diff --git a/lightsync/protocol/__init__.py b/lightsync/protocol/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/test_protocol.py b/tests/test_protocol.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc373b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_protocol.py
@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+"""Tests for lightsync.protocol package — DRGB/DRGBW/DNRGB encoders and animation command."""
+import struct
+import pytest
+
+from lightsync.protocol.drgb import (
+    PROTOCOL_DRGB,
+    PROTOCOL_DRGBW,
+    PROTOCOL_DNRGB,
+    TIMEOUT_BYTE,
+    DRGB_MAX_PX,
+    DRGBW_MAX_PX,
+    DNRGB_MAX_PX,
+    encode_drgb,
+    encode_drgbw,
+    encode_dnrgb_packets,
+)
+from lightsync.protocol.animation_cmd import (
+    ANIM_CMD_MARKER,
+    ANIMATION_IDS,
+    ANIMATION_NAMES,
+    encode_animation_cmd,
+    decode_animation_cmd,
+)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# DRGB tests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_encode_drgb_basic():
+    """DRGB header = [0x02, timeout], body = 3 bytes per pixel."""
+    pixels = [(255, 0, 0), (0, 255, 0)]
+    result = encode_drgb(pixels)
+    expected = bytes([0x02, 2, 255, 0, 0, 0, 255, 0])
+    assert result == expected, f"Got: {result.hex()}"
+
+
+def test_encode_drgb_max_pixels_exact():
+    """490 pixels produces exactly 1472 bytes (2 header + 490*3)."""
+    pixels = [(255, 0, 0)] * 490
+    result = encode_drgb(pixels)
+    assert len(result) == 1472
+
+
+def test_encode_drgb_truncates_over_max():
+    """491 pixels truncated to 490 — stays under MTU."""
+    pixels = [(255, 0, 0)] * 491
+    result = encode_drgb(pixels)
+    assert len(result) == 1472  # same as 490 pixels
+
+
+def test_encode_drgb_header_bytes():
+    """DRGB header byte 0 == 0x02, byte 1 == TIMEOUT_BYTE."""
+    result = encode_drgb([(0, 0, 0)])
+    assert result[0] == PROTOCOL_DRGB == 2
+    assert result[1] == TIMEOUT_BYTE == 2
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# DRGBW tests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_encode_drgbw_basic():
+    """DRGBW header = [0x03, timeout], body = 4 bytes per pixel (R,G,B,W)."""
+    pixels = [(255, 0, 0, 128)]
+    result = encode_drgbw(pixels)
+    expected = bytes([0x03, 2, 255, 0, 0, 128])
+    assert result == expected, f"Got: {result.hex()}"
+
+
+def test_encode_drgbw_max_pixels_exact():
+    """367 pixels produces exactly 1470 bytes (2 header + 367*4)."""
+    pixels = [(255, 0, 0, 0)] * 367
+    result = encode_drgbw(pixels)
+    assert len(result) == 1470
+
+
+def test_encode_drgbw_truncates_over_max():
+    """368 pixels truncated to 367."""
+    pixels = [(255, 0, 0, 0)] * 368
+    result = encode_drgbw(pixels)
+    assert len(result) == 1470  # same as 367 pixels
+
+
+def test_encode_drgbw_header_bytes():
+    """DRGBW header byte 0 == 0x03."""
+    result = encode_drgbw([(0, 0, 0, 0)])
+    assert result[0] == PROTOCOL_DRGBW == 3
+    assert result[1] == TIMEOUT_BYTE == 2
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# DNRGB multi-packet tests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_dnrgb_split_600_pixels():
+    """600 pixels splits into 2 packets (489 + 111 LEDs)."""
+    pixels = [(100, 150, 200)] * 600
+    packets = encode_dnrgb_packets(pixels)
+    assert len(packets) == 2
+    # First packet: 4 header + 489*3 = 1471 bytes
+    assert len(packets[0]) == 4 + 489 * 3
+    # Second packet: 4 header + 111*3 = 337 bytes
+    assert len(packets[1]) == 4 + 111 * 3
+
+
+def test_dnrgb_start_index_first_packet():
+    """First packet start index at bytes 2-3 (big-endian) == 0."""
+    pixels = [(0, 0, 0)] * 600
+    packets = encode_dnrgb_packets(pixels)
+    start = struct.unpack_from(">H", packets[0], 2)[0]
+    assert start == 0
+
+
+def test_dnrgb_start_index_second_packet():
+    """Second packet start index == 489 (big-endian at bytes 2-3)."""
+    pixels = [(0, 0, 0)] * 600
+    packets = encode_dnrgb_packets(pixels)
+    start = struct.unpack_from(">H", packets[1], 2)[0]
+    assert start == 489
+
+
+def test_dnrgb_packets_under_mtu():
+    """All DNRGB packets must be <= 1472 bytes."""
+    pixels = [(255, 128, 0)] * 1000
+    packets = encode_dnrgb_packets(pixels)
+    for i, pkt in enumerate(packets):
+        assert len(pkt) <= 1472, f"Packet {i} exceeds MTU: {len(pkt)} bytes"
+
+
+def test_dnrgb_header_type_byte():
+    """DNRGB type byte == 0x04."""
+    packets = encode_dnrgb_packets([(0, 0, 0)] * 10)
+    assert packets[0][0] == PROTOCOL_DNRGB == 4
+
+
+def test_dnrgb_with_start_offset():
+    """start_index parameter shifts all packet indices."""
+    pixels = [(0, 0, 0)] * 600
+    packets = encode_dnrgb_packets(pixels, start_index=100)
+    start0 = struct.unpack_from(">H", packets[0], 2)[0]
+    start1 = struct.unpack_from(">H", packets[1], 2)[0]
+    assert start0 == 100
+    assert start1 == 100 + 489
+
+
+def test_dnrgb_single_packet_under_max():
+    """Under DNRGB_MAX_PX produces exactly 1 packet."""
+    pixels = [(0, 0, 0)] * 100
+    packets = encode_dnrgb_packets(pixels)
+    assert len(packets) == 1
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Animation command tests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_animation_cmd_chase_basic():
+    """encode_animation_cmd returns 16-byte packet starting with 0xAC, 0x01 (chase)."""
+    result = encode_animation_cmd("chase", {"color": [255, 0, 0], "white": 0, "speed": 0.5, "reverse": False})
+    assert len(result) == 16
+    assert result[0] == 0xAC
+    assert result[1] == 1  # version
+    assert result[2] == ANIMATION_IDS["chase"] == 1
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_all_type_ids():
+    """All 7 animation types have correct IDs."""
+    expected = {
+        "solid_color": 0, "chase": 1, "pulse": 2, "rainbow": 3,
+        "strobe": 4, "color_wipe": 5, "fire": 6,
+    }
+    assert ANIMATION_IDS == expected
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_marker_byte():
+    """Byte 0 == 0xAC for all animation types."""
+    for anim_name in ANIMATION_IDS:
+        result = encode_animation_cmd(anim_name, {})
+        assert result[0] == 0xAC, f"Failed for {anim_name}: {result.hex()}"
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_packet_length():
+    """All animation commands produce exactly 16 bytes."""
+    for anim_name in ANIMATION_IDS:
+        result = encode_animation_cmd(anim_name, {})
+        assert len(result) == 16, f"Wrong length for {anim_name}: {len(result)}"
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_unknown_raises():
+    """Unknown animation type raises ValueError."""
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        encode_animation_cmd("nonexistent_animation", {})
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_roundtrip_all_types():
+    """decode_animation_cmd round-trips with encode_animation_cmd for all 7 types."""
+    for anim_name in ANIMATION_IDS:
+        params = {"color": [10, 20, 30], "bg_color": [5, 5, 5], "speed": 0.75, "white": 64, "reverse": True, "density": 100}
+        encoded = encode_animation_cmd(anim_name, params)
+        decoded = decode_animation_cmd(encoded)
+        assert decoded["animation"] == anim_name
+        assert decoded["params"]["color"] == [10, 20, 30]
+        assert decoded["params"]["bg_color"] == [5, 5, 5]
+        assert decoded["params"]["white"] == 64
+        assert decoded["params"]["reverse"] is True
+        assert decoded["params"]["density"] == 100
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_speed_encoding():
+    """Speed is packed as big-endian float32 at bytes 4-7."""
+    result = encode_animation_cmd("chase", {"speed": 0.5})
+    speed = struct.unpack_from(">f", result, 4)[0]
+    assert abs(speed - 0.5) < 1e-6
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_reverse_flag():
+    """Reverse flag sets bit 0 of flags byte (byte 3)."""
+    result_rev = encode_animation_cmd("chase", {"reverse": True})
+    result_nrev = encode_animation_cmd("chase", {"reverse": False})
+    assert result_rev[3] & 0x01 == 1
+    assert result_nrev[3] & 0x01 == 0
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_color_fields():
+    """Primary color at bytes 8-10, secondary (bg_color) at bytes 11-13."""
+    result = encode_animation_cmd("chase", {"color": [100, 150, 200], "bg_color": [10, 20, 30]})
+    assert result[8] == 100
+    assert result[9] == 150
+    assert result[10] == 200
+    assert result[11] == 10
+    assert result[12] == 20
+    assert result[13] == 30
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_white_byte():
+    """White channel at byte 14."""
+    result = encode_animation_cmd("solid_color", {"white": 200})
+    assert result[14] == 200
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_density_byte():
+    """Density at byte 15 (checks density param, falls back to size/cooling)."""
+    result_density = encode_animation_cmd("fire", {"density": 55})
+    assert result_density[15] == 55
+
+    result_cooling = encode_animation_cmd("fire", {"cooling": 80})
+    assert result_cooling[15] == 80
+
+
+def test_animation_cmd_defaults():
+    """encode_animation_cmd works with empty params (uses defaults)."""
+    result = encode_animation_cmd("solid_color", {})
+    assert len(result) == 16
+    assert result[0] == 0xAC
+    assert result[8] == 0  # default color [0,0,0]
+    assert result[14] == 0  # default white