diff --git a/internal/connection/connection.go b/internal/connection/connection.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f273708c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/connection/connection.go
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+// Package connection provides an abstraction for local and remote operations.
+// This allows Gas Town to manage rigs on remote machines via SSH using
+// the same interface as local operations.
+package connection
+
+import (
+	"io/fs"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Connection abstracts file operations, command execution, and tmux management
+// for both local and remote (SSH) execution contexts.
+type Connection interface {
+	// Identification
+
+	// Name returns a human-readable name for this connection.
+	Name() string
+
+	// IsLocal returns true if this is a local connection.
+	IsLocal() bool
+
+	// File operations
+
+	// ReadFile reads the named file and returns its contents.
+	ReadFile(path string) ([]byte, error)
+
+	// WriteFile writes data to the named file with the given permissions.
+	WriteFile(path string, data []byte, perm fs.FileMode) error
+
+	// MkdirAll creates a directory and all parent directories.
+	MkdirAll(path string, perm fs.FileMode) error
+
+	// Remove removes the named file or empty directory.
+	Remove(path string) error
+
+	// RemoveAll removes the named file or directory and any children.
+	RemoveAll(path string) error
+
+	// Stat returns file info for the named file.
+	Stat(path string) (FileInfo, error)
+
+	// Glob returns the names of all files matching the pattern.
+	Glob(pattern string) ([]string, error)
+
+	// Exists returns true if the path exists.
+	Exists(path string) (bool, error)
+
+	// Command execution
+
+	// Exec runs a command and returns its combined output.
+	Exec(cmd string, args ...string) ([]byte, error)
+
+	// ExecDir runs a command in the specified directory.
+	ExecDir(dir, cmd string, args ...string) ([]byte, error)
+
+	// ExecEnv runs a command with additional environment variables.
+	ExecEnv(env map[string]string, cmd string, args ...string) ([]byte, error)
+
+	// Tmux operations
+
+	// TmuxNewSession creates a new tmux session with the given name.
+	TmuxNewSession(name, dir string) error
+
+	// TmuxKillSession terminates the named tmux session.
+	TmuxKillSession(name string) error
+
+	// TmuxSendKeys sends keys to the named tmux session.
+	TmuxSendKeys(session, keys string) error
+
+	// TmuxCapturePane captures the last N lines from a tmux pane.
+	TmuxCapturePane(session string, lines int) (string, error)
+
+	// TmuxHasSession returns true if the named tmux session exists.
+	TmuxHasSession(name string) (bool, error)
+
+	// TmuxListSessions returns a list of all tmux session names.
+	TmuxListSessions() ([]string, error)
+}
+
+// FileInfo abstracts fs.FileInfo for use over remote connections.
+// This is needed because fs.FileInfo contains methods that can't be
+// easily serialized over SSH.
+type FileInfo interface {
+	// Name returns the base name of the file.
+	Name() string
+
+	// Size returns the length in bytes.
+	Size() int64
+
+	// Mode returns the file mode bits.
+	Mode() fs.FileMode
+
+	// ModTime returns the modification time.
+	ModTime() time.Time
+
+	// IsDir returns true if this is a directory.
+	IsDir() bool
+}
+
+// BasicFileInfo is a simple implementation of FileInfo.
+type BasicFileInfo struct {
+	FileName    string      `json:"name"`
+	FileSize    int64       `json:"size"`
+	FileMode    fs.FileMode `json:"mode"`
+	FileModTime time.Time   `json:"mod_time"`
+	FileIsDir   bool        `json:"is_dir"`
+}
+
+// Name implements FileInfo.
+func (f BasicFileInfo) Name() string { return f.FileName }
+
+// Size implements FileInfo.
+func (f BasicFileInfo) Size() int64 { return f.FileSize }
+
+// Mode implements FileInfo.
+func (f BasicFileInfo) Mode() fs.FileMode { return f.FileMode }
+
+// ModTime implements FileInfo.
+func (f BasicFileInfo) ModTime() time.Time { return f.FileModTime }
+
+// IsDir implements FileInfo.
+func (f BasicFileInfo) IsDir() bool { return f.FileIsDir }
+
+// FromOSFileInfo creates a BasicFileInfo from an os.FileInfo.
+func FromOSFileInfo(fi fs.FileInfo) BasicFileInfo {
+	return BasicFileInfo{
+		FileName:    fi.Name(),
+		FileSize:    fi.Size(),
+		FileMode:    fi.Mode(),
+		FileModTime: fi.ModTime(),
+		FileIsDir:   fi.IsDir(),
+	}
+}
+
+// Error types for connection operations.
+type (
+	// ConnectionError indicates a connection-level failure.
+	ConnectionError struct {
+		Op      string // Operation that failed (e.g., "connect", "exec")
+		Machine string // Machine name or address
+		Err     error  // Underlying error
+	}
+
+	// NotFoundError indicates a file or resource was not found.
+	NotFoundError struct {
+		Path string
+	}
+
+	// PermissionError indicates an access permission failure.
+	PermissionError struct {
+		Path string
+		Op   string
+	}
+)
+
+func (e *ConnectionError) Error() string {
+	return "connection " + e.Op + " on " + e.Machine + ": " + e.Err.Error()
+}
+
+func (e *ConnectionError) Unwrap() error {
+	return e.Err
+}
+
+func (e *NotFoundError) Error() string {
+	return "not found: " + e.Path
+}
+
+func (e *PermissionError) Error() string {
+	return "permission denied: " + e.Op + " " + e.Path
+}