diff --git a/src/encoder.rs b/src/encoder.rs
index f334b04..e86b32d 100644
--- a/src/encoder.rs
+++ b/src/encoder.rs
@@ -1,27 +1,42 @@
+use std::marker::PhantomData;
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
 use reed_solomon_erasure::galois_8::ReedSolomon;
-use crate::byte_data::Data;
+use crate::byte_data::{Data, Params};
 use crate::traits::Encoder;
 
+pub struct RSEncoder<T>{
+    phantom_data: PhantomData<T>
+}
+
+impl RSEncoder<u8>{
+    pub fn new() -> Self{
+        Self{
+            phantom_data: PhantomData::default()
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Encoder<u8> for RSEncoder<u8> {
+    type Params = Params;
+    type DataMatrix<T> = Data<u8>;
 
-impl Encoder<u8> for Data<u8> {
     /// encode the columns of the data matrix in place
-    fn encode(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
-        let n = self.params.n;
-        assert!(self.params.k < n, "k must be less than total shards");
-        let p = n - self.params.k;
+    fn encode(data: &mut Data<u8>) -> Result<()> {
+        let n = data.params.n;
+        assert!(data.params.k < n, "k must be less than total shards");
+        let p = n - data.params.k;
 
-        // ensure all shards are same length
-        let shard_size = self.matrix[0].len();
-        for shard in &self.matrix[1..] {
-            assert_eq!(shard.len(), shard_size, "all shards must have equal length");
+        // ensure all rows are same length
+        let row_size = data.matrix[0].len();
+        for row in &data.matrix[1..] {
+            assert_eq!(row.len(), row_size, "all rows must have equal length");
         }
 
         // build the encoder
-        let rse = ReedSolomon::new(self.params.k, p)?;
+        let rse = ReedSolomon::new(data.params.k, p)?;
 
         // prepare mutable slice references for in-place encode
-        let mut shards_refs: Vec<&mut [u8]> = self.matrix.iter_mut()
+        let mut shards_refs: Vec<&mut [u8]> = data.matrix.iter_mut()
             .map(|v| v.as_mut_slice())
             .collect();
 
@@ -30,20 +45,20 @@ impl Encoder<u8> for Data<u8> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn encode_col(&mut self, c: usize) -> Result<Vec<u8>>{
+    fn encode_col(data: &mut Data<u8>, c: usize) -> Result<Vec<u8>>{
         // bounds check
-        if c >= self.params.m {
-            return Err(anyhow!("shard index {} out of bounds (< {})", c, self.params.m));
+        if c >= data.params.m {
+            return Err(anyhow!("col index {} out of bounds (< {})", c, data.params.m));
         }
 
-        let n = self.params.n;
-        let k = self.params.k;
+        let n = data.params.n;
+        let k = data.params.k;
         let p = n - k;
 
         // Build the column: data = existing byte, parity = zero
         let mut temp: Vec<Vec<u8>> = (0..n)
             .map(|i| {
-                let byte = self.matrix[i][c];
+                let byte = data.matrix[i][c];
                 if i < k {
                     vec![byte]
                 } else {
@@ -62,7 +77,7 @@ impl Encoder<u8> for Data<u8> {
         for i in 0..n {
             let b = refs[i][0];
             if i >= k {
-                self.matrix[i][c] = b;
+                data.matrix[i][c] = b;
             }
             full_col.push(b);
         }
@@ -70,7 +85,13 @@ impl Encoder<u8> for Data<u8> {
         Ok(full_col)
     }
 
-    fn reconstruct(&mut self) -> Result<()>{
-        todo!()
+    fn reconstruct(params: Params, matrix_opts: &mut Vec<Option<Vec<u8>>>) -> Result<()>{
+        let n = params.n;
+        let k = params.k;
+        let p = n - k;
+        let rse = ReedSolomon::new(k, p).unwrap();
+        // reconstruct missing rows
+        rse.reconstruct(matrix_opts)?;
+        Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/test.rs b/src/test.rs
index d171692..dd9e715 100644
--- a/src/test.rs
+++ b/src/test.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ mod tests {
     use crate::kzg::{F, KZGPolyComm};
     use crate::field_matrix::Matrix;
     use ark_poly_commit::{Polynomial};
+    use crate::encoder::RSEncoder;
     use crate::traits::{DataMatrix, Encoder, PolynomialCommitmentScheme};
 
     #[test]
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ mod tests {
         let original: Vec<Vec<u8>> = data.matrix[..k].to_vec();
 
         // encode
-        data.encode().expect("encode failed");
+        RSEncoder::encode(&mut data).expect("encode failed");
         println!("data after encoding:");
         data.pretty_print();
 
@@ -39,13 +40,12 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(data.matrix[..k], original[..]);
 
         // simulate loss of one data and one parity rows
-        let rse = ReedSolomon::new(k, p).unwrap();
         let mut matrix_opts: Vec<_> = data.matrix.iter().cloned().map(Some).collect();
         matrix_opts[1] = None;
         matrix_opts[k] = None;
 
         // reconstruct missing rows
-        rse.reconstruct(&mut matrix_opts).expect("reconstruct failed");
+        RSEncoder::reconstruct(data.params.clone(), &mut matrix_opts).expect("reconstruction should succeed");
 
         // verify reconstruction for data shards
         for i in 0..k {
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ mod tests {
             m,
         };
         let mut data = Data::new_random(params.clone());
-        data.encode().expect("encode failed");
+        RSEncoder::encode(&mut data).expect("encode failed");
 
         // make a random n×m matrix
         let matrix = Matrix::from_data(&data);
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ mod tests {
             m,
         };
         let mut data = Data::new_random(params.clone());
-        data.encode().expect("encode failed");
+        RSEncoder::encode(&mut data).expect("encode failed");
 
         // make a random n×m matrix
         let matrix = Matrix::from_data(&data);
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ mod tests {
         };
         // snapshot of original
         let mut data = Data::new_random(params);
-        data.encode().expect("encode failed");
+        RSEncoder::encode(&mut data).expect("encode failed");
         println!("original data:");
         data.pretty_print();
 
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ mod tests {
             );
         }
 
-        let _coded_row = data.encode_col(c).unwrap();
+        let _coded_row = RSEncoder::encode_col(&mut data, c).unwrap();
         println!("data after encoding update:");
         data.pretty_print();
     }
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ mod tests {
         };
         // snapshot of original
         let mut data = Data::new_random(params.clone());
-        data.encode().expect("encode failed");
+        RSEncoder::encode(&mut data).expect("encode failed");
 
         // Build a matrix where entry (i,j) = i * m + j
         let mut matrix = Matrix::<F>::from_data(&data);
diff --git a/src/traits.rs b/src/traits.rs
index f86500f..9e8e8cc 100644
--- a/src/traits.rs
+++ b/src/traits.rs
@@ -1,21 +1,25 @@
 use anyhow::Result;
+use crate::byte_data::Params;
 
 pub trait DataMatrix<T>{
     type Params;
-    fn new_random(_: Self::Params) -> Self;
+    fn new_random(params: Self::Params) -> Self;
     fn update_col(&mut self, c: usize, new_col: &[T]);
     fn pretty_print(&self);
 }
 
 /// Encoder trait
 pub trait Encoder<T>{
+    type Params;
+    /// data matrix type to encode
+    type DataMatrix<U>;
 
     /// encode in place the input data matrix
-    fn encode(&mut self) -> Result<()>;
+    fn encode(data: &mut Self::DataMatrix<T>) -> Result<()>;
     /// encode a single column in place
-    fn encode_col(&mut self, c: usize) -> Result<Vec<T>>;
+    fn encode_col(data: &mut Self::DataMatrix<T>, c: usize) -> Result<Vec<T>>;
     /// reconstruct in place
-    fn reconstruct(&mut self) -> Result<()>;
+    fn reconstruct(params: Params, matrix_opts: &mut Vec<Option<Vec<T>>>) -> Result<()>;
 }
 
 /// Polynomial Commitment scheme (e.g. KZG) trait