diff --git a/deck/chat.py b/deck/chat.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..266b479
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deck/chat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+# deck.chat: T-Deck generic chat UI helper library for CircuitPython
+# Depends on tdeck_repl for providing working input on T-Decks
+#
+# Created by Luxferre in 2025, released into public domain
+
+# init the tdeck_repl input where applicable
+try:
+  from tdeck_repl import input
+except:
+  pass
+
+def _echo(msg, state):
+  print(msg)
+  return state
+
+class DeckChat:
+  def __init__(self, start_state={}, chat_prefix='> ', command_prefix='/'):
+    """Init the chat class"""
+    self.command_prefix = command_prefix # prefix that commands start with
+    self.chat_prefix = chat_prefix       # prefix to write before input
+    self.command_handlers = {            # command handler storage
+      'default': _echo                   # echo handler by default
+    }
+    self.state = start_state             # internal state object (impl-specific)
+
+  def command(self, command, handler):
+    """
+    Register a new handler inside the chat instance.
+    The handler accepts a single parameter, which is the state object.
+    """
+    cmd = command.strip().lower()
+    if cmd.startswith(self.command_prefix):
+      cmd = cmd[1:]
+    self.command_handlers[cmd] = handler
+
+  def _detect_command(self, msg):
+    """
+    Split a chat line into the command (or None if none detected)
+    and the rest of the message.
+    """
+    res = ('default', msg)
+    if msg.startswith(self.command_prefix):
+      parts = msg.split(maxsplit=1)
+      cmd, arg = parts[0].lower().strip()[1:], parts[1].strip() if len(parts) > 1 else None
+      if cmd in self.command_handlers:
+        res = (cmd, arg)
+    return res
+
+  def start(self):
+    """Start the chat loop"""
+    while True:
+      try:
+        input_msg = input('\n' + self.chat_prefix).strip()
+        cmd, msg = self._detect_command(input_msg)
+        self.state = self.command_handlers[cmd](msg, self.state)
+        if self.state is None:
+          break
+      except KeyboardInterrupt: break