diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/RawToken.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/RawToken.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8bc6bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/RawToken.java
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+/** Represents a raw (unclassified) token in the tokenizer. */
+public record RawToken(RawTokenType type, String value, int line, int column) {}
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/RawTokenType.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/RawTokenType.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b37d430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/RawTokenType.java
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+public enum RawTokenType {
+    WORD,
+    STRING,
+    SEPARATOR,
+    NEWLINE,
+    EOF
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/State.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/State.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d130a52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/State.java
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/** Internal state for the tokenizer. */
+class State {
+    final String input;
+    int pos;
+    int line;
+    int column;
+    final List<RawToken> tokens;
+
+    State(String input) {
+        this.input = input;
+        this.pos = 0;
+        this.line = 1;
+        this.column = 1;
+        this.tokens = new ArrayList<>();
+    }
+
+    char current() {
+        return input.charAt(pos);
+    }
+
+    char peek() {
+        if (pos + 1 >= input.length()) {
+            return '\0';
+        }
+        return input.charAt(pos + 1);
+    }
+
+    void advance() {
+        pos++;
+        column++;
+    }
+
+    boolean isEof() {
+        return pos >= input.length();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/Token.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/Token.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93b9026
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/Token.java
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+/** Represents a token in the tokenizer. */
+public record Token(TokenType type, String value, int line, int column) {}
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenClassifier.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenClassifier.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb19021
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenClassifier.java
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+public class TokenClassifier {
+    public static List<Token> classify(List<RawToken> rawTokens) {
+        validateFirstToken(rawTokens);
+
+        List<Token> tokens = new ArrayList<>();
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < rawTokens.size(); i++) {
+            RawToken raw = rawTokens.get(i);
+
+            switch (raw.type()) {
+                case SEPARATOR -> {
+                    validateSeparator(rawTokens, i);
+                    tokens.add(
+                            new Token(TokenType.SEPARATOR, raw.value(), raw.line(), raw.column()));
+                }
+                case WORD -> {
+                    TokenType type = resolveWordType(rawTokens, i);
+                    tokens.add(new Token(type, raw.value(), raw.line(), raw.column()));
+                }
+                case STRING -> {
+                    validateString(rawTokens, i);
+                    tokens.add(new Token(TokenType.VALUE, raw.value(), raw.line(), raw.column()));
+                }
+
+                case NEWLINE -> {
+                    throw new TokenizerException(
+                            "Unexpected newline in request", raw.line(), raw.column());
+                }
+
+                case EOF -> {
+                    tokens.add(new Token(TokenType.EOF, raw.value(), raw.line(), raw.column()));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        return tokens;
+    }
+
+    private static void validateFirstToken(List<RawToken> rawTokens) {
+        if (rawTokens.isEmpty() || rawTokens.get(0).type() != RawTokenType.WORD) {
+            throw new TokenizerException("Expected COMMAND as first token", 1, 1);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void validateSeparator(List<RawToken> rawTokens, int index) {
+        boolean missingKey = index == 0 || rawTokens.get(index - 1).type() != RawTokenType.WORD;
+
+        boolean missingValue =
+                index + 1 >= rawTokens.size()
+                        || (rawTokens.get(index + 1).type() != RawTokenType.WORD
+                                && rawTokens.get(index + 1).type() != RawTokenType.STRING);
+
+        boolean nextWordIsKey =
+                !missingValue
+                        && rawTokens.get(index + 1).type() == RawTokenType.WORD
+                        && index + 2 < rawTokens.size()
+                        && rawTokens.get(index + 2).type() == RawTokenType.SEPARATOR;
+
+        RawToken separator = rawTokens.get(index);
+
+        if (missingKey) {
+            throw new TokenizerException(
+                    "Expected KEY before '='", separator.line(), separator.column());
+        }
+
+        if (missingValue || nextWordIsKey) {
+            throw new TokenizerException(
+                    "Expected VALUE after '='", separator.line(), separator.column());
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void validateString(List<RawToken> rawTokens, int index) {
+        boolean afterSeparator =
+                index > 0 && rawTokens.get(index - 1).type() == RawTokenType.SEPARATOR;
+
+        if (!afterSeparator) {
+            RawToken token = rawTokens.get(index);
+            throw new TokenizerException("Unexpected string literal", token.line(), token.column());
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static TokenType resolveWordType(List<RawToken> rawTokens, int index) {
+        boolean isFirst = index == 0;
+        boolean afterNewline = index > 0 && rawTokens.get(index - 1).type() == RawTokenType.NEWLINE;
+        boolean afterSeparator =
+                index > 0 && rawTokens.get(index - 1).type() == RawTokenType.SEPARATOR;
+
+        if (isFirst || afterNewline) {
+            return TokenType.COMMAND;
+        }
+
+        if (afterSeparator) {
+            return TokenType.VALUE;
+        }
+
+        return TokenType.KEY;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenType.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenType.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af52b02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenType.java
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+/** Enumeration of token types used in the tokenizer. */
+public enum TokenType {
+    COMMAND,
+    KEY,
+    VALUE,
+    SEPARATOR,
+    EOF
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/Tokenizer.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/Tokenizer.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..805d05b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/Tokenizer.java
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * A static utility class for tokenizing input strings into a sequence of tokens.
+ *
+ * <p>Strings can be enclosed in single quotes and may contain escaped single quotes using a
+ * backslash.
+ */
+public class Tokenizer {
+    /**
+     * Tokenizes the given input string into a list of tokens.
+     *
+     * @param input the string to tokenize
+     * @return a list of tokens representing the input
+     * @throws TokenizerException if the input contains unexpected characters, unterminated strings,
+     *     or other syntax errors
+     */
+    public static List<RawToken> tokenize(String input) {
+        State state = new State(input);
+
+        while (!state.isEof()) {
+            char c = state.current();
+
+            if (c == ' ' || c == '\t') {
+                state.advance();
+
+            } else if (c == '\n') {
+                readNewline(state);
+
+            } else if (c == '=') {
+                readSeparator(state);
+
+            } else if (c == '\'') {
+                readString(state);
+
+            } else if (Character.isLetterOrDigit(c) || c == '_') {
+                readWord(state);
+
+            } else {
+                throw new TokenizerException(
+                        "Unexpected character '" + c + "'", state.line, state.column);
+            }
+        }
+
+        state.tokens.add(new RawToken(RawTokenType.EOF, null, state.line, state.column));
+        return state.tokens;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a newline character and creates a NEWLINE token.
+     *
+     * <p>Updates the line counter and resets the column to 1.
+     *
+     * @param state the current parsing state
+     */
+    private static void readNewline(State state) {
+        state.tokens.add(new RawToken(RawTokenType.NEWLINE, "", state.line, state.column));
+        state.advance();
+        state.line++;
+        state.column = 1;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a separator character ('=') and creates a SEPARATOR token.
+     *
+     * @param state the current parsing state
+     */
+    private static void readSeparator(State state) {
+        state.tokens.add(new RawToken(RawTokenType.SEPARATOR, "=", state.line, state.column));
+        state.advance();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a word (sequence of alphanumeric characters and underscores) and creates an appropriate
+     * token (COMMAND, KEY, or VALUE) based on the parsing context.
+     *
+     * <p>The token type is determined by the {@link #resolveWordType(State)} method.
+     *
+     * @param state the current parsing state
+     */
+    private static void readWord(State state) {
+        int startColumn = state.column;
+        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+
+        while (!state.isEof()
+                && (Character.isLetterOrDigit(state.current()) || state.current() == '_')) {
+            sb.append(state.current());
+            state.advance();
+        }
+
+        state.tokens.add(new RawToken(RawTokenType.WORD, sb.toString(), state.line, startColumn));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a string literal enclosed in single quotes and creates a VALUE token.
+     *
+     * <p>Supports escaped single quotes using backslash notation (\'). Newlines within strings are
+     * properly tracked for line counting.
+     *
+     * @param state the current parsing state
+     * @throws TokenizerException if the string literal is not terminated before end of input
+     */
+    private static void readString(State state) {
+        int startColumn = state.column;
+        state.advance();
+        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+
+        while (true) {
+            if (state.isEof()) {
+                throw new TokenizerException(
+                        "Unterminated string literal", state.line, startColumn);
+            }
+
+            char c = state.current();
+
+            if (c == '\\' && state.peek() == '\'') {
+                sb.append('\'');
+                state.advance();
+                state.advance();
+
+            } else if (c == '\'') {
+                state.advance();
+                break;
+
+            } else {
+                if (c == '\n') {
+                    state.line++;
+                    state.column = 1;
+                }
+                sb.append(c);
+                state.advance();
+            }
+        }
+
+        state.tokens.add(new RawToken(RawTokenType.STRING, sb.toString(), state.line, startColumn));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenizerException.java b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenizerException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0975b1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenizerException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+/** Exception thrown during tokenization. */
+public class TokenizerException extends RuntimeException {
+    private final int line;
+    private final int column;
+
+    public TokenizerException(String message, int line, int column) {
+        super(message);
+        this.line = line;
+        this.column = column;
+    }
+
+    public int getLine() {
+        return line;
+    }
+
+    public int getColumn() {
+        return column;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/StateTest.java b/src/test/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/StateTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f498d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/StateTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
+
+class StateTest {
+    @Test
+    void testConstructor() {
+        String input = "hello";
+        State state = new State(input);
+        assertEquals(input, state.input);
+        assertEquals(0, state.pos);
+        assertEquals(1, state.line);
+        assertEquals(1, state.column);
+        assertTrue(state.tokens.isEmpty());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testCurrent() {
+        String input = "abc";
+        State state = new State(input);
+        assertEquals('a', state.current());
+        state.advance();
+        assertEquals('b', state.current());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testPeek() {
+        String input = "abc";
+        State state = new State(input);
+        assertEquals('b', state.peek());
+        state.advance();
+        assertEquals('c', state.peek());
+        state.advance();
+        assertEquals('\0', state.peek()); // End of input
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testAdvance() {
+        String input = "abc";
+        State state = new State(input);
+        assertEquals(0, state.pos);
+        assertEquals(1, state.column);
+        state.advance();
+        assertEquals(1, state.pos);
+        assertEquals(2, state.column);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testIsEof() {
+        String input = "a";
+        State state = new State(input);
+        assertFalse(state.isEof());
+        state.advance();
+        assertTrue(state.isEof());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenizerExceptionTest.java b/src/test/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenizerExceptionTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ed20d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/ch/unibas/dmi/dbis/cs108/casono/server/tokenizer/TokenizerExceptionTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package ch.unibas.dmi.dbis.cs108.casono.server.tokenizer;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+
+class TokenizerExceptionTest {
+    @Test
+    void testConstructorAndGetters() {
+        String message = "Test error";
+        int line = 5;
+        int column = 10;
+        TokenizerException e = new TokenizerException(message, line, column);
+        assertEquals(message, e.getMessage());
+        assertEquals(line, e.getLine());
+        assertEquals(column, e.getColumn());
+    }
+}