diff --git a/stdlib/ktSrc/JavaUtil.kt b/stdlib/ktSrc/JavaUtil.kt
index a75df8656d9..64e5bf117e8 100644
--- a/stdlib/ktSrc/JavaUtil.kt
+++ b/stdlib/ktSrc/JavaUtil.kt
@@ -2,8 +2,102 @@ namespace std.util
 
 import java.util.*
 
+/** Returns the size of the collection */
 val Collection<*>.size : Int
     get() = size()
 
+/** Returns true if this collection is empty */
 val Collection<*>.empty : Boolean
     get() = isEmpty()
+
+/** Returns a new ArrayList with a variable number of initial elements */
+fun arrayList<T>(vararg values: T) : ArrayList<T> {
+  val answer = ArrayList<T>()
+  for (v in values)
+    answer.add(v)
+  return answer;
+}
+
+/** Returns a new HashSet with a variable number of initial elements */
+fun hashSet<T>(vararg values: T) : HashSet<T> {
+  val answer = HashSet<T>()
+  for (v in values)
+    answer.add(v)
+  return answer;
+}
+
+/** Returns a new collection for the results of a helper method */
+protected fun <T,R> java.lang.Iterable<T>.create(defaultSize: Int? = null) : Collection<R> {
+  if (defaultSize != null) {
+    return ArrayList<R>(defaultSize)
+  } else {
+    return ArrayList<R>()
+  }
+}
+
+protected fun <T,R> Set<T>.create(defaultSize: Int? = null) : Set<R> {
+  if (defaultSize != null) {
+    return HashSet<R>(defaultSize)
+  } else {
+    return HashSet<R>()
+  }
+}
+
+
+
+/** Returns true if any elements in the collection match the given predicate */
+fun <T> java.lang.Iterable<T>.any(predicate: fun(T): Boolean) : Boolean {
+  for (elem in this) {
+    if (predicate(elem)) {
+      return true
+    }
+  }
+  return false
+}
+
+/** Returns true if all elements in the collection match the given predicate */
+fun <T> java.lang.Iterable<T>.all(predicate: fun(T): Boolean) : Boolean {
+  for (elem in this) {
+    if (!predicate(elem)) {
+      return false
+    }
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
+/** Returns the first item in the collection which matches the given predicate or null if none matched */
+fun <T> java.lang.Iterable<T>.find(predicate: fun(T): Boolean) : T? {
+  for (elem in this) {
+    if (predicate(elem))
+      return elem
+  }
+  return null
+}
+
+/** Returns a new collection containing all elements in this collection which match the given predicate */
+// TODO using: Collection<T> for the return type - I wonder if this exact type could be
+// deduced somewhat from the This.Type; e.g. returning Set on a Set, Array on Array etc
+fun <T> java.lang.Iterable<T>.filter(predicate: fun(T): Boolean) : Collection<T> {
+  val result = this.create<T,T>()
+  for (elem in this) {
+    if (predicate(elem))
+      result.add(elem)
+  }
+  return result
+}
+
+/** Returns a new collection containing the results of applying the given function to each element in this collection */
+fun <T, R> java.lang.Iterable<T>.map(transform : fun(T) : R) : Collection<R> {
+  val result = this.create<T,R>()
+  for (item in this)
+    result.add(transform(item))
+  return result
+}
+
+/** Returns a new collection containing the results of applying the given function to each element in this collection */
+fun <T, R> java.util.Collection<T>.map(transform : fun(T) : R) : Collection<R> {
+  val result = this.create<T,R>(this.size)
+  for (item in this)
+    result.add(transform(item))
+  return result
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/stdlib/ktSrc/Test.kt b/stdlib/ktSrc/Test.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e30921ff75a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stdlib/ktSrc/Test.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+namespace std.test
+
+import std.io.*
+import std.util.*
+import java.util.*
+
+import org.junit.*
+import org.junit.runner.*
+import org.junit.runner.notification.*
+import junit.framework.*
+
+fun assert(message: String, block: fun() : Boolean) {
+  val actual = block()
+  Assert.assertTrue(message, actual)
+}
+
+fun assert(block: fun() : Boolean) = assert(block.toString(), block)
+
+fun assertNot(message: String, block: fun() : Boolean) {
+  assert(message){ !block() }
+}
+
+fun assertNot(block: fun() : Boolean) = assertNot(block.toString(), block)
+
+fun assert(actual: Boolean, message: String) {
+  println("Answer: ${actual} for ${message}")
+}
+
+fun assertEquals(expected: Any, actual: Any?, message: String = "") {
+  Assert.assertEquals(message, expected, actual)
+}
+
+fun assertNull(actual: Any?, message: String = "") {
+  Assert.assertNull(message, actual)
+}
+
+fun fails(block: fun() : Any) {
+  try {
+    block()
+    Assert.fail("Expected an exception to be thrown")
+  } catch (e: Exception) {
+    // OK
+  }
+}
+
+fun todo(block: fun(): Any) {
+  // Ignore the code :)
+}
+
+/*
+TODO we could maybe create our own test runner for JUnit
+to avoid a runtime dependency on JUnit for running tests?
+
+class KotlinTestRunner() : Runner() {
+
+  override fun getDescription(): Description? {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  override fun run(notifier: RunNotifier?) {
+    println("About to run a test case on ${this}")
+  }
+}
+*/
+
+// TODO no annotations yet?
+//@RunWith(KotlinTestRunner)
+abstract class TestSupport() : TestCase() {
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/stdlib/lib/junit-4.9.jar b/stdlib/lib/junit-4.9.jar
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..14208156115
Binary files /dev/null and b/stdlib/lib/junit-4.9.jar differ
diff --git a/stdlib/test/CollectionTest.kt b/stdlib/test/CollectionTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9b42f50bf76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stdlib/test/CollectionTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+namespace test.collections
+
+import std.test.*
+
+// TODO can we avoid importing all this stuff by default I wonder?
+// e.g. making println and the collection builder methods public by default?
+import std.io.*
+import std.util.*
+import java.util.*
+
+class CollectionTest() : TestSupport() {
+  val data = arrayList("foo", "bar")
+
+  fun testAny() {
+    assert {
+      data.any{it.startsWith("f")}
+    }
+    assertNot {
+      data.any{it.startsWith("x")}
+    }
+  }
+
+  fun testAll() {
+    assert {
+      data.all{it.length == 3}
+    }
+    assertNot {
+      data.all{s => s.startsWith("b")}
+    }
+  }
+
+  fun testFilter() {
+    val foo = data.filter{it.startsWith("f")}
+
+    assert {
+      foo.all{it.startsWith("f")}
+    }
+    assertEquals(1, foo.size)
+    assertEquals(arrayList("foo"), foo)
+  }
+
+  fun testFind() {
+    val x = data.find{it.startsWith("x")}
+    assertNull(x)
+    fails {
+      x.sure()
+    }
+
+    val f = data.find{it.startsWith("f")}
+    f.sure()
+    assertEquals("foo", f)
+  }
+
+  fun testMap() {
+    /**
+      TODO compiler bug
+      we should be able to remove the explicit type on the function
+      http://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/KT-849
+    */
+    val lengths = data.map<String,Int>{s => s.length}
+    assert {
+      lengths.all{it == 3}
+    }
+    assertEquals(2, lengths.size)
+    assertEquals(arrayList(3, 3), lengths)
+  }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/stdlib/test/SetTest.kt b/stdlib/test/SetTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cdc8f12d586
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stdlib/test/SetTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+namespace test.collections
+
+import std.io.*
+import std.util.*
+import std.test.*
+import java.util.*
+
+class SetTest() : TestSupport() {
+  val data = hashSet("foo", "bar")
+
+  fun testAny() {
+    assert {
+      data.any{it.startsWith("f")}
+    }
+    assertNot {
+      data.any{it.startsWith("x")}
+    }
+  }
+
+  fun testAll() {
+    assert {
+      data.all{it.length == 3}
+    }
+    assertNot {
+      data.all{s => s.startsWith("b")}
+    }
+  }
+
+  fun testFilter() {
+    val foo = data.filter{it.startsWith("f")}
+
+    assert {
+      foo.all{it.startsWith("f")}
+    }
+    assertEquals(1, foo.size)
+    assertEquals(arrayList("foo"), foo)
+
+    // TODO ideally foo would now be a set
+    todo {
+      assert("Filter on a Set should return a Set") {
+        foo is Set<String>
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  fun testFind() {
+    val x = data.find{it.startsWith("x")}
+    assertNull(x)
+    fails {
+      x.sure()
+    }
+
+    val f = data.find{it.startsWith("f")}
+    f.sure()
+    assertEquals("foo", f)
+  }
+
+  fun testMap() {
+    /**
+      TODO compiler bug
+      we should be able to remove the explicit type on the function
+      http://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/KT-849
+    */
+    val lengths = data.map<String,Int>{s => s.length}
+    assert {
+      lengths.all{it == 3}
+    }
+    assertEquals(2, lengths.size)
+    assertEquals(arrayList(3, 3), lengths)
+  }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file