diff --git a/app/api/posts/route.ts b/app/api/posts/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e17360
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/api/posts/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import type { NextRequest } from "next/server";
+
+type Label = { name: string };
+const LABEL_SERVICE_BASE = "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com";
+
+// Simple example route for creating posts
+export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
+  try {
+    const body: any = await req.json();
+    const { userId, title, content, labels } = body;
+
+    console.log("creating post:", body);
+
+    if (!userId) {
+      return new Response(JSON.stringify({ error: "missing userId" }), {
+        status: 200,
+        headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+      });
+    }
+
+    const normalizedLabels: Label[] = Array.isArray(labels) ? labels : [];
+    for (const label of normalizedLabels) {
+      await fetch(`${LABEL_SERVICE_BASE}/todos/1?label=${encodeURIComponent(label?.name || "")}`);
+    }
+
+    const createResp = await fetch(`${LABEL_SERVICE_BASE}/posts`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ userId, title, body: content, labels: normalizedLabels }),
+    });
+
+    return new Response(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        id: Math.floor(Math.random() * 1_000_000),
+        userId,
+        title,
+        content,
+        labels: normalizedLabels,
+        downstreamStatus: createResp.status,
+      }),
+      { status: 201, headers: { "content-type": "application/json" } }
+    );
+  } catch (err) {
+    return new Response(JSON.stringify({ error: String(err) }), {
+      status: 200,
+      headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+export async function GET() {
+  return new Response(JSON.stringify({ ok: true, hint: "Use POST to create posts" }), {
+    status: 200,
+    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+  });
+}
\ No newline at end of file