diff --git a/vault/lib/api-client.ts b/vault/lib/api-client.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8cc19a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vault/lib/api-client.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import { Expiration, PrivacyType, Snippet, User } from "@/lib/types";
+
+interface ApiErrorBody {
+  error?: string;
+}
+
+export interface SnippetPayload {
+  title: string;
+  code: string;
+  language: string;
+  privacy: PrivacyType;
+  password?: string;
+  expiration: Expiration;
+  tags: string[];
+}
+
+export async function apiRequest<T>(input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit): Promise<T> {
+  const response = await fetch(input, {
+    ...init,
+    headers: {
+      "Content-Type": "application/json",
+      ...init?.headers,
+    },
+  });
+
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    let body: ApiErrorBody = {};
+    try {
+      body = (await response.json()) as ApiErrorBody;
+    } catch {
+      body = {};
+    }
+    throw new Error(body.error ?? "Request failed");
+  }
+
+  if (response.status === 204) return undefined as T;
+  return response.json() as Promise<T>;
+}
+
+export const api = {
+  me: () => apiRequest<{ user: User | null }>("/api/auth/me"),
+  captcha: () => apiRequest<{ challenge: string }>("/api/auth/captcha"),
+  login: (username: string, password: string, captcha: string) =>
+    apiRequest<{ user: User }>("/api/auth/login", {
+      method: "POST",
+      body: JSON.stringify({ username, password, captcha }),
+    }),
+  register: (name: string, username: string, password: string, captcha: string) =>
+    apiRequest<{ user: User }>("/api/auth/register", {
+      method: "POST",
+      body: JSON.stringify({ name, username, password, captcha }),
+    }),
+  logout: () => apiRequest<void>("/api/auth/logout", { method: "POST" }),
+  listSnippets: () => apiRequest<{ snippets: Snippet[] }>("/api/snippets"),
+  createSnippet: (payload: SnippetPayload) =>
+    apiRequest<{ snippet: Snippet }>("/api/snippets", {
+      method: "POST",
+      body: JSON.stringify(payload),
+    }),
+  getSnippet: (id: string) => apiRequest<{ snippet: Snippet }>(`/api/snippets/${id}`),
+  updateSnippet: (id: string, payload: SnippetPayload) =>
+    apiRequest<{ snippet: Snippet }>(`/api/snippets/${id}`, {
+      method: "PATCH",
+      body: JSON.stringify(payload),
+    }),
+  deleteSnippet: (id: string) =>
+    apiRequest<void>(`/api/snippets/${id}`, {
+      method: "DELETE",
+    }),
+  getSharedSnippet: (id: string) => apiRequest<{ snippet: Snippet; locked: boolean }>(`/api/share/${id}`),
+  unlockSharedSnippet: (id: string, password: string) =>
+    apiRequest<{ snippet: Snippet }>(`/api/share/${id}/unlock`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      body: JSON.stringify({ password }),
+    }),
+};