diff --git a/cmd/init.go b/cmd/init.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e064ed0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/init.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package cmd
+
+import "github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+var initCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use: "init",
+	Example: `
+  # create default files and directories at specified root path
+  makeshift init $MAKESHIFT_ROOT
+`,
+	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+	Short: "Initialize directory with default files",
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+
+	},
+}
+
+func init() {
+
+}