diff --git a/cloc.sh b/cloc.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..ae7f15d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cloc.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+cloc --exclude-list-file=exclude.txt include src
diff --git a/exclude.txt b/exclude.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e7bd9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exclude.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include/blt/unicode_emoji.h
diff --git a/include/blt/std/array.h b/include/blt/std/array.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..670bd7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/blt/std/array.h
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+/*
+ *  <Short Description>
+ *  Copyright (C) 2024  Brett Terpstra
+ *
+ *  This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *  it under the terms of the GNU 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 General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *  along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#ifndef BLT_ARRAY_H
+#define BLT_ARRAY_H
+
+#include <type_traits>
+#include <blt/std/types.h>
+#include <blt/std/memory_util.h>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <iterator>
+
+namespace blt
+{
+    
+    template<typename T = void>
+    class array
+    {
+        public:
+            using iterator = blt::ptr_iterator<T>;
+            using const_iterator = blt::ptr_iterator<const T>;
+            using reverse_iterator = std::reverse_iterator<iterator>;
+            using const_reverse_iterator = std::reverse_iterator<const_iterator>;
+        private:
+            struct metadata
+            {
+                // size in number of elements!
+                blt::size_t size;
+                
+                explicit metadata(blt::size_t size): size(size)
+                {}
+            } metadata;
+            
+            T* _data = static_cast<T*>(static_cast<blt::u8*>(this) + sizeof(metadata));
+        public:
+            /**
+             * constructs an array out of a block of memory of size bytes
+             * @param size number of bytes available in the memory allocated to this array.
+             */
+            explicit array(blt::size_t size): metadata( (size - sizeof(metadata)) / sizeof(T))
+            {}
+            
+            inline T& operator[](blt::size_t index)
+            {
+                return _data[index];
+            }
+            
+            inline const T& operator[](blt::size_t index) const
+            {
+                return _data[index];
+            }
+            
+            [[nodiscard]] inline T& at(blt::size_t index)
+            {
+                if (index > size())
+                    throw std::runtime_error("Index " + std::to_string(index) += " is outside the bounds of this array!");
+                return _data[index];
+            }
+            
+            [[nodiscard]] inline const T& at(blt::size_t index) const
+            {
+                if (index > size())
+                    throw std::runtime_error("Index " + std::to_string(index) += " is outside the bounds of this array!");
+                return _data[index];
+            }
+            
+            [[nodiscard]] inline T* data()
+            {
+                return _data;
+            }
+            
+            [[nodiscard]] inline T* data() const
+            {
+                return _data;
+            }
+            
+            [[nodiscard]] inline blt::size_t size() const
+            {
+                return metadata.size;
+            }
+            
+            [[nodiscard]] inline blt::size_t size_bytes() const
+            {
+                return (metadata.size * sizeof(T)) + sizeof(metadata);
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline T* operator*()
+            {
+                return _data;
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline T& front()
+            {
+                return *_data;
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline const T& front() const
+            {
+                return *_data;
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline T& back()
+            {
+                return _data[size() - 1];
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline const T& back() const
+            {
+                return _data[size() - 1];
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline iterator begin() const noexcept
+            {
+                return data();
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline iterator end() const noexcept
+            {
+                return data() + size();
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline const_iterator cbegin() const noexcept
+            {
+                return data();
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline const_iterator cend() const noexcept
+            {
+                return data() + size();
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline reverse_iterator rbegin() const noexcept
+            {
+                return reverse_iterator{end()};
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline reverse_iterator rend() const noexcept
+            {
+                return reverse_iterator{begin()};
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline const_iterator crbegin() const noexcept
+            {
+                return const_reverse_iterator{cend()};
+            }
+            
+            constexpr inline reverse_iterator crend() const noexcept
+            {
+                return reverse_iterator{cbegin()};
+            }
+    };
+    
+}
+
+#endif //BLT_ARRAY_H
diff --git a/include/blt/std/memory.h b/include/blt/std/memory.h
index 8cb4406..9b4b2a5 100644
--- a/include/blt/std/memory.h
+++ b/include/blt/std/memory.h
@@ -22,65 +22,6 @@
 namespace blt
 {
     
-    template<typename V>
-    struct ptr_iterator
-    {
-        public:
-            using iterator_category = std::random_access_iterator_tag;
-            using difference_type = std::ptrdiff_t;
-            using value_type = V;
-            using pointer = value_type*;
-            using reference = value_type&;
-            
-            explicit ptr_iterator(V* v): _v(v)
-            {}
-            
-            reference operator*() const
-            { return *_v; }
-            
-            pointer operator->()
-            { return _v; }
-            
-            ptr_iterator& operator++()
-            {
-                _v++;
-                return *this;
-            }
-            
-            ptr_iterator& operator--()
-            {
-                _v--;
-                return *this;
-            }
-            
-            ptr_iterator operator++(int)
-            {
-                auto tmp = *this;
-                ++(*this);
-                return tmp;
-            }
-            
-            ptr_iterator operator--(int)
-            {
-                auto tmp = *this;
-                --(*this);
-                return tmp;
-            }
-            
-            friend bool operator==(const ptr_iterator& a, const ptr_iterator& b)
-            {
-                return a._v == b._v;
-            }
-            
-            friend bool operator!=(const ptr_iterator& a, const ptr_iterator& b)
-            {
-                return a._v != b._v;
-            }
-        
-        private:
-            V* _v;
-    };
-    
     template<typename T, bool = std::is_copy_constructible_v<T> || std::is_copy_assignable_v<T>>
     class scoped_buffer;
 
diff --git a/include/blt/std/memory_util.h b/include/blt/std/memory_util.h
index c39d26e..bfe8b06 100644
--- a/include/blt/std/memory_util.h
+++ b/include/blt/std/memory_util.h
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@
 #if defined(__clang__) || defined(__llvm__) || defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__GNUG__)
     
     #if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__GNUG__)
+        
         #include <byteswap.h>
-
+        
         #define SWAP16(val) bswap_16(val)
         #define SWAP32(val) bswap_32(val)
         #define SWAP64(val) bswap_64(val)
@@ -127,6 +128,69 @@ namespace blt::mem
         std::memcpy(&r, &type, sizeof(type));
         return r;
     }
+    
+}
+
+namespace blt
+{
+    template<typename V>
+    struct ptr_iterator
+    {
+        public:
+            using iterator_category = std::random_access_iterator_tag;
+            using difference_type = std::ptrdiff_t;
+            using value_type = V;
+            using pointer = value_type*;
+            using reference = value_type&;
+            
+            explicit ptr_iterator(V* v): _v(v)
+            {}
+            
+            reference operator*() const
+            { return *_v; }
+            
+            pointer operator->()
+            { return _v; }
+            
+            ptr_iterator& operator++()
+            {
+                _v++;
+                return *this;
+            }
+            
+            ptr_iterator& operator--()
+            {
+                _v--;
+                return *this;
+            }
+            
+            ptr_iterator operator++(int)
+            {
+                auto tmp = *this;
+                ++(*this);
+                return tmp;
+            }
+            
+            ptr_iterator operator--(int)
+            {
+                auto tmp = *this;
+                --(*this);
+                return tmp;
+            }
+            
+            friend bool operator==(const ptr_iterator& a, const ptr_iterator& b)
+            {
+                return a._v == b._v;
+            }
+            
+            friend bool operator!=(const ptr_iterator& a, const ptr_iterator& b)
+            {
+                return a._v != b._v;
+            }
+        
+        private:
+            V* _v;
+    };
 }
 
 #endif //BLT_MEMORY_UTIL_H
diff --git a/include/blt/std/vector.h b/include/blt/std/vector.h
index 3318fe7..57bde2e 100644
--- a/include/blt/std/vector.h
+++ b/include/blt/std/vector.h
@@ -108,12 +108,12 @@ namespace blt
                 return buffer_;
             }
             
-            constexpr inline iterator begin() noexcept
+            constexpr inline iterator begin() const noexcept
             {
                 return data();
             }
             
-            constexpr inline iterator end() noexcept
+            constexpr inline iterator end() const noexcept
             {
                 return data() + size();
             }
@@ -128,12 +128,12 @@ namespace blt
                 return data() + size();
             }
             
-            constexpr inline reverse_iterator rbegin() noexcept
+            constexpr inline reverse_iterator rbegin() const noexcept
             {
                 return reverse_iterator{end()};
             }
             
-            constexpr inline reverse_iterator rend() noexcept
+            constexpr inline reverse_iterator rend() const noexcept
             {
                 return reverse_iterator{begin()};
             }