diff --git a/crates/owlry-core/src/lib.rs b/crates/owlry-core/src/lib.rs
index dfedc76..5ff1948 100644
--- a/crates/owlry-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/owlry-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ pub mod notify;
 pub mod paths;
 pub mod plugins;
 pub mod providers;
+pub mod server;
diff --git a/crates/owlry-core/src/server.rs b/crates/owlry-core/src/server.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b9f93e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/owlry-core/src/server.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+use std::io::{self, BufRead, BufReader, Write};
+use std::os::unix::net::{UnixListener, UnixStream};
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+use std::thread;
+
+use log::{error, info, warn};
+
+use crate::config::Config;
+use crate::data::FrecencyStore;
+use crate::filter::ProviderFilter;
+use crate::ipc::{ProviderDesc, Request, Response, ResultItem};
+use crate::providers::{LaunchItem, ProviderManager};
+
+/// IPC server that listens on a Unix domain socket and dispatches
+/// requests to the provider system.
+pub struct Server {
+    listener: UnixListener,
+    socket_path: PathBuf,
+    provider_manager: Arc<Mutex<ProviderManager>>,
+    frecency: Arc<Mutex<FrecencyStore>>,
+    config: Arc<Config>,
+}
+
+impl Server {
+    /// Bind to the given socket path, loading config and creating a ProviderManager.
+    ///
+    /// Removes a stale socket file if one already exists at the path.
+    pub fn bind(socket_path: &Path) -> io::Result<Self> {
+        // Remove stale socket if present
+        if socket_path.exists() {
+            info!("Removing stale socket at {:?}", socket_path);
+            std::fs::remove_file(socket_path)?;
+        }
+
+        let listener = UnixListener::bind(socket_path)?;
+        info!("IPC server listening on {:?}", socket_path);
+
+        let config = Config::load_or_default();
+        let provider_manager = ProviderManager::new_with_config(&config);
+        let frecency = FrecencyStore::new();
+
+        Ok(Self {
+            listener,
+            socket_path: socket_path.to_path_buf(),
+            provider_manager: Arc::new(Mutex::new(provider_manager)),
+            frecency: Arc::new(Mutex::new(frecency)),
+            config: Arc::new(config),
+        })
+    }
+
+    /// Accept connections in a loop, spawning a thread per client.
+    pub fn run(&self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        info!("Server entering accept loop");
+        for stream in self.listener.incoming() {
+            match stream {
+                Ok(stream) => {
+                    let pm = Arc::clone(&self.provider_manager);
+                    let frecency = Arc::clone(&self.frecency);
+                    let config = Arc::clone(&self.config);
+                    thread::spawn(move || {
+                        if let Err(e) = Self::handle_client(stream, pm, frecency, config) {
+                            warn!("Client handler error: {}", e);
+                        }
+                    });
+                }
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!("Failed to accept connection: {}", e);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Accept one connection and handle all its requests until EOF.
+    ///
+    /// Intended for integration tests where spawning a full accept loop
+    /// is unnecessary.
+    pub fn handle_one_for_testing(&self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let (stream, _addr) = self.listener.accept()?;
+        Self::handle_client(
+            stream,
+            Arc::clone(&self.provider_manager),
+            Arc::clone(&self.frecency),
+            Arc::clone(&self.config),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Read newline-delimited JSON requests from a single client stream,
+    /// dispatch each, and write the JSON response back.
+    fn handle_client(
+        stream: UnixStream,
+        pm: Arc<Mutex<ProviderManager>>,
+        frecency: Arc<Mutex<FrecencyStore>>,
+        config: Arc<Config>,
+    ) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let reader = BufReader::new(stream.try_clone()?);
+        let mut writer = stream;
+
+        for line in reader.lines() {
+            let line = line?;
+            let trimmed = line.trim();
+            if trimmed.is_empty() {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            let request: Request = match serde_json::from_str(trimmed) {
+                Ok(req) => req,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    let resp = Response::Error {
+                        message: format!("invalid request JSON: {}", e),
+                    };
+                    write_response(&mut writer, &resp)?;
+                    continue;
+                }
+            };
+
+            let response = Self::handle_request(&request, &pm, &frecency, &config);
+            write_response(&mut writer, &response)?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Dispatch a single request to the appropriate subsystem and return
+    /// the response.
+    fn handle_request(
+        request: &Request,
+        pm: &Arc<Mutex<ProviderManager>>,
+        frecency: &Arc<Mutex<FrecencyStore>>,
+        config: &Arc<Config>,
+    ) -> Response {
+        match request {
+            Request::Query { text, modes } => {
+                let filter = match modes {
+                    Some(m) => ProviderFilter::from_mode_strings(m),
+                    None => ProviderFilter::all(),
+                };
+                let max = config.general.max_results;
+                let weight = config.providers.frecency_weight;
+
+                let pm_guard = pm.lock().unwrap();
+                let frecency_guard = frecency.lock().unwrap();
+                let results =
+                    pm_guard.search_with_frecency(text, max, &filter, &frecency_guard, weight, None);
+
+                Response::Results {
+                    items: results
+                        .into_iter()
+                        .map(|(item, score)| launch_item_to_result(item, score))
+                        .collect(),
+                }
+            }
+
+            Request::Launch { item_id, provider: _ } => {
+                let mut frecency_guard = frecency.lock().unwrap();
+                frecency_guard.record_launch(item_id);
+                Response::Ack
+            }
+
+            Request::Providers => {
+                let pm_guard = pm.lock().unwrap();
+                let descs = pm_guard.available_providers();
+                Response::Providers {
+                    list: descs.into_iter().map(descriptor_to_desc).collect(),
+                }
+            }
+
+            Request::Refresh { provider } => {
+                let mut pm_guard = pm.lock().unwrap();
+                pm_guard.refresh_provider(provider);
+                Response::Ack
+            }
+
+            Request::Toggle => {
+                // Toggle visibility is a client-side concern; the daemon just acks.
+                Response::Ack
+            }
+
+            Request::Submenu { plugin_id, data } => {
+                let pm_guard = pm.lock().unwrap();
+                match pm_guard.query_submenu_actions(plugin_id, data, plugin_id) {
+                    Some((_name, actions)) => Response::SubmenuItems {
+                        items: actions
+                            .into_iter()
+                            .map(|item| launch_item_to_result(item, 0))
+                            .collect(),
+                    },
+                    None => Response::Error {
+                        message: format!("no submenu actions for plugin '{}'", plugin_id),
+                    },
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for Server {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        // Best-effort cleanup of the socket file
+        if self.socket_path.exists() {
+            let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&self.socket_path);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Serialize a response as a single JSON line terminated by newline.
+fn write_response(writer: &mut UnixStream, response: &Response) -> io::Result<()> {
+    let mut json = serde_json::to_string(response)
+        .map_err(|e| io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, e))?;
+    json.push('\n');
+    writer.write_all(json.as_bytes())?;
+    writer.flush()
+}
+
+fn launch_item_to_result(item: LaunchItem, score: i64) -> ResultItem {
+    ResultItem {
+        id: item.id,
+        title: item.name,
+        description: item.description.unwrap_or_default(),
+        icon: item.icon.unwrap_or_default(),
+        provider: format!("{}", item.provider),
+        score,
+        command: Some(item.command),
+        tags: item.tags,
+    }
+}
+
+fn descriptor_to_desc(desc: crate::providers::ProviderDescriptor) -> ProviderDesc {
+    ProviderDesc {
+        id: desc.id,
+        name: desc.name,
+        prefix: desc.prefix,
+        icon: desc.icon,
+        position: desc.position,
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/owlry-core/tests/server_test.rs b/crates/owlry-core/tests/server_test.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73b7e26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/owlry-core/tests/server_test.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,229 @@
+use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Write};
+use std::os::unix::net::UnixStream;
+use std::thread;
+
+use owlry_core::ipc::{Request, Response};
+use owlry_core::server::Server;
+
+/// Helper: send a JSON request line and read the JSON response line.
+fn roundtrip(stream: &mut UnixStream, request: &Request) -> Response {
+    let mut line = serde_json::to_string(request).unwrap();
+    line.push('\n');
+    stream.write_all(line.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+    stream.flush().unwrap();
+
+    let mut reader = BufReader::new(stream.try_clone().unwrap());
+    let mut buf = String::new();
+    reader.read_line(&mut buf).unwrap();
+    serde_json::from_str(buf.trim()).unwrap()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_server_responds_to_providers_request() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let sock = dir.path().join("owlry-test.sock");
+
+    let server = Server::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    // Spawn the server to handle exactly one connection
+    let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+        server.handle_one_for_testing().unwrap();
+    });
+
+    // Connect as a client
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(&sock).unwrap();
+    let resp = roundtrip(&mut stream, &Request::Providers);
+
+    match resp {
+        Response::Providers { list } => {
+            // The default ProviderManager always has at least Application and Command
+            assert!(list.len() >= 2, "expected at least 2 providers, got {}", list.len());
+            let ids: Vec<&str> = list.iter().map(|p| p.id.as_str()).collect();
+            assert!(ids.contains(&"app"), "missing 'app' provider");
+            assert!(ids.contains(&"cmd"), "missing 'cmd' provider");
+        }
+        other => panic!("expected Providers response, got: {:?}", other),
+    }
+
+    drop(stream);
+    handle.join().unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_server_handles_launch_request() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let sock = dir.path().join("owlry-test.sock");
+
+    let server = Server::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+        server.handle_one_for_testing().unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(&sock).unwrap();
+    let req = Request::Launch {
+        item_id: "firefox.desktop".into(),
+        provider: "app".into(),
+    };
+    let resp = roundtrip(&mut stream, &req);
+
+    assert_eq!(resp, Response::Ack);
+
+    drop(stream);
+    handle.join().unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_server_handles_query_request() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let sock = dir.path().join("owlry-test.sock");
+
+    let server = Server::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+        server.handle_one_for_testing().unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(&sock).unwrap();
+    let req = Request::Query {
+        text: "nonexistent_query_xyz".into(),
+        modes: None,
+    };
+    let resp = roundtrip(&mut stream, &req);
+
+    match resp {
+        Response::Results { items } => {
+            // A nonsense query should return empty or very few results
+            // (no items will fuzzy-match "nonexistent_query_xyz")
+            assert!(items.len() <= 5, "expected few/no results for gibberish query");
+        }
+        other => panic!("expected Results response, got: {:?}", other),
+    }
+
+    drop(stream);
+    handle.join().unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_server_handles_toggle_request() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let sock = dir.path().join("owlry-test.sock");
+
+    let server = Server::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+        server.handle_one_for_testing().unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(&sock).unwrap();
+    let resp = roundtrip(&mut stream, &Request::Toggle);
+
+    assert_eq!(resp, Response::Ack);
+
+    drop(stream);
+    handle.join().unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_server_handles_refresh_request() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let sock = dir.path().join("owlry-test.sock");
+
+    let server = Server::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+        server.handle_one_for_testing().unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(&sock).unwrap();
+    let req = Request::Refresh {
+        provider: "app".into(),
+    };
+    let resp = roundtrip(&mut stream, &req);
+
+    assert_eq!(resp, Response::Ack);
+
+    drop(stream);
+    handle.join().unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_server_handles_submenu_for_unknown_plugin() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let sock = dir.path().join("owlry-test.sock");
+
+    let server = Server::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+        server.handle_one_for_testing().unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(&sock).unwrap();
+    let req = Request::Submenu {
+        plugin_id: "nonexistent_plugin".into(),
+        data: "some_data".into(),
+    };
+    let resp = roundtrip(&mut stream, &req);
+
+    match resp {
+        Response::Error { message } => {
+            assert!(
+                message.contains("nonexistent_plugin"),
+                "error should mention the plugin id"
+            );
+        }
+        other => panic!("expected Error response for unknown plugin, got: {:?}", other),
+    }
+
+    drop(stream);
+    handle.join().unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_server_handles_multiple_requests_per_connection() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let sock = dir.path().join("owlry-test.sock");
+
+    let server = Server::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+        server.handle_one_for_testing().unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    // Send Providers request
+    let resp1 = roundtrip(&mut stream, &Request::Providers);
+    assert!(matches!(resp1, Response::Providers { .. }));
+
+    // Send Toggle request on same connection
+    let resp2 = roundtrip(&mut stream, &Request::Toggle);
+    assert_eq!(resp2, Response::Ack);
+
+    drop(stream);
+    handle.join().unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_server_cleans_up_stale_socket() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let sock = dir.path().join("owlry-test.sock");
+
+    // Create a stale socket file
+    std::os::unix::net::UnixListener::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+    assert!(sock.exists());
+
+    // Server::bind should succeed by removing the stale socket
+    let server = Server::bind(&sock).unwrap();
+
+    let handle = thread::spawn(move || {
+        server.handle_one_for_testing().unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(&sock).unwrap();
+    let resp = roundtrip(&mut stream, &Request::Toggle);
+    assert_eq!(resp, Response::Ack);
+
+    drop(stream);
+    handle.join().unwrap();
+}