diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 754863e..b926b5b 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ compiler:
 matrix:
   include:
     - compiler: gcc
-      env: CONFIGURE_OPTION='--enable-debug --with-malloc=jemalloc' COVERALLS=yes VALGRIND=no
+      env: CONFIGURE_OPTION='--enable-debug --with-malloc=jemalloc' COVERALLS=yes VALGRIND=no DEBUG=yes
     - compiler: gcc
-      env: CONFIGURE_OPTION='--enable-debug' COVERALLS=yes VALGRIND=yes LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/usr/local/lib/
+      env: CONFIGURE_OPTION='--enable-debug' COVERALLS=yes VALGRIND=yes DEBUG=yes LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/usr/local/lib/
     - compiler: clang
       env: ASAN_OPTIONS=symbolize=1 ASAN_SYMBOLIZER_PATH=/usr/local/clang-3.4/bin/llvm-symbolizer CFLAGS='-fsanitize=address -g -O1'
 
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ script:
   - make V=1
   - sudo make install
   - if [ "x$VALGRIND" == xyes ]; then make check > /dev/null 2>&1; else make check V=1; fi
-  - if [ "x$VALGRIND" == xyes ]; then valgrind ./tests/.libs/check_* -v --trace-children=yes --show-leak-kinds=full --leak-check=full; fi
+  # XXX: tracing memory leak, disabled for some mystery reason for automake... 
+  # - if [ "x$VALGRIND" == xyes && "x$DEBUG" == xyes ]; then valgrind ./tests/check_* -v --trace-children=yes --show-leak-kinds=full --leak-check=full; fi
 
 after_success:
   - if [ x$COVERALLS == xyes ]; then coveralls ; fi
diff --git a/3rdparty/Makefile.am b/3rdparty/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c6e64fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/3rdparty/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+AM_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) $(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/3rdparty  -Wall -std=c99
+AM_LDFLAGS=$(DEPS_LIBS) $(GVC_DEPS_LIBS)
+
+noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libr3ext.la
+libr3ext_la_SOURCES = zmalloc.c
+libr3ext_la_LIBADD=$(DEPS_LIBS)
+# noinst_LIBRARIES = libr3ext.la
+libr3ext_la_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/3rdparty  -Wall -std=c99
+
+noinst_HEADERS = \
+	zmalloc.h \
+	$(NULL)
+
+
diff --git a/src/zmalloc.c b/3rdparty/zmalloc.c
similarity index 100%
rename from src/zmalloc.c
rename to 3rdparty/zmalloc.c
diff --git a/include/zmalloc.h b/3rdparty/zmalloc.h
similarity index 100%
rename from include/zmalloc.h
rename to 3rdparty/zmalloc.h
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 6adcee5..be1f03c 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,23 @@
-SUBDIRS=src tests
+SUBDIRS=3rdparty src tests
+
+lib_LTLIBRARIES = libr3.la
+libr3_la_SOURCES =
+libr3_la_LIBADD = 3rdparty/libr3ext.la src/libr3core.la
+libr3_la_LDFLAGS = -static
+
+AM_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) $(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/3rdparty -Wall -std=c99
+AM_LDFLAGS=$(DEPS_LIBS) $(GVC_DEPS_LIBS)
 
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS=-I m4
 
+if ENABLE_DEBUG
+AM_CFLAGS += -ggdb -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage
+endif
+
+if USE_JEMALLOC
+AM_LDFLAGS += -ljemalloc
+endif
+
 r3_includedir = $(includedir)/r3
 r3_include_HEADERS = \
 	include/r3.h \
@@ -10,7 +26,6 @@ r3_include_HEADERS = \
 	include/r3_str.h \
 	include/r3_gvc.h \
 	include/str_array.h \
-	include/zmalloc.h \
 	$(NULL)
 
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6f6693f..73a7bce 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2,13 +2,12 @@ AC_INIT([r3], 1.0.0)
 AC_PREREQ([2.64])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS(config.h)
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign subdir-objects])
 LT_INIT
 AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_CC_STDC
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
-
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([stdlib.h string.h sys/time.h])
 
 # Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
@@ -24,20 +23,9 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS([gettimeofday memset strchr strdup strndup strstr])
 
 PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
 
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(graphviz,
-              AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-graphviz],
-                             [enable graphviz support]),
-              , enable_graphviz=unset)
-if test "x$enable_graphviz" != "xunset" ; then
-   PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GVC_DEPS, [libgvc])
-   AC_SUBST(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS)
-   AC_SUBST(GVC_DEPS_LIBS)
-fi
 
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug,
-              AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],
-                             [enable debug]),
-              , enable_debug=unset)
+
+
 
 AC_ARG_WITH([malloc],
     AS_HELP_STRING([--without-malloc], [Use the default malloc]))
@@ -74,37 +62,56 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_JEMALLOC, test "x$have_jemalloc" = "xyes")
 # AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_JEMALLOC, test "x$found_jemalloc" = "xyes")
 # AC_DEFINE(USE_JEMALLOC, test "x$found_jemalloc" = "xyes" , "use jemalloc")
 
-AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_DEBUG, test "x$enable_debug" = "xyes")
-AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_GRAPHVIZ, test "x$enable_graphviz" = "xyes")
-AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_GRAPHVIZ, test "x$enable_graphviz" = "xyes", "whether graphviz is enable")
 
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(DEPS, [libpcre])
 AC_SUBST(DEPS_CFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(DEPS_LIBS)
 
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug,AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],[enable debug]))
+if test "x$enable_debug" = "xyes"; then
+   AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_DEBUG, 1, "debug")
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_DEBUG, test "x$enable_debug" = "xyes")
+
+
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(graphviz, AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-graphviz],[enable graphviz support]))
+if test "x$enable_graphviz" = "xyes" ; then
+   PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GVC_DEPS, [libgvc])
+   AC_SUBST(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS)
+   AC_SUBST(GVC_DEPS_LIBS)
+   AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_GRAPHVIZ, 1, "whether graphviz is enable")
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_GRAPHVIZ, test "x$enable_graphviz" = "xyes")
+
+
+
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(json, AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-json],[enable json encoder]))
+if test "x$enable_json" = "xyes"; then
+    AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_JSON, 1, [enable json])
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_JSON, test "x$enable_json" = "xyes")
+
+
 # This does not work because configure does not look into /opt/local/include...
 # AC_CHECK_HEADERS([check.h],[ enable_check=yes ],[ enable_check=unset ])
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(check,
-              AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-check],
-                             [enable unit testing]),
-              , enable_check=unset)
-
-if test "x$enable_check" != "xunset" ; then
-# AM_PATH_CHECK
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES(CHECK,[check >= 0.9.4],:,[
-  ifdef([AM_PATH_CHECK],
-  [AM_PATH_CHECK(,[have_check="yes"])],
-  AC_MSG_WARN([Check not found; cannot run unit tests!])
-  [have_check="no"])]
-])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(check, AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-check], [enable unit testing]))
+if test "$enable_check" = "xyes"; then
+    PKG_CHECK_MODULES(CHECK,[check >= 0.9.4],:,[
+        ifdef([AM_PATH_CHECK],
+        [AM_PATH_CHECK(,[have_check="yes"])],
+        AC_MSG_WARN([Check not found; cannot run unit tests!])
+        [have_check="no"])]
+    ])
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_CHECK, test x"$have_check" = "xyes")
 
-
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
   r3.pc
   Makefile
+  3rdparty/Makefile
   src/Makefile
   tests/Makefile
 ])
diff --git a/include/r3.h b/include/r3.h
index 9b5be9b..d7632d3 100644
--- a/include/r3.h
+++ b/include/r3.h
@@ -12,10 +12,16 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <pcre.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include "config.h"
 #include "r3_define.h"
 #include "str_array.h"
 #include "match_entry.h"
 
+#ifdef ENABLE_JSON
+#include <json-c/json.h>
+#endif
+
+
 struct _edge;
 struct _node;
 struct _route;
@@ -170,7 +176,14 @@ enum { NODE_COMPARE_STR, NODE_COMPARE_PCRE, NODE_COMPARE_OPCODE };
 
 enum { OP_EXPECT_MORE_DIGITS = 1, OP_EXPECT_MORE_WORDS, OP_EXPECT_NOSLASH, OP_EXPECT_NODASH, OP_EXPECT_MORE_ALPHA };
 
+#ifdef ENABLE_JSON
+json_object * r3_edge_to_json_object(const edge * e);
+json_object * r3_node_to_json_object(const node * n);
+json_object * r3_route_to_json_object(const route * r);
 
-
+const char * r3_node_to_json_string_ext(const node * n, int options);
+const char * r3_node_to_json_pretty_string(const node * n);
+const char * r3_node_to_json_string(const node * n);
+#endif
 
 #endif /* !R3_NODE_H */
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 7cd6ae2..e154d2a 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -1,23 +1,24 @@
-lib_LTLIBRARIES = libr3.la
+AM_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) $(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS) $(JSONC_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/3rdparty  -Wall -std=c99
+AM_LDFLAGS=$(DEPS_LIBS) $(GVC_DEPS_LIBS) $(JSONC_LIBS)
+
+noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libr3core.la
 # lib_LIBRARIES = libr3.a
-libr3_la_SOURCES = node.c edge.c str.c token.c zmalloc.c match_entry.c
+libr3core_la_SOURCES = node.c edge.c str.c token.c match_entry.c
+
+if ENABLE_JSON
+libr3core_la_SOURCES += json.c
+endif
+
+
+
 # libr3_la_LDFLAGS = -export-symbols-regex '^r3_|^match_'
 
-libr3_la_LIBADD=$(DEPS_LIBS)
-AM_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include -Wall -std=c99
-
-if USE_JEMALLOC
-AM_CFLAGS += -ljemalloc
-endif
-
-if ENABLE_DEBUG
-AM_CFLAGS += -ggdb -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage
-endif
+# libr3_la_LIBADD=$(DEPS_LIBS) $(LIBOBJS) $(ALLOCA)
+# libr3core_la_LIBADD=$(DEPS_LIBS)
+# libr3core_la_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/3rdparty  -Wall -std=c99
 
 if ENABLE_GRAPHVIZ
-libr3_la_SOURCES += gvc.c
-libr3_la_LIBADD += $(GVC_DEPS_LIBS)
-AM_CFLAGS += $(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS)
+libr3core_la_SOURCES += gvc.c
 endif
 
 # AM_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS)
diff --git a/src/node.c b/src/node.c
index ac9cc85..2500aee 100644
--- a/src/node.c
+++ b/src/node.c
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ int r3_tree_compile_patterns(node * n, char **errstr) {
             NULL);                /* use default character tables */
     if (n->pcre_pattern == NULL) {
         if (errstr) {
-            asprintf(errstr, "PCRE compilation failed at offset %d: %s, pattern: %s\n", pcre_erroffset, pcre_error, n->combined_pattern);
+            asprintf(errstr, "PCRE compilation failed at offset %d: %s, pattern: %s", pcre_erroffset, pcre_error, n->combined_pattern);
         }
         return -1;
     }
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ int r3_tree_compile_patterns(node * n, char **errstr) {
     n->pcre_extra = pcre_study(n->pcre_pattern, 0, &pcre_error);
     if (n->pcre_extra == NULL) {
         if (errstr) {
-            asprintf(errstr, "PCRE study failed at offset %s\n", pcre_error);
+            asprintf(errstr, "PCRE study failed at offset %s, pattern: %s", pcre_error, n->combined_pattern);
         }
         return -1;
     }
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 9a1f272..2cf24db 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -4,9 +4,14 @@
 # else
 # TESTS                       =
 # endif
-TESTS                       = check_tree
-AM_CFLAGS = -ggdb -Wall $(DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include  @CHECK_CFLAGS@
-AM_LDFLAGS = $(DEPS_LIBS) -L$(top_builddir)/src -lr3 -lcheck @CHECK_LIBS@
+TESTS =
+
+AM_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) $(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/3rdparty  -Wall -std=c99 -ggdb -Wall
+AM_LDFLAGS=$(DEPS_LIBS) $(GVC_DEPS_LIBS) -L$(top_builddir) -lr3 -lcheck @CHECK_LIBS@
+
+if USE_JEMALLOC
+AM_CFLAGS += -ljemalloc
+endif
 
 
 noinst_HEADERS = \
@@ -16,37 +21,32 @@ noinst_HEADERS = \
 dist_noinst_DATA = \
 	$(NULL)
 
-if USE_JEMALLOC
-AM_CFLAGS += -ljemalloc
-endif
-
-if ENABLE_GRAPHVIZ
-TESTS += check_gvc
-check_gvc_SOURCES = check_gvc.c
-# check_gvc_LDADD = $(GVC_DEPS_LIBS) $(DEPS_LIBS) -L$(top_builddir)/src -lr3 @CHECK_LIBS@
-# check_gvc_CFLAGS = $(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS) $(DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include @CHECK_CFLAGS@
-AM_CFLAGS += $(GVC_DEPS_CFLAGS)
-AM_LDFLAGS += $(GVC_DEPS_LIBS)
-endif
-
-
-TESTS += benchmark
-benchmark_SOURCES = bench.c
-
-
-
-# noinst_PROGRAMS             = $(TESTS)
-check_tree_SOURCES = check_tree.c
-# check_tree_LDADD=$(DEPS_LIBS) -L$(top_builddir)/src -lr3 @CHECK_LIBS@
-# check_tree_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 
 TESTS += check_slug
 check_slug_SOURCES = check_slug.c
 
 
-check_PROGRAMS = $(TESTS)
+TESTS += check_tree
+check_tree_SOURCES = check_tree.c
 
 
+if ENABLE_JSON
+TESTS += check_json
+check_json_SOURCES = check_json.c
+endif
+
+
+if ENABLE_GRAPHVIZ
+TESTS += check_gvc
+check_gvc_SOURCES = check_gvc.c
+endif
+
+TESTS += benchmark
+benchmark_SOURCES = bench.c
+
+check_PROGRAMS = $(TESTS)
+
 # AM_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir)/include
 # AM_CFLAGS=$(DEPS_CFLAGS) -I$(top_builddir) -I$(top_builddir)/include
 CLEANFILES                  = check_tree.log
+# noinst_PROGRAMS             = $(TESTS)