diff --git a/.ci/linux-build.sh b/.ci/linux-build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..4eb7c3cf06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/linux-build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/bin/sh -xe
+
+on_error() {
+    if [ $? = 0 ]; then
+        exit
+    fi
+    FILES_TO_PRINT="build/meson-logs/testlog.txt build/.ninja_log build/meson-logs/meson-log.txt"
+
+    for pr_file in $FILES_TO_PRINT; do
+        if [ -e "$pr_file" ]; then
+            cat "$pr_file"
+        fi
+    done
+}
+trap on_error EXIT
+
+if [ "$AARCH64" = "1" ]; then
+    # convert the arch specifier
+    OPTS="$OPTS --cross-file config/arm/arm64_armv8_linuxapp_gcc"
+fi
+
+OPTS="$OPTS --default-library=$DEF_LIB"
+meson build --werror -Dexamples=all $OPTS
+ninja -C build
diff --git a/.ci/linux-setup.sh b/.ci/linux-setup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..acdf9f370e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/linux-setup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+python3 -m pip install --upgrade meson --user
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3045eada59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+language: c
+compiler:
+  - gcc
+  - clang
+
+dist: xenial
+
+os:
+  - linux
+
+addons:
+  apt:
+    update: true
+    packages: &required_packages
+      - [libnuma-dev, linux-headers-$(uname -r), python3-setuptools, python3-wheel, python3-pip, ninja-build]
+
+aarch64_packages: &aarch64_packages
+  - *required_packages
+  - [gcc-aarch64-linux-gnu, libc6-dev-arm64-cross]
+
+extra_packages: &extra_packages
+  - *required_packages
+  - [libbsd-dev, libpcap-dev, libcrypto++-dev, libjansson4]
+
+before_install: ./.ci/${TRAVIS_OS_NAME}-setup.sh
+
+sudo: false
+
+env:
+  - DEF_LIB="static"
+  - DEF_LIB="shared"
+  - DEF_LIB="static" OPTS="-Denable_kmods=false"
+  - DEF_LIB="shared" OPTS="-Denable_kmods=false"
+
+matrix:
+  include:
+  - env: DEF_LIB="static" OPTS="-Denable_kmods=false" AARCH64=1
+    compiler: gcc
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *aarch64_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="shared" OPTS="-Denable_kmods=false" AARCH64=1
+    compiler: gcc
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *aarch64_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="static"
+    compiler: gcc
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *extra_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="shared"
+    compiler: gcc
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *extra_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="static" OPTS="-Denable_kmods=false"
+    compiler: gcc
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *extra_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="shared" OPTS="-Denable_kmods=false"
+    compiler: gcc
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *extra_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="static"
+    compiler: clang
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *extra_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="shared"
+    compiler: clang
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *extra_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="static" OPTS="-Denable_kmods=false"
+    compiler: clang
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *extra_packages
+  - env: DEF_LIB="shared" OPTS="-Denable_kmods=false"
+    compiler: clang
+    addons:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+          - *extra_packages
+
+
+script: ./.ci/${TRAVIS_OS_NAME}-build.sh
diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index 452b8eb828..21e1640954 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -119,6 +119,12 @@ F: config/rte_config.h
 F: buildtools/gen-pmdinfo-cfile.sh
 F: buildtools/symlink-drivers-solibs.sh
 
+Public CI
+M: Aaron Conole <aconole@redhat.com>
+M: Michael Santana <msantana@redhat.com>
+F: .travis.yml
+F: .ci/
+
 ABI versioning
 M: Neil Horman <nhorman@tuxdriver.com>
 F: doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
diff --git a/doc/guides/contributing/patches.rst b/doc/guides/contributing/patches.rst
index 90927a52dd..d8404e623a 100644
--- a/doc/guides/contributing/patches.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/contributing/patches.rst
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ The mailing list for DPDK development is `dev@dpdk.org <http://mails.dpdk.org/ar
 Contributors will need to `register for the mailing list <http://mails.dpdk.org/listinfo/dev>`_ in order to submit patches.
 It is also worth registering for the DPDK `Patchwork <http://patches.dpdk.org/project/dpdk/list/>`_
 
+If you are using the GitHub service, you can link your repository to
+the ``travis-ci.org`` build service.  When you push patches to your GitHub
+repository, the travis service will automatically build your changes.
+
 The development process requires some familiarity with the ``git`` version control system.
 Refer to the `Pro Git Book <http://www.git-scm.com/book/>`_ for further information.