diff --git a/networkcommons/network/_formats/__init__.py b/networkcommons/network/_formats/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/networkcommons/network/_formats/_networkx.py b/networkcommons/network/_formats/_networkx.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..339c901
--- /dev/null
+++ b/networkcommons/network/_formats/_networkx.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import networkx as nx
+
+def to_networkx(
+        net: "NetworkBase",
+        node_attr: list[str] = None,
+        edge_attr: list[str] = None) -> nx.Graph:
+    netx = nx.Graph()
+    return netx
+
+
+def from_networkx():
+    pass
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_formats.py b/tests/test_formats.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89781d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_formats.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import pytest
+import networkx as nx
+from networkcommons.network._formats._networkx import to_networkx
+from networkcommons.network._network import NetworkBase
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def small_network():
+    nodes = ['A', 'B', 'C']
+    edges = [('A', 'B'), ('B', 'C')]
+    network = NetworkBase(edges = edges, nodes = nodes)
+    return network
+
+
+def test_to_networkx(small_network):
+    #create a networkbase object
+    #convert it to networkx
+    netx = to_networkx(small_network)
+    assert isinstance(netx, nx.Graph)