diff --git a/src/hello_world.cc b/src/hello_world.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b4df22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hello_world.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// This file is under GNU General Public License 3.0
+// see LICENSE.txt
+
+#include "hello_world.hh"
+
+namespace pEp {
+    namespace HelloWorld {
+        //non-template func and template-specializations here
+        std::string hello_world()
+        {
+            return "hello world";
+        }
+
+        // specialization for int
+        template<>
+        int hello_world(int param1)
+        {
+            return param1 * 2;
+        }
+
+        // specialization for float
+        template<>
+        double hello_world(double param1)
+        {
+            return param1 * 2;
+        }
+
+    } // namespace HelloWorld
+} // namespace pEp
diff --git a/src/hello_world.hh b/src/hello_world.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1dddb3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hello_world.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// This file is under GNU General Public License 3.0
+// see LICENSE.txt
+
+#ifndef LIBPEPHELLOWORLD_HELLO_WORLD_HH
+#define LIBPEPHELLOWORLD_HELLO_WORLD_HH
+
+#include <string>
+
+namespace pEp {
+    namespace HelloWorld {
+        // non-template functions and classes
+        // impl in .cc
+        std::string hello_world();
+
+        // template functions and classes
+        // impl in .hxx
+        template<typename T>
+        T hello_world(T param1);
+    } // namespace HelloWorld
+} // namespace pEp
+
+#include "hello_world.hxx"
+
+#endif // LIBPEPHELLOWORLD_HELLO_WORLD_HH
diff --git a/src/hello_world.hxx b/src/hello_world.hxx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55a82c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hello_world.hxx
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+// This file is under GNU General Public License 3.0
+// see LICENSE.txt
+
+#ifndef LIBPEPHELLOWORLD_HELLO_WORLD_HXX
+#define LIBPEPHELLOWORLD_HELLO_WORLD_HXX
+
+#include <sstream>
+
+namespace pEp {
+    namespace HelloWorld {
+        template<typename T>
+        T hello_world(T param1)
+        {
+            return param1;
+        }
+    } // namespace HelloWorld
+} // namespace pEp
+
+#endif //LIBPEPHELLOWORLD_HELLO_WORLD_HXX