diff --git a/server/pkg/instance.go b/server/pkg/instance.go
index 1f26ef4..23179e1 100644
--- a/server/pkg/instance.go
+++ b/server/pkg/instance.go
@@ -1,12 +1,52 @@
 package llamactl
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"io"
+	"os/exec"
+	"sync"
+
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 )
 
 type Instance struct {
 	ID      uuid.UUID
-	Port    int
-	Status  string
+	Args    []string
 	Options *InstanceOptions
+
+	// Status
+	Running bool
+
+	// Output channels
+	StdOut chan string // Channel for sending output messages
+	StdErr chan string // Channel for sending error messages
+
+	// internal
+	cmd    *exec.Cmd          // Command to run the instance
+	ctx    context.Context    // Context for managing the instance lifecycle
+	cancel context.CancelFunc // Function to cancel the context
+	stdout io.ReadCloser      // Standard output stream
+	stderr io.ReadCloser      // Standard error stream
+	mu     sync.Mutex         // Mutex for synchronizing access to the instance
+}
+
+func NewInstance(id uuid.UUID, options *InstanceOptions) *Instance {
+	return &Instance{
+		ID:      id,
+		Args:    options.BuildCommandArgs(),
+		Options: options,
+
+		Running: false,
+
+		StdOut: make(chan string, 100),
+		StdErr: make(chan string, 100),
+	}
+}
+
+func (i *Instance) Start() *exec.Cmd {
+	args := i.Options.BuildCommandArgs()
+	cmd := exec.Command("llama-server", args...)
+
+	cmd.Start()
+	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/server/pkg/manager.go b/server/pkg/manager.go
index bf5fca1..22451de 100644
--- a/server/pkg/manager.go
+++ b/server/pkg/manager.go
@@ -46,15 +46,30 @@ func (im *instanceManager) ListInstances() ([]*Instance, error) {
 // CreateInstance creates a new instance with the given options and returns it.
 // The instance is initially in a "stopped" state.
 func (im *instanceManager) CreateInstance(options *InstanceOptions) (*Instance, error) {
-	id := uuid.New()
-	instance := &Instance{
-		ID:      id,
-		Port:    8080,      // Default port, can be changed later
-		Status:  "stopped", // Initial status
-		Options: options,
+	if options == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("instance options cannot be nil")
 	}
-	im.instances[id] = instance
+
+	// Generate a unique ID for the new instance
+	id := uuid.New()
+	for im.instances[id] != nil {
+		id = uuid.New() // Ensure unique ID
+	}
+
+	// Assign a port if not specified
+	if options.Port == 0 {
+		port, err := im.getNextAvailablePort()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get next available port: %w", err)
+		}
+		options.Port = port
+	}
+
+	instance := NewInstance(id, options)
+	im.instances[instance.ID] = instance
+
 	return instance, nil
+
 }
 
 // GetInstance retrieves an instance by its ID.
@@ -83,8 +98,8 @@ func (im *instanceManager) DeleteInstance(id uuid.UUID) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("instance with ID %s not found", id)
 	}
 
-	if im.instances[id].Status != "stopped" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("cannot delete a running instance, stop it first")
+	if im.instances[id].Running {
+		return fmt.Errorf("instance with ID %s is still running, stop it before deleting", id)
 	}
 
 	delete(im.instances, id)
@@ -98,13 +113,11 @@ func (im *instanceManager) StartInstance(id uuid.UUID) (*Instance, error) {
 	if !exists {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("instance with ID %s not found", id)
 	}
-	if instance.Status == "running" {
+	if instance.Running {
 		return instance, fmt.Errorf("instance with ID %s is already running", id)
 	}
 
 	//TODO:
-
-	instance.Status = "running"
 	return instance, nil
 }
 
@@ -114,12 +127,11 @@ func (im *instanceManager) StopInstance(id uuid.UUID) (*Instance, error) {
 	if !exists {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("instance with ID %s not found", id)
 	}
-	if instance.Status == "stopped" {
+	if !instance.Running {
 		return instance, fmt.Errorf("instance with ID %s is already stopped", id)
 	}
 
 	// TODO:
-	instance.Status = "stopped"
 	return instance, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/pkg/options.go b/server/pkg/options.go
index b7284ec..c0bd965 100644
--- a/server/pkg/options.go
+++ b/server/pkg/options.go
@@ -8,10 +8,35 @@ import (
 )
 
 type InstanceOptions struct {
-	Name string `json:"name,omitempty"`
+	Name string `json:"name,omitempty"` // Display name
+
+	// Auto restart
+	AutoRestart  bool `json:"auto_restart,omitempty"`
+	MaxRestarts  int  `json:"max_restarts,omitempty"`
+	RestartDelay int  `json:"restart_delay,omitempty"` // in seconds
+
 	*LlamaServerOptions
 }
 
+// UnmarshalJSON implements custom JSON unmarshaling with default values
+func (o *InstanceOptions) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
+	// Set defaults first
+	o.AutoRestart = true
+	o.MaxRestarts = 3
+	o.RestartDelay = 5
+
+	// Create a temporary struct to avoid recursion
+	type tempInstanceOptions InstanceOptions
+	temp := (*tempInstanceOptions)(o)
+
+	// Unmarshal into the temporary struct
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, temp); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 type LlamaServerOptions struct {
 	// Common params
 	VerbosePrompt           bool     `json:"verbose_prompt,omitempty"`