diff --git a/code/serialize.lua b/code/serialize.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b166a99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/serialize.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+local function quote(str, lvl)
+	--lvl = lvl or 
+	local rp = "]"..(lvl or "").."]"
+	if string.match(str, rp) then
+		return quote(str, (lvl or "") .. "=")
+	end
+
+	return "["..(lvl or "").."["..str..rp
+end
+
+function serialize_lua_value(val)
+	if type(val) == "number" then
+		return tostring(val)
+	elseif type(val) == "string" then
+		-- TODO: use different quotes if ']]' appears in the value
+		return quote(val)
+	elseif type(val) == "table" then
+		local r = "{"
+		for k, v in pairs(val) do
+			r = r .. "[ "..serialize_lua_value(k).." ]="..serialize_lua_value(v)..","
+		end
+		return r .. "}"
+	elseif val == nil then
+		return "nil"
+	elseif val == false then
+		return "false"
+	elseif val == true then
+		return "true"
+	end
+	error("serialization failed")
+end