diff --git a/zipline/core/simulatorref.py b/zipline/core/simulatorref.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..abe87379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zipline/core/simulatorref.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+"""
+
+The reference simulator for all of Quantopian infastructure.
+
+If a subclass does not conform to the API it will fail at
+compiletime.
+
+Subclasses:
+
+    - (partial) zipline.devsimulator.Simulator
+    - ( full ) qexec.executor.simulator.ProcessSimulator
+    - ( full ) qexec.executor.simulator.ThreadSimulator
+    - ( full ) qexec.executor.simulator.GreenletSimulator
+
+"""
+
+import abc
+from zipline.core.host import ComponentHost
+
+class SimulatorBase(ComponentHost):
+
+    __metaclass__ = abc.ABCMeta
+
+    def __init__(self, addresses):
+        """
+        Initailizes the simulator.
+        """
+        ComponentHost.__init__(self, addresses)
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def get_id(self):
+        """Human readable name of the simulator."""
+        return "Reference Simulator"
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def launch_component(self, component):
+        """ Launch an indvidiaul component in the simulation. """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def launch_controller(self):
+        """ Launch the controller for the simulation. """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def simulate(self):
+        """ Run a simulation. """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def shutdown(self):
+        """ Normal shutdown procedure. """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    def cancel(self):
+        """ Soft shutdown """
+        self.controller.shutdown(soft=True)
+
+    def kill(self):
+        """ Hard shutdown """
+        self.controller.shutdown(hard=True)
+
+    # Extension Methods
+    # -----------------
+    # Provided by some simulators, those that do not will degrade
+    # gracefully.
+
+    # - ``did_clean_shutdown``
+    # - ``point_of_failure``
+    # - ``launch_debugger``
+
+    def did_clean_shutdown(self):
+        """
+        Returns True if all the subcomponents in the simulation yielded
+        cleanly.
+        """
+        return False
+
+    def point_of_failure(self):
+        """ Returns the point of failure of the code.  """
+        failures = [
+            c for c in self._components.values()
+            if c.exception
+        ]
+
+        # Sort by failure time so we can follow the failure
+        # through the system.
+        return sorted(failures, key=lambda c: c.fail_time)
+
+    def launch_debugger(self):
+        """
+        Launches a remote debug shell in the context of the failed component.
+        """
+        pass