diff --git a/src/graphics.cpp b/src/graphics.cpp
index 5d36263..baeecd4 100644
--- a/src/graphics.cpp
+++ b/src/graphics.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include <boost/log/trivial.hpp>
 #include <exception>
 #include <glad/glad.c>
 // glad must be loaded before GLFW
@@ -10,18 +11,26 @@ using namespace std;
 
 /* class ShaderProgram Implementations */
 string ShaderProgram::baseName() {
+  /*
+  BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(debug) << "this->base: " << this->base
+                           << " Base::Empty: " << Base::Empty
+                           << " Base::Triangle: " << Base::Triangle;
+  */
   switch (this->base) {
-  case Empty:
+  case ShaderProgram::Base::Empty:
     return "Empty";
-  case Triangle:
+  case ShaderProgram::Base::Triangle:
     return "Triangle";
   default:
-    throw exception();
+    // this should never occur, as the switch case should cover all variants.
+    throw std::runtime_error("Undefined base Program");
   }
 }
 
-ShaderProgram::ShaderProgram(Base base, char** vertexSource,
-                             char** fragSource) {
+ShaderProgram::ShaderProgram(Base base, char **vertexSource,
+                             char **fragSource) {
+  this->base = base;
+  BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(info) << "With base program \"" << this->baseName() << "\"";
   // NOTE: char arrays and char pointers are not actually the same.
   // glShaderSource requires a char[] as it appears. We pass the
   // variable by reference to avoid duplication in memory.
@@ -29,8 +38,7 @@ ShaderProgram::ShaderProgram(Base base, char** vertexSource,
   this->vertex = glCreateShader(GL_VERTEX_SHADER);
   this->frag = glCreateShader(GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER);
   BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "loading vertex shader";
-  glShaderSource(this->vertex, 1, vertexSource,
-                 NULL);
+  glShaderSource(this->vertex, 1, vertexSource, NULL);
   BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "compiling vertex shader";
   glCompileShader(this->vertex);
   BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "loading fragments shader";
@@ -39,13 +47,28 @@ ShaderProgram::ShaderProgram(Base base, char** vertexSource,
   glCompileShader(this->frag);
 }
 
-int ShaderProgram::run() { return 255; }
+/** runs for every frame
+ *
+ * will be called in `mainWindow`.
+ *
+ * FIXME: dont run the switch case every frame.
+ */
+int ShaderProgram::run() {
+  switch (this->base) {
+  case Empty: // same as default
+  default:
+    glClearColor(0.2f, 0.3f, 0.3f, 1.0f);
+    glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
+    break;
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
 
 void framebuffer_size_callback(GLFWwindow *window, int width, int height) {
   glViewport(0, 0, width, height);
 }
 
-int initGl() {
+GLFWwindow *initGl() {
   /* graphics stuff */
   glfwInit();
   glfwWindowHint(GLFW_CONTEXT_VERSION_MAJOR, 3);
@@ -57,23 +80,37 @@ int initGl() {
   if (window == NULL) {
     printf("Failed to create GLFW window\n");
     glfwTerminate();
-    return EXIT_GL;
+    exit(EXIT_GL);
   }
   glfwMakeContextCurrent(window);
 
   if (!gladLoadGLLoader((GLADloadproc)glfwGetProcAddress)) {
     printf("Failed to initialize GLAD\n");
-    return EXIT_GL;
+    exit(EXIT_GL);
   }
 
   glfwSetFramebufferSizeCallback(window, framebuffer_size_callback);
-  return 0;
+  return window;
 }
 
-int mainWindow(ShaderProgram *shaderProgram) {
+int mainWindow(ShaderProgram *shaderProgram, GLFWwindow *window) {
 
-  int result = shaderProgram->run();
+  int result = 0;
+
+  BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "Entering window loop";
+  while (!glfwWindowShouldClose(window)) {
+    processInput(window);
+    shaderProgram->run();
+    glfwSwapBuffers(window);
+    glfwPollEvents();
+  }
+  BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "Left window loop";
 
   glfwTerminate();
   return result;
 }
+
+void processInput(GLFWwindow *window) {
+  if (glfwGetKey(window, GLFW_KEY_ESCAPE) == GLFW_PRESS)
+    glfwSetWindowShouldClose(window, true);
+}
diff --git a/src/graphics.hpp b/src/graphics.hpp
index c6a888c..9dc1039 100644
--- a/src/graphics.hpp
+++ b/src/graphics.hpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ protected:
   unsigned int frag;
   Base base;
 };
-int mainWindow(ShaderProgram* shaderProgramm);
-int initGl();
+int mainWindow(ShaderProgram* shaderProgramm, GLFWwindow* window);
+GLFWwindow* initGl();
+void processInput(GLFWwindow *window);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 5067c89..d2afa7e 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   }
 
   /* init graphics stuff */
-  result = initGl();
+  GLFWwindow* window = initGl();
   if (result != 0) {
     return EXIT_GL;
   }
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
   /* Run our main program */
   BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "Starting mainWindow";
-  result = mainWindow(&shaderProgram);
-  /* if (result != 0) { return EXIT_GL;} */
+  result = mainWindow(&shaderProgram, window);
+  BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(trace) << "mainWindow stopped, goodbye";
 
   return result;
 }