diff --git a/lsm/include/lsm.h b/lsm/include/lsm.h
index 2430091..aa76826 100644
--- a/lsm/include/lsm.h
+++ b/lsm/include/lsm.h
@@ -12,55 +12,52 @@ typedef enum lsm_error {
   lsm_error_already_present = 3
 } lsm_error;
 
-/**
- * Represents a string (or really any kind of data) with a known length. Data
- * with length 8 or less is stored inside the pointer, and does not allocate
- * additional memory.
- */
-typedef struct lsm_string {
-  uint64_t len;
-  union {
-    void *ptr;
-    char val[8];
-  } str;
-} lsm_string;
+/*typedef struct lsm_string { */
+/*  uint64_t len; */
+/*  union { */
+/*    void *ptr; */
+/*    char val[8]; */
+/*  } str; */
+/*} lsm_string; */
 
-/**
- * The type of an attribute. Each type is represented as a single bit of a
- * 32-bit integer, so they can be easily combined into a bitmap.
- */
-typedef enum lsm_attr_type { lsm_attr_type_entry_type = 1 << 0 } lsm_attr_type;
+/*/1** */
+/* * The type of an attribute. Each type is represented as a single bit of a */
+/* * 32-bit integer, so they can be easily combined into a bitmap. */
+/* *1/ */
+/*typedef enum lsm_attr_type { lsm_attr_type_entry_type = 1 << 0 }
+ * lsm_attr_type; */
 
-/**
- * A single attribute associated with an entry
- */
-typedef struct lsm_attr {
-  lsm_attr_type type;
-  lsm_string str;
-} lsm_attr;
+/*/1** */
+/* * A single attribute associated with an entry */
+/* *1/ */
+/*typedef struct lsm_attr { */
+/*  lsm_attr_type type; */
+/*  lsm_string str; */
+/*} lsm_attr; */
 
-/**
- * Represents a collection of attributes for an entry. A collection can only
- * contain one of each attribute.
+/*/1** */
+/* * Represents a collection of attributes for an entry. A collection can only
  */
-typedef struct lsm_attr_list {
-  uint64_t count;
-  lsm_attr *items;
-  uint32_t bitmap;
-} lsm_attr_list;
+/* * contain one of each attribute. */
+/* *1/ */
+/*typedef struct lsm_attr_list { */
+/*  uint64_t count; */
+/*  lsm_attr *items; */
+/*  uint32_t bitmap; */
+/*} lsm_attr_list; */
 
-/**
- * An entry inside an LSM store
- */
-typedef struct lsm_entry {
-  lsm_string key;
-  lsm_attr_list attrs;
-  lsm_string data;
-} lsm_entry;
+/*/1** */
+/* * An entry inside an LSM store */
+/* *1/ */
+/*typedef struct lsm_entry { */
+/*  lsm_string key; */
+/*  lsm_attr_list attrs; */
+/*  lsm_string data; */
+/*} lsm_entry; */
 
-/**
- * A store of entries, which manages its data both in-memory and on disk.
- */
-typedef struct lsm_store lsm_store;
+/*/1** */
+/* * A store of entries, which manages its data both in-memory and on disk. */
+/* *1/ */
+/*typedef struct lsm_store lsm_store; */
 
 #endif
diff --git a/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt.h b/lsm/include/lsm/bt.h
similarity index 63%
rename from lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt.h
rename to lsm/include/lsm/bt.h
index 60219d1..a2826b0 100644
--- a/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt.h
+++ b/lsm/include/lsm/bt.h
@@ -1,41 +1,12 @@
-#ifndef LSM_BT_INTERNAL
-#define LSM_BT_INTERNAL
-
-#include <stdint.h>
+#ifndef LSM_BT
+#define LSM_BT
 
 #include "lsm.h"
 
-/**
- * Node inside a binary tree
- */
-typedef struct lsm_bt_node {
-  struct lsm_bt_node *left;
-  struct lsm_bt_node *right;
-  void *data;
-  char key;
-} lsm_bt_node;
-
-/**
- * Initialize a new binary tree node
- *
- * @param ptr where to store newly allocated pointer
- * @param key key for the node
- * @param data data to store
- */
-lsm_error lsm_bt_node_init(lsm_bt_node **ptr, const char key, void *data);
-
-/**
- * Deallocate a single binary tree node
- */
-void lsm_bt_node_free(lsm_bt_node *node);
-
 /**
  * A binary tree implementation using char values as keys
  */
-typedef struct lsm_bt {
-  lsm_bt_node *root;
-  uint8_t size;
-} lsm_bt;
+typedef struct lsm_bt lsm_bt;
 
 /**
  * Initialize a new binary tree
diff --git a/lsm/include/lsm/str.h b/lsm/include/lsm/str.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58930ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lsm/include/lsm/str.h
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+#ifndef LSM_STR
+#define LSM_STR
+
+#include "lsm.h"
+
+/**
+ * Represents a string (or really any kind of data) with a known length. Data
+ * with length 8 or less is stored inside the pointer, and does not allocate
+ * additional memory.
+ */
+typedef struct lsm_str lsm_str;
+
+/**
+ * Allocate a new string struct of length 0.
+ *
+ * @param ptr pointer to store newly allocated pointer in
+ */
+lsm_error lsm_str_init_zero(lsm_str **ptr);
+
+/**
+ * Update an existing lsm_str so it now represents the new provided string. The
+ * string pointer of the original object is free'd if needed.
+ *
+ * @param str lsm_str object to modify
+ * @param s string to convert into lsm string; ownership is taken over
+ */
+void lsm_str_init_prealloc(lsm_str *str, char *s);
+
+/**
+ * Allocate and initialize a new lsm_str object
+ *
+ * @param ptr pointer to store newly allocated pointer
+ * @param s string to convert into lsm string; ownership is taken over
+ */
+lsm_error lsm_str_init(lsm_str **ptr, char *s);
+
+/**
+ * Deallocate the existing internal string if needed and replace the lsm_str
+ * with a string of length 0, wiping its contents.
+ *
+ * @param str string to wipe
+ */
+void lsm_str_zero(lsm_str *str);
+
+/**
+ * Deallocate the string and its internal char buffer if needed. Only call this
+ * on heap-allocated strings.
+ *
+ * @param str string to dealloate
+ */
+void lsm_str_free(lsm_str *str);
+
+/**
+ * Return the length of the string.
+ *
+ * @param str string to return length for.
+ */
+uint64_t lsm_str_len(lsm_str *str);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/lsm/include/lsm/trie.h b/lsm/include/lsm/trie.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c50d1b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lsm/include/lsm/trie.h
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#ifndef LSM_TRIE
+#define LSM_TRIE
+
+#include "lsm.h"
+
+/**
+ * A struct representing a trie
+ */
+typedef struct lsm_trie lsm_trie;
+
+/**
+ * Initialize a new trie.
+ *
+ * @param ptr where to store the newly allocated pointer
+ */
+lsm_error lsm_trie_init(lsm_trie **ptr);
+
+/**
+ * Deallocate an entire trie, including all its nodes
+ *
+ * @param trie trie to free
+ */
+void lsm_trie_free(lsm_trie *trie);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt.c b/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt.c
index aadaaaf..d6e8699 100644
--- a/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt.c
+++ b/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt.c
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
-#include "lsm.h"
-#include "lsm_bt.h"
+#include "lsm_bt_internal.h"
 
 lsm_error lsm_bt_node_init(lsm_bt_node **ptr, const char key, void *data) {
   lsm_bt_node *node = calloc(1, sizeof(lsm_bt_node));
diff --git a/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt_internal.h b/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt_internal.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b55771
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lsm/src/bt/lsm_bt_internal.h
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#ifndef LSM_BT_INTERNAL
+#define LSM_BT_INTERNAL
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#include "lsm.h"
+#include "lsm/bt.h"
+
+/**
+ * Node inside a binary tree
+ */
+typedef struct lsm_bt_node {
+  struct lsm_bt_node *left;
+  struct lsm_bt_node *right;
+  void *data;
+  char key;
+} lsm_bt_node;
+
+/**
+ * Initialize a new binary tree node
+ *
+ * @param ptr where to store newly allocated pointer
+ * @param key key for the node
+ * @param data data to store
+ */
+lsm_error lsm_bt_node_init(lsm_bt_node **ptr, const char key, void *data);
+
+/**
+ * Deallocate a single binary tree node
+ */
+void lsm_bt_node_free(lsm_bt_node *node);
+
+struct lsm_bt {
+  lsm_bt_node *root;
+  uint8_t size;
+};
+
+#endif
diff --git a/lsm/src/lsm_store.c b/lsm/src/lsm_store.c
index f3503bc..1a5a445 100644
--- a/lsm/src/lsm_store.c
+++ b/lsm/src/lsm_store.c
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@
  * pointer
  * @return success of the function
  */
-lsm_error lsm_store_init(lsm_store **ptr) {
-  lsm_store *store = calloc(1, sizeof(lsm_store));
+/* lsm_error lsm_store_init(lsm_store **ptr) { */
+/*   lsm_store *store = calloc(1, sizeof(lsm_store)); */
 
-  if (store == NULL) {
-    return lsm_error_failed_alloc;
-  }
+/*   if (store == NULL) { */
+/*     return lsm_error_failed_alloc; */
+/*   } */
 
-  *ptr = store;
+/*   *ptr = store; */
 
-  return lsm_error_ok;
-}
+/*   return lsm_error_ok; */
+/* } */
diff --git a/lsm/src/lsm_store_node.h b/lsm/src/lsm_store_node.h
index 548eb53..826b312 100644
--- a/lsm/src/lsm_store_node.h
+++ b/lsm/src/lsm_store_node.h
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ lsm_error lsm_store_inode_init(lsm_store_inode **ptr, const char c);
  * binary tree.
  */
 typedef struct lsm_store_node {
-  lsm_entry *entry;
+  /* lsm_entry *entry; */
   lsm_store_inode *root;
   uint8_t size;
-  lsm_string skip;
+  /* lsm_string skip; */
 } lsm_store_node;
 
 /**
diff --git a/lsm/src/string/lsm_str.c b/lsm/src/string/lsm_str.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81e8797
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lsm/src/string/lsm_str.c
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "lsm.h"
+#include "lsm_str_internal.h"
+
+lsm_error lsm_str_init_zero(lsm_str **ptr) {
+  lsm_str *str = calloc(1, sizeof(lsm_str));
+
+  if (str == NULL) {
+    return lsm_error_failed_alloc;
+  }
+
+  *ptr = str;
+
+  return lsm_error_ok;
+}
+
+void lsm_str_init_prealloc(lsm_str *str, char *s) {
+  str->len = strlen(s);
+
+  if (str->len <= 8) {
+    memcpy(str->data.val, s, str->len);
+    free(s);
+  } else {
+    str->data.ptr = s;
+  }
+}
+
+lsm_error lsm_str_init(lsm_str **ptr, char *s) {
+  lsm_str *str = calloc(1, sizeof(lsm_str));
+
+  if (str == NULL) {
+    return lsm_error_failed_alloc;
+  }
+
+  lsm_str_init_prealloc(str, s);
+
+  *ptr = str;
+
+  return lsm_error_ok;
+}
+
+void lsm_str_zero(lsm_str *str) {
+  if (str->len > 8) {
+    free(str->data.ptr);
+  }
+
+  str->len = 0;
+}
+
+void lsm_str_free(lsm_str *str) {
+  if (str->len > 8) {
+    free(str->data.ptr);
+  }
+
+  free(str);
+}
+
+uint64_t lsm_str_len(lsm_str *str) { return str->len; }
diff --git a/lsm/src/string/lsm_str_internal.h b/lsm/src/string/lsm_str_internal.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..909a0df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lsm/src/string/lsm_str_internal.h
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#ifndef LSM_STR_INTERNAL
+#define LSM_STR_INTERNAL
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#include "lsm/str.h"
+
+struct lsm_str {
+  uint64_t len;
+  union {
+    void *ptr;
+    char val[8];
+  } data;
+};
+
+#endif
diff --git a/lsm/test/bt/bt.c b/lsm/test/bt/bt.c
index 21b4ed2..f2d2781 100644
--- a/lsm/test/bt/bt.c
+++ b/lsm/test/bt/bt.c
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #include "test.h"
-#include "lsm.h"
-#include "lsm_bt.h"
+#include "lsm_bt_internal.h"
 
 #define BT_INIT() \
   lsm_bt *bt; \