diff --git a/data/core/InputDoc.lua b/data/core/InputDoc.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..38d24988
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/core/InputDoc.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,330 @@
+local Object = require "core.object"
+local Highlighter = require "core.doc.highlighter"
+local syntax = require "core.syntax"
+local config = require "core.config"
+local common = require "core.common"
+
+
+local InputDoc = Object:extend()
+
+
+local function split_lines(text)
+  local res = {}
+  for line in (text .. "\n"):gmatch("(.-)\n") do
+    table.insert(res, line)
+  end
+  return res
+end
+
+
+local function splice(t, at, remove, insert)
+  insert = insert or {}
+  local offset = #insert - remove
+  local old_len = #t
+  if offset < 0 then
+    for i = at - offset, old_len - offset do
+      t[i + offset] = t[i]
+    end
+  elseif offset > 0 then
+    for i = old_len, at, -1 do
+      t[i + offset] = t[i]
+    end
+  end
+  for i, item in ipairs(insert) do
+    t[at + i - 1] = item
+  end
+end
+
+
+function InputDoc:new(syntax)
+  self.syntax = syntax
+  self:reset()
+end
+
+
+function InputDoc:reset()
+  self.lines = { "\n" }
+  self.selection = { a = { line=1, col=1 }, b = { line=1, col=1 } }
+  self.undo_stack = { idx = 1 }
+  self.redo_stack = { idx = 1 }
+  -- self.clean_change_id = 1
+  self.highlighter = Highlighter(self)
+end
+
+function InputDoc:get_change_id()
+  return self.undo_stack.idx
+end
+
+
+function InputDoc:set_selection(line1, col1, line2, col2, swap)
+  assert(not line2 == not col2, "expected 2 or 4 arguments")
+  if swap then line1, col1, line2, col2 = line2, col2, line1, col1 end
+  line1, col1 = self:sanitize_position(line1, col1)
+  line2, col2 = self:sanitize_position(line2 or line1, col2 or col1)
+  self.selection.a.line, self.selection.a.col = line1, col1
+  self.selection.b.line, self.selection.b.col = line2, col2
+end
+
+
+local function sort_positions(line1, col1, line2, col2)
+  if line1 > line2
+  or line1 == line2 and col1 > col2 then
+    return line2, col2, line1, col1, true
+  end
+  return line1, col1, line2, col2, false
+end
+
+
+function InputDoc:get_selection(sort)
+  local a, b = self.selection.a, self.selection.b
+  if sort then
+    return sort_positions(a.line, a.col, b.line, b.col)
+  end
+  return a.line, a.col, b.line, b.col
+end
+
+
+function InputDoc:has_selection()
+  local a, b = self.selection.a, self.selection.b
+  return not (a.line == b.line and a.col == b.col)
+end
+
+
+function InputDoc:sanitize_selection()
+  self:set_selection(self:get_selection())
+end
+
+
+function InputDoc:sanitize_position(line, col)
+  line = common.clamp(line, 1, #self.lines)
+  col = common.clamp(col, 1, #self.lines[line])
+  return line, col
+end
+
+
+local function position_offset_func(self, line, col, fn, ...)
+  line, col = self:sanitize_position(line, col)
+  return fn(self, line, col, ...)
+end
+
+
+local function position_offset_byte(self, line, col, offset)
+  line, col = self:sanitize_position(line, col)
+  col = col + offset
+  while line > 1 and col < 1 do
+    line = line - 1
+    col = col + #self.lines[line]
+  end
+  while line < #self.lines and col > #self.lines[line] do
+    col = col - #self.lines[line]
+    line = line + 1
+  end
+  return self:sanitize_position(line, col)
+end
+
+
+local function position_offset_linecol(self, line, col, lineoffset, coloffset)
+  return self:sanitize_position(line + lineoffset, col + coloffset)
+end
+
+
+function Doc:position_offset(line, col, ...)
+  if type(...) ~= "number" then
+    return position_offset_func(self, line, col, ...)
+  elseif select("#", ...) == 1 then
+    return position_offset_byte(self, line, col, ...)
+  elseif select("#", ...) == 2 then
+    return position_offset_linecol(self, line, col, ...)
+  else
+    error("bad number of arguments")
+  end
+end
+
+
+function Doc:get_text(line1, col1, line2, col2)
+  line1, col1 = self:sanitize_position(line1, col1)
+  line2, col2 = self:sanitize_position(line2, col2)
+  line1, col1, line2, col2 = sort_positions(line1, col1, line2, col2)
+  if line1 == line2 then
+    return self.lines[line1]:sub(col1, col2 - 1)
+  end
+  local lines = { self.lines[line1]:sub(col1) }
+  for i = line1 + 1, line2 - 1 do
+    table.insert(lines, self.lines[i])
+  end
+  table.insert(lines, self.lines[line2]:sub(1, col2 - 1))
+  return table.concat(lines)
+end
+
+
+function Doc:get_char(line, col)
+  line, col = self:sanitize_position(line, col)
+  return self.lines[line]:sub(col, col)
+end
+
+
+local function push_undo(undo_stack, time, type, ...)
+  undo_stack[undo_stack.idx] = { type = type, time = time, ... }
+  undo_stack[undo_stack.idx - config.max_undos] = nil
+  undo_stack.idx = undo_stack.idx + 1
+end
+
+
+local function pop_undo(self, undo_stack, redo_stack)
+  -- pop command
+  local cmd = undo_stack[undo_stack.idx - 1]
+  if not cmd then return end
+  undo_stack.idx = undo_stack.idx - 1
+
+  -- handle command
+  if cmd.type == "insert" then
+    local line, col, text = table.unpack(cmd)
+    self:raw_insert(line, col, text, redo_stack, cmd.time)
+
+  elseif cmd.type == "remove" then
+    local line1, col1, line2, col2 = table.unpack(cmd)
+    self:raw_remove(line1, col1, line2, col2, redo_stack, cmd.time)
+
+  elseif cmd.type == "selection" then
+    self.selection.a.line, self.selection.a.col = cmd[1], cmd[2]
+    self.selection.b.line, self.selection.b.col = cmd[3], cmd[4]
+  end
+
+  -- if next undo command is within the merge timeout then treat as a single
+  -- command and continue to execute it
+  local next = undo_stack[undo_stack.idx - 1]
+  if next and math.abs(cmd.time - next.time) < config.undo_merge_timeout then
+    return pop_undo(self, undo_stack, redo_stack)
+  end
+end
+
+
+function Doc:raw_insert(line, col, text, undo_stack, time)
+  -- split text into lines and merge with line at insertion point
+  local lines = split_lines(text)
+  local before = self.lines[line]:sub(1, col - 1)
+  local after = self.lines[line]:sub(col)
+  for i = 1, #lines - 1 do
+    lines[i] = lines[i] .. "\n"
+  end
+  lines[1] = before .. lines[1]
+  lines[#lines] = lines[#lines] .. after
+
+  -- splice lines into line array
+  splice(self.lines, line, 1, lines)
+
+  -- push undo
+  local line2, col2 = self:position_offset(line, col, #text)
+  push_undo(undo_stack, time, "selection", self:get_selection())
+  push_undo(undo_stack, time, "remove", line, col, line2, col2)
+
+  -- update highlighter and assure selection is in bounds
+  self.highlighter:invalidate(line)
+  self:sanitize_selection()
+end
+
+
+function Doc:raw_remove(line1, col1, line2, col2, undo_stack, time)
+  -- push undo
+  local text = self:get_text(line1, col1, line2, col2)
+  push_undo(undo_stack, time, "selection", self:get_selection())
+  push_undo(undo_stack, time, "insert", line1, col1, text)
+
+  -- get line content before/after removed text
+  local before = self.lines[line1]:sub(1, col1 - 1)
+  local after = self.lines[line2]:sub(col2)
+
+  -- splice line into line array
+  splice(self.lines, line1, line2 - line1 + 1, { before .. after })
+
+  -- update highlighter and assure selection is in bounds
+  self.highlighter:invalidate(line1)
+  self:sanitize_selection()
+end
+
+
+function Doc:insert(line, col, text)
+  self.redo_stack = { idx = 1 }
+  line, col = self:sanitize_position(line, col)
+  self:raw_insert(line, col, text, self.undo_stack, system.get_time())
+end
+
+
+function Doc:remove(line1, col1, line2, col2)
+  self.redo_stack = { idx = 1 }
+  line1, col1 = self:sanitize_position(line1, col1)
+  line2, col2 = self:sanitize_position(line2, col2)
+  line1, col1, line2, col2 = sort_positions(line1, col1, line2, col2)
+  self:raw_remove(line1, col1, line2, col2, self.undo_stack, system.get_time())
+end
+
+
+function Doc:undo()
+  pop_undo(self, self.undo_stack, self.redo_stack)
+end
+
+
+function Doc:redo()
+  pop_undo(self, self.redo_stack, self.undo_stack)
+end
+
+
+function Doc:text_input(text)
+  if self:has_selection() then
+    self:delete_to()
+  end
+  local line, col = self:get_selection()
+  self:insert(line, col, text)
+  self:move_to(#text)
+end
+
+
+function Doc:replace(fn)
+  local line1, col1, line2, col2, swap
+  local had_selection = self:has_selection()
+  if had_selection then
+    line1, col1, line2, col2, swap = self:get_selection(true)
+  else
+    line1, col1, line2, col2 = 1, 1, #self.lines, #self.lines[#self.lines]
+  end
+  local old_text = self:get_text(line1, col1, line2, col2)
+  local new_text, n = fn(old_text)
+  if old_text ~= new_text then
+    self:insert(line2, col2, new_text)
+    self:remove(line1, col1, line2, col2)
+    if had_selection then
+      line2, col2 = self:position_offset(line1, col1, #new_text)
+      self:set_selection(line1, col1, line2, col2, swap)
+    end
+  end
+  return n
+end
+
+
+function Doc:delete_to(...)
+  local line, col = self:get_selection(true)
+  if self:has_selection() then
+    self:remove(self:get_selection())
+  else
+    local line2, col2 = self:position_offset(line, col, ...)
+    self:remove(line, col, line2, col2)
+    line, col = sort_positions(line, col, line2, col2)
+  end
+  self:set_selection(line, col)
+end
+
+
+function Doc:move_to(...)
+  local line, col = self:get_selection()
+  self:set_selection(self:position_offset(line, col, ...))
+end
+
+
+function Doc:select_to(...)
+  local line, col, line2, col2 = self:get_selection()
+  line, col = self:position_offset(line, col, ...)
+  self:set_selection(line, col, line2, col2)
+end
+
+
+return Doc
diff --git a/data/plugins/console.lua b/data/plugins/console.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7196f4f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/plugins/console.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,383 @@
+local core = require "core"
+local keymap = require "core.keymap"
+local command = require "core.command"
+local common = require "core.common"
+local config = require "core.config"
+local style = require "core.style"
+local View = require "core.view"
+
+config.console_size = 250 * SCALE
+config.max_console_lines = 200
+config.autoscroll_console = true
+
+local files = {
+  script   = core.temp_filename(PLATFORM == "Windows" and ".bat"),
+  script2  = core.temp_filename(PLATFORM == "Windows" and ".bat"),
+  output   = core.temp_filename(),
+  complete = core.temp_filename(),
+}
+
+local console = {}
+
+local views = {}
+local pending_threads = {}
+local thread_active = false
+local output = nil
+local output_id = 0
+local visible = false
+
+function console.clear()
+  output = { { text = "", time = 0 } }
+end
+
+
+local function read_file(filename, offset)
+  local fp = io.open(filename, "rb")
+  fp:seek("set", offset or 0)
+  local res = fp:read("*a")
+  fp:close()
+  return res
+end
+
+
+local function write_file(filename, text)
+  local fp = io.open(filename, "w")
+  fp:write(text)
+  fp:close()
+end
+
+
+local function lines(text)
+  return (text .. "\n"):gmatch("(.-)\n")
+end
+
+
+local function push_output(str, opt)
+  local first = true
+  for line in lines(str) do
+    if first then
+      line = table.remove(output).text .. line
+    end
+    line = line:gsub("\x1b%[[%d;]+m", "") -- strip ANSI colors
+    table.insert(output, {
+      text = line,
+      time = os.time(),
+      icon = line:find(opt.error_pattern) and "!"
+          or line:find(opt.warning_pattern) and "i",
+      file_pattern = opt.file_pattern,
+    })
+    if #output > config.max_console_lines then
+      table.remove(output, 1)
+      for view in pairs(views) do
+        view:on_line_removed()
+      end
+    end
+    first = false
+  end
+  output_id = output_id + 1
+  core.redraw = true
+end
+
+
+local function init_opt(opt)
+  local res = {
+    command = "",
+    file_pattern = "[^?:%s]+%.[^?:%s]+",
+    error_pattern = "error",
+    warning_pattern = "warning",
+    on_complete = function() end,
+  }
+  for k, v in pairs(res) do
+    res[k] = opt[k] or v
+  end
+  return res
+end
+
+
+function console.run(opt)
+  opt = init_opt(opt)
+
+  local function thread()
+    -- init script file(s)
+    if PLATFORM == "Windows" then
+      write_file(files.script, opt.command .. "\n")
+      write_file(files.script2, string.format([[
+        @echo off
+        call %q >%q 2>&1
+        echo "" >%q
+        exit
+      ]], files.script, files.output, files.complete))
+      system.exec(string.format("call %q", files.script2))
+    else
+      write_file(files.script, string.format([[
+        %s
+        touch %q
+      ]], opt.command, files.complete))
+      system.exec(string.format("bash %q >%q 2>&1", files.script, files.output))
+    end
+
+    -- checks output file for change and reads
+    local last_size = 0
+    local function check_output_file()
+      if PLATFORM == "Windows" then
+        local fp = io.open(files.output)
+        if fp then fp:close() end
+      end
+      local info = system.get_file_info(files.output)
+      if info and info.size > last_size then
+        local text = read_file(files.output, last_size)
+        push_output(text, opt)
+        last_size = info.size
+      end
+    end
+
+    -- read output file until we get a file indicating completion
+    while not system.get_file_info(files.complete) do
+      check_output_file()
+      coroutine.yield(0.1)
+    end
+    check_output_file()
+    if output[#output].text ~= "" then
+      push_output("\n", opt)
+    end
+    push_output("!DIVIDER\n", opt)
+
+    -- clean up and finish
+    for _, file in pairs(files) do
+      os.remove(file)
+    end
+    opt.on_complete()
+
+    -- handle pending thread
+    local pending = table.remove(pending_threads, 1)
+    if pending then
+      core.add_thread(pending)
+    else
+      thread_active = false
+    end
+  end
+
+  -- push/init thread
+  if thread_active then
+    table.insert(pending_threads, thread)
+  else
+    core.add_thread(thread)
+    thread_active = true
+  end
+
+  -- make sure static console is visible if it's the only ConsoleView
+  local count = 0
+  for _ in pairs(views) do count = count + 1 end
+  if count == 1 then visible = true end
+end
+
+
+
+local ConsoleView = View:extend()
+
+function ConsoleView:new()
+  ConsoleView.super.new(self)
+  self.scrollable = true
+  self.hovered_idx = -1
+  views[self] = true
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:try_close(...)
+  ConsoleView.super.try_close(self, ...)
+  views[self] = nil
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:get_name()
+  return "Console"
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:get_line_height()
+  return style.code_font:get_height() * config.line_height
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:get_line_count()
+  return #output - (output[#output].text == "" and 1 or 0)
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:get_scrollable_size()
+  return self:get_line_count() * self:get_line_height() + style.padding.y * 2
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:get_visible_line_range()
+  local lh = self:get_line_height()
+  local min = math.max(1, math.floor(self.scroll.y / lh))
+  return min, min + math.floor(self.size.y / lh) + 1
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:on_mouse_moved(mx, my, ...)
+  ConsoleView.super.on_mouse_moved(self, mx, my, ...)
+  self.hovered_idx = 0
+  for i, item, x,y,w,h in self:each_visible_line() do
+    if mx >= x and my >= y and mx < x + w and my < y + h then
+      if item.text:find(item.file_pattern) then
+        self.hovered_idx = i
+      end
+      break
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+
+local function resolve_file(name)
+  if system.get_file_info(name) then
+    return name
+  end
+  local filenames = {}
+  for _, f in ipairs(core.project_files) do
+    table.insert(filenames, f.filename)
+  end
+  local t = common.fuzzy_match(filenames, name)
+  return t[1]
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:on_line_removed()
+  local diff = self:get_line_height()
+  self.scroll.y = self.scroll.y - diff
+  self.scroll.to.y = self.scroll.to.y - diff
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:on_mouse_pressed(...)
+  local caught = ConsoleView.super.on_mouse_pressed(self, ...)
+  if caught then
+    return
+  end
+  local item = output[self.hovered_idx]
+  if item then
+    local file, line, col = item.text:match(item.file_pattern)
+    local resolved_file = resolve_file(file)
+    if not resolved_file then
+      core.error("Couldn't resolve file \"%s\"", file)
+      return
+    end
+    core.try(function()
+      core.set_active_view(core.last_active_view)
+      local dv = core.root_view:open_doc(core.open_doc(resolved_file))
+      if line then
+        dv.doc:set_selection(line, col or 0)
+        dv:scroll_to_line(line, false, true)
+      end
+    end)
+  end
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:each_visible_line()
+  return coroutine.wrap(function()
+    local x, y = self:get_content_offset()
+    local lh = self:get_line_height()
+    local min, max = self:get_visible_line_range()
+    y = y + lh * (min - 1) + style.padding.y
+    max = math.min(max, self:get_line_count())
+
+    for i = min, max do
+      local item = output[i]
+      if not item then break end
+      coroutine.yield(i, item, x, y, self.size.x, lh)
+      y = y + lh
+    end
+  end)
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:update(...)
+  if self.last_output_id ~= output_id then
+    if config.autoscroll_console then
+      self.scroll.to.y = self:get_scrollable_size()
+    end
+    self.last_output_id = output_id
+  end
+  ConsoleView.super.update(self, ...)
+end
+
+
+function ConsoleView:draw()
+  self:draw_background(style.background)
+  local icon_w = style.icon_font:get_width("!")
+
+  for i, item, x, y, w, h in self:each_visible_line() do
+    local tx = x + style.padding.x
+    local time = os.date("%H:%M:%S", item.time)
+    local color = style.text
+    if self.hovered_idx == i then
+      color = style.accent
+      renderer.draw_rect(x, y, w, h, style.line_highlight)
+    end
+    if item.text == "!DIVIDER" then
+      local w = style.font:get_width(time)
+      renderer.draw_rect(tx, y + h / 2, w, math.ceil(SCALE * 1), style.dim)
+    else
+      tx = common.draw_text(style.font, style.dim, time, "left", tx, y, w, h)
+      tx = tx + style.padding.x
+      if item.icon then
+        common.draw_text(style.icon_font, color, item.icon, "left", tx, y, w, h)
+      end
+      tx = tx + icon_w + style.padding.x
+      common.draw_text(style.code_font, color, item.text, "left", tx, y, w, h)
+    end
+  end
+
+  self:draw_scrollbar(self)
+end
+
+
+-- init static bottom-of-screen console
+local view = ConsoleView()
+local node = core.root_view:get_active_node()
+node:split("down", view, true)
+
+function view:update(...)
+  local dest = visible and config.console_size or 0
+  self:move_towards(self.size, "y", dest)
+  ConsoleView.update(self, ...)
+end
+
+
+local last_command = ""
+
+command.add(nil, {
+  ["console:reset-output"] = function()
+    output = { { text = "", time = 0 } }
+  end,
+
+  ["console:open-console"] = function()
+    local node = core.root_view:get_active_node()
+    node:add_view(ConsoleView())
+  end,
+
+  ["console:toggle"] = function()
+    visible = not visible
+  end,
+
+  ["console:run"] = function()
+    core.command_view:set_text(last_command, true)
+    core.command_view:enter("Run Console Command", function(cmd)
+      console.run { command = cmd }
+      last_command = cmd
+    end)
+  end
+})
+
+keymap.add {
+  ["ctrl+."] = "console:toggle",
+  ["ctrl+shift+."] = "console:run",
+}
+
+-- for `workspace` plugin:
+package.loaded["plugins.console.view"] = ConsoleView
+
+console.clear()
+return console
diff --git a/data/plugins/repl.lua b/data/plugins/repl.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..119be8d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/plugins/repl.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+local core = require "core"
+local keymap = require "core.keymap"
+local command = require "core.command"
+local common = require "core.common"
+local config = require "core.config"
+local style = require "core.style"
+local View = require "core.view"
+
+
+local function new_node() {
+  return { input = "" }
+}
+
+local nodes = {
+  new_node()
+}
+
+local ReplView = View:extend()
+
+function ReplView:new()
+  ReplView.super.new(self)
+  self.scrollable = true
+  self.brightness = 0
+  -- self:begin_search(text, fn)
+end
+
+local function begin_repl()
+  local rv = ReplView()
+  core.root_view:get_active_node():add_view(rv)
+end
+
+command.add(nil, {
+  ["repl:open"] = function()
+    begin_repl()
+  end
+})
+
diff --git a/notes-repl.md b/notes-repl.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..783268bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notes-repl.md
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+## Steps
+
+- create an object similar to a Doc (core/doc/init.lua) but not tied to a file.
+  We may call it InputDoc.
+- use DocView(s) (defined in core/docview.lua) but tied to an InputDoc instead
+  of to a Doc. To make this work InputDoc should implement the same methods
+  and behave in the same way.
+- create a new object derived by View to "assemble" several InputDoc(s).
+  The InputDoc(s) should corresponds to the input and output snippet of the
+  REPL.
+  We may call this view ReplView.
+  The ReplView should draw its InputDoc(s) with some spacing and displatch
+  text input events mouve movements etc.
+  It could be similar to RootView.