diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 0b14fe0..d7eb7c8 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@
 #include <sys/wait.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <setjmp.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 
-constexpr size_t max_lenght = 1024;
+constexpr size_t max_length = 1024;
+constexpr size_t max_env_var_lenght = 256;
 const char* token_separators = " \t\n\r";
 
 static sigjmp_buf restart_jmp_buf;
@@ -97,12 +99,12 @@ struct pipeline
   struct command* cmds[];
 };
 
-void* parser_memory[max_lenght] = {0};
+void* parser_memory[max_length] = {0};
 size_t parser_memory_index = 0;
 void parser_allocated(void* ptr)
 {
   parser_memory[parser_memory_index] = ptr;
-  if(parser_memory_index == max_lenght)
+  if(parser_memory_index == max_length)
   {
     fprintf(stderr, "Not enough memory for parser: Memory will leak!");
     exit(1);
@@ -110,30 +112,234 @@ void parser_allocated(void* ptr)
   parser_memory_index++;
 }
 
+void* parser_realloc(void* ptr, size_t size)
+{
+  size_t index;
+  for(index = 0; index < parser_memory_index; index++)
+  {
+    if(parser_memory[index] == ptr)
+    {
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  ptr = realloc(ptr, size);
+  if (!ptr)
+  {
+    perror("realloc failed");
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  parser_memory[index] = ptr;
+  return ptr;
+}
+
 void parser_free()
 {
   for(size_t i = 0; i < parser_memory_index; i++)
   {
     free(parser_memory[i]);
   }
-  memset(parser_memory, 0, max_lenght);
+  memset(parser_memory, 0, max_length);
   parser_memory_index = 0;
 }
 
-/*
- * For internal use. Returns the next non-empty token according in *line,
- * splitting on characters in TOKEN_SEP. Returns NULL if no token remains.
- * Updates line to point to remainder after removal of the token.  Modifies the
- * string *line.
- */
-char* next_non_empty(char **line) 
+char* expand_variable(const char* name)
 {
-  char *tok;
+    char* val = getenv(name);
+    char* ret = val ? strdup(val) : strdup("");
+    parser_allocated(ret);
+    return ret;
+}
 
-  /* Consume empty tokens. */
-  while ((tok = strsep(line, token_separators)) && !*tok);
+static void append_char(char** buf, size_t* len, size_t* cap, char c)
+{
+  if (*len + 1 >= *cap)
+  {
+    *cap *= 2;
+    *buf = parser_realloc(*buf, *cap);
+  }
+  (*buf)[(*len)++] = c;
+}
 
-  return tok;
+static void append_str(char** buf, size_t* len, size_t* cap, const char* s)
+{
+  while (*s)
+    append_char(buf, len, cap, *s++);
+}
+
+struct pipeline* parse_pipeline(char *str);
+int execute_pipeline(struct pipeline* pl, int capture, char** out);
+
+static char* run_subcommand(const char* cmd)
+{
+    struct pipeline* pl = parse_pipeline((char*)cmd);
+
+    char* output = NULL;
+    execute_pipeline(pl, 1, &output);
+
+    return output;
+}
+
+char* parse_token(char** input)
+{
+  char* p = *input;
+
+  while (*p && isspace(*p))
+    p++;
+
+  if (!*p)
+  {
+    *input = p;
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  size_t cap = 64;
+  size_t len = 0;
+  char* buf = malloc(cap);
+  if (!buf)
+  {
+    perror("malloc");
+    exit(1);
+  }
+
+  int in_single = 0;
+  int in_double = 0;
+
+  while (*p)
+  {
+    if (!in_single && !in_double && isspace(*p))
+      break;
+
+    if (!in_double && *p == '\'')
+    {
+      in_single = !in_single;
+      p++;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (!in_single && *p == '"')
+    {
+      in_double = !in_double;
+      p++;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (!in_single && *p == '\\')
+    {
+      p++;
+      if (*p)
+        append_char(&buf, &len, &cap, *p++);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (!in_single && *p == '$')
+    {
+      p++;
+
+      if (*p == '(')
+      {
+	p++;
+	size_t cap2 = 256;
+	size_t len2 = 0;
+	char* cmd = malloc(cap2);
+	if (!cmd) { perror("malloc"); exit(1); }
+
+	int depth = 1;
+	int in_single2 = 0;
+	int in_double2 = 0;
+
+	while (*p && depth > 0)
+	{
+	  if (!in_double2 && *p == '\'')
+	  {
+	    in_single2 = !in_single2;
+	  }
+	  else if (!in_single2 && *p == '"')
+	  {
+	    in_double2 = !in_double2;
+	  }
+	  else if (!in_single2 && !in_double2)
+	  {
+	    if (*p == '(') depth++;
+	    else if (*p == ')') depth--;
+	  }
+
+	  if (depth > 0)
+	    append_char(&cmd, &len2, &cap2, *p);
+
+	  p++;
+	}
+
+	if (depth != 0)
+	{
+	  fprintf(stderr, "syntax error: unclosed $( )\n");
+	  free(cmd);
+	  return NULL;
+	}
+
+	cmd[len2] = '\0';
+	
+	char* out = run_subcommand(cmd);
+	append_str(&buf, &len, &cap, out);
+
+	free(cmd);
+	continue;
+      }
+
+      if (*p == '{')
+      {
+        p++;
+        char name[max_env_var_lenght];
+        int i = 0;
+        while (*p && *p != '}')
+          name[i++] = *p++;
+        name[i] = '\0';
+        if (*p == '}') p++;
+        char* val = expand_variable(name);
+        append_str(&buf, &len, &cap, val);
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      char name[max_env_var_lenght];
+      int i = 0;
+      while (*p && (isalnum(*p) || *p == '_'))
+        name[i++] = *p++;
+      name[i] = '\0';
+
+      char* val = expand_variable(name);
+      append_str(&buf, &len, &cap, val);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (!in_single && *p == '`')
+    {
+      p++;
+      char cmd[max_length];
+      int i = 0;
+      while (*p && *p != '`')
+        cmd[i++] = *p++;
+      if (*p == '`') p++;
+      cmd[i] = '\0';
+      char* out = run_subcommand(cmd);
+      append_str(&buf, &len, &cap, out);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    append_char(&buf, &len, &cap, *p++);
+  }
+
+  if (in_single || in_double)
+  {
+    fprintf(stderr, "syntax error: unclosed quote\n");
+    free(buf);
+    *input = p;
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  buf[len] = '\0';
+  parser_allocated(buf);
+
+  *input = p;
+  return buf;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -143,7 +349,7 @@ char* next_non_empty(char **line)
 struct command* parse_command(char* str) 
 {
   /* Copy the input line in case the caller wants it later. */
-  char* copy = strndup(str, max_lenght);
+  char* copy = strndup(str, max_length);
   parser_allocated(copy);
   char* token;
   int i = 0;
@@ -156,8 +362,15 @@ struct command* parse_command(char* str)
   struct command* ret = ccalloc(sizeof(struct command) + strlen(copy) * sizeof(char*), 1);
   parser_allocated(ret);
 
-  while ((token = next_non_empty(&copy))) 
+  char* p = copy;
+
+  while (*p)
   {
+    char* token = parse_token(&p);
+
+    if (!token)
+      break;
+
     ret->argv[i++] = token;
   }
   ret->redirect[0] = ret->redirect[1] = -1;
@@ -171,32 +384,86 @@ struct command* parse_command(char* str)
  */
 struct pipeline* parse_pipeline(char *str)
 {
-  char* copy = strndup(str, max_lenght);
+  char* copy = strndup(str, max_length);
   parser_allocated(copy);
-  char* cmd_str;
-  int n_cmds = 0;
-  int i = 0;
-  struct pipeline* ret;
 
-  /*
-   * Count pipe characters that appear in pipeline to know how much space to
-   * allocate for the cmds array.
-   */
-  for (char* cur = str; *cur; cur++)
+  size_t cap = 4;
+  size_t count = 0;
+  struct command** cmds = malloc(sizeof(struct command*) * cap);
+  if (!cmds)
   {
-    if (*cur == '|') ++n_cmds;
+    perror("malloc");
+    exit(1);
   }
 
-  ++n_cmds;  /* There is one more command than there are pipe characters. */
+  int in_single = 0;
+  int in_double = 0;
+  int in_backtick = 0;
+  int paren_depth = 0;
+
+  char* start = copy;
+  char* p = copy;
+
+  while (*p)
+  {
+    if (!in_double && !in_backtick && *p == '\'')
+      in_single = !in_single;
+
+    else if (!in_single && !in_backtick && *p == '"')
+      in_double = !in_double;
+
+    else if (!in_single && !in_double && *p == '`')
+      in_backtick = !in_backtick;
+
+    else if (!in_single && !in_double && !in_backtick)
+    {
+      if (*p == '$' && *(p+1) == '(')
+      {
+        paren_depth++;
+        p++; // skip '(' next iteration
+      }
+      else if (*p == '(' && paren_depth > 0)
+      {
+        paren_depth++;
+      }
+      else if (*p == ')' && paren_depth > 0)
+      {
+        paren_depth--;
+      }
+      else if (*p == '|' && paren_depth == 0)
+      {
+        *p = '\0';
+
+        if (count >= cap)
+        {
+          cap *= 2;
+          cmds = realloc(cmds, sizeof(struct command*) * cap);
+          if (!cmds)
+          {
+            perror("realloc");
+            exit(1);
+          }
+        }
+
+        cmds[count++] = parse_command(start);
+        start = p + 1;
+      }
+    }
+
+    p++;
+  }
+
+  cmds[count++] = parse_command(start);
+
+  struct pipeline* ret =
+    ccalloc(sizeof(struct pipeline) + count * sizeof(struct command*), 1);
 
-  ret = ccalloc(sizeof(struct pipeline) + n_cmds * sizeof(struct command*), 1);
   parser_allocated(ret);
-  ret->n_cmds = n_cmds;
+  parser_allocated(cmds);
+  ret->n_cmds = count;
 
-  while((cmd_str = strsep(&str, "|")))
-  {
-    ret->cmds[i++] = parse_command(cmd_str);
-  }
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < count; i++)
+    ret->cmds[i] = cmds[i];
 
   return ret;
 }
@@ -229,6 +496,7 @@ static struct sigaction s_old;
 
 pid_t run_with_redir(struct command* command, int n_pipes, int (*pipes)[2])
 {
+  
   pid_t child_pid = fork();
   
   if(child_pid < 0)
@@ -254,10 +522,118 @@ int cd(char* path)
   return chdir(path);
 }
 
+int execute_pipeline(struct pipeline* pl, int capture, char** out)
+{
+    int n_pipes = pl->n_cmds - 1;
+    int (*pipes)[2] = ccalloc(sizeof(int[2]), n_pipes);
+    parser_allocated(pipes);
+
+    for (int i = 1; i < pl->n_cmds; ++i)
+    {
+        pipe(pipes[i-1]);
+        pl->cmds[i]->redirect[STDIN_FILENO] = pipes[i-1][0];
+        pl->cmds[i-1]->redirect[STDOUT_FILENO] = pipes[i-1][1];
+    }
+
+    int capture_pipe[2];
+
+    if (capture)
+    {
+        pipe(capture_pipe);
+        pl->cmds[pl->n_cmds - 1]->redirect[STDOUT_FILENO] = capture_pipe[1];
+    }
+
+    pid_t* pids = ccalloc(sizeof(pid_t), pl->n_cmds);
+    parser_allocated(pids);
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < pl->n_cmds; ++i)
+    {
+      struct command* cmd = pl->cmds[i];
+      char* cmd_name = command_name(cmd);
+      if(!cmd_name)
+      {
+	continue;
+      }
+      if(strlen(cmd_name) >= 1 && cmd_name[0] == '#')
+      {
+	return 0;
+      }
+      
+      if(strcmp(cmd_name, "cd") == 0)
+      {
+	char* path = cmd->argv[1] ? cmd->argv[1] : getenv("HOME");
+	if (cd(path) < 0)
+	{
+	  char err_buf[max_length] = {0};
+	  sprintf(err_buf, "cd: %s", path);
+	  perror(err_buf);
+	}
+
+        continue;
+      }
+      if(strcmp(cmd_name, "exit") == 0)
+      {
+	int32_t status_code = cmd->argv[1] != NULL ? atoi(cmd->argv[1]) : 0;
+	exit(status_code);
+      }
+
+      pids[i] = run_with_redir(cmd, n_pipes, pipes);
+    }
+
+    close_ALL_the_pipes(n_pipes, pipes);
+
+    if (capture)
+        close(capture_pipe[1]);
+
+    int status;
+    for (int i = 0; i < pl->n_cmds; ++i)
+        waitpid(pids[i], &status, 0);
+
+    if (capture)
+    {
+        char buffer[max_length];
+        size_t total = 0;
+        char* result = NULL;
+        ssize_t n;
+
+        while ((n = read(capture_pipe[0], buffer, sizeof(buffer))) > 0)
+        {
+            result = realloc(result, total + n + 1);
+            memcpy(result + total, buffer, n);
+            total += n;
+        }
+
+        if (!result)
+            result = strdup("");
+
+        result[total] = '\0';
+
+        if (total > 0 && result[total-1] == '\n')
+            result[total-1] = '\0';
+	parser_allocated(result);
+        *out = result;
+        close(capture_pipe[0]);
+    }
+
+    return WEXITSTATUS(status);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
 {
   FILE* stream = stdin;
   char* prompt = "arsh> ";
+  const bool spawn_command = argc >= 2 && strcmp(argv[1], "-c") == 0;
+  if(spawn_command)
+  {
+    if(argc !=3)
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "There must be exactly 3 arguments, when starting with a command '-c', but provided %d\n", argc);
+      exit(1);
+    }
+    char* input = strdup(argv[2]);
+    struct pipeline* pipeline = parse_pipeline(input);
+    exit(execute_pipeline(pipeline, 0, NULL));
+  }
   if(argc == 2)
   {
     FILE* file = fopen(argv[1], "r");
@@ -294,61 +670,8 @@ int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
       exit(0);
     }
     
-    // After that line you need cleanup
     struct pipeline* pipeline = parse_pipeline(input);
-    int n_pipes = pipeline->n_cmds - 1;
-    
-    /* pipes[i] redirects from pipeline->cmds[i] to pipeline->cmds[i+1]. */
-    int (*pipes)[2] = ccalloc(sizeof(int[2]), n_pipes);
-    parser_allocated(pipes);
-    pid_t* pids = ccalloc(sizeof(pid_t), pipeline->n_cmds);
-    parser_allocated(pids);
-    for (int i = 1; i < pipeline->n_cmds; ++i)
-    {
-      pipe(pipes[i-1]);  
-      pipeline->cmds[i]->redirect[STDIN_FILENO] = pipes[i-1][0];
-      pipeline->cmds[i-1]->redirect[STDOUT_FILENO] = pipes[i-1][1];
-    }
-    for (int i = 0; i < pipeline->n_cmds; ++i)
-    {
-      struct command* cmd = pipeline->cmds[i];
-      char* cmd_name = command_name(cmd);
-      if(!cmd_name)
-      {
-	continue;
-      }
-      if(strlen(cmd_name) >= 1 && cmd_name[0] == '#')
-      {
-	goto cleanup;
-      }
-      
-      if(strcmp(cmd_name, "cd") == 0)
-      {
-	char* path = cmd->argv[1] ? cmd->argv[1] : getenv("HOME");
-	if (cd(path) < 0)
-	{
-	  char err_buf[max_lenght] = {0};
-	  sprintf(err_buf, "cd: %s", path);
-	  perror(err_buf);
-	}
-
-	goto cleanup; //skip fork()
-      }
-      if(strcmp(cmd_name, "exit") == 0)
-      {
-	int32_t status_code = cmd->argv[1] != NULL ? atoi(cmd->argv[1]) : 0;
-	exit(status_code);
-      }
-      pids[i] = run_with_redir(cmd, n_pipes, pipes);
-    }
-    close_ALL_the_pipes(n_pipes, pipes);
-
-    for(size_t i = 0; i < pipeline->n_cmds; i++)
-    {
-      waitpid(pids[i], &stat_loc, WUNTRACED);
-    }
-
-cleanup:
+    execute_pipeline(pipeline, 0, NULL);
 
     parser_free();
   }