diff --git a/rust/lance-arrow/src/lib.rs b/rust/lance-arrow/src/lib.rs
index 78c2b224e9..d08992bf3b 100644
--- a/rust/lance-arrow/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/lance-arrow/src/lib.rs
@@ -930,10 +930,7 @@ mod tests {
                 DataType::Struct(fields.clone()),
                 false,
             )]);
-            let children = types
-                .iter()
-                .map(|ty| new_empty_array(ty))
-                .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+            let children = types.iter().map(new_empty_array).collect::<Vec<_>>();
             let batch = RecordBatch::try_new(
                 Arc::new(schema.clone()),
                 vec![Arc::new(StructArray::new(fields, children, None)) as ArrayRef],
diff --git a/rust/lance/src/catalog.rs b/rust/lance/src/catalog.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2110cfdc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/lance/src/catalog.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The Lance Authors
+
+pub(crate) mod catalog_trait;
+pub(crate) mod dataset_identifier;
+pub(crate) mod namespace;
+
+pub use catalog_trait::Catalog;
+pub use dataset_identifier::DatasetIdentifier;
+pub use namespace::Namespace;
diff --git a/rust/lance/src/catalog/catalog_trait.rs b/rust/lance/src/catalog/catalog_trait.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7fb65eee9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/lance/src/catalog/catalog_trait.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The Lance Authors
+
+use crate::catalog::dataset_identifier::DatasetIdentifier;
+use crate::catalog::namespace::Namespace;
+use crate::dataset::Dataset;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+pub trait Catalog {
+    /// List all datasets under a specified namespace.
+    fn list_datasets(&self, namespace: &Namespace) -> Vec<DatasetIdentifier>;
+
+    /// Create a new dataset in the catalog.
+    fn create_dataset(
+        &self,
+        identifier: &DatasetIdentifier,
+        location: &str,
+    ) -> Result<Dataset, String>;
+
+    /// Check if a dataset exists in the catalog.
+    fn dataset_exists(&self, identifier: &DatasetIdentifier) -> bool;
+
+    /// Drop a dataset from the catalog.
+    fn drop_dataset(&self, identifier: &DatasetIdentifier) -> Result<(), String>;
+
+    /// Drop a dataset from the catalog and purge the metadata.
+    fn drop_dataset_with_purge(
+        &self,
+        identifier: &DatasetIdentifier,
+        purge: &bool,
+    ) -> Result<(), String>;
+
+    /// Rename a dataset in the catalog.
+    fn rename_dataset(
+        &self,
+        from: &DatasetIdentifier,
+        to: &DatasetIdentifier,
+    ) -> Result<(), String>;
+
+    /// Load a dataset from the catalog.
+    fn load_dataset(&self, name: &DatasetIdentifier) -> Result<Dataset, String>;
+
+    /// Invalidate cached table metadata from current catalog.
+    fn invalidate_dataset(&self, identifier: &DatasetIdentifier) -> Result<(), String>;
+
+    /// Register a dataset in the catalog.
+    fn register_dataset(&self, identifier: &DatasetIdentifier) -> Result<Dataset, String>;
+
+    /// Initialize the catalog.
+    fn initialize(&self, name: &str, properties: &HashMap<&str, &str>) -> Result<(), String>;
+}
diff --git a/rust/lance/src/catalog/dataset_identifier.rs b/rust/lance/src/catalog/dataset_identifier.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b447298116
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/lance/src/catalog/dataset_identifier.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The Lance Authors
+
+use crate::catalog::namespace::Namespace;
+use std::fmt;
+use std::hash::{Hash, Hasher};
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct DatasetIdentifier {
+    namespace: Namespace,
+    name: String,
+}
+
+impl DatasetIdentifier {
+    pub fn of(names: &[&str]) -> Self {
+        assert!(
+            !names.is_empty(),
+            "Cannot create dataset identifier without a dataset name"
+        );
+        let namespace = Namespace::of(&names[..names.len() - 1]);
+        let name = names[names.len() - 1].to_string();
+        Self { namespace, name }
+    }
+
+    pub fn of_namespace(namespace: Namespace, name: &str) -> Self {
+        assert!(!name.is_empty(), "Invalid dataset name: null or empty");
+        Self {
+            namespace,
+            name: name.to_string(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn parse(identifier: &str) -> Self {
+        let parts: Vec<&str> = identifier.split('.').collect();
+        Self::of(&parts)
+    }
+
+    pub fn has_namespace(&self) -> bool {
+        !self.namespace.is_empty()
+    }
+
+    pub fn namespace(&self) -> &Namespace {
+        &self.namespace
+    }
+
+    pub fn name(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.name
+    }
+
+    pub fn to_lowercase(&self) -> Self {
+        let new_levels: Vec<String> = self
+            .namespace
+            .levels()
+            .iter()
+            .map(|s| s.to_lowercase())
+            .collect();
+        let new_name = self.name.to_lowercase();
+        Self::of_namespace(
+            Namespace::of(&new_levels.iter().map(String::as_str).collect::<Vec<&str>>()),
+            &new_name,
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+impl PartialEq for DatasetIdentifier {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        self.namespace == other.namespace && self.name == other.name
+    }
+}
+
+impl Eq for DatasetIdentifier {}
+
+impl Hash for DatasetIdentifier {
+    fn hash<H: Hasher>(&self, state: &mut H) {
+        self.namespace.hash(state);
+        self.name.hash(state);
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for DatasetIdentifier {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        if self.has_namespace() {
+            write!(f, "{}.{}", self.namespace, self.name)
+        } else {
+            write!(f, "{}", self.name)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use std::hash::DefaultHasher;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dataset_identifier_of() {
+        let ds_id = DatasetIdentifier::of(&["namespace1", "namespace2", "dataset"]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds_id.namespace().levels(),
+            &vec!["namespace1".to_string(), "namespace2".to_string()]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(ds_id.name(), "dataset");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dataset_identifier_of_namespace() {
+        let namespace = Namespace::of(&["namespace1", "namespace2"]);
+        let ds_id = DatasetIdentifier::of_namespace(namespace.clone(), "dataset");
+        assert_eq!(ds_id.namespace(), &namespace);
+        assert_eq!(ds_id.name(), "dataset");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dataset_identifier_parse() {
+        let ds_id = DatasetIdentifier::parse("namespace1.namespace2.dataset");
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds_id.namespace().levels(),
+            &vec!["namespace1".to_string(), "namespace2".to_string()]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(ds_id.name(), "dataset");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dataset_identifier_has_namespace() {
+        let ds_id = DatasetIdentifier::parse("namespace1.namespace2.dataset");
+        assert!(ds_id.has_namespace());
+
+        let ds_id_no_ns = DatasetIdentifier::of(&["dataset"]);
+        assert!(!ds_id_no_ns.has_namespace());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dataset_identifier_to_lowercase() {
+        let ds_id = DatasetIdentifier::parse("Namespace1.Namespace2.Dataset");
+        let lower_ds_id = ds_id.to_lowercase();
+        assert_eq!(
+            lower_ds_id.namespace().levels(),
+            &vec!["namespace1".to_string(), "namespace2".to_string()]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(lower_ds_id.name(), "dataset");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dataset_identifier_equality() {
+        let ds_id1 = DatasetIdentifier::parse("namespace1.namespace2.dataset");
+        let ds_id2 = DatasetIdentifier::parse("namespace1.namespace2.dataset");
+        let ds_id3 = DatasetIdentifier::parse("namespace1.namespace2.other_dataset");
+        assert_eq!(ds_id1, ds_id2);
+        assert_ne!(ds_id1, ds_id3);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dataset_identifier_hash() {
+        let ds_id1 = DatasetIdentifier::parse("namespace1.namespace2.dataset");
+        let ds_id2 = DatasetIdentifier::parse("namespace1.namespace2.dataset");
+        let mut hasher1 = DefaultHasher::new();
+        ds_id1.hash(&mut hasher1);
+        let mut hasher2 = DefaultHasher::new();
+        ds_id2.hash(&mut hasher2);
+        assert_eq!(hasher1.finish(), hasher2.finish());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dataset_identifier_display() {
+        let ds_id = DatasetIdentifier::parse("namespace1.namespace2.dataset");
+        assert_eq!(format!("{}", ds_id), "namespace1.namespace2.dataset");
+
+        let ds_id_no_ns = DatasetIdentifier::of(&["dataset"]);
+        assert_eq!(format!("{}", ds_id_no_ns), "dataset");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rust/lance/src/catalog/namespace.rs b/rust/lance/src/catalog/namespace.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..960b95f81f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/lance/src/catalog/namespace.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The Lance Authors
+
+use std::fmt;
+use std::hash::{Hash, Hasher};
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct Namespace {
+    levels: Vec<String>,
+}
+
+impl Namespace {
+    pub fn empty() -> Self {
+        Self { levels: Vec::new() }
+    }
+
+    pub fn of(levels: &[&str]) -> Self {
+        assert!(
+            levels.iter().all(|&level| level != "\0"),
+            "Cannot create a namespace with the null-byte character"
+        );
+        Self {
+            levels: levels.iter().map(|&s| s.to_string()).collect(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn levels(&self) -> &[String] {
+        &self.levels
+    }
+
+    pub fn level(&self, pos: usize) -> &str {
+        &self.levels[pos]
+    }
+
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.levels.is_empty()
+    }
+
+    pub fn length(&self) -> usize {
+        self.levels.len()
+    }
+}
+
+impl PartialEq for Namespace {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        self.levels == other.levels
+    }
+}
+
+impl Eq for Namespace {}
+
+impl Hash for Namespace {
+    fn hash<H: Hasher>(&self, state: &mut H) {
+        self.levels.hash(state);
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for Namespace {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "{}", self.levels.join("."))
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Debug for Namespace {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        f.debug_struct("Namespace")
+            .field("levels", &self.levels)
+            .finish()
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use std::hash::DefaultHasher;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_empty_namespace() {
+        let ns = Namespace::empty();
+        assert!(ns.is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(ns.length(), 0);
+        assert_eq!(ns.levels().len(), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_namespace_of() {
+        let ns = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level2"]);
+        assert!(!ns.is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(ns.length(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(ns.level(0), "level1");
+        assert_eq!(ns.level(1), "level2");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[should_panic(expected = "Cannot create a namespace with the null-byte character")]
+    fn test_namespace_of_with_null_byte() {
+        Namespace::of(&["level1", "\0"]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_namespace_levels() {
+        let ns = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level2"]);
+        let levels = ns.levels();
+        assert_eq!(levels, &vec!["level1".to_string(), "level2".to_string()]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_namespace_equality() {
+        let ns1 = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level2"]);
+        let ns2 = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level2"]);
+        let ns3 = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level3"]);
+        assert_eq!(ns1, ns2);
+        assert_ne!(ns1, ns3);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_namespace_hash() {
+        let ns1 = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level2"]);
+        let ns2 = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level2"]);
+        let mut hasher1 = DefaultHasher::new();
+        ns1.hash(&mut hasher1);
+        let mut hasher2 = DefaultHasher::new();
+        ns2.hash(&mut hasher2);
+        assert_eq!(hasher1.finish(), hasher2.finish());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_namespace_display() {
+        let ns = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level2"]);
+        assert_eq!(format!("{}", ns), "level1.level2");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_namespace_debug() {
+        let ns = Namespace::of(&["level1", "level2"]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            format!("{:?}", ns),
+            "Namespace { levels: [\"level1\", \"level2\"] }"
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rust/lance/src/lib.rs b/rust/lance/src/lib.rs
index 706a553841..0c88f7b3c4 100644
--- a/rust/lance/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/lance/src/lib.rs
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ pub use lance_core::{datatypes, error};
 pub use lance_core::{Error, Result};
 
 pub mod arrow;
+pub mod catalog;
 pub mod datafusion;
 pub mod dataset;
 pub mod index;