diff --git a/python/Makefile b/python/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4b90f7017
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+export CC  = gcc
+export CXX = g++
+export CFLAGS = -Wall -O3 -msse2  -Wno-unknown-pragmas -fopenmp
+
+# specify tensor path
+SLIB = xgboostpy.so
+OBJ = xgboost_python.o
+.PHONY: clean all
+
+all: $(SLIB)
+export LDFLAGS= -pthread -lm 
+
+xgboostpy.so: xgboost_python.cpp ../regrank/*.h ../booster/*.h ../booster/*/*.hpp ../booster/*.hpp
+
+$(SLIB) :
+	$(CXX) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -shared -o $@ $(filter %.cpp %.o %.c, $^)
+$(BIN) : 
+	$(CXX) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(filter %.cpp %.o %.c, $^)
+
+$(OBJ) : 
+	$(CXX) -c $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $(firstword $(filter %.cpp %.c, $^) )
+
+install:
+	cp -f -r $(BIN)  $(INSTALL_PATH)
+
+clean:
+	$(RM) $(OBJ) $(BIN) $(SLIB) *~
diff --git a/python/README.md b/python/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f3bb35401
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+beta version:
+python wrapper for xgboost using ctypes
diff --git a/python/xgboost.py b/python/xgboost.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab7024d4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/xgboost.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# module for xgboost
+import ctypes 
+
+# load in xgboost library
+#xglib = ctypes.cdll.LoadLibrary('./libxgboostpy.so')
+
+# entry type of sparse matrix
+class REntry(ctypes.Structure):
+    _fields_ = [("findex", ctypes.c_uint), ("fvalue", ctypes.c_float) ]
+
+
+class DMatrix:
+    def __init__(fname = None):
+        self.__handle = xglib.
+    
diff --git a/python/xgboost_python.cpp b/python/xgboost_python.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5d020066f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/xgboost_python.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#include "xgboost_python.h"
+
+void* XGDMatrixCreate(void){
+    return NULL;
+}
+void XGDMatrixFree(void *handle){
+}
+void XGDMatrixLoad(void *handle, const char *fname){
+}
+void XGDMatrixSaveBinary( void *handle, const char *fname ){
+}
+
diff --git a/python/xgboost_python.h b/python/xgboost_python.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..56af7a095
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/xgboost_python.h
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#ifndef XGBOOST_PYTHON_H
+#define XGBOOST_PYTHON_H
+/*!
+ * \file xgboost_regrank_data.h
+ * \brief python wrapper for xgboost, using ctypes, 
+ *        hides everything behind functions
+ *      use c style interface
+ */
+#include "../booster/xgboost_data.h"
+/*! \brief type of row entry */
+typedef xgboost::booster::FMatrixS::REntry XGEntry;
+
+/*! 
+ * \brief create a data matrix 
+ * \return a new data matrix
+ */
+void* XGDMatrixCreate(void);
+/*! 
+ * \brief free space in data matrix
+ */
+void XGDMatrixFree(void *handle);
+/*! 
+ * \brief load a data matrix from text file or buffer(if exists)
+ * \param handle a instance of data matrix
+ * \param fname file name 
+ */
+void XGDMatrixLoad(void *handle, const char *fname);
+/*!
+ * \brief load a data matrix into binary file
+ * \param handle a instance of data matrix
+ * \param fname file name 
+ */
+void XGDMatrixSaveBinary( void *handle, const char *fname );
+/*! 
+ * \brief add row 
+ * \param handle a instance of data matrix
+ * \param fname file name 
+ * \return a new data matrix
+ */
+//void XGDMatrixPush( void *handle, const std::pair<int,> );
+
+#endif
+