diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7fac7d32e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+# This is a very basic `make` wrapper around the CMake build toolchain.
+#
+# Supported arguments:
+#   PREFIX: sets the installation prefix
+#   GENERATOR: explicitly specifies the CMake generator to use
+
+CMAKE ?= cmake
+
+GENERATOR ?= $(shell (which ninja > /dev/null 2> /dev/null && echo Ninja) || \
+			 echo 'Unix Makefiles')
+prefix ?= /usr/local
+PREFIX ?= $(prefix)
+
+ifeq ($(GENERATOR), Ninja)
+BUILDFILE = build.ninja
+else
+BUILDFILE = Makefile
+endif
+
+all: .begin build/fish
+
+PHONY: .begin
+.begin:
+	@which ninja > /dev/null 2> /dev/null || \
+		 (echo 'Please install CMake and then re-run the `make` command!' 1>&2 && false)
+
+build/fish: build/$(BUILDFILE)
+	cmake --build build
+
+build/$(BUILDFILE): build
+	cd build; cmake .. -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=1 -G "$(GENERATOR)" -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="$(PREFIX)" -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=1
+
+build:
+	mkdir -p build
+
+.PHONY: clean
+clean:
+	rm -rf build
+
+.PHONY: test
+test: build/fish
+	$(CMAKE) --build build --target test
+
+.PHONY: install
+install: build/fish
+	$(CMAKE) --build build --target install
+
+.PHONY: run
+run: build/fish
+	./build/fish || true
+
+.PHONY: exec
+exec: build/fish
+	exec ./build/fish