diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index ab8afdc..b5c1111 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ set(CTEST_BINARY_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/tests)
 # Provide test to run here or include another CMakeLists.txt
 
 add_subdirectory(logging)
-add_subdirectory(input_file)
\ No newline at end of file
+add_subdirectory(input_file)
+add_subdirectory(ast)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/ast/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/ast/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81e7b96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ast/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+include(CTest)
+
+include_directories(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src)
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------- #
+# CTEST 1
+# test building the syntax tree
+
+add_executable(ast_build_tree
+        ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/ast/ast.c
+        ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/sys/log.c
+        build_tree.c)
+set_target_properties(ast_build_tree
+        PROPERTIES
+        OUTPUT_NAME "build_tree"
+        RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${GEMSTONE_BINARY_DIR}/tests/ast)
+add_test(NAME ast_build_tree
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}
+        COMMAND python ${GEMSTONE_TEST_DIR}/ast/test_ast.py check_build_tree)
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------- #
+# CTEST 2
+# test node to string output
+
+add_executable(ast_print_node
+        ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/ast/ast.c
+        print_node.c)
+set_target_properties(ast_build_tree
+        PROPERTIES
+        OUTPUT_NAME "build_tree"
+        RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${GEMSTONE_BINARY_DIR}/tests/ast)
+add_test(NAME ast_print_node
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}
+        COMMAND python ${GEMSTONE_TEST_DIR}/ast/test_ast.py check_print_node)
+
diff --git a/tests/ast/build_tree.c b/tests/ast/build_tree.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dec7b85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ast/build_tree.c
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+//
+// Created by servostar on 5/7/24.
+//
+
+#include <ast/ast.h>
+#include <sys/log.h>
+
+void generate_statement(const AST_NODE_PTR stmt) {
+    const AST_NODE_PTR add = AST_new_node(AST_Add, NULL);
+
+    AST_push_node(add, AST_new_node(AST_Int, "3"));
+    AST_push_node(add, AST_new_node(AST_Int, "6"));
+
+    AST_push_node(stmt, add);
+}
+
+void generate_branch(const AST_NODE_PTR stmt) {
+    const AST_NODE_PTR branch = AST_new_node(AST_If, NULL);
+    const AST_NODE_PTR gt = AST_new_node(AST_Greater, NULL);
+
+    AST_push_node(branch, gt);
+
+    AST_push_node(gt, AST_new_node(AST_Float, "2.3"));
+    AST_push_node(gt, AST_new_node(AST_Float, "0.79"));
+
+    AST_push_node(stmt, branch);
+
+    generate_statement(branch);
+}
+
+int main(void) {
+
+    const AST_NODE_PTR root = AST_new_node(AST_Stmt, NULL);
+
+    generate_branch(root);
+
+    AST_delete_node(root);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/ast/gen_graph.c b/tests/ast/gen_graph.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..186d571
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ast/gen_graph.c
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+//
+// Created by servostar on 5/7/24.
+//
+
+#include <ast/ast.h>
+#include <sys/log.h>
+
+int main(void) {
+
+    struct AST_Node_t* node = AST_new_node(AST_If, NULL);
+
+    struct AST_Node_t* child = AST_new_node(AST_Add, NULL);
+    AST_push_node(child, AST_new_node(AST_Int, "43"));
+    AST_push_node(child, AST_new_node(AST_Int, "9"));
+
+    AST_push_node(node, child);
+    AST_push_node(node, AST_new_node(AST_Expr, NULL));
+    AST_push_node(node, AST_new_node(AST_Expr, NULL));
+
+    FILE* out = fopen("ast.gv", "w+");
+    // convert this file        ^^^^^^
+    // to an svg with: `dot -Tsvg ast.gv > graph.svg`
+
+    AST_fprint_graphviz(out, node);
+
+    AST_delete_node(node);
+
+    fflush(out);
+    fclose(out);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/ast/print_node.c b/tests/ast/print_node.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83d3d43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ast/print_node.c
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+//
+// Created by servostar on 5/7/24.
+//
+
+#include <ast/ast.h>
+
+int main(void) {
+
+    const AST_NODE_PTR node = AST_new_node(0, "value");
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < AST_ELEMENT_COUNT; i++) {
+        // set kind
+        node->kind = i;
+        // print symbol
+        printf("%ld %s\n", i, AST_node_to_string(node));
+    }
+
+    AST_delete_node(node);
+}
diff --git a/tests/ast/test_ast.py b/tests/ast/test_ast.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..111e9c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ast/test_ast.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import logging
+from logging import info, error
+import os
+
+BIN_DIR = "bin/tests/ast/"
+
+
+def run_check_build_tree():
+    info("started check tree build...")
+
+    p = subprocess.run(BIN_DIR + "build_tree", capture_output=True, text=True)
+
+    info("checking exit code...")
+
+    # check exit code
+    assert p.returncode == 0
+
+
+def run_check_print_node():
+    info("started check node print...")
+
+    p = subprocess.run(BIN_DIR + "print_node", capture_output=True, text=True)
+
+    info("checking exit code...")
+
+    # check exit code
+    assert p.returncode == 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+
+    target = sys.argv[1]
+
+    info(f"starting ast test suite with target: {target}")
+
+    match target:
+        case "check_build_tree":
+            run_check_build_tree()
+        case "check_print_node":
+            run_check_print_node()
+        case _:
+            error(f"unknown target: {target}")
+            exit(1)