diff --git a/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/KeyCode.cs b/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/KeyCode.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab7f18f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/KeyCode.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,235 @@
+namespace Jiayi.UI.Core;
+
+// meant to mirror win32 virtual key codes... so some of these are not used
+public enum KeyCode : byte
+{
+	None = 0x00,
+	LeftButton,
+	RightButton,
+	Cancel,
+	MiddleButton,
+	SideButton1, // or page up
+	SideButton2, // or page down
+	
+	// 0x07 is reserved
+	
+	Back = 0x08,
+	Tab,
+	
+	// 0x0A-0x0B are reserved
+	
+	Clear = 0x0C,
+	Return,
+	
+	// 0x0E-0x0F are unassigned
+	
+	Shift = 0x10,
+	Control,
+	Alt, // or menu
+	Pause,
+	CapsLock, // or capital
+	Kana, // or hangul
+	ImeOn,
+	Junja,
+	ImeFinal,
+	Kanji, // or hanja
+	ImeOff,
+	Escape,
+	ImeConvert,
+	ImeNonConvert,
+	ImeAccept,
+	ImeModeChange,
+	Space,
+	PageUp, // or prior
+	PageDown, // or next
+	End,
+	Home,
+	LeftArrow,
+	UpArrow,
+	RightArrow,
+	DownArrow,
+	Select,
+	Print,
+	Execute,
+	PrintScreen, // or snapshot
+	Insert,
+	Delete,
+	Help,
+	
+	// alphanumeric keys
+	Alpha0 = 0x30,
+	Alpha1,
+	Alpha2,
+	Alpha3,
+	Alpha4,
+	Alpha5,
+	Alpha6,
+	Alpha7,
+	Alpha8,
+	Alpha9,
+	
+	// 0x3A-0x40 are undefined
+	
+	A = 0x41,
+	B,
+	C,
+	D,
+	E,
+	F,
+	G,
+	H,
+	I,
+	J,
+	K,
+	L,
+	M,
+	N,
+	O,
+	P,
+	Q,
+	R,
+	S,
+	T,
+	U,
+	V,
+	W,
+	X,
+	Y,
+	Z,
+	Windows, // left windows key (the only one that matters)
+	
+	// basically... skip the right windows key
+	
+	Application = 0x5D, // or context menu
+	
+	// 0x5E is reserved
+	
+	Sleep = 0x5F,
+	
+	// numpad keys
+	Numpad0 = 0x60,
+	Numpad1,
+	Numpad2,
+	Numpad3,
+	Numpad4,
+	Numpad5,
+	Numpad6,
+	Numpad7,
+	Numpad8,
+	Numpad9,
+	Multiply,
+	Add,
+	Separator,
+	Subtract,
+	Decimal, // or period, although it's not really a period
+	Divide,
+	
+	// function keys
+	F1 = 0x70,
+	F2,
+	F3,
+	F4,
+	F5,
+	F6,
+	F7,
+	F8,
+	F9,
+	F10,
+	F11,
+	F12,
+	
+	// now the rest of the function keys aren't on a standard keyboard, but they're here anyway
+	F13,
+	F14,
+	F15,
+	F16,
+	F17,
+	F18,
+	F19,
+	F20,
+	F21,
+	F22,
+	F23,
+	F24,
+	
+	// 0x88-0x8F are reserved
+	
+	NumLock = 0x90,
+	ScrollLock,
+	
+	// 0x92-0x96 are OEM specific, and 0x97-0x9F are unassigned
+	
+	LeftShift = 0xA0,
+	RightShift,
+	LeftControl,
+	RightControl,
+	LeftAlt, // or left menu
+	RightAlt, // or right menu
+	
+	// browser keys idk if i've ever seen these
+	BrowserBack,
+	BrowserForward,
+	BrowserRefresh,
+	BrowserStop,
+	BrowserSearch,
+	BrowserFavorites,
+	BrowserHome,
+	
+	// media keys
+	VolumeMute,
+	VolumeDown,
+	VolumeUp,
+	MediaNext,
+	MediaPrevious,
+	MediaStop,
+	MediaPlay,
+	
+	LaunchMail,
+	LaunchMediaSelect,
+	LaunchApp1,
+	LaunchApp2,
+	
+	// 0xB8-0xB9 are reserved
+	
+	Oem1 = 0xBA, // semicolon key for US keyboards
+	OemPlus, // plus key for any region
+	OemComma, // comma key for any region
+	OemMinus, // minus key for any region
+	OemPeriod, // period key for any region
+	Oem2, // slash key for US keyboards
+	Oem3, // tilde key for US keyboards
+	
+	// 0xC1-0xDA are reserved
+	
+	Oem4 = 0xDB, // left bracket key for US keyboards
+	Oem5, // backslash key for US keyboards
+	Oem6, // right bracket key for US keyboards
+	Oem7, // single quote key for US keyboards
+	Oem8, // this could literally be anything
+	
+	// 0xE0 is reserved and 0xE1 is OEM specific
+	
+	Oem102 = 0xE2, // backslash key for any region that isn't the US; for US keyboards, it's the angle bracket key
+	
+	// 0xE3 and 0xE4 are OEM specific
+	
+	ImeProcess = 0xE5,
+	
+	// 0xE6 is OEM specific
+	
+	Packet = 0xE7,
+	
+	// 0xE8 is unassigned and 0xE9-0xF5 are OEM specific
+	
+	Attention = 0xF6, // attn key
+	CrSel,
+	ExSel,
+	EraseEof,
+	Play,
+	Zoom,
+	
+	// 0xFC technically has a key code, but it's reserved
+	
+	Pa1 = 0xFD,
+	OemClear
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/KeyModifier.cs b/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/KeyModifier.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..79921a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/KeyModifier.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+namespace Jiayi.UI.Core;
+
+[Flags]
+public enum KeyModifier : uint
+{
+	None = 0,
+	Alt = 1,
+	Control = 2,
+	Shift = 4,
+	Windows = 8
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/Window.cs b/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/Window.cs
index 1563dce..19537f5 100644
--- a/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/Window.cs
+++ b/src/Jiayi.UI/Core/Window.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using Windows.Win32.Foundation;
 using Windows.Win32.UI.WindowsAndMessaging;
+using Jiayi.UI.Eventing.Arguments;
 using Jiayi.UI.Eventing.Handlers;
 using Jiayi.UI.Render;
 using static Windows.Win32.PInvoke;
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ public string Title
 	public Vector2 MinimumSize { get; set; } = new(300, 300);
 	public Vector2 MaximumSize { get; set; } = new(10000, 10000);
 	
-	// end of cool properties
+	// cool events
 	private readonly List<EventHandler> _eventHandlers = new();
 
 	public Window(string title, Vector2 size)
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ public Window(string title, Vector2 size)
 		AddEventHandler<DrawHandler>();
 		AddEventHandler<ResizeHandler>();
 		AddEventHandler<SizeLimitsHandler>();
+		AddEventHandler<KeyboardHandler>();
 	}
 	
 	private void AddEventHandler<T>() where T : EventHandler, new()
@@ -141,4 +143,10 @@ public void Close()
 			Application.Current.Exit();
 		}
 	}
+	
+	// cool methods for cool inheritance
+	public virtual void Initialize() {} // implement and call this in your constructor
+	public virtual void KeyDown(KeyEventArgs e) {}	
+	public virtual void KeyUp(KeyEventArgs e) {}
+	public virtual void KeyChar(KeyCharEventArgs e) {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Arguments/KeyCharEventArgs.cs b/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Arguments/KeyCharEventArgs.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1bac25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Arguments/KeyCharEventArgs.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+namespace Jiayi.UI.Eventing.Arguments;
+
+// best for text input. if you need to handle special keys, use KeyEventArgs
+public class KeyCharEventArgs : EventArgs
+{
+	public char KeyChar { get; }
+	
+	public KeyCharEventArgs(char keyChar)
+	{
+		KeyChar = keyChar;
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Arguments/KeyEventArgs.cs b/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Arguments/KeyEventArgs.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9c937a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Arguments/KeyEventArgs.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+using System.Text;
+using Jiayi.UI.Core;
+
+namespace Jiayi.UI.Eventing.Arguments;
+
+// best for special keys. if you need to handle text input, use KeyCharEventArgs
+public class KeyEventArgs : EventArgs
+{
+	public KeyCode KeyCode { get; }
+	public KeyModifier Modifiers { get; }
+	public bool KeyDown { get; set; }
+	
+	public KeyEventArgs(KeyCode keyCode, KeyModifier modifiers, bool keyDown)
+	{
+		KeyCode = keyCode;
+		Modifiers = modifiers;
+		KeyDown = keyDown;
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Handlers/DrawHandler.cs b/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Handlers/DrawHandler.cs
index ecff7bb..01aaec1 100644
--- a/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Handlers/DrawHandler.cs
+++ b/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Handlers/DrawHandler.cs
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ public override void HandleMessage(Window window, uint message, WPARAM wParam, L
 		window.Graphics.Clear(window.BackgroundColor);
 				
 		// draw widgets here
-		// test squares for now
-		window.Graphics.FillRect(new Vector2(100, 100), new Vector2(100, 100), Color.Red);
-		window.Graphics.FillRect(new Vector2(200, 200), new Vector2(100, 100), Color.Green);
-		window.Graphics.FillRect(new Vector2(300, 300), new Vector2(100, 100), Color.Blue);
 			
 		window.Graphics.End();
 	}
diff --git a/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Handlers/KeyboardHandler.cs b/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Handlers/KeyboardHandler.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..17934d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Jiayi.UI/Eventing/Handlers/KeyboardHandler.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+using System.Drawing;
+using System.Numerics;
+using Windows.Win32.Foundation;
+using Jiayi.UI.Core;
+using Jiayi.UI.Eventing.Arguments;
+using Vortice.Direct2D1;
+using static Windows.Win32.PInvoke;
+
+namespace Jiayi.UI.Eventing.Handlers;
+
+public class KeyboardHandler() : EventHandler(WM_KEYUP, WM_SYSKEYUP, WM_KEYDOWN, WM_SYSKEYDOWN, WM_CHAR)
+{
+	// current key modifiers
+	private KeyModifier _modifiers;
+	
+	public override void HandleMessage(Window window, uint message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
+	{
+		switch (message)
+		{
+			// key up
+			case WM_KEYUP:
+			case WM_SYSKEYUP:
+				var code = (KeyCode)wParam.Value;
+				_modifiers &= ~KeyCodeToModifier(code);
+				window.KeyUp(new KeyEventArgs(code, _modifiers, false));
+				break;
+			
+			// key down
+			case WM_KEYDOWN:
+			case WM_SYSKEYDOWN:
+				code = (KeyCode)wParam.Value;
+				_modifiers |= KeyCodeToModifier(code);
+				window.KeyDown(new KeyEventArgs(code, _modifiers, true));
+				break;
+			
+			// character input
+			case WM_CHAR:
+				window.KeyChar(new KeyCharEventArgs((char)wParam.Value));
+				break;
+		}
+	}
+	
+	// this syntax is funny
+	private KeyModifier KeyCodeToModifier(KeyCode code) => code switch
+	{
+		KeyCode.Shift or KeyCode.LeftShift or KeyCode.RightShift => KeyModifier.Shift,
+		KeyCode.Control or KeyCode.LeftControl or KeyCode.RightControl => KeyModifier.Control,
+		KeyCode.Alt or KeyCode.LeftAlt or KeyCode.RightAlt => KeyModifier.Alt,
+		KeyCode.Windows => KeyModifier.Windows,
+		_ => KeyModifier.None
+	};
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Jiayi.UI/Jiayi.UI.csproj b/src/Jiayi.UI/Jiayi.UI.csproj
index c1d4e05..2c1483b 100644
--- a/src/Jiayi.UI/Jiayi.UI.csproj
+++ b/src/Jiayi.UI/Jiayi.UI.csproj
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     </ItemGroup>
     
     <ItemGroup>
-      <Folder Include="Widgets\" />
+      <Folder Include="Render\Widgets\" />
     </ItemGroup>
 
 </Project>