diff --git a/common/getopt.h b/common/getopt.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69dbb05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/getopt.h
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+/* Copyright (C) 2013-2016, The Regents of The University of Michigan.
+All rights reserved.
+This software was developed in the APRIL Robotics Lab under the
+direction of Edwin Olson, ebolson@umich.edu. This software may be
+available under alternative licensing terms; contact the address above.
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
+   list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+   and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
+ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
+WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR
+ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
+(INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
+ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
+SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+The views and conclusions contained in the software and documentation are those
+of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing official policies,
+either expressed or implied, of the Regents of The University of Michigan.
+*/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "zarray.h"
+#include "string_util.h"
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+typedef struct getopt getopt_t;
+
+getopt_t *getopt_create();
+void getopt_destroy(getopt_t *gopt);
+
+// Parse args. Returns 1 on success
+int getopt_parse(getopt_t *gopt, int argc, char *argv[], int showErrors);
+void getopt_do_usage(getopt_t *gopt);
+
+// Returns a string containing the usage. Must be freed by caller
+char * getopt_get_usage(getopt_t *gopt);
+
+void getopt_add_spacer(getopt_t *gopt, const char *s);
+void getopt_add_bool(getopt_t *gopt, char sopt, const char *lname, int def, const char *help);
+void getopt_add_int(getopt_t *gopt, char sopt, const char *lname, const char *def, const char *help);
+void getopt_add_string(getopt_t *gopt, char sopt, const char *lname, const char *def, const char *help);
+void getopt_add_double(getopt_t *gopt, char sopt, const char *lname, const char *def, const char *help);
+
+const char *getopt_get_string(getopt_t *gopt, const char *lname);
+int getopt_get_int(getopt_t *getopt, const char *lname);
+int getopt_get_bool(getopt_t *getopt, const char *lname);
+double getopt_get_double(getopt_t *getopt, const char *lname);
+int getopt_was_specified(getopt_t *gopt, const char *lname);
+const zarray_t *getopt_get_extra_args(getopt_t *gopt);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif