diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9d7492cd..0523537c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ tmp/*
 # releases directory
 releases/*
 
-# maiko directory
-maiko/
-
 
 # all PDFs (those explicitly checked in aren't ignored
 # normally when you have derived files, you ignore them from git
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index e69de29b..b68c6c73 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+[submodule "maiko"]
+	path = maiko
+	url = https://github.com/Interlisp/maiko
+	branch = master
+[submodule "notecards"]
+	path = notecards
+	url = https://github.com/Interlisp/notecards
+	branch = main
+[submodule "loops"]
+	path = loops
+	url = https://github.com/Interlisp/loops
+	branch = main
+[submodule "test"]
+	path = test
+	url = https://github.com/Interlisp/test
+	branch = master
diff --git a/loops b/loops
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..8508dd0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/loops
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 8508dd0d9af4b237c4f18c05d6655fefc621dfa3
diff --git a/maiko b/maiko
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..d791b1d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maiko
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit d791b1d3323a6d15accb67f99485255e95868f66
diff --git a/notecards b/notecards
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..32defaee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notecards
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 32defaee14bc67e6a3f5d4979c8752c559d769ac
diff --git a/test b/test
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..9f6d26f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 9f6d26f7194d8648b39d98d44fb21565120fd7d4