diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1a75d99..7077d1d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ npm install @rlippmann/context-compiler
   - compiler-mediated request flow
   - `clarify` blocks LLM calls
   - per-session state via `exportJson()` / `importJson()`
+- `examples/node-basic/` — minimal Node HTTP server integration
 
 ## Quick Start
 
diff --git a/examples/node-basic/README.md b/examples/node-basic/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f33aafc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/node-basic/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# Node Basic Integration
+
+Minimal framework-free Node HTTP server integration for Context Compiler.
+Demonstrates compiler-mediated request flow, clarify blocking, and model forwarding on continue.
+
+## Run
+
+From the repository root:
+
+```bash
+npm install
+```
+
+```bash
+npx tsx examples/node-basic/server.ts
+```
+
+This example uses `exportJson()` / `importJson()` for per-session state persistence.
+In 0.5.x, pending clarify/confirm interaction state is not persisted across requests.
diff --git a/examples/node-basic/server.ts b/examples/node-basic/server.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..412fe8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/node-basic/server.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+import http from 'node:http';
+import { createEngine, getPolicyItems, getPremiseValue, type EngineState } from '@rlippmann/context-compiler';
+
+type ChatBody = {
+  sessionId: string;
+  input: string;
+  history?: Array<{ role: string; content: unknown }>;
+};
+
+type ChatResponse =
+  | { kind: 'clarify'; prompt_to_user: string | null }
+  | { kind: 'continue'; output: string };
+
+const stateBySession = new Map<string, string>(); // sessionId -> engine.exportJson()
+
+function loadState(sessionId: string): string | null {
+  return stateBySession.get(sessionId) ?? null;
+}
+
+function saveState(sessionId: string, json: string): void {
+  stateBySession.set(sessionId, json);
+}
+
+function stateToSystemPrompt(state: EngineState): string {
+  const useItems = new Set(getPolicyItems(state, 'use'));
+  const policies = getPolicyItems(state)
+    .map((item: string) => `- ${useItems.has(item) ? 'USE' : 'PROHIBIT'}: ${item}`)
+    .join('\n');
+
+  return [
+    'You are an assistant operating under compiled context.',
+    '',
+    'PREMISE:',
+    getPremiseValue(state) ?? '(none)',
+    '',
+    'POLICIES:',
+    policies || '(none)',
+    '',
+    'Follow these constraints strictly.'
+  ].join('\n');
+}
+
+function minimalRecentContext(history: ChatBody['history']) {
+  if (!history?.length) return [];
+  return history
+    .filter(
+      (m): m is { role: 'user' | 'assistant'; content: string } =>
+        (m.role === 'user' || m.role === 'assistant') && typeof m.content === 'string'
+    )
+    .slice(-2)
+    .map((m) => ({ role: m.role, content: m.content }));
+}
+
+async function parseJson(req: http.IncomingMessage): Promise<any> {
+  const chunks: Buffer[] = [];
+  for await (const chunk of req) chunks.push(Buffer.from(chunk));
+  return JSON.parse(Buffer.concat(chunks).toString('utf8'));
+}
+
+function sendJson(res: http.ServerResponse, status: number, payload: unknown): void {
+  const body = JSON.stringify(payload);
+  res.writeHead(status, { 'content-type': 'application/json', 'content-length': Buffer.byteLength(body) });
+  res.end(body);
+}
+
+const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
+  if (req.method !== 'POST' || req.url !== '/chat') {
+    sendJson(res, 404, { error: 'not_found' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const { sessionId, input, history }: ChatBody = await parseJson(req);
+    if (!sessionId || !input) {
+      sendJson(res, 400, { error: 'sessionId and input are required' });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const engine = createEngine();
+    const saved = loadState(sessionId);
+
+    if (saved) {
+      engine.importJson(saved);
+    } else if (history?.length) {
+      for (const m of history) {
+        if (m.role !== 'user' || typeof m.content !== 'string') continue;
+        const d = engine.step(m.content);
+        if (d.kind === 'clarify') {
+          saveState(sessionId, engine.exportJson());
+          const payload: ChatResponse = { kind: 'clarify', prompt_to_user: d.prompt_to_user };
+          sendJson(res, 200, payload);
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+      saveState(sessionId, engine.exportJson());
+    }
+
+    const decision = engine.step(input);
+    if (decision.kind === 'clarify') {
+      saveState(sessionId, engine.exportJson());
+      const payload: ChatResponse = { kind: 'clarify', prompt_to_user: decision.prompt_to_user };
+      sendJson(res, 200, payload);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    saveState(sessionId, engine.exportJson());
+
+    const usedReplay = !saved && !!history?.length;
+    const messages = [
+      { role: 'system', content: stateToSystemPrompt(engine.state) },
+      ...(usedReplay ? [] : minimalRecentContext(history)),
+      { role: 'user', content: input }
+    ];
+
+    const llmRes = await fetch(`${process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL ?? 'https://api.openai.com/v1'}/chat/completions`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: {
+        'content-type': 'application/json',
+        authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY}`
+      },
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        model: process.env.OPENAI_MODEL ?? 'gpt-4o-mini',
+        messages,
+        temperature: 0.2
+      })
+    });
+
+    if (!llmRes.ok) {
+      sendJson(res, 502, { error: 'llm_failed', details: await llmRes.text() });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const data = await llmRes.json();
+    const output = data?.choices?.[0]?.message?.content ?? '';
+    const payload: ChatResponse = { kind: 'continue', output };
+    sendJson(res, 200, payload);
+  } catch (err) {
+    sendJson(res, 500, { error: 'internal_error', details: String(err) });
+  }
+});
+
+server.listen(8080, () => {
+  console.log('Node example listening on http://localhost:8080');
+});