diff --git a/examples/graph0.hcl b/examples/graph0.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2e25f6e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/graph0.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+resource "file" "file1" {
+  path = "/tmp/mgmt-hello-world"
+  content = "hello, world"
+  state = "exists"
+}
+
+resource "noop" "noop1" {
+  test = "nil"
+}
+
+edge "e1" {
+  from = {
+    kind = "noop"
+    name = "noop1"
+  }
+  to = {
+    kind = "file"
+    name = "file1"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/examples/graph1.hcl b/examples/graph1.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f4b5724f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/graph1.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+resource "exec" "exec1" {
+  cmd = "cat /tmp/mgmt-hello-world"
+  state =  "present"
+}
diff --git a/hcl/gapi.go b/hcl/gapi.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..35b7dd31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hcl/gapi.go
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+// Mgmt
+// Copyright (C) 2013-2017+ James Shubin and the project contributors
+// Written by James Shubin <james@shubin.ca> and the project contributors
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package hcl
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/gapi"
+	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/pgraph"
+	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/recwatch"
+)
+
+// GAPI ...
+type GAPI struct {
+	File *string
+
+	initialized   bool
+	data          gapi.Data
+	wg            sync.WaitGroup
+	closeChan     chan struct{}
+	configWatcher *recwatch.ConfigWatcher
+}
+
+// NewGAPI ...
+func NewGAPI(data gapi.Data, file *string) (*GAPI, error) {
+	if file == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("empty file given")
+	}
+
+	obj := &GAPI{
+		File: file,
+	}
+	return obj, obj.Init(data)
+}
+
+// Init ...
+func (obj *GAPI) Init(d gapi.Data) error {
+	if obj.initialized {
+		return fmt.Errorf("already initialized")
+	}
+
+	if obj.File == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("file cannot be nil")
+	}
+
+	obj.data = d
+	obj.closeChan = make(chan struct{})
+	obj.initialized = true
+	obj.configWatcher = recwatch.NewConfigWatcher()
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Graph ...
+func (obj *GAPI) Graph() (*pgraph.Graph, error) {
+	config, err := loadHcl(obj.File)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse graph: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	return graphFromConfig(config, obj.data)
+}
+
+// Next ...
+func (obj *GAPI) Next() chan gapi.Next {
+	ch := make(chan gapi.Next)
+	obj.wg.Add(1)
+
+	go func() {
+		defer obj.wg.Done()
+		defer close(ch)
+		if !obj.initialized {
+			next := gapi.Next{
+				Err:  fmt.Errorf("hcl: GAPI is not initialized"),
+				Exit: true,
+			}
+			ch <- next
+			return
+		}
+		startChan := make(chan struct{}) // start signal
+		close(startChan)                 // kick it off!
+
+		watchChan, configChan := make(chan error), make(chan error)
+		if obj.data.NoConfigWatch {
+			configChan = nil
+		} else {
+			configChan = obj.configWatcher.ConfigWatch(*obj.File) // simple
+		}
+		if obj.data.NoStreamWatch {
+			watchChan = nil
+		} else {
+			watchChan = obj.data.World.ResWatch()
+		}
+
+		for {
+			var err error
+			var ok bool
+
+			select {
+			case <-startChan:
+				startChan = nil
+			case err, ok = <-watchChan:
+			case err, ok = <-configChan:
+				if !ok {
+					return
+				}
+			case <-obj.closeChan:
+				return
+			}
+
+			log.Printf("hcl: generating new graph")
+			next := gapi.Next{
+				Err: err,
+			}
+
+			select {
+			case ch <- next:
+			case <-obj.closeChan:
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	return ch
+}
+
+// Close ...
+func (obj *GAPI) Close() error {
+	if !obj.initialized {
+		return fmt.Errorf("hcl: GAPI is not initialized")
+	}
+
+	obj.configWatcher.Close()
+	close(obj.closeChan)
+	obj.wg.Wait()
+	obj.initialized = false
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/hcl/parse.go b/hcl/parse.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d005150
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hcl/parse.go
@@ -0,0 +1,337 @@
+// Mgmt
+// Copyright (C) 2013-2017+ James Shubin and the project contributors
+// Written by James Shubin <james@shubin.ca> and the project contributors
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package hcl
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/hcl/ast"
+	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/gapi"
+	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/pgraph"
+	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/resources"
+)
+
+type collectorResConfig struct {
+	Kind    string
+	Pattern string
+}
+
+// Config defines the structure of the hcl config.
+type Config struct {
+	Resources []*Resource
+	Edges     []*Edge
+	Collector []collectorResConfig
+}
+
+// vertex is the data structure of a vertex.
+type vertex struct {
+	Kind string `hcl:"kind"`
+	Name string `hcl:"name"`
+}
+
+// Edge defines an edge in hcl.
+type Edge struct {
+	Name   string
+	From   vertex
+	To     vertex
+	Notify bool
+}
+
+// Resources define the state for resources.
+type Resources struct {
+	Resources []resources.Res
+}
+
+// Resource ...
+type Resource struct {
+	Name     string
+	Kind     string
+	resource resources.Res
+	Meta     resources.MetaParams
+}
+
+type key struct {
+	kind, name string
+}
+
+func graphFromConfig(c *Config, data gapi.Data) (*pgraph.Graph, error) {
+	var graph *pgraph.Graph
+	var err error
+
+	graph, err = pgraph.NewGraph("Graph")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to create graph from config: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	lookup := make(map[key]pgraph.Vertex)
+
+	var keep []pgraph.Vertex
+	var resourceList []resources.Res
+
+	log.Printf("HCL: parsing %d resources", len(c.Resources))
+	for _, r := range c.Resources {
+		res := r.resource
+		kind := r.resource.GetKind()
+
+		log.Printf("HCL: resource \"%s\" \"%s\"", kind, r.Name)
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(res.GetName(), "@@") {
+			fn := func(v pgraph.Vertex) (bool, error) {
+				return resources.VtoR(v).Compare(res), nil
+			}
+			v, err := graph.VertexMatchFn(fn)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not match vertex: %s", err)
+			}
+			if v == nil {
+				v = res
+				graph.AddVertex(v)
+			}
+			lookup[key{kind, res.GetName()}] = v
+			keep = append(keep, v)
+		} else if !data.Noop {
+			res.SetName(res.GetName()[2:])
+			res.SetKind(kind)
+			resourceList = append(resourceList, res)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// store in backend (usually etcd)
+	if err := data.World.ResExport(resourceList); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Config: Could not export resources: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// lookup from backend (usually etcd)
+	var hostnameFilter []string // empty to get from everyone
+	kindFilter := []string{}
+	for _, t := range c.Collector {
+		kind := strings.ToLower(t.Kind)
+		kindFilter = append(kindFilter, kind)
+	}
+	// do all the graph look ups in one single step, so that if the backend
+	// database changes, we don't have a partial state of affairs...
+	if len(kindFilter) > 0 { // if kindFilter is empty, don't need to do lookups!
+		var err error
+		resourceList, err = data.World.ResCollect(hostnameFilter, kindFilter)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Config: Could not collect resources: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, res := range resourceList {
+		matched := false
+		// see if we find a collect pattern that matches
+		for _, t := range c.Collector {
+			kind := strings.ToLower(t.Kind)
+			// use t.Kind and optionally t.Pattern to collect from storage
+			log.Printf("Collect: %v; Pattern: %v", kind, t.Pattern)
+
+			// XXX: expand to more complex pattern matching here...
+			if res.GetKind() != kind {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			if matched {
+				// we've already matched this resource, should we match again?
+				log.Printf("Config: Warning: Matching %s again!", res)
+			}
+			matched = true
+
+			// collect resources but add the noop metaparam
+			//if noop { // now done in mgmtmain
+			//	res.Meta().Noop = noop
+			//}
+
+			if t.Pattern != "" { // XXX: simplistic for now
+				res.CollectPattern(t.Pattern) // res.Dirname = t.Pattern
+			}
+
+			log.Printf("Collect: %s: collected!", res)
+
+			// XXX: similar to other resource add code:
+			// if _, exists := lookup[kind]; !exists {
+			// 	lookup[kind] = make(map[string]pgraph.Vertex)
+			// }
+
+			fn := func(v pgraph.Vertex) (bool, error) {
+				return resources.VtoR(v).Compare(res), nil
+			}
+			v, err := graph.VertexMatchFn(fn)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not VertexMatchFn() resource: %s", err)
+			}
+			if v == nil { // no match found
+				v = res            // a standalone res can be a vertex
+				graph.AddVertex(v) // call standalone in case not part of an edge
+			}
+			lookup[key{kind, res.GetName()}] = v // used for constructing edges
+			keep = append(keep, v)               // append
+
+			//break // let's see if another resource even matches
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, e := range c.Edges {
+		if _, ok := lookup[key{strings.ToLower(e.From.Kind), e.From.Name}]; !ok {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("can't find 'from' name")
+		}
+		if _, ok := lookup[key{strings.ToLower(e.To.Kind), e.To.Name}]; !ok {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("can't find 'to' name")
+		}
+		from := lookup[key{strings.ToLower(e.From.Kind), e.From.Name}]
+		to := lookup[key{strings.ToLower(e.To.Kind), e.To.Name}]
+		edge := &resources.Edge{
+			Name:   e.Name,
+			Notify: e.Notify,
+		}
+		graph.AddEdge(from, to, edge)
+	}
+
+	return graph, nil
+}
+
+func loadHcl(f *string) (*Config, error) {
+	if f == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("empty file given")
+	}
+
+	log.Printf("loading file %s", *f)
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(*f)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to read file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	log.Printf("parsing contents: %s", data)
+	file, err := hcl.ParseBytes(data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse file: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	config := new(Config)
+
+	list, ok := file.Node.(*ast.ObjectList)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse file: file does not contain root node object")
+	}
+
+	if resources := list.Filter("resource"); len(resources.Items) > 0 {
+		var err error
+		config.Resources, err = loadResourcesHcl(resources)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse: %s", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if edges := list.Filter("edge"); len(edges.Items) > 0 {
+		var err error
+		config.Edges, err = loadEdgesHcl(edges)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse: %s", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return config, nil
+}
+
+func loadEdgesHcl(list *ast.ObjectList) ([]*Edge, error) {
+	list = list.Children()
+	if len(list.Items) == 0 {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	var result []*Edge
+
+	for _, item := range list.Items {
+		name := item.Keys[0].Token.Value().(string)
+
+		var config Edge
+		if err := hcl.DecodeObject(&config, item.Val); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+				"Error reading config for %s: %s",
+				name,
+				err)
+		}
+
+		config.Name = name
+
+		result = append(result, &config)
+	}
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+func loadResourcesHcl(list *ast.ObjectList) ([]*Resource, error) {
+	list = list.Children()
+	if len(list.Items) == 0 {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	var result []*Resource
+
+	log.Printf("HCLParse: parsing %d items", len(list.Items))
+	for _, item := range list.Items {
+		kind := item.Keys[0].Token.Value().(string)
+		name := item.Keys[1].Token.Value().(string)
+
+		var listVal *ast.ObjectList
+		if ot, ok := item.Val.(*ast.ObjectType); ok {
+			listVal = ot.List
+		} else {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("module '%s': should be an object", name)
+		}
+
+		res, err := resources.NewResource(kind)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Printf("HCLParse: unable to parse resource: %v", err)
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		res.SetName(name)
+
+		if err := hcl.DecodeObject(res, item.Val); err != nil {
+			log.Printf("HCLParse: unable to decode body: %v", err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+				"Error reading config for %s: %s",
+				name,
+				err)
+		}
+
+		var params = resources.DefaultMetaParams
+		if o := listVal.Filter("meta"); len(o.Items) > 0 {
+			err := hcl.DecodeObject(&params, o)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+					"Error parsing meta for %s: %s",
+					name,
+					err)
+			}
+		}
+
+		meta := res.Meta()
+		*meta = params
+
+		result = append(result, &Resource{
+			Name:     name,
+			Kind:     kind,
+			resource: res,
+		})
+	}
+
+	return result, nil
+}
diff --git a/lib/cli.go b/lib/cli.go
index 559355b3..36964a6b 100644
--- a/lib/cli.go
+++ b/lib/cli.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"os/signal"
 	"syscall"
 
+	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/hcl"
 	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/puppet"
 	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/yamlgraph"
 	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/yamlgraph2"
@@ -89,6 +90,14 @@ func run(c *cli.Context) error {
 			PuppetConf:  c.String("puppet-conf"),
 		}
 	}
+	if h := c.String("hcl"); c.IsSet("hcl") {
+		if obj.GAPI != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("can't combine hcl GAPI with existing GAPI")
+		}
+		obj.GAPI = &hcl.GAPI{
+			File: &h,
+		}
+	}
 	obj.Remotes = c.StringSlice("remote") // FIXME: GAPI-ify somehow?
 
 	obj.NoWatch = c.Bool("no-watch")
@@ -222,6 +231,11 @@ func CLI(program, version string, flags Flags) error {
 					Value: "",
 					Usage: "yaml graph definition to run (parser v2)",
 				},
+				cli.StringFlag{
+					Name:  "hcl",
+					Value: "",
+					Usage: "hcl graph definition to run",
+				},
 				cli.StringFlag{
 					Name:  "puppet, p",
 					Value: "",