diff --git a/tree_inputs/src/ast.rs b/tree_inputs/src/ast.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ade6df7ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tree_inputs/src/ast.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+use crate::schema::{BinaryOp, Ctx, Expr, Order, Program, RcExpr, Type, UnaryOp};
+
+pub fn add(l: RcExpr, r: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Bop(BinaryOp::Add, l.clone(), r.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn sub(l: RcExpr, r: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Bop(BinaryOp::Sub, l.clone(), r.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn mul(l: RcExpr, r: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Bop(BinaryOp::Mul, l.clone(), r.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn less_than(l: RcExpr, r: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Bop(BinaryOp::LessThan, l.clone(), r.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn and(l: RcExpr, r: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Bop(BinaryOp::And, l.clone(), r.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn or(l: RcExpr, r: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Bop(BinaryOp::Or, l.clone(), r.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn not(e: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Uop(UnaryOp::Not, e.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn print(e: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Uop(UnaryOp::Print, e.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn get(e: RcExpr, i: i64) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Get(e.clone(), i))
+}
+
+pub fn read(e: RcExpr, ty: Type) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Read(e.clone(), ty))
+}
+
+pub fn call(s: &str, e: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Call(s.to_string(), e.clone()))
+}
+/// a macro that wraps the children in
+/// a vec for program
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! program {
+    ($main:expr, $($x:expr),* $(,)?) => ($crate::ast::program_vec(vec![$main, $($x),*]))
+}
+pub use program;
+
+pub fn program_vec(entry: RcExpr, functions: Vec<RcExpr>) -> Program {
+    Program { entry, functions }
+}
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! switch {
+    ($arg:expr; $($x:expr),* $(,)?) => ($crate::ast::switch_vec($arg, vec![$($x),*]))
+}
+pub use switch;
+
+pub fn switch_vec(cond: RcExpr, cases: Vec<RcExpr>) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Switch(cond.clone(), cases))
+}
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! parallel {
+    ($($x:expr),* $(,)?) => ($crate::ast::parallel_vec(vec![$($x),*]))
+}
+pub use parallel;
+
+pub fn parallel_vec(es: Vec<RcExpr>) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::All(Ctx::Global, Order::Parallel, es))
+}
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! sequence {
+    ($($x:expr),* $(,)?) => ($crate::ast::sequence_vec(vec![$($x),*]))
+}
+pub use sequence;
+
+pub fn sequence_vec(es: Vec<RcExpr>) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::All(Ctx::Global, Order::Sequential, es))
+}
+
+pub fn tif(cond: RcExpr, then_case: RcExpr, else_case: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::If(cond.clone(), then_case.clone(), else_case.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn dowhile(inputs: RcExpr, pred: RcExpr, body: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::DoWhile(inputs.clone(), pred.clone(), body.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn function(name: &str, arg_ty: Type, ret_ty: Type, body: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Function(
+        name.to_string(),
+        arg_ty,
+        ret_ty,
+        body.clone(),
+    ))
+}
+
+pub fn input(e: RcExpr) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Input(e.clone()))
+}
+
+pub fn ttrue() -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Const(
+        Ctx::Global,
+        crate::schema::Constant::Bool(true),
+    ))
+}
+
+pub fn tfalse() -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Const(
+        Ctx::Global,
+        crate::schema::Constant::Bool(false),
+    ))
+}
+
+pub fn int(i: i64) -> RcExpr {
+    RcExpr::new(Expr::Const(Ctx::Global, crate::schema::Constant::Int(i)))
+}
diff --git a/tree_inputs/src/lib.rs b/tree_inputs/src/lib.rs
index 7976461f3..20afdfbcf 100644
--- a/tree_inputs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tree_inputs/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use schema::Program;
 
+pub mod ast;
 pub mod schema;
 
 pub type Result = std::result::Result<(), egglog::Error>;
diff --git a/tree_inputs/src/schema.rs b/tree_inputs/src/schema.rs
index 4ac4a6df5..d05612453 100644
--- a/tree_inputs/src/schema.rs
+++ b/tree_inputs/src/schema.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
 pub struct Program {
-    entry: Expr,          // must be a function
-    functions: Vec<Expr>, // a list of other functions
+    pub entry: RcExpr,          // must be a function
+    pub functions: Vec<RcExpr>, // a list of other functions
 }
 
 pub enum Ctx {
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ pub enum Order {
     Sequential,
 }
 
+pub type RcExpr = Rc<Expr>;
+
 pub enum Expr {
     Const(Ctx, Constant),
     Bop(BinaryOp, Rc<Expr>, Rc<Expr>),