diff --git a/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/client.go b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/client.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..69bd8fda7fba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package repository
+
+import (
+	"net/url"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/config"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/internal/test"
+)
+
+// Client is used to interact with provider repositories.
+// Provider repository are expected to contain two types of YAML files:
+// - YAML files defining the provider components (CRD, Controller, RBAC etc.)
+// - YAML files defining the cluster templates (Cluster, Machines)
+type Client interface {
+	config.Provider
+
+	// Components provide access to YAML file for creating provider components.
+	Components() ComponentsClient
+
+	// Templates provide access to YAML file for generating workload cluster templates.
+	// Please note that templates are expected to exist for the infrastructure providers only.
+	Templates(version string) TemplatesClient
+}
+
+// repositoryClient implements Client.
+type repositoryClient struct {
+	config.Provider
+	configVariablesClient config.VariablesClient
+	repository            Repository
+}
+
+// ensure repositoryClient implements Client.
+var _ Client = &repositoryClient{}
+
+func (c *repositoryClient) Components() ComponentsClient {
+	return newComponentsClient(c.Provider, c.repository, c.configVariablesClient)
+}
+
+func (c *repositoryClient) Templates(version string) TemplatesClient {
+	return newTemplatesClient(c.Provider, version, c.repository, c.configVariablesClient)
+}
+
+// NewOptions carries the options supported by New
+type NewOptions struct {
+	injectRepository Repository
+}
+
+// Option is a configuration option supplied to New
+type Option func(*NewOptions)
+
+// InjectRepository allows to override the repository implementation to use;
+// by default, the repository implementation to use is created according to the
+// repository URL.
+func InjectRepository(repository Repository) Option {
+	return func(c *NewOptions) {
+		c.injectRepository = repository
+	}
+}
+
+// New returns a Client.
+func New(provider config.Provider, configVariablesClient config.VariablesClient, options Options) (Client, error) {
+	return newRepositoryClient(provider, configVariablesClient, options)
+}
+
+func newRepositoryClient(provider config.Provider, configVariablesClient config.VariablesClient, options Options) (*repositoryClient, error) {
+	repository := options.InjectRepository
+	if repository == nil {
+		r, err := repositoryFactory(provider, configVariablesClient)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to get repository client for %q", provider.Name())
+		}
+		repository = r
+	}
+
+	return &repositoryClient{
+		Provider:              provider,
+		repository:            repository,
+		configVariablesClient: configVariablesClient,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// Options allow to set Client options
+type Options struct {
+	InjectRepository Repository
+}
+
+// Repository defines the behavior of a repository implementation.
+// clusterctl is designed to support different repository types; each repository implementation should consider
+// the following capabilities and provide best support considering the underlying technology.
+// 1. Versions awareness: repositories are expected to be aware of the provider version they are hosting, and
+// possibly to host more than one version.
+// 2. Kustomize awareness: even if it is recommended that provider expose “pre-compiled” YAML files, we want
+// to allow usage of clusterctl reading from the “raw” /config directory generated by kubebuilder (developer friendly)
+type Repository interface {
+	// DefaultVersion returns the default provider version returned by a repository.
+	// In case the repository URL points to latest, this method returns the current latest version; in other cases
+	// it returns the version of the provider hosted in the repository.
+	DefaultVersion() string
+
+	// RootPath returns the path inside the repository where the YAML file for creating provider components and
+	// the YAML file for generating workload cluster templates are stored.
+	// This value is derived from the repository URL; all the paths returned by this interface should be relative to this path.
+	RootPath() string
+
+	// ComponentsPath return the path (a folder name or file name) of the YAML file for creating provider components.
+	// This value is derived from the repository URL.
+	ComponentsPath() string
+
+	// KustomizeDir returns the path to a folder containing the kustomization.yaml for creating the YAML file provider components.
+	// This value is derived from the repository URL, and it is used only when the YAML for provider components is spread
+	// across nested folders inside the repository like e.g. the /config folder generated by kubebuilder.
+	KustomizeDir() string
+
+	// GetFiles returns files for a given provider version.
+	// If file is a path, the entire content of the path is returned.
+	GetFiles(version string, path string) (map[string][]byte, error)
+}
+
+var _ Repository = &test.FakeRepository{}
+
+//repositoryFactory returns the repository implementation corresponding to the provider URL.
+func repositoryFactory(providerConfig config.Provider, configVariablesClient config.VariablesClient) (Repository, error) { //nolint
+	// parse the repository url
+	rURL, err := url.Parse(providerConfig.URL())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("failed to parse repository url %q", providerConfig.URL())
+	}
+
+	// if the url is a github repository
+	//TODO: implement in a follow up PR
+
+	// if the url is a local repository
+	//TODO: implement in a follow up PR
+
+	return nil, errors.Errorf("invalid provider url. there are no provider implementation for %q schema", rURL.Scheme)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/components.go b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/components.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..001dc2ac914e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/components.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package repository
+
+import (
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
+	clusterctlv1 "sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/cmd/clusterctl/api/v1alpha3"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/config"
+)
+
+// Components wraps a YAML file that defines the provider components
+// to be installed in a management cluster (CRD, Controller, RBAC etc.)
+// It is important to notice that clusterctl applies a set of processing steps to the “raw” component read
+// from the provider repositories:
+// 1. In case the provider exposed a component YAML that is not “pre-compiled” (e.g. the /config dir), it uses
+// kustomize to create a single component YAML file
+// 2. Checks for all the variables in the component YAML file and replace with corresponding config values
+// 3. Ensures all the provider components are deployed in the target namespace (apply only to namespaced objects)
+// 4. Ensures all the ClusterRoleBinding which are referencing namespaced objects have the name prefixed with the namespace name
+// 5. Set the watching namespace for the provider controller
+// 6. Adds labels to all the components in order to allow easy identification of the provider objects
+type Components interface {
+	// configuration of the provider the template belongs to.
+	config.Provider
+
+	// Version of the provider.
+	Version() string
+
+	// Variables required by the template.
+	// This value is derived by the component YAML.
+	Variables() []string
+
+	// TargetNamespace where the provider components will be installed.
+	// By default this value is derived by the component YAML, but it is possible to override it
+	// during the creation of the Components object.
+	TargetNamespace() string
+
+	// WatchingNamespace defines the namespace where the provider controller is is watching (empty means all namespaces).
+	// By default this value is derived by the component YAML, but it is possible to override it
+	// during the creation of the Components object.
+	WatchingNamespace() string
+
+	// Metadata returns the clusterctl metadata object representing the provider that will be
+	// generated by this provider components.
+	Metadata() clusterctlv1.Provider
+
+	// Yaml return the provider components in the form of a YAML file.
+	Yaml() ([]byte, error)
+
+	// Objs return the provider components in the form of a list of Unstructured objects.
+	Objs() []unstructured.Unstructured
+}
diff --git a/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/components_client.go b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/components_client.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..120c210a7fda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/components_client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package repository
+
+import (
+	"sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/config"
+)
+
+// ComponentsClient has methods to work with yaml file for generating provider components.
+// Assets are yaml files to be used for deploying a provider into a management cluster.
+type ComponentsClient interface {
+	Get(version, targetNamespace, watchingNamespace string) (Components, error)
+}
+
+// componentsClient implements ComponentsClient.
+type componentsClient struct {
+	provider              config.Provider
+	repository            Repository
+	configVariablesClient config.VariablesClient
+}
+
+// ensure componentsClient implements ComponentsClient.
+var _ ComponentsClient = &componentsClient{}
+
+// newComponentsClient returns a componentsClient.
+func newComponentsClient(provider config.Provider, repository Repository, configVariablesClient config.VariablesClient) *componentsClient {
+	return &componentsClient{
+		provider:              provider,
+		repository:            repository,
+		configVariablesClient: configVariablesClient,
+	}
+}
+
+func (f *componentsClient) Get(version, targetNamespace, watchingNamespace string) (Components, error) {
+	//TODO: implement in a follow up PR
+	return nil, nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/template.go b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/template.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7037f62506f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/template.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package repository
+
+import (
+	"sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/config"
+)
+
+// Template wraps a YAML file that defines the cluster objects (Cluster, Machines etc.).
+// It is important to notice that clusterctl applies a set of processing steps to the “raw” cluster template YAML read
+// from the provider repositories:
+// 1. Checks for all the variables in the cluster template YAML file and replace with corresponding config values
+// 2. Process go templates contained in the cluster template YAML file
+// 3. Ensure all the cluster objects are deployed in the target namespace
+type Template interface {
+	// configuration of the provider the template belongs to.
+	config.Provider
+
+	// Version of the provider the template belongs to.
+	Version() string
+
+	// Flavor implemented by the template (empty means default flavor).
+	// A flavor is a variant of cluster template supported by the provider, like e.g. Prod, Test.
+	Flavor() string
+
+	// Bootstrap provider used by the cluster template.
+	Bootstrap() string
+
+	// Variables required by the template.
+	// This value is derived by the template YAML.
+	Variables() []string
+
+	// TargetNamespace where the template objects will be installed.
+	// This value is inherited by the template options.
+	TargetNamespace() string
+
+	// Yaml file defining all the cluster objects.
+	Yaml() []byte
+}
diff --git a/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/templates_client.go b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/templates_client.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6cf0d93d935a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/repository/templates_client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package repository
+
+import (
+	"sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/client/config"
+)
+
+// TemplateOptions defines a set of well-know variables that all the cluster templates are expected to manage;
+// this set of variables defines a simple, day1 experience that will be made accessible via flags in the clusterctl CLI.
+// Please note that each provider/each template is allowed to add more variables, but additional variables are exposed
+// only via environment variables or the clusterctl configuration file.
+type TemplateOptions struct {
+	ClusterName       string
+	Namespace         string
+	KubernetesVersion string
+	ControlplaneCount int
+	WorkerCount       int
+}
+
+// TemplatesClient has methods to work with templatesClient hosted on a provider repository.
+// Templates are yaml files to be used for creating a guest cluster.
+type TemplatesClient interface {
+	Get(flavor, bootstrap string, options TemplateOptions) (Template, error)
+}
+
+// templatesClient implements TemplatesClient.
+type templatesClient struct {
+	provider              config.Provider
+	version               string
+	repository            Repository
+	configVariablesClient config.VariablesClient
+}
+
+// ensure templatesClient implements TemplatesClient.
+var _ TemplatesClient = &templatesClient{}
+
+// newTemplatesClient returns a templatesClient.
+func newTemplatesClient(provider config.Provider, version string, repository Repository, configVariablesClient config.VariablesClient) *templatesClient {
+	return &templatesClient{
+		provider:              provider,
+		version:               version,
+		repository:            repository,
+		configVariablesClient: configVariablesClient,
+	}
+}
+
+// Get return the template for the flavor/bootstrap provider specified.
+// In case the template does not exists, an error is returned.
+func (f *templatesClient) Get(flavor, bootstrap string, options TemplateOptions) (Template, error) {
+	//TODO: implement in a follow up PR
+	return nil, nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/internal/test/fake_repository.go b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/internal/test/fake_repository.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fe18e40bb48e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/clusterctl/pkg/internal/test/fake_repository.go
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+)
+
+type FakeRepository struct {
+	defaultVersion string
+	rootPath       string
+	componentsPath string
+	kustomizeDir   string
+	versions       map[string]bool
+	files          map[string][]byte
+}
+
+func (f *FakeRepository) DefaultVersion() string {
+	return f.defaultVersion
+}
+
+func (f *FakeRepository) RootPath() string {
+	return f.rootPath
+}
+
+func (f *FakeRepository) ComponentsPath() string {
+	return f.componentsPath
+}
+
+func (f *FakeRepository) KustomizeDir() string {
+	return f.kustomizeDir
+}
+
+func (f FakeRepository) GetFiles(version string, path string) (map[string][]byte, error) {
+	if _, ok := f.versions[version]; !ok {
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("unable to get files for version %s", version)
+	}
+
+	ret := map[string][]byte{}
+	for p, c := range f.files {
+		if p == vpath(version, path) ||
+			strings.HasPrefix(p, vpath(version, path)) { // this is a quick & dirty way for identifying files belonging to a path tree
+
+			x := strings.TrimPrefix(p, fmt.Sprintf("%s/", version))
+			ret[x] = c
+		}
+	}
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func NewFakeRepository() *FakeRepository {
+	return &FakeRepository{
+		versions: map[string]bool{},
+		files:    map[string][]byte{},
+	}
+}
+
+func (f *FakeRepository) WithPaths(rootPath, componentsPath, kustomizeDir string) *FakeRepository {
+	f.rootPath = rootPath
+	f.componentsPath = componentsPath
+	f.kustomizeDir = kustomizeDir
+	return f
+}
+
+func (f *FakeRepository) WithDefaultVersion(version string) *FakeRepository {
+	f.defaultVersion = version
+	return f
+}
+
+func (f *FakeRepository) WithFile(version, path string, content []byte) *FakeRepository {
+	f.versions[version] = true
+	f.files[vpath(version, path)] = content
+	return f
+}
+
+func vpath(version string, path string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", version, path)
+}
diff --git a/test/infrastructure/docker/go.sum b/test/infrastructure/docker/go.sum
index 56403d88851a..232a608a505f 100644
--- a/test/infrastructure/docker/go.sum
+++ b/test/infrastructure/docker/go.sum
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ go.uber.org/multierr v1.1.0/go.mod h1:wR5kodmAFQ0UK8QlbwjlSNy0Z68gJhDJUG5sjR94q/
 go.uber.org/zap v0.0.0-20180814183419-67bc79d13d15/go.mod h1:vwi/ZaCAaUcBkycHslxD9B2zi4UTXhF60s6SWpuDF0Q=
 go.uber.org/zap v1.9.1 h1:XCJQEf3W6eZaVwhRBof6ImoYGJSITeKWsyeh3HFu/5o=
 go.uber.org/zap v1.9.1/go.mod h1:vwi/ZaCAaUcBkycHslxD9B2zi4UTXhF60s6SWpuDF0Q=
+go.uber.org/zap v1.10.0/go.mod h1:vwi/ZaCAaUcBkycHslxD9B2zi4UTXhF60s6SWpuDF0Q=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20180904163835-0709b304e793/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20181025213731-e84da0312774/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20181203042331-505ab145d0a9/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=