diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 219c201..8dc6427 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ use anyhow::Context;
 use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
 use config::Config;
 use directories::{ProjectDirs, UserDirs};
+use persistent_state::PersistentState;
 
 mod config;
+mod persistent_state;
 
 static USER_DIRS: OnceLock<UserDirs> = OnceLock::new();
 static PROJ_DIRS: OnceLock<ProjectDirs> = OnceLock::new();
@@ -35,16 +37,22 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     // prepare for operation
     let cfg = Config::read_from_default_file().context("failed to load config")?;
     let downloader = cfg.downloader().context("failed to create downloader")?;
+    let mut persistent =
+        PersistentState::read_from_default_file().context("failed to load persistent state")?;
 
     match cli.command {
         CMD::Config => {
             println!("{cfg}");
-            Ok(())
         }
         CMD::License => {
             panic!("license passed first check");
         }
+        CMD::PersistentState => {
+            println!("{persistent}");
+        }
     }
+
+    persistent.save_to_default_file()
 }
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
@@ -56,8 +64,10 @@ struct CLI {
 
 #[derive(Subcommand)]
 enum CMD {
-    /// Print out the current configuration.
+    /// Print the current configuration.
     Config,
     /// Print the EUPL 1.2, under which this program is licensed.
     License,
+    /// Print the current persistent state.
+    PersistentState,
 }
diff --git a/src/persistent_state.rs b/src/persistent_state.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44f009c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/persistent_state.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+use std::{
+    fmt::Display,
+    fs::{create_dir_all, File},
+    io::{BufReader, BufWriter, Read, Write},
+    path::Path,
+};
+
+use anyhow::{bail, ensure, Context};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+use crate::PROJ_DIRS;
+
+const PERSISTENT_FILE: &str = "persistent_state.json";
+
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+#[serde(deny_unknown_fields, default)]
+pub struct PersistentState {}
+
+impl PersistentState {
+    pub fn read_from_default_file() -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        let dirs = PROJ_DIRS.get().expect("directories not initialized");
+
+        let mut path = dirs.preference_dir().to_path_buf();
+        path.push(PERSISTENT_FILE);
+
+        if path.is_file() {
+            Self::read_from_file(&path)
+        } else if !path.exists() {
+            Ok(Self::default())
+        } else {
+            bail!("persistent state file is neither file nor nonexistant")
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn read_from_file(path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        File::open(path)
+            .context("failed to open persistent state file")
+            .map(|r| BufReader::new(r))
+            .and_then(|r| Self::read_from(r))
+    }
+
+    pub fn read_from(reader: impl Read) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        serde_json::from_reader(reader).context("failed to parse persistent state file")
+    }
+
+    pub fn save_to_default_file(&self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let dirs = PROJ_DIRS.get().expect("directories not initialized");
+
+        let mut path = dirs.preference_dir().to_path_buf();
+        ensure!(
+            path.is_dir() || !path.exists(),
+            "preference directory is neither directory nor nonexistent"
+        );
+
+        if !path.exists() {
+            create_dir_all(&path).context("failed to create program preference directory")?;
+        }
+
+        path.push(PERSISTENT_FILE);
+        ensure!(
+            path.is_file() || !path.exists(),
+            "persistent state file is neither file nor nonexistant"
+        );
+
+        self.save_to_file(&path)
+    }
+
+    pub fn save_to_file(&self, path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        File::create(path)
+            .context("failed to create persistent state file")
+            .map(|w| BufWriter::new(w))
+            .and_then(|w| self.save_to(w))
+    }
+
+    pub fn save_to(&self, writer: impl Write) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        serde_json::to_writer(writer, &self).context("failed to write persistent state file")
+    }
+}
+
+impl Display for PersistentState {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "no persistent state yet")
+    }
+}