diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9579cb5..57c69ad 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0.2)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5)
 project(shortener_bot LANGUAGES C CXX)
 
-add_executable(bot main.cpp telegram_client.cpp)
+add_executable(bot main.cpp telegram_client.cpp commands.cpp)
+set_property(TARGET bot PROPERTY CXX_STANDARD 20)
+set_property(TARGET bot PROPERTY CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+
 
 add_library(libuv STATIC IMPORTED)
 set_target_properties(libuv PROPERTIES IMPORTED_LOCATION ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/libuv-v1.49.0/.libs/libuv.a)
diff --git a/commands.cpp b/commands.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e09cb93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#include "commands.h"
+#include "td/telegram/td_api.h"
+#include <cstring>
+#include <spdlog/spdlog.h>
+#include <string_view>
+#include <vector>
+
+void cmd::handle_regular_message(context *ctx, td_api::message &msg) {
+  if (msg.content_->get_id() == td_api::messageText::ID) {
+    std::string text = static_cast<td_api::messageText&>(*msg.content_).text_->text_;
+    if (std::strncmp(text.c_str(), "/shorten ", 9) == 0) {
+      std::string_view param(text.begin() + 9, text.end());
+      size_t nextSpace = param.find(' ');
+      if (nextSpace != std::string_view::npos)
+        param.remove_suffix(param.size() - nextSpace);
+      spdlog::info("Command /shorten received with parameter '{}'", param);
+    } else if (std::strncmp(text.c_str(), "/shorten", 8) == 0) {
+      std::string textRaw("usage: /shorten <url>");
+      std::vector<td_api::object_ptr<td_api::textEntity>> empty;
+      auto text = static_cast<td_api::object_ptr<td_api::InputMessageContent>>(td_api::make_object<td_api::inputMessageText>(td_api::make_object<td_api::formattedText>(textRaw, std::move(empty)), nullptr, false));
+      ctx->tg->send_query(td_api::make_object<td_api::sendMessage>(msg.chat_id_, msg.message_thread_id_, nullptr, nullptr, nullptr, std::move(text)), {});
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands.h b/commands.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62ed557
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands.h
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#pragma once
+#include "common.h"
+#include "telegram_client.h"
+#include <string>
+
+namespace cmd {
+  void handle_regular_message(context *ctx, td_api::message &msg);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common.h b/common.h
index b44d433..d7bce24 100644
--- a/common.h
+++ b/common.h
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #pragma once
+#include <string>
 
 namespace detail {
 template <class... Fs>
@@ -25,3 +26,25 @@ auto overloaded(F... f) {
   return detail::overload<F...>(f...);
 }
 
+
+enum class CommandLineParamError {
+  NoApiCreds
+};
+
+struct ApiCreds {
+  int id;
+  std::string hash;
+  std::string botToken;
+};
+
+struct CommandLineParams {
+  ApiCreds apiCreds;
+  std::string botToken;
+};
+
+struct TelegramClient;
+
+struct context {
+  TelegramClient *tg;
+  ApiCreds apiCreds;
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index cc12778..b20db4c 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -1,38 +1,53 @@
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <memory>
+#include <string>
 
 #include <spdlog/spdlog.h>
 #include <uv.h>
-#include "telegram_client.h"
+#include "common.h"
+#include "commands.h"
+#include "td/telegram/td_api.h"
+#include "td/telegram/td_api.hpp"
 
 const char *APP_GREETING = "--------------------\n"\
                            "| shortener-bot v0 |\n"\
                            "--------------------\n\n";
 
-struct context {
-  TelegramClient *tg;
-};
-
 void async_startup(uv_idle_t *h);
 void configure_blocked_signals();
 void configure_logging();
 void configure_shutdown_signals(uv_loop_t *loop, context *ctx);
+CommandLineParams parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv);
 void print_greeting();
+void print_usage(const char *programName);
 void shutdown_signal_handler(uv_signal_t *h, int signum);
 
-int main() {
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+  CommandLineParams cmdLineParams;
+  try {
+    cmdLineParams = parse_command_line(argc, argv);
+  } catch (CommandLineParamError e) {
+    switch (e) {
+      case CommandLineParamError::NoApiCreds:
+        print_usage(argv[0]);
+        return 1;
+    }
+  }
   configure_logging();
   configure_blocked_signals();
   print_greeting();
 
   uv_loop_t *defaultLoop = uv_default_loop();
   context ctx;
+  ctx.apiCreds = cmdLineParams.apiCreds;
   
   spdlog::info("Creating Telegram client");
   TelegramClient tg(defaultLoop);
   ctx.tg = &tg;
   
   uv_idle_t startupHandle;
+  startupHandle.data = (void*)&ctx;
   uv_idle_init(defaultLoop, &startupHandle);
   uv_idle_start(&startupHandle, async_startup);
 
@@ -47,7 +62,45 @@ int main() {
 }
 
 void async_startup(uv_idle_t *h) {
-  spdlog::info("Starting up");
+  context *ctx = (context*)h->data;
+  spdlog::info("Starting telegram client (using api id {}, hash {})", ctx->apiCreds.id, ctx->apiCreds.hash);
+
+  ctx->tg->add_update_handler([ctx](void*, td_api::Object &update){
+    td_api::downcast_call(update, overloaded(
+      [ctx](td_api::updateAuthorizationState &upd) {
+        td_api::downcast_call(*upd.authorization_state_, overloaded(
+          [ctx](td_api::authorizationStateWaitTdlibParameters &state) {
+            auto request = td_api::make_object<td_api::setTdlibParameters>();
+            request->database_directory_ = "tdata";
+            request->use_message_database_ = false;
+            request->use_secret_chats_ = false;
+            request->api_id_ = ctx->apiCreds.id;
+            request->api_hash_ = ctx->apiCreds.hash;
+            request->system_language_code_ = "en";
+            request->device_model_ = "server";
+            request->application_version_ = "1.0.0";
+            ctx->tg->send_query(std::move(request), {});
+          },
+          [ctx](td_api::authorizationStateWaitPhoneNumber &state) {
+            ctx->tg->send_query(td_api::make_object<td_api::checkAuthenticationBotToken>(ctx->apiCreds.botToken), {}); // TODO add error handler
+          },
+          [ctx](td_api::authorizationStateReady &state) {
+            spdlog::info("Telegram ready");
+          },
+          [ctx,&upd](td_api::Object &obj){
+            spdlog::debug("unknown authorization state ID {}", upd.authorization_state_->get_id());
+          }
+        ));
+      },
+      [ctx](td_api::updateNewMessage &upd) {
+        if (upd.message_->is_outgoing_) return;
+        cmd::handle_regular_message(ctx, *upd.message_);
+      },
+      [](td_api::Object &obj){}
+    ));
+  }, nullptr);
+  ctx->tg->start();
+
   uv_close((uv_handle_t*)h, nullptr);
 }
 
@@ -86,6 +139,18 @@ void shutdown_signal_handler(uv_signal_t *h, int signum) {
   uv_stop(uv_default_loop());
 }
 
+CommandLineParams parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv) {
+  if (argc < 4) throw CommandLineParamError::NoApiCreds;
+  char *apiIdEnd = nullptr;
+  int apiId = strtol(argv[1], &apiIdEnd, 10);
+  if (apiIdEnd == argv[1]) throw CommandLineParamError::NoApiCreds;
+  return CommandLineParams {apiId, std::string(argv[2]), std::string(argv[3])};
+}
+
 void print_greeting() {
   std::cout << APP_GREETING << std::flush;
 }
+
+void print_usage(const char *programName) {
+  std::cout << "usage: " << programName << " <api_id> <api_hash> <token>\n";
+}
\ No newline at end of file