diff --git a/build/rules/check-composer.mk b/build/rules/check-composer.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..decbed9b8cc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/check-composer.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Check that composer exists
+
+ifndef COMPOSER_CHECK_HAS_BEEN_DONE
+	COMPOSER_CHECK_HAS_BEEN_DONE=true
+
+COMPOSER_BIN := $(shell command -v composer 2> /dev/null)
+ifndef COMPOSER_BIN
+    $(error composer is not available on your system, please install composer)
+endif
+
+endif
diff --git a/build/rules/check-npm.mk b/build/rules/check-npm.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f94bc615c13f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/check-npm.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Check that npm exists
+
+ifndef NPM_CHECK_HAS_BEEN_DONE
+	NPM_CHECK_HAS_BEEN_DONE=true
+
+NPM := $(shell command -v npm 2> /dev/null)
+ifndef NPM
+    $(error npm is not available on your system, please install npm)
+endif
+
+endif
diff --git a/build/rules/clean.mk b/build/rules/clean.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..26408abd31b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/clean.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+##
+## Common clean rules
+##--------------------------------------
+
+ifndef CLEAN_HAS_BEEN_INCLUDED
+	CLEAN_HAS_BEEN_INCLUDED=true
+
+.PHONY: clean-deps
+clean-deps: ## Clean all dependencies
+clean-deps: $(clean_deps_rules)
+
+.PHONY: clean
+clean: ## Clean all dependencies, build and dist
+clean: clean-deps $(clean_dist_rules) $(clean_build_rules)
+
+endif
diff --git a/build/rules/dist.mk b/build/rules/dist.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1f1c8ece5894
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/dist.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+##
+## Distribution tarball
+##--------------------------------------
+
+# signing
+PATH_TO_OCC=$(CURDIR)/occ
+ifeq ("$(wildcard $(PATH_TO_OCC))","")
+	PATH_TO_OCC=$(CURDIR)/../../occ
+endif
+occ=$(PATH_TO_OCC)
+private_key=$(HOME)/.owncloud/certificates/$(app_name).key
+certificate=$(HOME)/.owncloud/certificates/$(app_name).crt
+sign=$(occ) integrity:sign-app --privateKey="$(private_key)" --certificate="$(certificate)"
+sign_skip_msg="Skipping signing, either no key and certificate found in $(private_key) and $(certificate) or occ can not be found at $(occ)"
+ifneq (,$(wildcard $(private_key)))
+ifneq (,$(wildcard $(certificate)))
+ifneq (,$(wildcard $(occ)))
+	CAN_SIGN=true
+endif
+endif
+endif
+
+# If the app_name has not been specified by the caller,
+# then use the name of the directory that the main "make" is being run from.
+ifndef app_name
+	app_name=$(notdir $(CURDIR))
+endif
+
+# If not specified by the caller, then select some common doc files to put in the tarball.
+ifndef doc_files
+	doc_files=CHANGELOG.md README.md
+ifneq ("$(wildcard LICENSE)","")
+	doc_files+=LICENSE
+endif
+ifneq ("$(wildcard LICENSE.md)","")
+	doc_files+=LICENSE.md
+endif
+ifneq ("$(wildcard CONTRIBUTING.md)","")
+	doc_files+=CONTRIBUTING.md
+endif
+endif
+
+# If not specified by the caller, then select a "standard" set of dirs to put in the tarball.
+ifndef src_dirs
+	src_dirs=appinfo css img js l10n lib templates
+endif
+
+all_src=$(src_dirs) $(extra_dirs) $(doc_files) $(extra_files)
+
+# Put the tarball and any other artifacts in a build dir by default
+ifndef build_dir
+	build_dir=$(CURDIR)/build
+endif
+
+# Put the tarball in a dist sub-dir of build_dir by default
+ifndef dist_dir
+	dist_dir=$(build_dir)/dist
+endif
+
+#
+# dist
+#
+$(dist_dir)/$(app_name): $(composer_deps) $(bower_deps) $(nodejs_deps)
+	rm -Rf $@; mkdir -p $@
+	cp -R $(all_src) $@
+
+ifdef CAN_SIGN
+	$(sign) --path="$(dist_dir)/$(app_name)"
+else
+	@echo $(sign_skip_msg)
+endif
+	tar -czf $(dist_dir)/$(app_name).tar.gz -C $(dist_dir) $(app_name)
+
+.PHONY: dist
+dist: ## Make the tarball for release distribution
+dist: $(dist_dir)/$(app_name)
+
+clean_dist_rules+=clean-dist
+clean_build_rules+=clean-build
+
+.PHONY: clean-dist
+clean-dist: ## Clean the dist directory
+clean-dist:
+	rm -Rf $(dist_dir)
+
+.PHONY: clean-build
+clean-build: ## Clean the build directory
+clean-build:
+	rm -Rf $(build_dir)
+
diff --git a/build/rules/help.mk b/build/rules/help.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..378e302102ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/help.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Define the help target and make it the default
+
+.DEFAULT_GOAL := help
+
+# start with displaying help
+help:
+	@fgrep -h "##" $(MAKEFILE_LIST) | fgrep -v fgrep | sed -e 's/\\$$//' | sed -e 's/##//' | sed -e 's/  */ /' | column -t -s :
+
diff --git a/build/rules/test-acceptance.mk b/build/rules/test-acceptance.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a8ecca203f2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/test-acceptance.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+##
+## Acceptance Tests
+##--------------------------------------
+
+RELATIVE_PATH := $(dir $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
+include $(RELATIVE_PATH)check-composer.mk
+
+acceptance_test_deps=vendor-bin/behat/vendor
+
+# bin file definitions
+BEHAT_BIN=vendor-bin/behat/vendor/bin/behat
+PHP_CODESNIFFER=vendor-bin/php_codesniffer/vendor/bin/phpcs
+
+.PHONY: test-acceptance-api
+test-acceptance-api: ## Run API acceptance tests
+test-acceptance-api: $(acceptance_test_deps)
+	BEHAT_BIN=$(BEHAT_BIN) ../../tests/acceptance/run.sh --remote --type api
+
+.PHONY: test-acceptance-cli
+test-acceptance-cli: ## Run CLI acceptance tests
+test-acceptance-cli: $(acceptance_test_deps)
+	BEHAT_BIN=$(BEHAT_BIN) ../../tests/acceptance/run.sh --remote --type cli
+
+.PHONY: test-acceptance-webui
+test-acceptance-webui: ## Run webUI acceptance tests
+test-acceptance-webui: $(acceptance_test_deps)
+	BEHAT_BIN=$(BEHAT_BIN) ../../tests/acceptance/run.sh --remote --type webui
+
+.PHONY: test-acceptance-style
+test-acceptance-style: ## Run php_codesniffer and check acceptance test code-style
+test-acceptance-style: vendor-bin/php_codesniffer/vendor
+	$(PHP_CODESNIFFER) --runtime-set ignore_warnings_on_exit --standard=phpcs.xml tests/acceptance
+
+#
+# Dependency management
+#--------------------------------------
+
+include $(RELATIVE_PATH)vendor-bin.mk
+
+vendor-bin/behat/vendor: vendor/bamarni/composer-bin-plugin vendor-bin/behat/composer.lock
+	composer bin behat install --no-progress
+
+vendor-bin/behat/composer.lock: vendor-bin/behat/composer.json
+	@echo behat composer.lock is not up to date.
+
+vendor-bin/php_codesniffer/vendor: vendor/bamarni/composer-bin-plugin vendor-bin/php_codesniffer/composer.lock
+	composer bin php_codesniffer install --no-progress
+
+vendor-bin/php_codesniffer/composer.lock: vendor-bin/php_codesniffer/composer.json
+	@echo php_codesniffer composer.lock is not up to date.
diff --git a/build/rules/test-js.mk b/build/rules/test-js.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0e029ac615fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/test-js.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+##
+## JavaScript Tests
+##--------------------------------------
+
+# bin file definitions
+NODE_PREFIX=$(shell pwd)
+KARMA=$(NODE_PREFIX)/node_modules/.bin/karma
+
+nodejs_deps=node_modules
+
+.PHONY: test-js
+test-js: ## Run JS test suites (single run)
+test-js: $(KARMA)
+	$(KARMA) start tests/js/karma.config.js --single-run
+
+test-js-debug: ## Run JS test suites and watch for changes
+test-js-debug: $(KARMA)
+	$(KARMA) start tests/js/karma.config.js
+
+$(KARMA): $(nodejs_deps)
+
+#
+# Dependency management
+#--------------------------------------
+
+$(nodejs_deps): package.json yarn.lock
+	yarn install
+	touch $@
+
+clean_deps_rules+=clean-js-deps
+
+.PHONY: clean-js-deps
+clean-js-deps:
+	rm -Rf $(nodejs_deps)
diff --git a/build/rules/test-php.mk b/build/rules/test-php.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..018bcae0fcf0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/test-php.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+##
+## PHP Tests
+##--------------------------------------
+
+RELATIVE_PATH := $(dir $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
+include $(RELATIVE_PATH)check-composer.mk
+
+# bin file definitions
+PATH_TO_PHPUNIT=$(CURDIR)/lib/composer/bin/phpunit
+ifeq ("$(wildcard $(PATH_TO_PHPUNIT))","")
+	PATH_TO_PHPUNIT=$(CURDIR)/../../lib/composer/bin/phpunit
+endif
+PHPUNIT=php -d zend.enable_gc=0  "$(PATH_TO_PHPUNIT)"
+PHPUNITDBG=phpdbg -qrr -d memory_limit=4096M -d zend.enable_gc=0 "$(PATH_TO_PHPUNIT)"
+PHP_CS_FIXER=php -d zend.enable_gc=0 vendor-bin/owncloud-codestyle/vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer
+PHAN=php -d zend.enable_gc=0 vendor-bin/phan/vendor/bin/phan
+PHPSTAN=php -d zend.enable_gc=0 vendor-bin/phpstan/vendor/bin/phpstan
+
+.PHONY: test-php-unit
+test-php-unit: ## Run php unit tests
+test-php-unit:
+	$(PHPUNIT) --configuration ./phpunit.xml --testsuite unit
+
+.PHONY: test-php-unit-dbg
+test-php-unit-dbg: ## Run php unit tests using phpdbg
+test-php-unit-dbg:
+	$(PHPUNITDBG) --configuration ./phpunit.xml --testsuite unit
+
+.PHONY: test-php-style
+test-php-style: ## Run php-cs-fixer and check owncloud code-style
+test-php-style: vendor-bin/owncloud-codestyle/vendor
+	$(PHP_CS_FIXER) fix -v --diff --diff-format udiff --allow-risky yes --dry-run
+
+.PHONY: test-php-style-fix
+test-php-style-fix: ## Run php-cs-fixer and fix code style issues
+test-php-style-fix: vendor-bin/owncloud-codestyle/vendor
+	$(PHP_CS_FIXER) fix -v --diff --diff-format udiff --allow-risky yes
+
+.PHONY: test-php-phan
+test-php-phan: ## Run phan
+test-php-phan: vendor-bin/phan/vendor
+	$(PHAN) --config-file .phan/config.php --require-config-exists
+
+.PHONY: test-php-phpstan
+test-php-phpstan: ## Run phpstan
+test-php-phpstan: vendor-bin/phpstan/vendor
+	$(PHPSTAN) analyse --memory-limit=4G --configuration=./phpstan.neon --no-progress --level=5 appinfo lib
+
+#
+# Dependency management
+#--------------------------------------
+
+include $(RELATIVE_PATH)vendor-bin.mk
+
+vendor-bin/owncloud-codestyle/vendor: vendor/bamarni/composer-bin-plugin vendor-bin/owncloud-codestyle/composer.lock
+	composer bin owncloud-codestyle install --no-progress
+
+vendor-bin/owncloud-codestyle/composer.lock: vendor-bin/owncloud-codestyle/composer.json
+	@echo owncloud-codestyle composer.lock is not up to date.
+
+vendor-bin/phan/vendor: vendor/bamarni/composer-bin-plugin vendor-bin/phan/composer.lock
+	composer bin phan install --no-progress
+
+vendor-bin/phan/composer.lock: vendor-bin/phan/composer.json
+	@echo phan composer.lock is not up to date.
+
+vendor-bin/phpstan/vendor: vendor/bamarni/composer-bin-plugin vendor-bin/phpstan/composer.lock
+	composer bin phpstan install --no-progress
+
+vendor-bin/phpstan/composer.lock: vendor-bin/phpstan/composer.json
+	@echo phpstan composer.lock is not up to date.
diff --git a/build/rules/vendor-bin.mk b/build/rules/vendor-bin.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..df2dcb8e7f7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/rules/vendor-bin.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Dependencies for getting the vendor and vendor-bin directory happening
+
+ifndef VENDOR_BIN_HAS_BEEN_INCLUDED
+	VENDOR_BIN_HAS_BEEN_INCLUDED=true
+
+composer.lock: composer.json
+	@echo composer.lock is not up to date.
+
+vendor: composer.lock
+	composer install --no-dev
+
+vendor/bamarni/composer-bin-plugin: composer.lock
+	composer install
+
+clean_deps_rules+=clean-vendor clean-vendor-bin
+
+.PHONY: clean-vendor
+clean-vendor:
+	rm -Rf vendor
+
+.PHONY: clean-vendor-bin
+clean-vendor-bin:
+	rm -Rf vendor-bin/**/vendor vendor-bin/**/composer.lock
+
+endif