diff --git a/src/ast/mod.rs b/src/ast/mod.rs
index ed14ee3a..8f4d2514 100644
--- a/src/ast/mod.rs
+++ b/src/ast/mod.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ use crate::ast::eval_op::*;
 use crate::ast::Expr::{Apply, Const};
 use crate::ast::op::Op;
 use crate::error::CozoError;
-use crate::typing::Typing;
+use crate::error::CozoError::ReservedIdent;
+use crate::typing::{PrimitiveType, Typing};
 use crate::value::Value;
 
 mod eval_op;
@@ -33,19 +34,23 @@ lazy_static! {
     };
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Col {
     pub name: String,
     pub typ: Typing,
     pub default: Option<Value<'static>>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum TableDef {
     Node {
+        is_local: bool,
         name: String,
         keys: Vec<Col>,
         cols: Vec<Col>,
     },
     Edge {
+        is_local: bool,
         src: String,
         dst: String,
         name: String,
@@ -53,10 +58,17 @@ pub enum TableDef {
         cols: Vec<Col>,
     },
     Columns {
+        is_local: bool,
         attached: String,
         name: String,
         cols: Vec<Col>,
     },
+    Index {
+        is_local: bool,
+        name: String,
+        attached: String,
+        cols: Vec<String>,
+    },
 }
 
 
@@ -128,12 +140,13 @@ fn parse_int(s: &str, radix: u32) -> i64 {
 }
 
 #[inline]
-fn parse_raw_string(pairs: Pairs<Rule>) -> Result<String, CozoError> {
-    Ok(pairs.into_iter().next().unwrap().as_str().to_string())
+fn parse_raw_string(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> Result<String, CozoError> {
+    Ok(pair.into_inner().into_iter().next().unwrap().as_str().to_string())
 }
 
 #[inline]
-fn parse_quoted_string(pairs: Pairs<Rule>) -> Result<String, CozoError> {
+fn parse_quoted_string(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> Result<String, CozoError> {
+    let pairs = pair.into_inner().next().unwrap().into_inner();
     let mut ret = String::with_capacity(pairs.as_str().len());
     for pair in pairs {
         let s = pair.as_str();
@@ -160,7 +173,8 @@ fn parse_quoted_string(pairs: Pairs<Rule>) -> Result<String, CozoError> {
 
 
 #[inline]
-fn parse_s_quoted_string(pairs: Pairs<Rule>) -> Result<String, CozoError> {
+fn parse_s_quoted_string(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> Result<String, CozoError> {
+    let pairs = pair.into_inner().next().unwrap().into_inner();
     let mut ret = String::with_capacity(pairs.as_str().len());
     for pair in pairs {
         let s = pair.as_str();
@@ -209,9 +223,9 @@ fn build_expr_primary(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> Result<Expr, CozoError> {
         Rule::dot_float | Rule::sci_float => Ok(Const(Value::Float(pair.as_str().replace('_', "").parse::<f64>()?))),
         Rule::null => Ok(Const(Value::Null)),
         Rule::boolean => Ok(Const(Value::Bool(pair.as_str() == "true"))),
-        Rule::quoted_string => Ok(Const(Value::OwnString(Box::new(parse_quoted_string(pair.into_inner().next().unwrap().into_inner())?)))),
-        Rule::s_quoted_string => Ok(Const(Value::OwnString(Box::new(parse_s_quoted_string(pair.into_inner().next().unwrap().into_inner())?)))),
-        Rule::raw_string => Ok(Const(Value::OwnString(Box::new(parse_raw_string(pair.into_inner())?)))),
+        Rule::quoted_string => Ok(Const(Value::OwnString(Box::new(parse_quoted_string(pair)?)))),
+        Rule::s_quoted_string => Ok(Const(Value::OwnString(Box::new(parse_s_quoted_string(pair)?)))),
+        Rule::raw_string => Ok(Const(Value::OwnString(Box::new(parse_raw_string(pair)?)))),
         _ => {
             println!("{:#?}", pair);
             unimplemented!()
@@ -228,6 +242,102 @@ pub fn parse_expr_from_str(inp: &str) -> Result<Expr, CozoError> {
     build_expr(expr_tree)
 }
 
+fn parse_ident(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> String {
+    pair.as_str().to_string()
+}
+
+fn build_name_in_def(pair: Pair<Rule>, forbid_underscore: bool) -> Result<String, CozoError> {
+    let inner = pair.into_inner().next().unwrap();
+    let name = match inner.as_rule() {
+        Rule::ident => parse_ident(inner),
+        Rule::raw_string => parse_raw_string(inner)?,
+        Rule::s_quoted_string => parse_s_quoted_string(inner)?,
+        Rule::quoted_string => parse_quoted_string(inner)?,
+        _ => unreachable!()
+    };
+    if forbid_underscore && name.starts_with('_') {
+        Err(ReservedIdent)
+    } else {
+        Ok(name)
+    }
+}
+
+fn parse_col_name(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> Result<(String, bool), CozoError> {
+    let mut pairs = pair.into_inner();
+    let mut is_key = false;
+    let mut nxt_pair = pairs.next().unwrap();
+    if nxt_pair.as_rule() == Rule::key_marker {
+        is_key = true;
+        nxt_pair = pairs.next().unwrap();
+    }
+
+    Ok((build_name_in_def(nxt_pair, true)?, is_key))
+}
+
+fn build_col_entry(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> Result<(Col, bool), CozoError> {
+    let mut pairs = pair.into_inner();
+    let (name, is_key) = parse_col_name(pairs.next().unwrap())?;
+    Ok((Col {
+        name,
+        typ: Typing::Primitive(PrimitiveType::Int),
+        default: None
+    }, is_key))
+}
+
+fn build_col_defs(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> Result<(Vec<Col>, Vec<Col>), CozoError> {
+    let mut keys = vec![];
+    let mut cols = vec![];
+    for pair in pair.into_inner() {
+        let (col, is_key) = build_col_entry(pair)?;
+        if is_key {
+            keys.push(col)
+        } else {
+            cols.push(col)
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok((keys, cols))
+}
+
+fn build_node_def(pair: Pair<Rule>, is_local: bool) -> Result<TableDef, CozoError> {
+    let mut inner = pair.into_inner();
+    let name = build_name_in_def(inner.next().unwrap(), true)?;
+    let (keys, cols) = build_col_defs(inner.next().unwrap())?;
+    Ok(TableDef::Node {
+        is_local,
+        name,
+        keys,
+        cols,
+    })
+}
+
+pub fn build_statements(pairs: Pairs<Rule>) -> Result<Vec<TableDef>, CozoError> {
+    let mut ret = vec![];
+    for pair in pairs {
+        match pair.as_rule() {
+            r @ (Rule::global_def | Rule::local_def) => {
+                let inner = pair.into_inner().next().unwrap();
+                let is_local = r == Rule::local_def;
+                // println!("{:?} {:?}", r, inner.as_rule());
+                match inner.as_rule() {
+                    Rule::node_def => {
+                        ret.push(build_node_def(inner, is_local)?);
+                    }
+                    _ => todo!()
+                }
+            }
+            Rule::EOI => {}
+            _ => unreachable!()
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(ret)
+}
+
+pub fn build_statements_from_str(inp: &str) -> Result<Vec<TableDef>, CozoError> {
+    let expr_tree = Parser::parse(Rule::file, inp)?;
+    build_statements(expr_tree)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -269,4 +379,16 @@ mod tests {
         println!("{:#?}", parse_expr_from_str("null || true").unwrap().eval().unwrap());
         println!("{:#?}", parse_expr_from_str("true && null").unwrap().eval().unwrap());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn definitions() {
+        println!("{:#?}", build_statements_from_str(r#"
+            local node "Person" {
+                *id: Int,
+                name: String,
+                email: ?String,
+                habits: [String]
+            }
+        "#).unwrap());
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index a44f5dd9..ce8c302e 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ pub enum CozoError {
     #[error("Type mismatch")]
     TypeError,
 
+    #[error("Reserved identifier")]
+    ReservedIdent,
+
     #[error(transparent)]
     ParseInt(#[from] std::num::ParseIntError),
 
diff --git a/src/grammar.pest b/src/grammar.pest
index b59ac75f..a7c2f1c3 100644
--- a/src/grammar.pest
+++ b/src/grammar.pest
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-file = {SOI ~ ident ~ EOI}
+file = _{SOI ~ statement* ~ EOI}
 
 // whitespace
 
@@ -125,4 +125,33 @@ dict_entry = _{ spreading | dict_accessor | dict_pair }
 dict_accessor = { ident? ~ ("." ~ ident)+ }
 dict_pair = {(ident | string) ~ ":" ~ expr}
 
-scoped_dict = { ident ~ dict }
\ No newline at end of file
+scoped_dict = { ident ~ dict }
+
+name_in_def = {(ident | string)}
+col_entry = { col_name ~ ":" ~ typing ~ ("=" ~ expr)? }
+
+col_name = { key_marker? ~ name_in_def }
+key_marker = { "*" }
+
+typing = { nullable_marker? ~ (simple_type | tuple_type | list_type ) }
+nullable_marker = {"?"}
+simple_type = {ident}
+tuple_type = {"("~ (typing ~ ",")+ ~")"}
+list_type = {"[" ~ typing ~ "]"}
+
+cols_def = { "{" ~ col_entry ~ ("," ~ col_entry)* ~ ","? ~ "}" }
+
+col_list = {"(" ~ name_in_def ~ ("," ~ name_in_def)* ~ ","? ~ ")"}
+
+node_def = { "node" ~ name_in_def ~ cols_def }
+columns_def = { "columns" ~ name_in_def ~ ":" ~ name_in_def ~ cols_def }
+edge_def = { "edge" ~
+             "[" ~ name_in_def ~ "]" ~ "-" ~ "(" ~ name_in_def ~ ")" ~ "->" ~ "[" ~ name_in_def ~ "]"
+             ~ cols_def? }
+index_def = { "index" ~ (name_in_def ~ ":")? ~ name_in_def ~ col_list }
+struct_def = { "struct" ~ name_in_def ~ cols_def }
+
+definition = _{ node_def | columns_def | edge_def | struct_def | index_def }
+global_def = { "create" ~ definition }
+local_def = { "local" ~ definition }
+statement = _{ global_def | local_def }
\ No newline at end of file