr, .visit = &llarp::bencode_rc_xi_write};
-    llarp_xi_list_iterate(rc->exits, &xi_itr);
-    if (!bencode_end(buff)) return false;
-  }
-
-  /* write signature */
-  if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, "z", 1)) return false;
-  if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buff, rc->signature, sizeof(llarp_sig_t)))
-    return false;
-  return bencode_end(buff);
-}
-}
diff --git a/llarp/timer.cpp b/llarp/timer.cpp
index 9c3847706..0231fde39 100644
--- a/llarp/timer.cpp
+++ b/llarp/timer.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ struct llarp_timer_context {
   uint32_t call_later(void* user, llarp_timer_handler_func func,
                       uint64_t timeout_ms) {
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(timersMutex);
-    uint32_t id = ids++;
+    uint32_t id = ++ids;
     timers[id] = llarp::timer(timeout_ms);
     return id;
   }