diff --git a/.hilbishrc.lua b/.hilbishrc.lua
index 5d6382b..249f97e 100644
--- a/.hilbishrc.lua
+++ b/.hilbishrc.lua
@@ -1,18 +1,39 @@
 -- Default Hilbish config
+local hilbish = require 'hilbish'
 local lunacolors = require 'lunacolors'
 local bait = require 'bait'
 local ansikit = require 'ansikit'
 
+local unreadCount = 0
+local running = false
 local function doPrompt(fail)
 	hilbish.prompt(lunacolors.format(
 		'{blue}%u {cyan}%d ' .. (fail and '{red}' or '{green}') .. '∆ '
 	))
 end
 
+local function doNotifyPrompt()
+	if running or unreadCount == hilbish.messages.unreadCount() then return end
+
+	local notifPrompt = string.format('• %s unread notification%s', hilbish.messages.unreadCount(), hilbish.messages.unreadCount() > 1 and 's' or '')
+	unreadCount = hilbish.messages.unreadCount()
+	hilbish.prompt(lunacolors.blue(notifPrompt), 'right')
+
+	hilbish.timeout(function()
+		hilbish.prompt('', 'right')
+	end, 3000)
+end
+
 doPrompt()
 
+bait.catch('command.preexec', function()
+	running = true
+end)
+
 bait.catch('command.exit', function(code)
+	running = false
 	doPrompt(code ~= 0)
+	doNotifyPrompt()
 end)
 
 bait.catch('hilbish.vimMode', function(mode)
@@ -22,3 +43,7 @@ bait.catch('hilbish.vimMode', function(mode)
 		ansikit.cursorStyle(ansikit.lineCursor)
 	end
 end)
+
+bait.catch('hilbish.notification', function(notif)
+	doNotifyPrompt()
+end)
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4742feb..36b82da 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,7 +8,12 @@
   - `pipe` property to check if a sink with input is a pipe (like stdin)
 - Add fuzzy search to history search (enable via `hilbish.opts.fuzzy = true`)
 - Show indexes on cdr list
+- `hilbish.messages` interface (details in [#219])
+- `hilbish.notification` signal when a message/notification is sent
+- `notifyJobFinish` opt to send a notification when background jobs are
+completed.
 
+[#219]: https://github.com/Rosettea/Hilbish/issues/219
 ### Fixed
 - Replaced `sed` in-place editing with `grep` and `mv` for compatibility with BSD utils
 
diff --git a/docs/hooks/command.md b/docs/hooks/command.md
index cd1ae3c..2d29f4b 100644
--- a/docs/hooks/command.md
+++ b/docs/hooks/command.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
++ `command.preexec` -> input, cmdStr > Thrown before a command
+is executed. The `input` is the user written command, while `cmdStr`
+is what will be executed (`input` will have aliases while `cmdStr`
+will have alias resolved input).
+
 + `command.exit` -> code, cmdStr > Thrown when a command exits.
 `code` is the exit code of the command, and `cmdStr` is the command that was run.
 
diff --git a/docs/hooks/hilbish.md b/docs/hooks/hilbish.md
index 3d6d2ea..7118901 100644
--- a/docs/hooks/hilbish.md
+++ b/docs/hooks/hilbish.md
@@ -7,3 +7,6 @@
 like yanking or pasting text. See `doc vim-mode actions` for more info.
 
 + `hilbish.cancel` > Sent when the user cancels their input with Ctrl-C.
+
++ `hilbish.notification` -> message > Sent when a message is
+sent.
diff --git a/nature/hummingbird.lua b/nature/hummingbird.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..581e92c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nature/hummingbird.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+local bait = require 'bait'
+local commander = require 'commander'
+local lunacolors = require 'lunacolors'
+
+local M = {}
+local counter = 0
+local unread = 0
+M._messages = {}
+M.icons = {
+	INFO = '',
+	SUCCESS = '',
+	WARN = '',
+	ERROR = ''
+}
+
+hilbish.messages = {}
+
+--- Represents a Hilbish message.
+--- @class hilbish.message
+--- @field icon string Unicode (preferably standard emoji) icon for the message notification.
+--- @field title string Title of the message (like an email subject).
+--- @field text string Contents of the message.
+--- @field channel string Short identifier of the message. `hilbish` and `hilbish.*` is preserved for internal Hilbish messages.
+--- @field summary string A short summary of the message.
+--- @field read boolean Whether the full message has been read or not.
+
+function expect(tbl, field)
+	if not tbl[field] or tbl[field] == '' then
+		error(string.format('expected field %s in message'))
+	end
+end
+
+--- Sends a message.
+--- @param message hilbish.message
+function hilbish.messages.send(message)
+	expect(message, 'text')
+	expect(message, 'title')
+	counter = counter + 1
+	unread = unread + 1
+	message.index = counter
+	message.read = false
+
+	M._messages[message.index] = message
+	bait.throw('hilbish.notification', message)
+end
+
+function hilbish.messages.read(idx)
+	local msg = M._messages[idx]
+	if msg then
+		M._messages[idx].read = true
+		unread = unread - 1
+	end
+end
+
+function hilbish.messages.readAll(idx)
+	for _, msg in ipairs(hilbish.messages.all()) do
+		hilbish.messages.read(msg.index)
+	end
+end
+
+function hilbish.messages.unreadCount()
+	return unread
+end
+
+function hilbish.messages.delete(idx)
+	local msg = M._messages[idx]
+	if not msg then
+		error(string.format('invalid message index %d', idx or -1))
+	end
+
+	M._messages[idx] = nil
+end
+
+function hilbish.messages.clear()
+	for _, msg in ipairs(hilbish.messages.all()) do
+		hilbish.messages.delete(msg.index)
+	end
+end
+
+function hilbish.messages.all()
+	return M._messages
+end
+
+return M
diff --git a/nature/init.lua b/nature/init.lua
index d1f919c..9e78135 100644
--- a/nature/init.lua
+++ b/nature/init.lua
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ require 'nature.completions'
 require 'nature.opts'
 require 'nature.vim'
 require 'nature.runner'
+require 'nature.hummingbird'
 
 local shlvl = tonumber(os.getenv 'SHLVL')
 if shlvl ~= nil then
diff --git a/nature/opts/init.lua b/nature/opts/init.lua
index 10af1d6..56c34ba 100644
--- a/nature/opts/init.lua
+++ b/nature/opts/init.lua
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ local defaultOpts = {
 The nice lil shell for {blue}Lua{reset} fanatics!
 ]], hilbish.user),
 	motd = true,
-	fuzzy = false
+	fuzzy = false,
+	notifyJobFinish = true
 }
 
 for optsName, default in pairs(defaultOpts) do
diff --git a/nature/opts/notifyJobFinish.lua b/nature/opts/notifyJobFinish.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8841a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nature/opts/notifyJobFinish.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+local bait = require 'bait'
+local lunacolors = require 'lunacolors'
+
+bait.catch('job.done', function(job)
+	if not hilbish.opts.notifyJobFinish then return end
+	local notifText = string.format(lunacolors.format [[
+Background job with ID#%d has exited (PID %d).
+Command string: {bold}{yellow}%s{reset}]], job.id, job.pid, job.cmd)
+
+	if job.stdout ~= '' then
+		notifText = notifText .. '\n\nStandard output:\n' .. job.stdout
+	end
+	if job.stderr ~= '' then
+		notifText = notifText .. '\n\nStandard error:\n' .. job.stderr
+	end
+
+	hilbish.messages.send {
+		channel = 'jobNotify',
+		title = string.format('Job ID#%d Exited', job.id),
+		summary = string.format(lunacolors.format 'Background job with command {bold}{yellow}%s{reset} has finished running!', job.cmd),
+		text = notifText
+	}
+end)
diff --git a/website/content/docs/features/notifications.md b/website/content/docs/features/notifications.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3a9b53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/content/docs/features/notifications.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+---
+title: Notification
+description: Get notified of shell actions.
+layout: doc
+menu: 
+  docs:
+    parent: "Features"
+---
+
+Hilbish features a simple notification system which can be
+used by other plugins and parts of the shell to notify the user
+of various actions. This is used via the `hilbish.message` interface.
+
+A `message` is defined as a table with the following properties:
+- `icon`: A unicode/emoji icon for the notification.
+- `title`: The title of the message
+- `text`: Message text/body
+- `channel`: The source of the message. This should be a
+unique and easily readable text identifier.
+- `summary`: A short summary of the notification and message.
+If this is not present and you are using this to display messages,
+you should take part of the `text` instead.
+
+The `hilbish.message` interface provides the following functions:
+- `send(message)`: Sends a message and emits the `hilbish.notification`
+signal. DO NOT emit the `hilbish.notification` signal directly, or
+the message will not be stored by the message handler.
+- `read(idx)`: Marks message at `idx` as read.
+- `delete(idx)`: Removes message at `idx`.
+- `readAll()`: Marks all messages as read.
+- `clear()`: Deletes all messages.
+
+There are a few simple use cases of this notification/messaging system.
+It could also be used as some "inter-shell" messaging system (???) but
+is intended to display to users.
+
+An example is notifying users of completed jobs/commands ran in the background.
+Any Hilbish-native command (think the upcoming Greenhouse pager) can display
+it.