diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0c9d47c18..4fa332f5c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ build
 .gradle
 .idea
 *.iml
+ci/variables.yml
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bf82fb8f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+plugins {
+    id "java"
+    id "org.springframework.boot" version "1.5.4.RELEASE"
+}
+
+repositories {
+    mavenCentral()
+}
+
+dependencies {
+    compile("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web")
+}
diff --git a/pal-tracker-codebase.txt b/pal-tracker-codebase.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 0943c3cd3..000000000
--- a/pal-tracker-codebase.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-pal-tracker codebase
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef961960e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+rootProject.name = "pal-tracker"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/pivotal/pal/tracker/PalTrackerApplication.java b/src/main/java/io/pivotal/pal/tracker/PalTrackerApplication.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80f2a72a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/io/pivotal/pal/tracker/PalTrackerApplication.java
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package io.pivotal.pal.tracker;
+
+import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
+import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;
+
+@SpringBootApplication
+public class PalTrackerApplication {
+
+    public static void main(String[] args) {
+        SpringApplication.run(PalTrackerApplication.class, args);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/pivotal/pal/tracker/WelcomeController.java b/src/main/java/io/pivotal/pal/tracker/WelcomeController.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2d477ae71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/io/pivotal/pal/tracker/WelcomeController.java
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package io.pivotal.pal.tracker;
+
+import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
+import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;
+
+@RestController
+public class WelcomeController {
+
+    @GetMapping("/")
+    public String sayHello() {
+        return "hello";
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file