diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b03c5ce..d5d662a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -468,3 +468,4 @@ FodyWeavers.xsd
 
 ### VisualStudio Patch ###
 # Additional files built by Visual Studio
+.vscode/*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.hpp b/include/engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9451182
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+
+namespace Engine {
+
+struct FileBrowserState {
+    std::string root_directory;
+    bool has_root = false;
+    std::string selected_path;
+
+    // sizing state (percentages tracked elsewhere if needed)
+    int mainWindowWidth = 1000;
+    int mainWindowHeight = 800;
+    float filebrowserWidth = 400.f;
+    float filebrowserHeight = 480.f;
+    bool mainwindowresize = false;
+};
+
+class FileBrowser {
+  public:
+    void Initialize();
+    void UpdateOnWindowResize(FileBrowserState &state, int w, int h);
+    bool SetRootDirectory(FileBrowserState &state, const std::string &path);
+
+    void Render(FileBrowserState &state);
+
+  private:
+    void RenderDirectoryNode(FileBrowserState &state, const fs::path &dirPath,
+                             int depth = 0);
+    void OpenFile(const std::string &path);
+};
+
+} // namespace Engine
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/engine/imgui-objects/top-bar.hpp b/include/engine/imgui-objects/top-bar.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc61459
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/engine/imgui-objects/top-bar.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.hpp>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace Engine {
+struct TopBar {
+    static void Render(FileBrowser &browser, FileBrowserState &state);
+};
+} // namespace Engine
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/engine/imgui-render.hpp b/include/engine/imgui-render.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bce4ea1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/engine/imgui-render.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <SDL3/SDL.h>
+
+namespace Engine {
+
+    class ImGuiRender {
+        public:
+            static ImGuiRender& Instance();
+
+            void Init(SDL_Window * window, SDL_Renderer * renderer);
+            void ShutDown();
+
+            void ProcessEvent(const SDL_Event* e);
+
+            void BeginFrame();
+            void EndFrame();
+
+        
+        private:
+            SDL_Window*   m_window   = nullptr;
+            SDL_Renderer* m_renderer = nullptr;
+            bool m_initialized = false;
+    };
+} // namespace Engine
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.cpp b/src/engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55b6df8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.hpp>
+#include <imgui.h>
+#include <iostream>
+namespace Engine {
+
+void FileBrowser::Initialize() {
+    // can be used to set directory using top bar like vscode does with a button
+    // in the area
+}
+
+void FileBrowser::UpdateOnWindowResize(FileBrowserState &state, int w, int h) {
+    state.mainWindowWidth = w;
+    state.mainWindowHeight = h;
+    state.mainwindowresize = true;
+    // 40% width, 60% height
+    state.filebrowserWidth = 0.4f * static_cast<float>(w);
+    state.filebrowserHeight = 0.6f * static_cast<float>(h);
+}
+bool FileBrowser::SetRootDirectory(FileBrowserState &state,
+                                   const std::string &path) {
+    try {
+        fs::path p(path);
+        if (path.empty() || !fs::exists(p) || !fs::is_directory(p))
+            return false;
+        state.root_directory = fs::canonical(p).string();
+        state.has_root = true;
+        state.selected_path.clear();
+        return true;
+    } catch (const fs::filesystem_error &e) {
+        std::cerr << "SetRootDirectory error: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
+void FileBrowser::OpenFile(const std::string &path) {
+    std::cout << "OpenFile: " << path << std::endl;
+    // Opening file logic
+}
+
+void FileBrowser::RenderDirectoryNode(FileBrowserState &state,
+                                      const fs::path &dirPath, int depth) {
+    // Collect entries (dirs first, then files)
+    std::vector<fs::directory_entry> entries;
+    try {
+        for (const auto &entry : fs::directory_iterator(dirPath)) {
+            entries.push_back(entry);
+        }
+    } catch (const fs::filesystem_error &e) {
+        ImGui::TextDisabled("  <error: %s>", e.what());
+        return;
+    }
+
+    std::sort(entries.begin(), entries.end(),
+              [](const fs::directory_entry &a, const fs::directory_entry &b) {
+                  bool ad = a.is_directory();
+                  bool bd = b.is_directory();
+                  if (ad != bd)
+                      return ad > bd; // dirs first
+                  return a.path().filename().string() <
+                         b.path().filename().string();
+              });
+
+    for (auto &entry : entries) {
+        const fs::path &p = entry.path();
+        std::string name = p.filename().string();
+        bool isDir = entry.is_directory();
+
+        ImGuiTreeNodeFlags flags = ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_SpanAvailWidth;
+        if (!isDir)
+            flags |=
+                ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_Leaf | ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_NoTreePushOnOpen;
+        if (state.selected_path == p.string())
+            flags |= ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_Selected;
+
+        bool open = false;
+        if (isDir) {
+            open = ImGui::TreeNodeEx((name + "##" + p.string()).c_str(), flags);
+        } else {
+            ImGui::TreeNodeEx((name + "##" + p.string()).c_str(), flags);
+        }
+
+        if (ImGui::IsItemClicked()) {
+            state.selected_path = p.string();
+            if (!isDir) {
+                OpenFile(p.string());
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (open && isDir) {
+            // Limit depth if desired (optional)
+            if (depth < 64) {
+                RenderDirectoryNode(state, p, depth + 1);
+            } else {
+                ImGui::TextDisabled("  <max depth reached>");
+            }
+            ImGui::TreePop();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void FileBrowser::Render(FileBrowserState &state) {
+    if (state.mainwindowresize) {
+        ImGui::SetNextWindowSize(
+            ImVec2(state.filebrowserWidth, state.filebrowserHeight),
+            ImGuiCond_Always);
+        state.mainwindowresize = false;
+    } else {
+        ImGui::SetNextWindowSize(
+            ImVec2(state.filebrowserWidth, state.filebrowserHeight),
+            ImGuiCond_FirstUseEver);
+        ImGui::SetNextWindowPos(ImVec2(0, 20), ImGuiCond_FirstUseEver);
+    }
+    ImGui::SetNextWindowSizeConstraints(ImVec2(120, 120),
+                                        ImVec2(FLT_MAX, FLT_MAX));
+
+    if (ImGui::Begin("File Browser", nullptr, ImGuiWindowFlags_NoCollapse)) {
+        if (!state.has_root) {
+            ImGui::TextWrapped(
+                "No root directory set.\nUse File > Open Root... in the top "
+                "bar to pick one.");
+        } else {
+            ImGui::TextWrapped("Root: %s", state.root_directory.c_str());
+            if (!state.selected_path.empty()) {
+                ImGui::TextWrapped("Selected: %s", state.selected_path.c_str());
+            }
+            ImGui::Separator();
+
+            // Draw tree starting at root
+            fs::path root(state.root_directory);
+            // root is first node
+            ImGuiTreeNodeFlags rootFlags = ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_SpanAvailWidth;
+            if (state.selected_path == state.root_directory)
+                rootFlags |= ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_Selected;
+
+            std::string rootLabel =
+                (root.filename().string().empty() ? root.string()
+                                                  : root.filename().string()) +
+                std::string("##") + state.root_directory;
+            bool rootOpen = ImGui::TreeNodeEx(rootLabel.c_str(), rootFlags);
+
+            if (ImGui::IsItemClicked()) {
+                state.selected_path = state.root_directory;
+            }
+
+            if (rootOpen) {
+                RenderDirectoryNode(state, root, 0);
+                ImGui::TreePop();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    ImGui::End();
+}
+
+} // namespace Engine
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/engine/imgui-objects/top-bar.cpp b/src/engine/imgui-objects/top-bar.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2616db4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/imgui-objects/top-bar.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#include <engine/imgui-objects/top-bar.hpp>
+#include <imgui.h>
+#include <filesystem>
+
+namespace Engine {
+void TopBar::Render(FileBrowser &browser, FileBrowserState &state) {
+    static bool openRootPopup = false;
+    static char pathBuffer[1024] = {0};
+    static bool pathError = false;
+
+    if (ImGui::BeginMainMenuBar()) {
+        if (ImGui::BeginMenu("File")) {
+            if (ImGui::MenuItem("Open Root...")) {
+                openRootPopup = true;
+                pathError = false;
+                if (state.has_root)
+                    strncpy(pathBuffer, state.root_directory.c_str(),
+                            sizeof(pathBuffer) - 1);
+                else
+                    pathBuffer[0] = '\0';
+            }
+            if (state.has_root) {
+                if (ImGui::MenuItem("Clear Root")) {
+                    state.has_root = false;
+                    state.root_directory.clear();
+                    state.selected_path.clear();
+                }
+            }
+            ImGui::EndMenu();
+        }
+        ImGui::EndMainMenuBar();
+    }
+
+    if (openRootPopup) {
+        ImGui::OpenPopup("Set Root Directory");
+        openRootPopup = false;
+    }
+
+    if (ImGui::BeginPopupModal("Set Root Directory", nullptr,
+                               ImGuiWindowFlags_AlwaysAutoResize)) {
+        ImGui::InputText("Path", pathBuffer, sizeof(pathBuffer));
+        if (pathError) {
+            ImGui::TextColored(ImVec4(1, 0.4f, 0.4f, 1),
+                               "Invalid directory.");
+        }
+        if (ImGui::Button("Set", ImVec2(80, 0))) {
+            std::string candidate(pathBuffer);
+            if (browser.SetRootDirectory(state, candidate)) {
+                ImGui::CloseCurrentPopup();
+            } else {
+                pathError = true;
+            }
+        }
+        ImGui::SameLine();
+        if (ImGui::Button("Cancel", ImVec2(80, 0))) {
+            ImGui::CloseCurrentPopup();
+        }
+        ImGui::EndPopup();
+    }
+}
+
+}  // namespace Engine
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/engine/imgui-render.cpp b/src/engine/imgui-render.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cacaee2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/imgui-render.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#include <backends/imgui_impl_sdl3.h>
+#include <backends/imgui_impl_sdlrenderer3.h>
+#include <engine/imgui-render.hpp>
+#include <imgui.h>
+
+namespace Engine {
+void ImGuiRender::Init(SDL_Window *window, SDL_Renderer *renderer) {
+    if (m_initialized)
+        return;
+    m_window = window;
+    m_renderer = renderer;
+
+    IMGUI_CHECKVERSION();
+    ImGui::CreateContext();
+    ImGui::StyleColorsDark();
+
+    ImGui_ImplSDL3_InitForSDLRenderer(m_window, m_renderer);
+    ImGui_ImplSDLRenderer3_Init(m_renderer);
+
+    m_initialized = true;
+}
+
+void ImGuiRender::ShutDown() {
+    if (!m_initialized)
+        return;
+    ImGui_ImplSDLRenderer3_Shutdown();
+    ImGui_ImplSDL3_Shutdown();
+    ImGui::DestroyContext();
+    m_window = nullptr;
+    m_renderer = nullptr;
+    m_initialized = false;
+}
+
+void ImGuiRender::BeginFrame() {
+    if (!m_initialized) return;
+    ImGui_ImplSDL3_NewFrame();
+    ImGui_ImplSDLRenderer3_NewFrame();
+    ImGui::NewFrame();
+}
+
+void ImGuiRender::EndFrame() {
+    if (!m_initialized)
+        return;
+    ImGui::Render();
+    ImGui_ImplSDLRenderer3_RenderDrawData(ImGui::GetDrawData(), m_renderer);
+}
+
+void ImGuiRender::ProcessEvent(const SDL_Event *e) {
+    if (!m_initialized || !e)
+        return;
+    ImGui_ImplSDL3_ProcessEvent(e);
+}
+} // namespace Engine
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 08deb27..e918154 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
 #include <SDL3/SDL_keycode.h>
 #include <SDL3/SDL_main.h>
 #include <engine/engine.hpp>
+#include <engine/imgui-objects/file-browser.hpp>
+#include <engine/imgui-objects/top-bar.hpp>
+#include <engine/imgui-render.hpp>
 #include <engine/logger.hpp>
 
+// Initialise file browser instance and state
+Engine::FileBrowser fileBrowser;
+Engine::FileBrowserState fileBrowserState;
+static Engine::ImGuiRender g_ImGui;
+
 // Initialises subsystems and initialises appState to be used by all other main
 // functions.
 SDL_AppResult SDL_AppInit(void **appState, int argc, char *argv[]) {
@@ -30,6 +38,10 @@ SDL_AppResult SDL_AppInit(void **appState, int argc, char *argv[]) {
                         data.window.height);
             gameEngine->GetWindow().SetDimensions(data.window.width,
                                                   data.window.height);
+
+            // Update file browser state on window resize
+            fileBrowser.UpdateOnWindowResize(
+                fileBrowserState, data.window.width, data.window.height);
         });
     gameEngine->GetEvents().RegisterCallback(
         Engine::EventType::KeyDown, [](Engine::EventData data) {
@@ -63,6 +75,17 @@ SDL_AppResult SDL_AppInit(void **appState, int argc, char *argv[]) {
                         data.mouse.y);
         });
 
+    SPDLOG_INFO("Initializing file browser.");
+    fileBrowser.Initialize();
+
+    g_ImGui.Init(gameEngine->GetWindow().GetSDLWindow(),
+                 gameEngine->GetRenderer().GetSDLRenderer());
+
+    fileBrowserState.mainWindowWidth = 1000;
+    fileBrowserState.mainWindowHeight = 800;
+
+    // Populate initial directory contents
+
     SPDLOG_INFO("Application initialized successfully.");
     *appState = gameEngine;
     return SDL_APP_CONTINUE;
@@ -73,6 +96,10 @@ SDL_AppResult SDL_AppInit(void **appState, int argc, char *argv[]) {
 //       custom event handling to be added by a user.
 SDL_AppResult SDL_AppEvent(void *appState, SDL_Event *event) {
     Engine::Engine *gameEngine = static_cast<Engine::Engine *>(appState);
+
+    // Process ImGui events
+    g_ImGui.ProcessEvent(event);
+
     if (event->type == SDL_EVENT_QUIT || event->type == SDL_EVENT_TERMINATING) {
         SPDLOG_INFO("Received SDL_EVENT_QUIT or SDL_EVENT_TERMINATING. Exiting "
                     "application.");
@@ -95,6 +122,11 @@ SDL_AppResult SDL_AppIterate(void *appState) {
     SPDLOG_DEBUG("Rendering all objects.");
     gameEngine->GetRenderManager().RenderAll(gameEngine->GetRenderer());
 
+    g_ImGui.BeginFrame();
+    Engine::TopBar::Render(fileBrowser, fileBrowserState);
+    fileBrowser.Render(fileBrowserState);
+    g_ImGui.EndFrame();
+
     SPDLOG_DEBUG("Presenting rendered frame.");
     gameEngine->GetRenderer().Present();
 
@@ -107,6 +139,9 @@ void SDL_AppQuit(void *appState, SDL_AppResult result) {
     Engine::Engine *gameEngine = static_cast<Engine::Engine *>(appState);
     if (gameEngine != nullptr) {
         SPDLOG_INFO("Shutting down game engine.");
+
+        g_ImGui.ShutDown();
+
         gameEngine->Shutdown();
         SPDLOG_INFO("Game engine shutdown completed.");
     } else {