diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..22ce6df06eed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{
+    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible Node.js debug attributes.
+    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
+    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
+    "version": "0.2.0",
+    "configurations": [
+        {
+            "type": "node",
+            "request": "launch",
+            "name": "Launch Program",
+            "program": "${workspaceRoot}/app.js",
+            "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}"
+        },
+        {
+            "type": "node",
+            "request": "attach",
+            "name": "Attach to Process",
+            "port": 5858
+        }
+    ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c7c1623bc4e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+    "typescript.tsdk": "./node_modules/typescript/lib"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f5e64488a7f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+{
+	// See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
+	// for the documentation about the tasks.json format
+	"version": "0.1.0",
+	"command": "lerna",
+	"isShellCommand": true,
+	"echo command": true,
+	"showOutput": "always",
+	"suppressTaskName": true,
+	"tasks": [
+		// Installing dependencies
+		{
+			"taskName": "Install dependencies",
+			"args": ["exec", "npm", "install"]
+		},
+		{
+			"taskName": "Install loopback dependencies",
+			"args": ["exec", "npm", "install", "--scope", "loopback"]
+		},
+		{
+			"taskName": "Install juggler dependencies",
+			"args": ["exec", "npm", "install", "--scope", "@loopback/juggler"]
+		},
+		{
+			"taskName": "Install remoting dependencies",
+			"args": ["exec", "npm", "install", "--scope", "@loopback/remoting"]
+		},
+		// Running tests
+		{
+			// run all tests for every package
+			"taskName": "test", // DO NOT CHANGE (used for vscode ctrl+shift+t keybinding)
+			"args": ["run", "test"],
+			"isTestCommand": true
+		},
+	  {
+			"taskName": "Run loopback tests",
+			"args": ["run", "test", "--scope", "loopback"]
+		},
+	  {
+			"taskName": "Run juggler tests",
+			"args": ["run", "test", "--scope", "@loopback/juggler"]
+		},
+	  {
+			"taskName": "Run remoting tests",
+			"args": ["run", "test", "--scope", "@loopback/remoting"]
+		}
+	]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2078ed304f2c..e532fc1edfe7 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 {
   "license": "MIT",
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@types/mocha": "^2.2.38",
+    "@types/node": "^7.0.4",
     "chai": "^3.5.0",
     "dirty-chai": "^1.2.2",
     "lerna": "^2.0.0-beta.32",
     "request": "^2.79.0",
     "request-promise": "^4.1.1",
+    "sinon": "^1.17.7",
     "ts-node": "^2.0.0",
+    "tsconfig-paths": "^2.1.0",
     "typescript": "^2.1.5"
   },
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/juggler/package.json b/packages/juggler/package.json
index a561b628c4ef..5c86c1191319 100644
--- a/packages/juggler/package.json
+++ b/packages/juggler/package.json
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
     "black-box": "mocha --opts ../../test/mocha.opts.black-box",
-    "test": "npm run black-box && npm run white-box",
+    "test": "npm run white-box && npm run black-box",
     "white-box": "mocha --opts ../../test/mocha.opts.white-box"
   },
   "author": "IBM",
   "license": "MIT",
   "devDependencies": {
-    "mocha": "^3.2.0"
+    "mocha": "^3.2.0",
+    "mocha-gherkin": "^0.2.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/juggler/test/black-box/smoke.ts b/packages/juggler/test/black-box/smoke.ts
index f6186d3c4cce..7fd3f6d83f14 100644
--- a/packages/juggler/test/black-box/smoke.ts
+++ b/packages/juggler/test/black-box/smoke.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-import {expect} from '../../../../test/expect';
-
-suite('black-box smoke test', () => {
-  test('passes', () => {
+describe('white-box smoke test', () => {
+  it('passes', () => {
     expect(true).to.be.true();
   });
-});
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/juggler/test/white-box/smoke.ts b/packages/juggler/test/white-box/smoke.ts
index e80379f22bea..33b3a107cdcc 100644
--- a/packages/juggler/test/white-box/smoke.ts
+++ b/packages/juggler/test/white-box/smoke.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-import {expect} from '../../../../test/expect';
-
-describe('white-box smoke test', () => {
-  it('passes', () => {
+suite('white-box smoke test', () => {
+  test('passes', () => {
     expect(true).to.be.true();
   });
-});
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/.eslintignore b/packages/loopback/.eslintignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 009af5438f17..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/.eslintignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-dist
-coverage
diff --git a/packages/loopback/.travis.yml b/packages/loopback/.travis.yml
index 01bff6f247fc..fa5016567131 100644
--- a/packages/loopback/.travis.yml
+++ b/packages/loopback/.travis.yml
@@ -3,5 +3,4 @@ language: node_js
 node_js:
   - "4"
   - "6"
-  - "7"
-
+  - "7"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/index.ts b/packages/loopback/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f171ba262305
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/loopback/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+export {
+	Application,
+	AppConfig,
+	AppState
+} from './lib/application';
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/lib/application.ts b/packages/loopback/lib/application.ts
index 12164037a798..706c391a5db6 100644
--- a/packages/loopback/lib/application.ts
+++ b/packages/loopback/lib/application.ts
@@ -1,23 +1,35 @@
 import http = require('http');
-
 import bluebird = require('bluebird');
 
 export interface AppConfig {
   port : number;
 }
 
+export enum AppState {
+  cold,
+  starting,
+  listening,
+  crashed,
+  stopped
+}
+
 export class Application {
-  constructor(public config : AppConfig) {
+  // get runtime to enforce AppConfig as AppConfig
+  constructor(public config?: AppConfig) {
     if (config === undefined) {
       this.config = {port: 3000};
     }
   }
-  public start() : Promise<void> {
-    let server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
+
+  public state: AppState = AppState.cold;
+
+  async start() {
+    this.state = AppState.starting;
+    const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
       res.end();
     });
-    let listen = bluebird.promisify(server.listen, {context: server});
-
-    return listen(this.config.port);
+    const listen = bluebird.promisify(server.listen, {context: server});
+    await listen(this.config.port);
+    this.state = AppState.listening;
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/loopback.ts b/packages/loopback/loopback.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 2e2b1417f7da..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/loopback.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-export { Application, AppConfig } from './lib/application';
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/package.json b/packages/loopback/package.json
index d97b403a1099..e945d8684218 100644
--- a/packages/loopback/package.json
+++ b/packages/loopback/package.json
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   "author": "IBM",
   "license": "MIT",
   "devDependencies": {
-    "@types/mocha": "^2.2.38",
-    "mocha": "^3.2.0"
+    "mocha": "^3.2.0",
+    "mocha-gherkin": "^0.2.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping.ts b/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..affe80a9fa67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import * as util from 'loopback/test/support/util';
+
+Feature('Bootstrapping',
+  'In order to serve up my API',
+  'As a user',
+  'I want to start the app', () => {
+  Scenario('with default configs', () => {
+    let app;
+    let client;
+
+    Given('an app', () => {
+      app = util.createApp();
+    });
+    And('a client', () => {
+      client = util.createClient(app);
+    });
+    When('the app is started (on port 3000 by default)', async () => {
+      await app.start();
+    });
+    Then('the app responds with HTTP 200 when a request is sent to GET /', async () => {
+      const result = await client.get('/')
+      expect(result.statusCode).to.equal(200);
+    });
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping/features.md b/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping/features.md
deleted file mode 100644
index fccb843ab3af..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping/features.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-As a user I want to start the app
-
-  Scenario: using default configs
-    Given a newly scaffolded app
-    When I run it
-    Then it starts on port 3000
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping/index.ts b/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping/index.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index b5c3c6b99b63..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/test/black-box/bootstrapping/index.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-scenarios('User starting app', (util, expect) => {
-  context('Given an app using default configs', () => {
-    let app;
-    let client;
-
-    before(async () => {
-      app = util.createApp();
-      client = util.createClient(app);
-      await app.start();
-    });
-
-    it('will start the app on port 3000', async () => {
-      let result = await client.get('/')
-      expect(result.status).to.equal(200);
-    });
-  });
-});
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/support/client.ts b/packages/loopback/test/support/client.ts
index 567560e9068f..a19fc8e922a3 100644
--- a/packages/loopback/test/support/client.ts
+++ b/packages/loopback/test/support/client.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import { Application, AppConfig } from '../../loopback';
+import { Application, AppConfig } from 'loopback';
 import bluebird = require('bluebird');
 import request = require('request-promise');
 
 export class Client {
   constructor(public app : Application) {
-    
+
   }
 
   public get(path : string) : Promise<Result>{
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export class Client {
     return request(options)
       .then((response) => {
         return {
-          status: response.statusCode
+          statusCode: response.statusCode
         };
       });
   }
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/support/container.ts b/packages/loopback/test/support/container.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index bc42b00064de..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/test/support/container.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-import { Container } from 'inversify';
-import 'reflect-metadata';
-
-const container = new Container();
-
-export default container;
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/support/expect.ts b/packages/loopback/test/support/expect.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index fac4f4b92960..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/test/support/expect.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import chai = require('chai');
-import dirtyChai = require('dirty-chai');
-
-chai.use(dirtyChai);
-const expect = chai.expect;
-
-export default expect;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/support/scenarios.ts b/packages/loopback/test/support/scenarios.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index ec2b3599f24d..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/test/support/scenarios.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-import expect from './expect';
-import util from './util';
-
-global['scenarios'] = function(description : string, cb) {
-  describe(description, () => {
-    cb(util, expect);
-  });
-};
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/support/support.d.ts b/packages/loopback/test/support/support.d.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index fbe3c8459cf7..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/test/support/support.d.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-declare var scenarios : Function;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/support/util.ts b/packages/loopback/test/support/util.ts
index 5c5e37a954db..430fd3e62e6f 100644
--- a/packages/loopback/test/support/util.ts
+++ b/packages/loopback/test/support/util.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,10 @@
-import { Application, AppConfig } from '../../loopback';
+import { Application, AppConfig } from 'loopback';
 import { Client } from './client';
 
-
-class Util {
-  public createApp(config: AppConfig) : Application {
-    return new Application(config);
-  }
-  public createClient(app : Application) {
-    return new Client(app);
-  }
+export function createApp(config?: AppConfig) : Application {
+  return new Application(config);
 }
 
-
-
-export default new Util;
\ No newline at end of file
+export function createClient(app : Application) {
+  return new Client(app);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/white-box/application.ts b/packages/loopback/test/white-box/application.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..42fefa2cb241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/loopback/test/white-box/application.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import {Application, AppState} from 'loopback';
+
+suite('Application', () => {
+  suite('constructor(config?: AppConfig)', () => {
+    test('without config arg', () => {
+      const app = new Application();
+      expect(app.config).to.be.an('object');
+      expect(app.config.port).to.eql(3000);
+    });
+  })
+
+  suite('start()', () => {
+    test('when state is cold', async () => {
+      const app = new Application();
+      expect(app.state).to.equal(AppState.cold);
+      await app.start();
+      expect(app.state).to.equal(AppState.listening);
+    });
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/loopback/test/white-box/smoke.ts b/packages/loopback/test/white-box/smoke.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f6186d3c4cce..000000000000
--- a/packages/loopback/test/white-box/smoke.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import {expect} from '../../../../test/expect';
-
-suite('black-box smoke test', () => {
-  test('passes', () => {
-    expect(true).to.be.true();
-  });
-});
diff --git a/packages/remoting/package.json b/packages/remoting/package.json
index 8c691292e11a..191bbdf44983 100644
--- a/packages/remoting/package.json
+++ b/packages/remoting/package.json
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
     "black-box": "mocha --opts ../../test/mocha.opts.black-box",
-    "test": "npm run black-box && npm run white-box",
+    "test": "npm run white-box && npm run black-box",
     "white-box": "mocha --opts ../../test/mocha.opts.white-box"
   },
   "author": "IBM",
   "license": "MIT",
   "devDependencies": {
-    "mocha": "^3.2.0"
+    "mocha": "^3.2.0",
+    "mocha-gherkin": "^0.2.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/remoting/test/black-box/smoke.ts b/packages/remoting/test/black-box/smoke.ts
index f6186d3c4cce..63f4950e6df6 100644
--- a/packages/remoting/test/black-box/smoke.ts
+++ b/packages/remoting/test/black-box/smoke.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-import {expect} from '../../../../test/expect';
-
-suite('black-box smoke test', () => {
-  test('passes', () => {
+describe('black-box smoke test', () => {
+  it('passes', () => {
     expect(true).to.be.true();
   });
-});
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/remoting/test/white-box/smoke.ts b/packages/remoting/test/white-box/smoke.ts
index e80379f22bea..33b3a107cdcc 100644
--- a/packages/remoting/test/white-box/smoke.ts
+++ b/packages/remoting/test/white-box/smoke.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-import {expect} from '../../../../test/expect';
-
-describe('white-box smoke test', () => {
-  it('passes', () => {
+suite('white-box smoke test', () => {
+  test('passes', () => {
     expect(true).to.be.true();
   });
-});
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/expect.ts b/test/expect.ts
index 61bcc15b4484..d1a3e0965476 100644
--- a/test/expect.ts
+++ b/test/expect.ts
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@ import chai = require('chai');
 import dirtyChai = require('dirty-chai');
 
 chai.use(dirtyChai);
+const expect = chai.expect;
 
-export const expect = chai.expect;
+global['expect'] = expect;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/gherkin.ts b/test/gherkin.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..174fe575259c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gherkin.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+global['AsA'] = function(description : string, cb) {
+	describe(description, cb);
+};
+global['Scenario'] = function(description : string, cb) {
+	context(description, cb);
+};
+global['Given'] = function(description : string, cb) {
+	before(description, cb || function() {});
+};
+global['And'] = function(description : string, cb) {
+	before(description, cb || function() {});
+};
+global['When'] = function(description : string, cb) {
+	before(description, cb || function() {});
+};
+global['Then'] = function(description : string, cb) {
+	it(description, cb);
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/global-types.d.ts b/test/global-types.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..15fa4199f68b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/global-types.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+declare var expect : Function;
+declare var Feature : Function;
+declare var Scenario : any;
+declare var Given : any;
+declare var And : any;
+declare var When : any;
+declare var Then : any;
+declare var sinon : any;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/mocha.opts.black-box b/test/mocha.opts.black-box
index 74bdcd6054ff..17488e2f8fdd 100644
--- a/test/mocha.opts.black-box
+++ b/test/mocha.opts.black-box
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
---require ../../test/ts-nodify.js
---require test/support/scenarios.ts
---ui bdd
+--require ../../test/ts-node.js
+--compilers ts:tsconfig-paths/register
+--require ../../test/gherkin.ts
+--require ../../test/expect.ts
+--require ../../test/sinon.ts
+--ui mocha-gherkin --reporter mocha-gherkin/build/spec
 test/black-box/**/*.ts
diff --git a/test/mocha.opts.white-box b/test/mocha.opts.white-box
index d630e9925e24..e0b4d194a527 100644
--- a/test/mocha.opts.white-box
+++ b/test/mocha.opts.white-box
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
---require ../../test/ts-nodify.js
---require test/support/scenarios.ts
+--require ../../test/ts-node.js
+--compilers ts:tsconfig-paths/register
+--require ../../test/gherkin.ts
+--require ../../test/expect.ts
+--require ../../test/sinon.ts
 --ui tdd
 test/white-box/**/*.ts
diff --git a/test/sinon.ts b/test/sinon.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b4a0ccab35e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sinon.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+global['sinon'] = require('sinon');
diff --git a/test/ts-nodify.js b/test/ts-node.js
similarity index 100%
rename from test/ts-nodify.js
rename to test/ts-node.js
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index 3d85ea4cab3c..4c9483ae526a 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -1,16 +1,20 @@
 {
   "compilerOptions": {
-    "target": "es5",
+    "baseUrl": ".",
+    "paths": {
+      "*": ["packages/*"]
+    },
+    "emitDecoratorMetadata": true,
+    "experimentalDecorators": true,
     "lib": ["es6", "dom"],
-    "types": ["reflect-metadata"],
     "module": "commonjs",
     "moduleResolution": "node",
-    "experimentalDecorators": true,
-    "emitDecoratorMetadata": true
+    "target": "es5"
   },
   "include": [
     "examples/**/*.ts",
-    "packages/**/*.ts"
+    "packages/**/*.ts",
+    "test/global-types.d.ts"
   ],
   "exclude": [
     "node_modules"