diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index d56f7cd..d52f6c3 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -1,130 +1,14 @@
-require 'ant'
+load 'lib/tasks/red_storm.rake'
+
+task :default => :spec
 
 begin
-  # will work from gem, since lib dir is in gem require_paths
-  require 'red_storm'
-rescue LoadError
-  # will work within RedStorm dev project
-  $:.unshift './lib'
-  require 'red_storm'
-end
-
-CWD = Dir.pwd
-TARGET_DIR = "#{CWD}/target"
-TARGET_SRC_DIR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/src"
-TARGET_CLASSES_DIR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/classes"  
-TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/dependency"
-TARGET_DEPENDENCY_UNPACKED_DIR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/dependency-unpacked"
-TARGET_CLUSTER_JAR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/cluster-topology.jar"
-
-JAVA_SRC_DIR = "#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/src/main"
-JRUBY_SRC_DIR = "#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/lib/red_storm"
-
-SRC_EXAMPLES = "#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/examples"
-DST_EXAMPLES = "#{CWD}/examples"
-  
-task :default => [:clean, :build]
-
-task :launch, :env, :class_file do |t, args|
-  gem_home = ENV["GEM_HOME"].to_s.empty? ? " -Djruby.gem.home=`gem env home`" : ""
-  command = "java -cp \"#{TARGET_CLASSES_DIR}:#{TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR}/*\"#{gem_home} redstorm.TopologyLauncher #{args[:env]} #{args[:class_file]}"
-  puts("launching #{command}")
-  system(command)
-end
-
-task :clean do
-  ant.delete :dir => TARGET_DIR
-end
-
-task :clean_jar do
-  ant.delete :dir => "#{TARGET_DIR}/cluster-topology.jar"
-end
-
-task :setup do  
-  ant.mkdir :dir => TARGET_DIR 
-  ant.mkdir :dir => TARGET_CLASSES_DIR 
-  ant.mkdir :dir => TARGET_SRC_DIR
-  ant.path :id => 'classpath' do  
-    fileset :dir => TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR  
-    fileset :dir => TARGET_CLASSES_DIR  
-  end  
-end
-
-task :install => [:deps, :build] do
-  puts("\nRedStorm install completed. All dependencies installed in #{TARGET_DIR}")
-end
-
-task :unpack do
-  system("rmvn dependency:unpack -f #{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/pom.xml -DoutputDirectory=#{TARGET_DEPENDENCY_UNPACKED_DIR}")
-end
-
-task :jar => [:unpack, :clean_jar] do
-  ant.jar :destfile => TARGET_CLUSTER_JAR do
-    fileset :dir => TARGET_CLASSES_DIR
-    fileset :dir => TARGET_DEPENDENCY_UNPACKED_DIR
-    fileset :dir => CWD do
-      exclude :name => "target/**/*"
-    end
-    manifest do
-      attribute :name => "Main-Class", :value => "redstorm.TopologyLauncher"
-    end
+  require 'rspec/core/rake_task'
+  desc "run specs"
+  task :spec do
+    system("ruby -v")
+    RSpec::Core::RakeTask.new
   end
-  puts("\nRedStorm jar completed. Generated jar file #{TARGET_CLUSTER_JAR}")
-end
-
-task :examples do
-  if File.identical?(SRC_EXAMPLES, DST_EXAMPLES)
-    STDERR.puts("error: cannot copy examples into itself")
-    exit(1)
-  end
-  if File.exist?(DST_EXAMPLES)
-    STDERR.puts("error: directory #{DST_EXAMPLES} already exists")
-    exit(1)
-  end
-
-  puts("copying examples into #{DST_EXAMPLES}")
-  system("mkdir #{DST_EXAMPLES}")
-  system("cp -r #{SRC_EXAMPLES}/* #{DST_EXAMPLES}")
-  puts("\nRedStorm examples completed. All examples copied in #{DST_EXAMPLES}")
-end
-
-task :deps do
-  system("rmvn dependency:copy-dependencies -f #{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/pom.xml -DoutputDirectory=#{TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR}")
-end
-
-task :build => :setup do
-  # compile the JRuby proxy classes to Java
-  build_jruby("#{JRUBY_SRC_DIR}/proxy")
-
-  # compile the generated Java proxy classes
-  build_java_dir("#{TARGET_SRC_DIR}")
-
-  # generate the JRuby topology launcher
-  build_jruby("#{JRUBY_SRC_DIR}/topology_launcher.rb")
-
-  # compile the JRuby proxy classes
-  build_java_dir("#{JAVA_SRC_DIR}")
-
-  # compile the JRuby proxy classes
-  build_java_dir("#{TARGET_SRC_DIR}")
-end 
-
-def build_java_dir(source_folder)
-  puts("\n--> Compiling Java")
-  ant.javac(
-    :srcdir => source_folder,
-    :destdir => TARGET_CLASSES_DIR,
-    :classpathref => 'classpath', 
-    :source => "1.6",
-    :target => "1.6",
-    :debug => "yes",
-    :includeantruntime => "no",
-    :verbose => false,
-    :listfiles => true
-  )
-end  
-
-def build_jruby(source_path)
-  puts("\n--> Compiling JRuby")
-  system("cd #{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}; jrubyc -t #{TARGET_SRC_DIR} --verbose --java -c \"#{TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR}/storm-0.5.3.jar\" -c \"#{TARGET_CLASSES_DIR}\" #{source_path}")
+rescue NameError, LoadError => e
+  puts e
 end
diff --git a/lib/red_storm/application.rb b/lib/red_storm/application.rb
index 8fda20a..b632f8b 100644
--- a/lib/red_storm/application.rb
+++ b/lib/red_storm/application.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ require 'rake'
 module RedStorm
   
   class Application 
+    TASKS_FILE = "#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/lib/tasks/red_storm.rake" 
 
     def usage
       puts("Usage: redstorm install|examples|jar")
@@ -12,13 +13,11 @@ module RedStorm
 
     def run(args)
       if args.size > 0
-
         if ["install", "examples", "jar"].include?(args[0])
-          task = args.shift
-          load("#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/Rakefile")
-          Rake::Task[task].invoke(args)
+          load(TASKS_FILE)
+          Rake::Task[args.shift].invoke(*args)
         elsif args.size == 2 && ["local", "cluster"].include?(args[0]) && File.exist?(args[1])
-          load("#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/Rakefile")
+          load(TASKS_FILE)
           Rake::Task['launch'].invoke(*args)
         else
           usage
diff --git a/lib/red_storm/simple_bolt.rb b/lib/red_storm/simple_bolt.rb
index b515140..72b3f07 100644
--- a/lib/red_storm/simple_bolt.rb
+++ b/lib/red_storm/simple_bolt.rb
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ module RedStorm
     private
 
     def self.fields
-      @fields
+      @fields ||= []
     end
 
     def self.receive_block
diff --git a/lib/red_storm/simple_spout.rb b/lib/red_storm/simple_spout.rb
index 41fffc5..139478f 100644
--- a/lib/red_storm/simple_spout.rb
+++ b/lib/red_storm/simple_spout.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ module RedStorm
 
     # DSL class methods
 
+    def self.set(options = {})
+      self.spout_options.merge!(options)
+    end
+
     def self.output_fields(*fields)
       @fields = fields.map(&:to_s)
     end
@@ -33,10 +37,6 @@ module RedStorm
       @fail_block = block_given? ? fail_block : lambda {|msg_id| self.send(method_name, msg_id)}
     end
 
-    def self.set(options = {})
-      self.spout_options.merge!(options)
-    end
-
     # DSL instance methods
 
     def emit(*values)
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ module RedStorm
     private
 
     def self.fields
-      @fields
+      @fields ||= []
     end
 
     def self.send_block
diff --git a/lib/tasks/red_storm.rake b/lib/tasks/red_storm.rake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a3170a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/tasks/red_storm.rake
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+require 'ant'
+
+begin
+  # will work from gem, since lib dir is in gem require_paths
+  require 'red_storm'
+rescue LoadError
+  # will work within RedStorm dev project
+  $:.unshift './lib'
+  require 'red_storm'
+end
+
+CWD = Dir.pwd
+TARGET_DIR = "#{CWD}/target"
+TARGET_SRC_DIR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/src"
+TARGET_CLASSES_DIR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/classes"  
+TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/dependency"
+TARGET_DEPENDENCY_UNPACKED_DIR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/dependency-unpacked"
+TARGET_CLUSTER_JAR = "#{TARGET_DIR}/cluster-topology.jar"
+
+JAVA_SRC_DIR = "#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/src/main"
+JRUBY_SRC_DIR = "#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/lib/red_storm"
+
+SRC_EXAMPLES = "#{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/examples"
+DST_EXAMPLES = "#{CWD}/examples"
+
+task :launch, :env, :class_file do |t, args|
+  gem_home = ENV["GEM_HOME"].to_s.empty? ? " -Djruby.gem.home=`gem env home`" : ""
+  command = "java -cp \"#{TARGET_CLASSES_DIR}:#{TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR}/*\"#{gem_home} redstorm.TopologyLauncher #{args[:env]} #{args[:class_file]}"
+  puts("launching #{command}")
+  system(command)
+end
+
+task :clean do
+  ant.delete :dir => TARGET_DIR
+end
+
+task :clean_jar do
+  ant.delete :dir => "#{TARGET_DIR}/cluster-topology.jar"
+end
+
+task :setup do  
+  ant.mkdir :dir => TARGET_DIR 
+  ant.mkdir :dir => TARGET_CLASSES_DIR 
+  ant.mkdir :dir => TARGET_SRC_DIR
+  ant.path :id => 'classpath' do  
+    fileset :dir => TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR  
+    fileset :dir => TARGET_CLASSES_DIR  
+  end  
+end
+
+task :install => [:deps, :build] do
+  puts("\nRedStorm install completed. All dependencies installed in #{TARGET_DIR}")
+end
+
+task :unpack do
+  system("rmvn dependency:unpack -f #{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/pom.xml -DoutputDirectory=#{TARGET_DEPENDENCY_UNPACKED_DIR}")
+end
+
+task :jar => [:unpack, :clean_jar] do
+  ant.jar :destfile => TARGET_CLUSTER_JAR do
+    fileset :dir => TARGET_CLASSES_DIR
+    fileset :dir => TARGET_DEPENDENCY_UNPACKED_DIR
+    fileset :dir => CWD do
+      exclude :name => "target/**/*"
+    end
+    manifest do
+      attribute :name => "Main-Class", :value => "redstorm.TopologyLauncher"
+    end
+  end
+  puts("\nRedStorm jar completed. Generated jar file #{TARGET_CLUSTER_JAR}")
+end
+
+task :examples do
+  if File.identical?(SRC_EXAMPLES, DST_EXAMPLES)
+    STDERR.puts("error: cannot copy examples into itself")
+    exit(1)
+  end
+  if File.exist?(DST_EXAMPLES)
+    STDERR.puts("error: directory #{DST_EXAMPLES} already exists")
+    exit(1)
+  end
+
+  puts("copying examples into #{DST_EXAMPLES}")
+  system("mkdir #{DST_EXAMPLES}")
+  system("cp -r #{SRC_EXAMPLES}/* #{DST_EXAMPLES}")
+  puts("\nRedStorm examples completed. All examples copied in #{DST_EXAMPLES}")
+end
+
+task :deps do
+  system("rmvn dependency:copy-dependencies -f #{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}/pom.xml -DoutputDirectory=#{TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR}")
+end
+
+task :build => :setup do
+  # compile the JRuby proxy classes to Java
+  build_jruby("#{JRUBY_SRC_DIR}/proxy")
+
+  # compile the generated Java proxy classes
+  build_java_dir("#{TARGET_SRC_DIR}")
+
+  # generate the JRuby topology launcher
+  build_jruby("#{JRUBY_SRC_DIR}/topology_launcher.rb")
+
+  # compile the JRuby proxy classes
+  build_java_dir("#{JAVA_SRC_DIR}")
+
+  # compile the JRuby proxy classes
+  build_java_dir("#{TARGET_SRC_DIR}")
+end 
+
+def build_java_dir(source_folder)
+  puts("\n--> Compiling Java")
+  ant.javac(
+    :srcdir => source_folder,
+    :destdir => TARGET_CLASSES_DIR,
+    :classpathref => 'classpath', 
+    :source => "1.6",
+    :target => "1.6",
+    :debug => "yes",
+    :includeantruntime => "no",
+    :verbose => false,
+    :listfiles => true
+  )
+end  
+
+def build_jruby(source_path)
+  puts("\n--> Compiling JRuby")
+  system("cd #{RedStorm::REDSTORM_HOME}; jrubyc -t #{TARGET_SRC_DIR} --verbose --java -c \"#{TARGET_DEPENDENCY_DIR}/storm-0.5.3.jar\" -c \"#{TARGET_CLASSES_DIR}\" #{source_path}")
+end
diff --git a/spec/red_storm/simple_spout_spec.rb b/spec/red_storm/simple_spout_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09e7e42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/red_storm/simple_spout_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,280 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'red_storm/simple_spout'
+
+describe RedStorm::SimpleSpout do
+
+  describe "interface" do
+    it "should implement spout proxy" do
+      spout = RedStorm::SimpleSpout.new
+      spout.should respond_to :next_tuple
+      spout.should respond_to :open
+      spout.should respond_to :close
+      spout.should respond_to :declare_output_fields
+      spout.should respond_to :is_distributed
+      spout.should respond_to :ack
+      spout.should respond_to :fail
+    end
+
+    it "should implement dsl statement" do
+      RedStorm::SimpleSpout.should respond_to :set
+      RedStorm::SimpleSpout.should respond_to :output_fields
+      RedStorm::SimpleSpout.should respond_to :on_init
+      RedStorm::SimpleSpout.should respond_to :on_close
+      RedStorm::SimpleSpout.should respond_to :on_send
+      RedStorm::SimpleSpout.should respond_to :on_ack
+      RedStorm::SimpleSpout.should respond_to :on_fail      
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "dsl" do
+
+    describe "set statement" do
+      DEFAULT_SPOUT_OPTIONS = {:is_distributed => false}
+
+      it "should have default options" do
+        RedStorm::SimpleSpout.send(:is_distributed?).should be_false
+      end
+
+      it "should parse options" do
+        class IsDistributedClass < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          set :is_distributed => true
+        end
+        IsDistributedClass.send(:spout_options).should == DEFAULT_SPOUT_OPTIONS.merge(:is_distributed => true)
+        IsDistributedClass.send(:is_distributed?).should be_true
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "output_field statement" do
+      it "should parse single argument" do
+        class Test1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          output_fields :f1
+        end
+        test1 = Test1.new
+        Test1.send(:fields).should == ["f1"]
+      end
+
+      it "should parse multiple arguments" do
+        class Test2 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          output_fields :f1, :f2
+        end
+        Test2.send(:fields).should == ["f1", "f2"]
+      end
+
+      it "should parse string and symbol arguments" do
+        class Test3 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          output_fields :f1, "f2"
+        end
+        Test3.send(:fields).should == ["f1", "f2"]
+      end
+
+      it "should not share state over mutiple classes" do
+        class Test4 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          output_fields :f1
+        end
+        class Test5 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          output_fields :f2
+        end
+        RedStorm::SimpleSpout.send(:fields).should == []
+        Test4.send(:fields).should == ["f1"]
+        Test5.send(:fields).should == ["f2"]
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "on_send statement" do
+      DEFAULT_SEND_OPTIONS = {:emit => true}
+
+      it "should emit by defaut" do
+        RedStorm::SimpleSpout.send(:emit?).should be_true
+      end
+
+      describe "with block argument" do
+
+        it "should parse without options" do
+          class BlockArgument1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+            on_send {self.test_method}
+          end
+
+          BlockArgument1.send_options.should == DEFAULT_SEND_OPTIONS
+
+          spout = BlockArgument1.new
+          spout.should_receive(:test_method)
+          BlockArgument1.should_receive(:emit?).and_return(false)
+          spout.next_tuple
+        end
+
+        it "should parse :emit option" do
+          class BlockArgument2 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+            on_send :emit => false do
+              self.test_method
+            end
+          end
+
+          BlockArgument2.send_options.should == DEFAULT_SEND_OPTIONS.merge(:emit => false)
+          BlockArgument2.send(:emit?).should be_false
+
+          spout = BlockArgument2.new
+          spout.should_receive(:test_method)
+          spout.next_tuple
+        end
+      end
+
+      describe "with method name" do
+
+        it "should parse without options" do
+          class MethodName1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+            on_send :test_method
+          end
+
+          MethodName1.send_options.should == DEFAULT_SEND_OPTIONS
+
+          spout = MethodName1.new
+          spout.should_receive(:test_method)
+          MethodName1.should_receive(:emit?).and_return(false)
+          spout.next_tuple
+        end
+
+        it "should parse :emit option" do
+          class MethodName2 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+            on_send :test_method, :emit => false
+          end
+
+          MethodName2.send_options.should == DEFAULT_SEND_OPTIONS.merge(:emit => false)
+          MethodName2.send(:emit?).should be_false
+
+          spout = MethodName2.new
+          spout.should_receive(:test_method)
+          spout.next_tuple
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "on_init statement" do
+
+      it "should parse block argument" do
+        class OnInitBlockArgument1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_init {self.test_block_call}
+        end
+
+        spout = OnInitBlockArgument1.new
+        spout.should_receive(:test_block_call)
+        spout.open(nil, nil, nil)
+      end
+
+      it "should parse method name" do
+        class OnInitMethodName1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_init :test_method
+        end
+
+        spout = OnInitMethodName1.new
+        spout.should_receive(:test_method)
+        spout.open(nil, nil, nil)
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "on_close statement" do
+
+      it "should parse block argument" do
+        class OnCloseBlockArgument1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_close {self.test_block_call}
+        end
+
+        spout = OnCloseBlockArgument1.new
+        spout.should_receive(:test_block_call)
+        spout.close
+      end
+
+      it "should parse method name" do
+        class OnCloseMethodName1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_close :test_method
+        end
+
+        spout = OnCloseMethodName1.new
+        spout.should_receive(:test_method)
+        spout.close
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "on_ack statement" do
+
+      it "should parse block argument" do
+        class OnAckBlockArgument1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_ack {|msg_id| self.test_block_call(msg_id)}
+        end
+
+        spout = OnAckBlockArgument1.new
+        spout.should_receive(:test_block_call).with("test")
+        spout.ack("test")
+      end
+
+      it "should parse method name" do
+        class OnAckMethodName1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_ack :test_method
+        end
+
+        spout = OnAckMethodName1.new
+        spout.should_receive(:test_method).with("test")
+        spout.ack("test")
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "on_fail statement" do
+
+      it "should parse block argument" do
+        class OnFailBlockArgument1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_fail {|msg_id| self.test_block_call(msg_id)}
+        end
+
+        spout = OnFailBlockArgument1.new
+        spout.should_receive(:test_block_call).with("test")
+        spout.fail("test")
+      end
+
+      it "should parse method name" do
+        class OnFailMethodName1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_fail :test_method
+        end
+
+        spout = OnFailMethodName1.new
+        spout.should_receive(:test_method).with("test")
+        spout.fail("test")
+      end
+    end
+
+  end
+
+  describe "spout" do
+
+    describe "next_tuple" do
+
+      it "should auto enit on single value output" do
+        class SpoutNextTuple1 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_send {"output"}
+        end
+        collector = mock("Collector")
+
+        class RedStorm::Values; end
+        RedStorm::Values.should_receive(:new).with("output").and_return("values")
+        collector.should_receive(:emit).with("values")
+
+        spout = SpoutNextTuple1.new
+        spout.open(nil, nil, collector)
+        spout.next_tuple
+      end
+
+      it "should auto enit on multiple values output" do
+        class SpoutNextTuple2 < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+          on_send {["output1", "output2"]}
+        end
+        collector = mock("Collector")
+
+        class RedStorm::Values; end
+        RedStorm::Values.should_receive(:new).with("output1", "output2").and_return("values")
+        collector.should_receive(:emit).with("values")
+
+        spout = SpoutNextTuple2.new
+        spout.open(nil, nil, collector)
+        spout.next_tuple
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6fa3e2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+$:.unshift File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../lib/'
+$:.unshift File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../spec'
+
+require 'rspec'