diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/README.md b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/README.md
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index 00000000..4e9ac28e
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+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+## Base function examples
+
+Examples of base functions are provided here.
+
+Each one will read the request from the watchdog then print it back resulting in an HTTP 200.
+
+| Language               | Docker image                       | Notes                                  |
+|------------------------|------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
+| Node.js                | functions/node:6.9.1-alpine        | Node.js built on Alpine Linux          |
+| Python                 | functions/python:2.7-alpine        | Python 2.7 built on Alpine Linux       |
+| Java                   | functions/openjdk:8u121-jdk-alpine | OpenJDK built on Alpine Linux |
+| Busybox / shell        | functions/alpine:latest            | Busybox contains useful binaries which can be turned into a FaaS function such as `sha512sum` or `cat` |
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/.gitignore b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b468b62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.class
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/Dockerfile b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..50381aa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/Dockerfile
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+FROM openjdk:8u121-jdk-alpine
+
+ADD https://github.com/alexellis/faas/releases/download/0.5.1-alpha/fwatchdog /usr/bin
+RUN chmod +x /usr/bin/fwatchdog
+
+WORKDIR /root/
+
+COPY Handler.java .
+RUN javac Handler.java
+
+ENV fprocess="java Handler"
+
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=1s CMD [ -e /tmp/.lock ] || exit 1
+
+CMD ["fwatchdog"]
+
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/Handler.java b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/Handler.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0cb5493e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/Handler.java
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+import java.io.BufferedReader;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.InputStreamReader;
+
+public class Handler {
+
+    public static void main(String[] args) {
+        try {
+
+            String input = readStdin();
+            System.out.print(input);
+
+        } catch(IOException e) {
+            e.printStackTrace();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static String readStdin() throws IOException {
+        BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
+        String input = "";
+        while(true) {
+            String line = br.readLine();
+            if(line==null) {
+                break;
+            }
+            input = input + line + "\n";
+        }
+        return input;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/build.sh b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..f686cf16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/java/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+echo "Building functions/openjdk:8u121-jdk-alpine"
+docker build -t functions/openjdk:8u121-jdk-alpine .
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/Dockerfile b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9be7b788
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+FROM node:6.9.1-alpine
+
+ADD https://github.com/alexellis/faas/releases/download/0.5.1-alpha/fwatchdog /usr/bin
+RUN chmod +x /usr/bin/fwatchdog
+
+WORKDIR /root/
+
+COPY package.json .
+
+RUN npm i
+COPY handler.js .
+
+ENV fprocess="node handler.js"
+
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=1s CMD [ -e /tmp/.lock ] || exit 1
+
+CMD ["fwatchdog"]
+
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/build.sh b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..680f7890
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+echo "Building functions/node:6.9.1-alpine"
+docker build -t functions/node:6.9.1-alpine .
+
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/handler.js b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/handler.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9899ac95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/handler.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+"use strict"
+
+let getStdin = require('get-stdin');
+
+let handler = require('./handler');
+
+let handle = (req) => {
+   console.log(req);
+};
+
+getStdin().then(val => {
+   handle(val);
+}).catch(e => {
+  console.error(e.stack);
+});
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/package.json b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d35e9625
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/node/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "name": "NodejsBase",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "",
+  "main": "faas_index.js",
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
+  },
+  "keywords": [],
+  "author": "",
+  "license": "ISC",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "get-stdin": "^5.0.1"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/Dockerfile b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c6e06745
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+FROM python:2.7-alpine
+
+ADD https://github.com/alexellis/faas/releases/download/0.5.1-alpha/fwatchdog /usr/bin
+RUN chmod +x /usr/bin/fwatchdog
+
+WORKDIR /root/
+
+COPY handler.py .
+
+ENV fprocess="python handler.py"
+
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=1s CMD [ -e /tmp/.lock ] || exit 1
+
+CMD ["fwatchdog"]
+
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/build.sh b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..5e2f3ece
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+echo "Building functions/python:2.7-alpine"
+docker build -t functions/python:2.7-alpine .
+
diff --git a/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/handler.py b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/handler.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eaa3cb7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample-functions/BaseFunctions/python/handler.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import sys
+
+def get_stdin():
+    buf = ""
+    for line in sys.stdin:
+        buf = buf + line
+    return buf
+
+if(__name__ == "__main__"):
+    st = get_stdin()
+    print(st)