diff --git a/bin/closure-util.js b/bin/closure-util.js
index 29f8282..159e925 100755
--- a/bin/closure-util.js
+++ b/bin/closure-util.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ var parser = require('nomnom');
 
 var deps = require('../lib/deps');
 var build = require('../lib/build');
+var serve = require('../lib/serve');
 
 parser.options({
   loglevel: {
@@ -82,6 +83,22 @@ parser.command('build')
     });
   }).help('Build with Closure Compiler');
 
+parser.command('serve')
+  .option('config', {
+    position: 1,
+    required: true,
+    help: 'Path to JSON config file'
+  })
+  .callback(function(opts) {
+    var configFile = opts.config;
+    serve(configFile, function(err) {
+      if (err) {
+        log.error('closure-util', err.message);
+        process.exit(1);
+      }
+    });
+  }).help('Start the development server');
+
 var options = parser.parse();
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/build.js b/lib/build.js
index 0855168..15adf48 100644
--- a/lib/build.js
+++ b/lib/build.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ var async = require('async');
 var fse = require('fs-extra');
 var log = require('npmlog');
 
-var buildconfig = require('./buildconfig');
+var configfile = require('./configfile');
 var closure = require('./index');
 var config = require('./config');
 
@@ -20,9 +20,37 @@ log.level = config.get('log_level');
  * @param {function(Error, Object)} callback Called with the build
  *    configuration object or any error.
  */
-function _readConfig(configFile, callback) {
+function readConfig(configFile, callback) {
   log.info('closure-util', 'Reading build config');
-  buildconfig.readConfig(configFile, callback);
+  configfile.readConfig(configFile, callback);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Assert that a provided config object is valid.
+ * @param {Object} config Build configuration object.
+ * @param {function(Error, Object)} callback Called with the configuration
+ *     object or any error.
+ */
+function assertValidConfig(config, callback) {
+  process.nextTick(function() {
+    if (!config.lib) {
+      config.lib = config.src;
+    }
+    if (!Array.isArray(config.lib)) {
+      callback(new Error('Config "lib" must be an array'));
+      return;
+    }
+    if (typeof config.compile !== 'object') {
+      callback(new Error('Config "compile" must be an object'));
+      return;
+    }
+    if (config.jvm && !Array.isArray(config.jvm)) {
+      callback(new Error('Config "jvm" must be an array'));
+      return;
+    }
+    callback(null, config);
+  });
 }
 
 
@@ -32,7 +60,7 @@ function _readConfig(configFile, callback) {
  * @param {function(Error, Array.<string>)} callback Called with a
  *     list of paths or any error.
  */
-function _getDependencies(config, callback) {
+function getDependencies(config, callback) {
   log.info('closure-util', 'Getting Closure dependencies');
   var options = {
     lib: config.lib || config.src,
@@ -55,7 +83,7 @@ function _getDependencies(config, callback) {
  * @param {function(Error, string)} callback Called with the compiled output
  *     or any error.
  */
-function _compile(config, paths, callback) {
+function compile(config, paths, callback) {
   log.info('closure-util', 'Compiling ' + paths.length + ' sources');
   var options = {
     compile: config.compile,
@@ -73,7 +101,7 @@ function _compile(config, paths, callback) {
  * @param {string} code The code to write to the output file.
  * @param {function(Error)} callback Called with the error if any.
  */
-function _writeOutput(outputFile, code, callback) {
+function writeOutput(outputFile, code, callback) {
   log.info('closure-util', 'Writing compiled code to ' + outputFile);
   fse.outputFile(outputFile, code, callback);
 }
@@ -90,10 +118,11 @@ function _writeOutput(outputFile, code, callback) {
  */
 module.exports = function(configFile, outputFile, callback) {
   async.waterfall([
-    _readConfig.bind(null, configFile),
-    _getDependencies,
-    _compile,
-    _writeOutput.bind(null, outputFile)
+    readConfig.bind(null, configFile),
+    assertValidConfig,
+    getDependencies,
+    compile,
+    writeOutput.bind(null, outputFile)
   ], function(err) {
     if (err) {
       callback(err);
diff --git a/lib/buildconfig.js b/lib/configfile.js
similarity index 57%
rename from lib/buildconfig.js
rename to lib/configfile.js
index 5cc1579..384d4d5 100644
--- a/lib/buildconfig.js
+++ b/lib/configfile.js
@@ -10,26 +10,6 @@ var config = require('./config');
 log.level = config.get('log_level');
 
 
-/**
- * Assert that a provided config object is valid.
- * @param {Object} config Build configuration object.
- */
-function assertValidConfig(config) {
-  if (!config.lib) {
-    config.lib = config.src;
-  }
-  if (!Array.isArray(config.lib)) {
-    throw new Error('Config "lib" must be an array');
-  }
-  if (typeof config.compile !== 'object') {
-    throw new Error('Config "compile" must be an object');
-  }
-  if (config.jvm && !Array.isArray(config.jvm)) {
-    throw new Error('Config "jvm" must be an array');
-  }
-}
-
-
 /**
  * Read the build configuration file.
  * @param {string} configPath Path to config file.
@@ -52,12 +32,6 @@ exports.readConfig = function(configPath, callback) {
           err2.message));
       return;
     }
-    try {
-      assertValidConfig(config);
-    } catch (err3) {
-      callback(err3);
-      return;
-    }
     callback(null, config);
   });
 };
diff --git a/lib/serve.js b/lib/serve.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02a7db6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/serve.js
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+var async = require('async');
+var log = require('npmlog');
+
+var config = require('./config');
+var configfile = require('./configfile');
+var manager = require('./manager');
+var server = require('./server');
+
+
+/**
+ * Configurable log level.
+ * @type {string}
+ */
+log.level = config.get('log_level');
+
+
+/**
+ * Read the build configuration file.
+ * @param {string} configFile Config file.
+ * @param {function(Error, Object)} callback Called with the build
+ *    configuration object or any error.
+ */
+function readConfig(configFile, callback) {
+  log.info('closure-util', 'Reading build config');
+  configfile.readConfig(configFile, callback);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Assert that a provided config object is valid.
+ * @param {Object} config Build configuration object.
+ * @param {function(Error, Object)} callback Called with the configuration
+ *     object or any error.
+ */
+function assertValidConfig(config, callback) {
+  process.nextTick(function() {
+    if (!config.lib) {
+      config.lib = config.src;
+    }
+    if (!Array.isArray(config.lib)) {
+      callback(new Error('Config "lib" must be an array'));
+      return;
+    }
+    callback(null, config);
+  });
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Create a development server.
+ * @param {Object} config The configuration object.
+ * @param {function(Error, closure.Server)} callback Callback.
+ */
+function createServer(config, callback) {
+  var srv;
+  var mgr = new manager.Manager({
+    lib: config.lib
+  });
+  mgr.on('error', function(err) {
+    if (server) {
+      log.error('serve', err.message);
+    } else {
+      callback(err);
+    }
+  });
+  mgr.on('ready', function() {
+    srv = new server.Server({
+      manager: mgr
+    });
+    callback(null, config, srv);
+  });
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {Object} config The configuration object.
+ * @param {closure.Server} server The server.
+ * @param {function(Error)} callback Callback with an error, if any.
+ */
+function listen(config, server, callback) {
+  var port = config.serve && config.serve.port ?
+      config.serve.port : 3000;
+  server.listen(port, function() {
+    log.info('closure-util', 'Listening on http://localhost:' +
+        port + '/ (Ctrl+C to stop)');
+  });
+  server.on('error', function(err) {
+    log.error('serve', 'Server failed to start: ' + err.message);
+    callback(err);
+  });
+  callback(null);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {string} configFile Config file path.
+ * @param {function(Error)} callback Called when the compilation is
+ *     finished or when any error occured.
+ */
+module.exports = function(configFile, callback) {
+  async.waterfall([
+    readConfig.bind(null, configFile),
+    assertValidConfig,
+    createServer,
+    listen
+  ], function(err) {
+    if (err) {
+      callback(err);
+    } else {
+      callback(null);
+    }
+  });
+};
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index b0181bb..f9530fa 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -81,21 +81,28 @@ Available configuration options (see `default-config.json` for default values):
 
 ## CLI
 
-The `closure-util` command line utility provides commands for updating (or installing) specific versions of the Closure Compiler and Closure Library for use with your project, and a command for building your project using the Closure Compiler.
+The `closure-util` command line utility provides `update` commands for updating (or installing) specific versions of the Closure Compiler and Closure Library for use with your project, a `build` command for building your project using the Closure Compiler, and a `serve` command for starting a development server for your project.
 
  * `closure-util update` - Update both the Compiler and Library.
  * `closure-util update-compiler` - Update the Compiler.
  * `closure-util update-library` - Update the Library.
  * `closure-util build` - Build a JavaScript application.
+ * `closure-util serve` - Start a development server.
  * `closure-util --help` - Display command usage and options.
 
 See the [configuration](#configuration) section above for information on how to configure URLs for specific versions of the Compiler or Library.  The `closure-util` utility will look for this configuration when executing one of the `update`, `update-compiler` or `update-library` commands.
 
 This is how the `build` command is used:
 
-    closure-util build build.json app.min.js
+    closure-util build config.json app.min.js
 
-where `build.json` is a build config file and `app.min.js` in the output file including the compiled code. As an example for a build config file see the [`build-config.json`](test/fixtures/build-config.json) file used in the `closure-util` tests.
+where `config.json` is a build config file and `app.min.js` in the output file including the compiled code. As an example for a build config file see the [`config.json`](test/fixtures/config.json) file used in the `closure-util` tests. The config file should include a `"lib"` and a `"compile"` sections.
+
+This is how the `serve` command is used:
+
+    closure-util serve config.json
+
+where `config.json` is a config file. You can look at the [`config.json`](test/fixtures/config.json) again. For the `serve` command the config file should include a `"lib"` and a `"serve"` sections.
 
 ## Development
 
diff --git a/test/fixtures/build-config.json b/test/fixtures/config.json
similarity index 97%
rename from test/fixtures/build-config.json
rename to test/fixtures/config.json
index 8c99478..dde9b18 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/build-config.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/config.json
@@ -59,5 +59,8 @@
     "warning_level": "VERBOSE",
     "output_wrapper": "(function(){%output%})();",
     "use_types_for_optimization": true
+  },
+  "serve": {
+    "port": 3001
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/spec/build.spec.js b/test/spec/build.spec.js
index 0f73f5e..c79db1d 100644
--- a/test/spec/build.spec.js
+++ b/test/spec/build.spec.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe('build', function() {
     // this test runs the compiler, increase the timeout value
     this.timeout(30000);
     var outputFile = temp.path({suffix: '.js'});
-    var configFile = path.join(fixtures, 'build-config.json');
+    var configFile = path.join(fixtures, 'config.json');
     build(configFile, outputFile, function(err) {
       assert.isNull(err);
       fs.exists(outputFile, function(exists) {