diff --git a/zircon.core/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/hexworks/zircon/internal/renderer/TestRenderer.kt b/zircon.core/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/hexworks/zircon/internal/renderer/TestRenderer.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a758c6167e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zircon.core/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/hexworks/zircon/internal/renderer/TestRenderer.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package org.hexworks.zircon.internal.renderer
+
+import org.hexworks.cobalt.databinding.api.extension.toProperty
+import org.hexworks.cobalt.databinding.api.property.Property
+import org.hexworks.cobalt.databinding.api.value.ObservableValue
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.behavior.Clearable
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.component.ComponentContainer
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.data.Size
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.graphics.TileGraphics
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.grid.TileGrid
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.resource.TilesetResource
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.uievent.UIEvent
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.uievent.UIEventResponse
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.view.base.BaseView
+import org.hexworks.zircon.internal.behavior.RenderableContainer
+import org.hexworks.zircon.internal.config.RuntimeConfig
+import org.hexworks.zircon.internal.graphics.FastTileGraphics
+import org.hexworks.zircon.internal.grid.ThreadSafeTileGrid
+import org.hexworks.zircon.internal.uievent.UIEventDispatcher
+
+/**
+ * This is a simple test renderer that draws things back into the provided [tileGraphics]. After instantiation,
+ * you should call [withComponentContainer] to add components and fragments, and then call [render] to see the result.
+ * You can also [dispatch] events to interact with it.
+ *
+ * @sample org.hexworks.zircon.internal.renderer.TestRendererTest.tinyExample
+ */
+class TestRenderer(
+    private val tileGraphics: TileGraphics,
+    tileset: TilesetResource = RuntimeConfig.config.defaultTileset,
+    gridSize: Size = Size.defaultGridSize()
+) : UIEventDispatcher, Renderer, Clearable {
+    private val tileGrid: TileGrid = ThreadSafeTileGrid(tileset, gridSize)
+    private val mainView = object : BaseView(tileGrid) {}
+    private val closedValueProperty: Property<Boolean> = false.toProperty()
+    override val closedValue: ObservableValue<Boolean> get() = closedValueProperty
+
+    init {
+        mainView.dock()
+    }
+
+    fun withComponentContainer(cb: ComponentContainer.() -> Unit) {
+        with(mainView.screen, cb)
+    }
+
+    override fun create() {
+    }
+
+    override fun clear() {
+        tileGraphics.clear()
+    }
+
+    override fun render() {
+        (tileGrid as RenderableContainer).renderables.forEach { renderable ->
+            if (!renderable.isHidden) {
+                val graphics = FastTileGraphics(
+                    initialSize = renderable.size,
+                    initialTileset = renderable.tileset,
+                    initialTiles = mapOf()
+                )
+                renderable.render(graphics)
+                graphics.contents().forEach { (pos, tile) ->
+                    tileGraphics.draw(tile, pos + renderable.position)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun dispatch(event: UIEvent): UIEventResponse = (mainView.screen as UIEventDispatcher).dispatch(event)
+
+    override fun close() {
+        if (!closedValueProperty.value) {
+            tileGrid.close()
+            closedValueProperty.value = true
+        }
+    }
+
+    override val isClosed: ObservableValue<Boolean> get() = closedValue
+}
diff --git a/zircon.core/src/jvmTest/kotlin/org/hexworks/zircon/internal/renderer/TestRendererTest.kt b/zircon.core/src/jvmTest/kotlin/org/hexworks/zircon/internal/renderer/TestRendererTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c3b96fb108
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zircon.core/src/jvmTest/kotlin/org/hexworks/zircon/internal/renderer/TestRendererTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package org.hexworks.zircon.internal.renderer
+
+import org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.ComponentDecorations.box
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.Components
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.DrawSurfaces
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.data.Size
+import org.hexworks.zircon.api.graphics.BoxType
+import org.hexworks.zircon.characterTilesAsString
+import org.junit.Test
+
+class TestRendererTest {
+    @Test
+    fun tinyExample() {
+        val graphics = DrawSurfaces.tileGraphicsBuilder().withSize(Size.create(3, 1)).build()
+        val testRenderer = TestRenderer(graphics).apply {
+            withComponentContainer {
+                addComponent(Components.textBox(3).addParagraph("Foo").build())
+            }
+        }
+        testRenderer.render()
+        assertThat(graphics.characterTilesAsString()).isEqualTo("Foo")
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun rendersAsExpected() {
+        val text = "Hello Zircon"
+        val graphics = DrawSurfaces.tileGraphicsBuilder().withSize(Size.create(text.length + 2, 4)).build()
+        val testRenderer = TestRenderer(graphics).apply {
+            withComponentContainer {
+                addComponent(Components.textBox(text.length)
+                    .withDecorations(box(boxType = BoxType.TOP_BOTTOM_DOUBLE))
+                    .addParagraph(text, withNewLine = false)
+                    .build())
+            }
+        }
+        testRenderer.render()
+        assertThat(graphics.characterTilesAsString()).isEqualTo("""
+            ╒════════════╕
+            │Hello Zircon│
+            │            │
+            ╘════════════╛
+        """.trimIndent())
+    }
+}