diff --git a/DbMessaging.pro b/DbMessaging.pro
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c5e0dbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DbMessaging.pro
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+TEMPLATE = subdirs
+
+SUBDIRS += messagingclient \
+           messaginglib \
+           messagingserver \
+           messagingtest
+
+messagingclient.depends += messaginglib
+messagingserver.depends += messaginglib
+messagingtest.depends += messaginglib
diff --git a/messagingclient/main.cpp b/messagingclient/main.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6334f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messagingclient/main.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#include <QCoreApplication>
+#include <QDebug>
+
+#include "messages/mymessage.h"
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    QCoreApplication app(argc, argv);
+
+    MyMessage original("Daniel", QDate(1996, 11, 12), QDateTime::currentDateTime(), 21, 80);
+    MyMessage copy(original);
+
+    original.setName("Peter");
+
+    QVariantMap delta;
+    original.copyTouchedTo(delta);
+    original.setTouched(false);
+
+    qDebug() << "before applying delta";
+    copy.debug();
+
+    copy.apply(delta);
+
+    qDebug() << "after applying delta";
+    copy.debug();
+
+    return app.exec();
+}
diff --git a/messagingclient/messagingclient.pro b/messagingclient/messagingclient.pro
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c05bc1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messagingclient/messagingclient.pro
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+QT += core network
+QT -= gui widgets
+
+DBLIBS += messaginglib
+
+TARGET = messagingclient
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = ../..
+
+SOURCES += main.cpp
+
+HEADERS +=
+
+FORMS +=
+
+RESOURCES +=
+
+TRANSLATIONS +=
+
+include($${PROJECT_ROOT}/app.pri)
diff --git a/messaginglib/dbmsgbase.cpp b/messaginglib/dbmsgbase.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad62013
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/dbmsgbase.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+#include "dbmsgbase.h"
+
+#include <QDebug>
+
+#include <algorithm>
+
+#include "dbmsgfieldbase.h"
+
+const QString DbMsgBase::m_clearedFieldsName(QStringLiteral("__CLEARED_FIELDS"));
+
+DbMsgBase::DbMsgBase()
+{
+}
+
+DbMsgBase::~DbMsgBase()
+{
+}
+
+bool DbMsgBase::touched() const
+{
+    const auto fields = getFields();
+    return std::any_of(fields.cbegin(), fields.cend(), [](const DbMsgFieldBase *field) { return field->touched(); });
+}
+
+void DbMsgBase::setTouched(bool touched)
+{
+    for(DbMsgFieldBase *field : getFields())
+        field->setTouched(touched);
+}
+
+void DbMsgBase::debug() const
+{
+    const auto fields = getFields();
+    for(auto iter = fields.cbegin(); iter != fields.cend(); iter++)
+        qDebug() << iter.key() << iter.value()->toVariant() << iter.value()->touched();
+}
+
+void DbMsgBase::copyTo(QVariantMap &variantMap) const
+{
+    const auto fields = getFields();
+    for(auto iter = fields.cbegin(); iter != fields.cend(); iter++)
+    {
+        const auto key = iter.key();
+        const auto field = iter.value();
+        const auto hasValue = field->hasValue();
+        const auto variant = field->toVariant();
+        if(hasValue)
+            variantMap.insert(key, variant);
+        else
+            qWarning() << key << "has no value for full transmission!";
+    }
+}
+
+void DbMsgBase::copyTouchedTo(QVariantMap &variantMap) const
+{
+    QStringList clearedFields;
+
+    const auto fields = getFields();
+    for(auto iter = fields.cbegin(); iter != fields.cend(); iter++)
+        if(iter.value()->touched())
+        {
+            if(iter.value()->hasValue())
+                variantMap.insert(iter.key(), iter.value()->toVariant());
+            else
+                clearedFields.append(iter.key());
+        }
+
+    if(!clearedFields.isEmpty())
+        variantMap.insert(m_clearedFieldsName, clearedFields);
+}
+
+void DbMsgBase::apply(const QVariantMap &variantMap)
+{
+    const auto fields = getFields();
+    for(auto iter = variantMap.cbegin(); iter != variantMap.cend(); iter++)
+    {
+        if(iter.key() == m_clearedFieldsName)
+        {
+            Q_ASSERT(iter.value().type() == QVariant::StringList);
+            for(const auto &clearedField : iter.value().toStringList())
+            {
+                Q_ASSERT(fields.contains(clearedField));
+                const auto field = fields.value(clearedField);
+                if(field->touched())
+                    qWarning() << "delta message contained field which has been touched!";
+                field->clear();
+                field->setTouched(false);
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            Q_ASSERT(fields.contains(iter.key()));
+            const auto field = fields.value(iter.key());
+            if(field->touched())
+                qWarning() << "delta message contained field which has been touched!";
+            field->setVariant(iter.value());
+            field->setTouched(false);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/messaginglib/dbmsgbase.h b/messaginglib/dbmsgbase.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f6000b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/dbmsgbase.h
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <QString>
+#include <QVariantMap>
+#include <QMap>
+
+#include "messaginglib_global.h"
+#include "dbmsgmacros.h"
+
+class DbMsgFieldBase;
+
+class MESSAGINGLIB_EXPORT DbMsgBase
+{
+    static const QString m_clearedFieldsName;
+
+public:
+    DbMsgBase();
+    virtual ~DbMsgBase();
+
+    bool touched() const;
+    void setTouched(bool touched);
+
+    void debug() const;
+
+    void copyTo(QVariantMap &variantMap) const;
+    void copyTouchedTo(QVariantMap &variantMap) const;
+
+    void apply(const QVariantMap &variantMap);
+
+protected:
+    virtual QMap<QString, DbMsgFieldBase*> getFields() = 0;
+    virtual QMap<QString, const DbMsgFieldBase*> getFields() const = 0;
+};
diff --git a/messaginglib/dbmsgfield.h b/messaginglib/dbmsgfield.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3f4cc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/dbmsgfield.h
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <QMetaType>
+
+#include "dbmsgfieldbase.h"
+#include "messaginglib_global.h"
+
+template<typename T>
+class DbMsgField : public DbMsgFieldBase
+{
+public:
+    DbMsgField();
+    DbMsgField(const T &value);
+
+    const T &getValue() const;
+    void setValue(const T &value);
+
+    void clear() override;
+    QVariant toVariant() const override;
+    void setVariant(const QVariant &variant) override;
+
+private:
+    T m_value;
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+DbMsgField<T>::DbMsgField() :
+    DbMsgFieldBase()
+{
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+DbMsgField<T>::DbMsgField(const T &value) :
+    DbMsgFieldBase(),
+    m_value(value)
+{
+    setHasValue(true);
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+const T &DbMsgField<T>::getValue() const
+{
+    return m_value;
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+void DbMsgField<T>::setValue(const T &value)
+{
+    m_value = value;
+    setHasValue(true);
+    setTouched(true);
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+void DbMsgField<T>::clear()
+{
+    DbMsgFieldBase::clear();
+    m_value = T();
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+QVariant DbMsgField<T>::toVariant() const
+{
+    return getValue();
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+void DbMsgField<T>::setVariant(const QVariant &variant)
+{
+    Q_ASSERT(variant.type() == qMetaTypeId<T>());
+    m_value = variant.value<T>();
+}
diff --git a/messaginglib/dbmsgfieldbase.cpp b/messaginglib/dbmsgfieldbase.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46e33b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/dbmsgfieldbase.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#include "dbmsgfieldbase.h"
+
+DbMsgFieldBase::DbMsgFieldBase() :
+    m_hasValue(false), m_touched(false)
+{
+}
+
+DbMsgFieldBase::~DbMsgFieldBase()
+{
+}
+
+bool DbMsgFieldBase::hasValue() const
+{
+    return m_hasValue;
+}
+
+void DbMsgFieldBase::clear()
+{
+    m_hasValue = false;
+}
+
+bool DbMsgFieldBase::touched() const
+{
+    return m_touched;
+}
+
+void DbMsgFieldBase::setTouched(bool touched)
+{
+    m_touched = touched;
+}
+
+void DbMsgFieldBase::setHasValue(bool hasValue)
+{
+    if(m_hasValue && !hasValue)
+        clear();
+    else
+        m_hasValue = hasValue;
+}
diff --git a/messaginglib/dbmsgfieldbase.h b/messaginglib/dbmsgfieldbase.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c60d3f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/dbmsgfieldbase.h
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <QVariant>
+
+#include "messaginglib_global.h"
+
+class MESSAGINGLIB_EXPORT DbMsgFieldBase
+{
+public:
+    DbMsgFieldBase();
+    virtual ~DbMsgFieldBase();
+
+    bool hasValue() const;
+    virtual void clear();
+
+    bool touched() const;
+    void setTouched(bool touched);
+
+    virtual QVariant toVariant() const = 0;
+    virtual void setVariant(const QVariant &variant) = 0;
+
+protected:
+    void setHasValue(bool hasValue);
+
+private:
+    bool m_hasValue;
+    bool m_touched;
+};
diff --git a/messaginglib/dbmsgmacros.h b/messaginglib/dbmsgmacros.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dec056b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/dbmsgmacros.h
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#define DECLARE_DBFIELD(TYPE, NAME, UPPER_NAME) \
+private: \
+    DbMsgField<TYPE> m_##NAME;\
+    \
+public: \
+    inline TYPE get##UPPER_NAME() const { return m_##NAME.getValue(); } \
+    inline void set##UPPER_NAME(const TYPE &NAME) { m_##NAME.setValue(NAME); } \
+    inline bool has##UPPER_NAME() const { return m_##NAME.hasValue(); } \
+    inline void clear##UPPER_NAME() { m_##NAME.clear(); } \
+    \
+    inline DbMsgField<TYPE> &NAME##Field() { return m_##NAME; } \
+    inline const DbMsgField<TYPE> &NAME##Field() const { return m_##NAME; } \
+    inline DbMsgFieldBase &NAME##FieldBase() { return m_##NAME; } \
+    inline const DbMsgFieldBase &NAME##FieldBase() const { return m_##NAME; }
+
+#define DECLARE_DBMESSAGE(ClassName) \
+public: \
+    ClassName() = default; \
+    ClassName(const ClassName &) = default; \
+    ClassName(ClassName &&) = default; \
+protected: \
+    QMap<QString, DbMsgFieldBase*> getFields() override; \
+    QMap<QString, const DbMsgFieldBase*> getFields() const override; \
+private: \
+    typedef DbMsgFieldBase &(ClassName::*FieldGetterMethod)(); \
+    static const QMap<QString, FieldGetterMethod> ALL_FIELDS;
+
+#define IMPLEMENT_DBMESSAGE(ClassName) \
+    QMap<QString, DbMsgFieldBase *> ClassName::getFields() \
+    { \
+        QMap<QString, DbMsgFieldBase*> fields; \
+        \
+        for(auto iter = ALL_FIELDS.cbegin(); iter != ALL_FIELDS.cend(); iter++) \
+            fields.insert(iter.key(), &(this->*iter.value())()); \
+        \
+        return fields; \
+    } \
+    \
+    QMap<QString, const DbMsgFieldBase *> ClassName::getFields() const \
+    { \
+        QMap<QString, const DbMsgFieldBase*> fields; \
+        \
+        for(auto iter = ALL_FIELDS.cbegin(); iter != ALL_FIELDS.cend(); iter++) \
+            fields.insert(iter.key(), &(const_cast<ClassName*>(this)->*iter.value())()); \
+        \
+        return fields; \
+    } \
+    \
+    const QMap<QString, ClassName::FieldGetterMethod> ClassName::ALL_FIELDS
diff --git a/messaginglib/messages/mymessage.cpp b/messaginglib/messages/mymessage.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dc539d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/messages/mymessage.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#include "mymessage.h"
+
+IMPLEMENT_DBMESSAGE(MyMessage) {
+    { "name", &MyMessage::nameFieldBase },
+    { "birthday", &MyMessage::birthdayFieldBase },
+    { "sendTimestamp", &MyMessage::sendTimestampFieldBase },
+    { "age", &MyMessage::ageFieldBase },
+    { "weight", &MyMessage::weightFieldBase }
+};
+
+MyMessage::MyMessage(const QString &name, const QDate &birthday, const QDateTime &sendTimestamp, int age, double weight) :
+    DbMsgBase(),
+    m_name(name), m_birthday(birthday), m_sendTimestamp(sendTimestamp), m_age(age), m_weight(weight)
+{
+}
diff --git a/messaginglib/messages/mymessage.h b/messaginglib/messages/mymessage.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..60de676
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/messages/mymessage.h
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <QString>
+#include <QDateTime>
+#include <QMap>
+
+#include "dbmsgbase.h"
+#include "messaginglib_global.h"
+#include "dbmsgfield.h"
+
+class DbMsgFieldBase;
+
+class MESSAGINGLIB_EXPORT MyMessage : public DbMsgBase
+{
+    DECLARE_DBMESSAGE(MyMessage)
+
+public:
+    MyMessage(const QString &name, const QDate &birthday, const QDateTime &sendTimestamp, int age, double weight);
+
+    DECLARE_DBFIELD(QString, name, Name)
+    DECLARE_DBFIELD(QDate, birthday, Birthday)
+    DECLARE_DBFIELD(QDateTime, sendTimestamp, SendTimestamp)
+    DECLARE_DBFIELD(int, age, Age)
+    DECLARE_DBFIELD(double, weight, Weight)
+};
diff --git a/messaginglib/messaginglib.pro b/messaginglib/messaginglib.pro
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48c4f91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/messaginglib.pro
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+QT += core network
+QT -= gui widgets
+
+DBLIBS +=
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = ../..
+
+DEFINES += MESSAGINGLIB_LIBRARY
+
+SOURCES += \
+    dbmsgbase.cpp \
+    dbmsgfieldbase.cpp \
+    messages/mymessage.cpp
+
+HEADERS += messaginglib_global.h \
+    dbmsgbase.h \
+    dbmsgfield.h \
+    dbmsgfieldbase.h \
+    dbmsgmacros.h \
+    messages/mymessage.h
+
+FORMS +=
+
+RESOURCES +=
+
+TRANSLATIONS +=
+
+include($${PROJECT_ROOT}/lib.pri)
diff --git a/messaginglib/messaginglib_global.h b/messaginglib/messaginglib_global.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c65679
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messaginglib/messaginglib_global.h
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <QtGlobal>
+
+#if defined(MESSAGINGLIB_LIBRARY)
+#  define MESSAGINGLIB_EXPORT Q_DECL_EXPORT
+#else
+#  define MESSAGINGLIB_EXPORT Q_DECL_IMPORT
+#endif
diff --git a/messagingserver/main.cpp b/messagingserver/main.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a46e00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messagingserver/main.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#include <QCoreApplication>
+#include <QDebug>
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    QCoreApplication app(argc, argv);
+
+    qDebug() << "hello from server";
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/messagingserver/messagingserver.pro b/messagingserver/messagingserver.pro
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f24eac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messagingserver/messagingserver.pro
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+QT += core network
+QT -= gui widgets
+
+DBLIBS += messaginglib
+
+TARGET = messagingserver
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = ../..
+
+SOURCES += main.cpp
+
+HEADERS +=
+
+FORMS +=
+
+RESOURCES +=
+
+TRANSLATIONS +=
+
+include($${PROJECT_ROOT}/app.pri)
diff --git a/messagingtest/messagingtest.pro b/messagingtest/messagingtest.pro
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f73e16a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messagingtest/messagingtest.pro
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+QT += core testlib
+QT -= gui widgets
+
+DBLIBS += messaginglib
+
+#this makes install step fail
+# CONFIG += testcase
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = ../..
+
+SOURCES += tst_messagingtest.cpp
+
+HEADERS +=
+
+FORMS +=
+
+RESOURCES +=
+
+TRANSLATIONS +=
+
+include($${PROJECT_ROOT}/app.pri)
diff --git a/messagingtest/tst_messagingtest.cpp b/messagingtest/tst_messagingtest.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e8fe5d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/messagingtest/tst_messagingtest.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#include <QtTest>
+
+// add necessary includes here
+
+class MessagingTest : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+public:
+    MessagingTest();
+    ~MessagingTest();
+
+private slots:
+    void test_case1();
+
+};
+
+MessagingTest::MessagingTest()
+{
+
+}
+
+MessagingTest::~MessagingTest()
+{
+
+}
+
+void MessagingTest::test_case1()
+{
+
+}
+
+QTEST_APPLESS_MAIN(MessagingTest)
+
+#include "tst_messagingtest.moc"