diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..82f03e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+name: Tests
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main]
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: '20'
+          cache: 'npm'
+      
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: npm ci
+      
+      - name: Build
+        run: npm run build
+      
+      - name: Run tests
+        run: npm run test:run
diff --git a/src/core/commands.test.ts b/src/core/commands.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f8f360
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/commands.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { parseCommand, COMMANDS, HELP_TEXT } from './commands.js';
+
+describe('parseCommand', () => {
+  describe('valid commands', () => {
+    it('returns "status" for /status', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('/status')).toBe('status');
+    });
+
+    it('returns "heartbeat" for /heartbeat', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('/heartbeat')).toBe('heartbeat');
+    });
+
+    it('returns "help" for /help', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('/help')).toBe('help');
+    });
+
+    it('returns "start" for /start', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('/start')).toBe('start');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('invalid input', () => {
+    it('returns null for non-slash messages', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('hello')).toBeNull();
+      expect(parseCommand('status')).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('returns null for empty string', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('')).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('returns null for null/undefined', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand(null)).toBeNull();
+      expect(parseCommand(undefined)).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('returns null for unknown commands', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('/unknown')).toBeNull();
+      expect(parseCommand('/foo')).toBeNull();
+      expect(parseCommand('/stats')).toBeNull(); // Similar but not exact
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('command parsing', () => {
+    it('handles commands with extra text after', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('/status please')).toBe('status');
+      expect(parseCommand('/help me')).toBe('help');
+    });
+
+    it('is case insensitive', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('/STATUS')).toBe('status');
+      expect(parseCommand('/Help')).toBe('help');
+      expect(parseCommand('/HEARTBEAT')).toBe('heartbeat');
+    });
+
+    it('handles commands with leading/trailing whitespace in args', () => {
+      expect(parseCommand('/status   ')).toBe('status');
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe('COMMANDS', () => {
+  it('contains all expected commands', () => {
+    expect(COMMANDS).toContain('status');
+    expect(COMMANDS).toContain('heartbeat');
+    expect(COMMANDS).toContain('help');
+    expect(COMMANDS).toContain('start');
+  });
+
+  it('has exactly 4 commands', () => {
+    expect(COMMANDS).toHaveLength(4);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('HELP_TEXT', () => {
+  it('contains command descriptions', () => {
+    expect(HELP_TEXT).toContain('/status');
+    expect(HELP_TEXT).toContain('/heartbeat');
+    expect(HELP_TEXT).toContain('/help');
+  });
+
+  it('contains LettaBot branding', () => {
+    expect(HELP_TEXT).toContain('LettaBot');
+  });
+});