diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/debayer_params.h b/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/debayer_params.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98e7fc92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/debayer_params.h
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2023, Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * Authors:
+ * Hans de Goede <hdegoede@redhat.com>
+ *
+ * swstats.h - software statistics base class
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+/**
+ * \brief Struct to hold the debayer parameters.
+ */
+struct DebayerParams {
+	/**
+	 * \brief const value for 1.0 gain
+	 */
+	static constexpr unsigned int kGain10 = 256;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Red Gain
+	 *
+	 * 128 = 0.5, 256 = 1.0, 512 = 2.0, etc.
+	 */
+	unsigned int gainR;
+	/**
+	 * \brief Green Gain
+	 *
+	 * 128 = 0.5, 256 = 1.0, 512 = 2.0, etc.
+	 */
+	unsigned int gainG;
+	/**
+	 * \brief Blue Gain
+	 *
+	 * 128 = 0.5, 256 = 1.0, 512 = 2.0, etc.
+	 */
+	unsigned int gainB;
+	/**
+	 * \brief Gamma correction, 1.0 is no correction
+	 */
+	float gamma;
+};
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/meson.build b/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/meson.build
index 66c9c3fb..a620e16d 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/meson.build
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
 
 libcamera_internal_headers += files([
+    'debayer_params.h',
     'swisp_stats.h',
 ])
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer.cpp b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..64f0b5a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2023, Linaro Ltd
+ * Copyright (C) 2023, Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * Authors:
+ * Hans de Goede <hdegoede@redhat.com>
+ *
+ * debayer.cpp - debayer base class
+ */
+
+#include "debayer.h"
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+/**
+ * \class Debayer
+ * \brief Base debayering class
+ *
+ * Base class that provides functions for setting up the debayering process.
+ */
+
+LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Debayer)
+
+Debayer::~Debayer()
+{
+}
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer.h b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8880ff99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer.h
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2023, Linaro Ltd
+ * Copyright (C) 2023, Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * Authors:
+ * Hans de Goede <hdegoede@redhat.com>
+ *
+ * debayer.h - debayering base class
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#include <libcamera/base/log.h>
+#include <libcamera/base/signal.h>
+
+#include <libcamera/geometry.h>
+#include <libcamera/stream.h>
+
+#include "libcamera/internal/software_isp/debayer_params.h"
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+class FrameBuffer;
+
+LOG_DECLARE_CATEGORY(Debayer)
+
+class Debayer
+{
+public:
+	virtual ~Debayer() = 0;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Configure the debayer object according to the passed in parameters.
+	 * \param[in] inputCfg The input configuration.
+	 * \param[in] outputCfgs The output configurations.
+	 *
+	 * \return 0 on success, a negative errno on failure.
+	 */
+	virtual int configure(const StreamConfiguration &inputCfg,
+			      const std::vector<std::reference_wrapper<StreamConfiguration>> &outputCfgs) = 0;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Get the width and height at which the bayer pattern repeats.
+	 * \param[in] inputFormat The input format.
+	 *
+	 * Valid sizes are: 2x2, 4x2 or 4x4.
+	 *
+	 * \return pattern size or an empty size for unsupported inputFormats.
+	 */
+	virtual Size patternSize(PixelFormat inputFormat) = 0;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Get the supported output formats.
+	 * \param[in] inputFormat The input format.
+	 *
+	 * \return all supported output formats or an empty vector if there are none.
+	 */
+	virtual std::vector<PixelFormat> formats(PixelFormat inputFormat) = 0;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Get the stride and the frame size.
+	 * \param[in] outputFormat The output format.
+	 * \param[in] size The output size.
+	 *
+	 * \return a tuple of the stride and the frame size, or a tuple with 0,0 if there is no valid output config.
+	 */
+	virtual std::tuple<unsigned int, unsigned int>
+	strideAndFrameSize(const PixelFormat &outputFormat, const Size &size) = 0;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Process the bayer data into the requested format.
+	 * \param[in] input The input buffer.
+	 * \param[in] output The output buffer.
+	 * \param[in] params The parameters to be used in debayering.
+	 *
+	 * \note DebayerParams is passed by value deliberately so that a copy is passed
+	 * when this is run in another thread by invokeMethod().
+	 */
+	virtual void process(FrameBuffer *input, FrameBuffer *output, DebayerParams params) = 0;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Get the supported output sizes for the given input format and size.
+	 * \param[in] inputFormat The input format.
+	 * \param[in] inputSize The input size.
+	 *
+	 * \return The valid size ranges or an empty range if there are none.
+	 */
+	virtual SizeRange sizes(PixelFormat inputFormat, const Size &inputSize) = 0;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Signals when the input buffer is ready.
+	 */
+	Signal<FrameBuffer *> inputBufferReady;
+
+	/**
+	 * \brief Signals when the output buffer is ready.
+	 */
+	Signal<FrameBuffer *> outputBufferReady;
+};
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/meson.build b/src/libcamera/software_isp/meson.build
index e1fb8ccc..92fc90f3 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/meson.build
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
 
 libcamera_sources += files([
+    'debayer.cpp',
     'swstats_cpu.cpp',
 ])