diff --git a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/compiler.rs b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/compiler.rs
index f38b6eaa..191f5917 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/compiler.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/compiler.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use crate::module::CompiledModule;
 use crate::opcode::{self, OpCode};
+use crate::symbol_table::SymbolTable;
 
 pub use oxide_parser::{BinaryOperator, Expression, Statement, UnaryOperator};
 
@@ -20,6 +21,8 @@ struct CompileCtx {
     constants: Vec<Constant>,
     next_reg: u8,
     max_regs: u8,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    symbols: SymbolTable,
 }
 
 impl CompileCtx {
@@ -29,6 +32,7 @@ impl CompileCtx {
             constants: Vec::new(),
             next_reg: 0,
             max_regs: 0,
+            symbols: SymbolTable::new(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -57,6 +61,37 @@ impl CompileCtx {
         self.constants.push(c);
         idx as u16
     }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn push_scope(&mut self) {
+        self.symbols.push_scope();
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn pop_scope(&mut self) {
+        self.symbols.pop_scope();
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn declare(&mut self, name: &str, reg: u8) -> Result<(), String> {
+        self.symbols.declare(name, reg)
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn lookup(&self, name: &str) -> Result<u8, String> {
+        self.symbols.lookup(name)
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn lookup_or_global(&mut self, name: &str) -> u8 {
+        let reg = self.alloc_reg();
+        self.symbols.lookup_or_global(name, reg)
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    fn init_var(&mut self, name: &str) {
+        self.symbols.init_var(name);
+    }
 }
 
 impl Compiler {
diff --git a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/lib.rs b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/lib.rs
index 00ab9d87..fbe66017 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@
 pub mod compiler;
 pub mod module;
 pub mod opcode;
+pub mod symbol_table;
diff --git a/crates/oxide_compiler/src/symbol_table.rs b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/symbol_table.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..24472c93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/oxide_compiler/src/symbol_table.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+struct Binding {
+    reg: u8,
+    initialized: bool,
+}
+
+pub struct SymbolTable {
+    scopes: Vec<HashMap<String, Binding>>,
+}
+
+impl Default for SymbolTable {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new()
+    }
+}
+
+impl SymbolTable {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            scopes: vec![HashMap::new()],
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn push_scope(&mut self) {
+        self.scopes.push(HashMap::new());
+    }
+
+    pub fn pop_scope(&mut self) {
+        self.scopes.pop();
+    }
+
+    pub fn declare(&mut self, name: &str, reg: u8) -> Result<(), String> {
+        let current = self.scopes.last_mut().unwrap();
+        if current.contains_key(name) {
+            return Err(format!("Identifier '{name}' has already been declared"));
+        }
+        current.insert(
+            name.to_string(),
+            Binding {
+                reg,
+                initialized: false,
+            },
+        );
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn lookup(&self, name: &str) -> Result<u8, String> {
+        for scope in self.scopes.iter().rev() {
+            if let Some(b) = scope.get(name) {
+                if b.initialized {
+                    return Ok(b.reg);
+                }
+                return Err(format!("Cannot access '{name}' before initialization"));
+            }
+        }
+        Err(format!("Identifier '{name}' is not defined"))
+    }
+
+    pub fn lookup_or_global(&mut self, name: &str, reg_for_new: u8) -> u8 {
+        if let Ok(reg) = self.lookup(name) {
+            return reg;
+        }
+        self.scopes[0].insert(
+            name.to_string(),
+            Binding {
+                reg: reg_for_new,
+                initialized: true,
+            },
+        );
+        reg_for_new
+    }
+
+    pub fn init_var(&mut self, name: &str) {
+        let current = self.scopes.last_mut().unwrap();
+        if let Some(b) = current.get_mut(name) {
+            b.initialized = true;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::SymbolTable;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn global_scope_exists() {
+        let st = SymbolTable::new();
+        assert!(st.lookup("x").is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn declare_and_lookup() {
+        let mut st = SymbolTable::new();
+        st.declare("x", 0).unwrap();
+        st.init_var("x");
+        assert_eq!(st.lookup("x").unwrap(), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn tdz_error() {
+        let mut st = SymbolTable::new();
+        st.declare("x", 0).unwrap();
+        assert!(st
+            .lookup("x")
+            .unwrap_err()
+            .contains("before initialization"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn duplicate_declaration_error() {
+        let mut st = SymbolTable::new();
+        st.declare("x", 0).unwrap();
+        assert!(st.declare("x", 1).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn nested_scopes_shadow() {
+        let mut st = SymbolTable::new();
+        st.declare("x", 0).unwrap();
+        st.init_var("x");
+        st.push_scope();
+        st.declare("x", 1).unwrap();
+        st.init_var("x");
+        assert_eq!(st.lookup("x").unwrap(), 1);
+        st.pop_scope();
+        assert_eq!(st.lookup("x").unwrap(), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn lookup_or_global_auto_create() {
+        let mut st = SymbolTable::new();
+        let reg = st.lookup_or_global("x", 5);
+        assert_eq!(reg, 5);
+        assert_eq!(st.lookup("x").unwrap(), 5);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn lookup_or_global_existing() {
+        let mut st = SymbolTable::new();
+        st.declare("x", 3).unwrap();
+        st.init_var("x");
+        let reg = st.lookup_or_global("x", 99);
+        assert_eq!(reg, 3);
+    }
+}