diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-test.yml b/.github/workflows/build-test.yml
index 04bf10e6..3c111f92 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-test.yml
@@ -21,8 +21,14 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
       - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v1
 
+      - name: Install bpf-linker
+        run: cargo install bpf-linker
+
       - name: Build
         run: cargo build --verbose
 
+      - name: Build examples
+        run: cargo xtask examples
+
       - name: Run tests
         run: RUST_BACKTRACE=full cargo test --verbose
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b5990e2b..4d5ee638 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,6 +74,19 @@ let cgroup = File::open("/sys/fs/cgroup/unified")?;
 ingress.attach(cgroup, CgroupSkbAttachType::Ingress)?;
 ```
 
+### Examples
+
+There are some examples of how to use Aya to write BPF programs and userspace program in the `examples` directory. These can be compiled by running `cargo xtask examples`.
+The BPF examples require you to have a rust nightly toolchain installed.
+
+`cargo xtask examples`
+
+# Run
+
+## XDP
+
+`sudo ./examples/target/debug/xdp_userspace ./examples/target/bpfel-unknown-none/release/xdp wlp2s0`
+
 ## Community
 
 Join [the conversation on Discord][chat-url] to discuss anything related to aya.
diff --git a/examples/Cargo.toml b/examples/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a654e71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[workspace]
+members = ["user", "bpf"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9618c94b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+aya-examples
+============
+
+# Prerequisites
+
+1. Install a rust nightly toolchain: `rustup install nightly`
+1. Install bpf-linker: `cargo install bpf-linker`
+
+# Build
+
+From the project root directory, run `cargo xtask examples`
+
+# Run
+
+## XDP
+
+`sudo ./examples/target/debug/xdp_userspace wlp2s0`
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/bpf/Cargo.toml b/examples/bpf/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b5c94fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/bpf/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+[package]
+name = "bpf"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2018"
+publish = false
+
+[features]
+default = []
+user = [ "aya" ]
+
+[dependencies]
+aya-bpf = { path = "../../bpf/aya-bpf" }
+aya = { path = "../../aya", optional=true }
+
+[lib]
+path = "src/lib.rs"
+
+[[bin]]
+name = "xdp"
+path = "src/xdp/main.rs"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/bpf/src/lib.rs b/examples/bpf/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..371dc962
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/bpf/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#![no_std]
+
+pub mod xdp;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/bpf/src/xdp/main.rs b/examples/bpf/src/xdp/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bf147071
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/bpf/src/xdp/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#![no_std]
+#![no_main]
+
+use aya_bpf::bindings::xdp_action;
+use aya_bpf::cty::c_long;
+use aya_bpf::macros::{map, xdp};
+use aya_bpf::maps::Array;
+use aya_bpf::programs::XdpContext;
+
+use bpf::xdp::XdpData;
+
+#[panic_handler]
+fn panic(_info: &core::panic::PanicInfo) -> ! {
+    unreachable!()
+}
+
+#[map]
+static mut xdp_stats_map : Array<XdpData> = Array::with_max_entries(1,0);
+
+#[xdp(name = "xdp_stats")]
+pub fn xdp_stats(ctx: XdpContext) -> u32 {
+    match unsafe { try_xdp_stats(ctx) } {
+        Ok(ret) => ret,
+        Err(_) => xdp_action::XDP_DROP,
+    }
+}
+
+unsafe fn try_xdp_stats(_ctx: XdpContext) -> Result<u32, c_long> {
+    let data = match xdp_stats_map.get(0) {
+        Some(data) => data,
+        None => return Err(0)
+    };
+    let xdp_data = XdpData{
+        packet_count: data.packet_count + 1,
+    };
+    xdp_stats_map.set(0, &xdp_data, 0)?;
+    Ok(xdp_action::XDP_PASS)
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/bpf/src/xdp/mod.rs b/examples/bpf/src/xdp/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..73b19635
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/bpf/src/xdp/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#[derive(Copy, Clone)]
+#[repr(C)]
+pub struct XdpData {
+    pub packet_count : u32,
+}
+
+#[cfg(feature = "user")]
+unsafe impl aya::Pod for XdpData {}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/user/Cargo.toml b/examples/user/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a856d0a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/user/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[package]
+name = "user"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2018"
+publish = false
+
+[dependencies]
+aya = { path = "../../aya" }
+bpf = { path = "../bpf", features=["user"] }
+anyhow = "1.0.42"
+
+[[bin]]
+name = "xdp_userspace"
+path = "src/xdp.rs"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/user/src/xdp.rs b/examples/user/src/xdp.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..845a7363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/user/src/xdp.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+use aya::Bpf;
+use aya::maps::{Array, MapRefMut};
+use aya::programs::{Xdp, XdpFlags};
+use std::{
+    convert::TryFrom,
+    convert::TryInto,
+    env,
+    fs,
+    thread,
+    time::Duration,
+};
+
+use bpf::xdp::XdpData;
+
+fn main() {
+    if let Err(e) = try_main() {
+        eprintln!("error: {:#}", e);
+    }
+}
+
+fn try_main() -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
+    let path = match env::args().nth(1) {
+        Some(iface) => iface,
+        None => panic!("not path provided"),
+    };
+    let iface = match env::args().nth(2) {
+        Some(iface) => iface,
+        None => "eth0".to_string(),
+    };
+
+    let data = fs::read(path)?;
+    let mut bpf = Bpf::load(
+        &data,
+        None)?;
+
+    // get the `xdp_stats` program compiled into `xdp`.
+    let probe: &mut Xdp = bpf.program_mut("xdp_stats")?.try_into()?;
+
+    // load the program into the kernel
+    probe.load()?;
+
+    // attach to the interface
+    probe.attach(&iface, XdpFlags::default())?;
+
+    let xdp_stats_map : Array::<MapRefMut, XdpData> = Array::try_from(bpf.map_mut("xdp_stats_map")?)?;
+
+    for _i in 1..10 {
+        let data = xdp_stats_map.get(&0, 0)?;
+        println!("packets received: {}", data.packet_count);
+        thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(1));
+    };
+    Ok(())
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/xtask/src/examples/mod.rs b/xtask/src/examples/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6e72d10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xtask/src/examples/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use structopt::StructOpt;
+
+#[derive(StructOpt)]
+pub struct Options {}
+
+pub fn examples(_opts: Options) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
+    let dir = PathBuf::from("examples");
+    
+    // build bpf examples
+    let status = Command::new("cargo")
+        .current_dir(&dir)
+        .args(&["+nightly", "build", "--verbose", "--release", "--package=bpf", "--target=bpfel-unknown-none", "-Z", "build-std=core"])
+        .status()
+        .expect("failed to build bpf examples");
+    assert!(status.success());
+    
+    // build userspace examples
+    let status = Command::new("cargo")
+        .current_dir(&dir)
+        .args(&["build", "--verbose", "--package=user"])
+        .status()
+        .expect("failed to build userspace examples");
+    assert!(status.success());
+    
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/xtask/src/main.rs b/xtask/src/main.rs
index 14a923a5..4321a42b 100644
--- a/xtask/src/main.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/main.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 mod codegen;
+mod examples;
 
 use std::process::exit;
 
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ pub struct Options {
 #[derive(StructOpt)]
 enum Command {
     Codegen(codegen::Options),
+    Examples(examples::Options),
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ fn main() {
     use Command::*;
     let ret = match opts.command {
         Codegen(opts) => codegen::codegen(opts),
+        Examples(opts) => examples::examples(opts),
     };
 
     if let Err(e) = ret {