diff --git a/src/thread.c b/src/thread.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b6ea16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/thread.c
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/* thread.c - thread management.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2024 Bruno Raoult ("br")
+ * Licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later.
+ * Some rights reserved. See COPYING.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this
+ * program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0-standalone.html>.
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later <https://spdx.org/licenses/GPL-3.0-or-later.html>
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include <brlib.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <poll.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+
+#include "thread.h"
+
+/* Still have to decide: thread or process ?
+ *
+ */
+thread_pool_t threadpool;
+
+/**
+ * thrd_create - initialize thrd.
+ */
+int thrd_create(__unused int num)
+{
+    int fd[2];
+    /* shall we make a communication channel via a pipe or socket ? */
+    int __unused ret = socketpair(AF_LOCAL, SOCK_SEQPACKET, PF_LOCAL, fd);
+    return 1;
+}
+
+/**
+ * thread_init - initialize thread pool.
+ */
+int thread_init(int nb)
+{
+    nb = clamp(nb, MIN_THRDS, MAX_THRDS);
+
+    /* stop unwanted threads, always keep 1 */
+    for (int i = nb + 1; i < threadpool.nb; ++i) {
+        printf("stopping thread %d - status = \n", i);
+        threadpool.thread[i].cmd = THRD_DO_QUIT;
+    }
+    for (int i = threadpool.nb; i < nb; ++i) {
+        printf("creating thread %d - status = \n", i);
+        thrd_create(i);
+
+    }
+
+    return nb;
+}
+
+/*
+  communication:
+  main thread -> thread
+           commands via memory
+  thread -> main thread
+           status via memory
+           output via pipe/socket
+  thread output will be output/filtered by main thread
+
+ */
diff --git a/src/thread.h b/src/thread.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a5d835
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/thread.h
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/* thread.h - thread management.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2024 Bruno Raoult ("br")
+ * Licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later.
+ * Some rights reserved. See COPYING.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this
+ * program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0-standalone.html>.
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later <https://spdx.org/licenses/GPL-3.0-or-later.html>
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef THREAD_H
+#define THREAD_H
+
+#include <pthread.h>
+
+#include <brlib.h>
+
+#include "position.h"
+
+#define MIN_THRDS 1
+#define MAX_THRDS 16
+
+typedef enum {
+    THRD_DEAD,
+    THRD_IDLE,
+    THRD_WORKING,
+} thread_status_t;
+
+typedef enum {
+    /* main thread to subs */
+    THRD_DO_SEARCH,
+    THRD_DO_STOP,
+    THRD_DO_QUIT,
+} thread_cmd_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int id;
+    thread_status_t status;
+    thread_cmd_t cmd;
+    int fd[2];
+    pos_t pos;
+} thread_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int nb;
+    thread_t thread[MAX_THRDS + 1];
+} thread_pool_t;
+
+int thrd_create(__unused int num);
+int thread_init(int nb);
+
+#endif  /* THREAD_H */