diff --git a/tools/init_project.py b/tools/init_project.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..781bc4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/init_project.py
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+
+
+import logging
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import re
+import sys
+from typing import Sequence
+
+_invalid_file_char_regex = re.compile(r'[^a-zA-Z0-9_]')
+_variable_regex = re.compile(r'@([A-Z_]+)@')
+_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+_root: Path
+
+def _exec_checked(args: Sequence[str], **kwargs) -> None:
+    subprocess.run(args, stdout=sys.stdout, stderr=sys.stderr, check=True, **kwargs)
+
+def _exec_get_output(args: Sequence[str], **kwargs) -> str:
+    return subprocess.run(args, text=True, check=True, capture_output=True).stdout
+
+def _prompt(prefix: str = '> ') -> str:
+    sys.stdout.write(prefix)
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+    return sys.stdin.readline()
+
+def _escape_filename(name: str) -> str:
+    return _invalid_file_char_regex.sub('_', name)
+
+def verify_tools() -> None:
+    _logger.debug('Verifying all required tools are available...')
+    success = True
+    if shutil.which('git') is None:
+        _logger.error('git not found in PATH')
+        success = False
+    if shutil.which('scons') is None:
+        _logger.error('SCons not found in PATH')
+        success = False
+    if not success:
+        raise RuntimeError('one or more required tools could not be found')
+
+def download_spp() -> None:
+    _logger.debug('Checking if Scons++ is checked out...')
+    output = _exec_get_output(['git', 'submodule', 'status', 'external/scons-plus-plus'])
+    if output[0] in ('+', ' '):
+        return
+    assert output[0] == '-'
+    _logger.info('SCons++ not checkout out yet, doing it now.')
+    _exec_checked(['git', 'submodule', 'init'])
+    _exec_checked(['git', 'submodule', 'update', 'external/scons-plus-plus'])
+
+def update_spp() -> None:
+    _logger.debug('Updating SCons++ submodule...')
+    os.chdir(_root / 'external/scons-plus-plus')
+    try:
+        _exec_checked(['git', 'fetch', 'origin', 'master'])
+        _exec_checked(['git', 'checkout', 'master'])
+        output = _exec_get_output(['git', 'status', '--porcelain'])
+        if output.strip() == '':
+            return
+    finally:
+        os.chdir(_root)
+    _logger.info('Changes in SCons++ detected, creating commit.')
+    _exec_checked(['git', 'commit', '-m', 'Updated Scons++', 'external/scons-plus-plus'])
+
+def _replace_in_file(file: Path, **replacements) -> None:
+    _logger.debug('Patching file "%s"...', file)
+    bakfile = file.with_suffix(f'{file.suffix}.bak')
+    bakfile.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+    file.rename(bakfile)
+
+    with bakfile.open('r') as fin, file.open('w') as fout:
+        for line in fin:
+            def _repl(match: re.Match) -> str:
+                return replacements.get(match.group(1), '<invalid variable>')
+            fout.write(_variable_regex.sub(_repl, line))
+    bakfile.unlink()
+
+def setup_project() -> None:
+    project_name = ''
+    while project_name == '':
+        print('Please enter a name for your project.')
+        project_name = _prompt().strip()
+    module_name = project_name
+    print(f'Please enter a name for the first module. Leave empty to use the project name ("{module_name}").')
+    new_name = _prompt().strip()
+    if new_name != '':
+        module_name = new_name
+    
+    module_folder_name = _escape_filename(project_name.lower())
+    print(f'Please enter a folder name for the first module. Leave empty for "{module_folder_name}". Anything but [A-Za-z0-9_] will be replaced with underscores.')
+    new_name = _prompt().strip()
+    if new_name != '':
+        module_folder_name = _escape_filename(new_name) # just enforce nice names
+
+    module_exe_name = _escape_filename(module_name.lower())
+    print(f'Please enter a file name for the module executable. Leave empty for "{module_exe_name}". Omit the file suffix. Anything but [A-Za-z0-9_] will be replaced with underscores.')
+    new_name = _prompt().strip()
+    if new_name != '':
+        module_exe_name = _escape_filename(new_name)
+
+    
+    _replace_in_file(_root / 'SConstruct', PROJECT_NAME=project_name, MODULE_FOLDER_NAME=module_folder_name)
+    _replace_in_file(_root / 'private/spp_template/SModule', MODULE_NAME=module_name, EXE_NAME=module_exe_name)
+    
+    template_folder = _root / 'private/spp_template'
+    module_folder = _root / 'private' / module_folder_name
+    _logger.debug(f'Moving {template_folder} to {module_folder}.')
+
+    _logger.info('Creating a git commit for the setup.')
+    _exec_checked(['git', 'commit', '-m', 'Project setup', 'SConstruct', 'private'])
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG, format='%(message)s')
+    _root = Path(__file__).parent.parent
+    os.chdir(_root)
+    #try:
+    verify_tools()
+    download_spp()
+    update_spp()
+    setup_project()
+    #except Exception as e:
+    #    _logger.error('There was an error running the script: %s.', e)
+    #    sys.exit(1)