diff --git a/project.clj b/project.clj
index e6c668a..ba820ce 100644
--- a/project.clj
+++ b/project.clj
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
                        [karma-junit-reporter "0.3.8"]]}
 
   :cljsbuild {:builds [{:id           "test"
-                        :source-paths ["test"]
+                        :source-paths ["test" "src"]
                         :compiler     {:output-to     "run/compiled/test.js"
                                        :source-map    "run/compiled/test.js.map"
                                        :output-dir    "run/compiled/test"
diff --git a/src/re_frame/core.cljs b/src/re_frame/core.cljs
index 6310885..63ce2a0 100644
--- a/src/re_frame/core.cljs
+++ b/src/re_frame/core.cljs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 (def dispatch-sync    router/dispatch-sync)
 
 (def register-sub        subs/register)
+(def register-pure-sub   subs/register-pure)
 (def clear-sub-handlers! subs/clear-handlers!)
 (def subscribe           subs/subscribe)
 
diff --git a/src/re_frame/subs.cljs b/src/re_frame/subs.cljs
index 1467bd8..21c8bcc 100644
--- a/src/re_frame/subs.cljs
+++ b/src/re_frame/subs.cljs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 (ns re-frame.subs
  (:require
+   [cljs.spec      :as s]
    [reagent.ratom  :as ratom :refer [make-reaction] :refer-macros [reaction]]
    [re-frame.db    :refer [app-db]]
    [re-frame.utils :refer [first-in-vector warn error]]))
@@ -10,11 +11,6 @@
 ;; Maps from a query-id to a handler function.
 (def ^:private qid->fn (atom {}))
 
-(defn clear-handlers!
-  "Unregisters all existing subscription handlers"
-  []
-  (reset! qid->fn {}))
-
 (defn register
   "Registers a subscription handler function for an query id"
   [query-id handler-fn]
@@ -31,6 +27,12 @@
 ;; test "=".
 (def ^:private query->reaction (atom {}))
 
+(defn clear-handlers!
+  "Unregisters all existing subscription handlers"
+  []
+  (reset! qid->fn {})
+  (reset! query->reaction {}))
+
 (defn cache-and-return
   "cache the reaction r"
   [v dynv r]
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@
          cached)
      (let [query-id   (first-in-vector v)
            handler-fn (get @qid->fn query-id)]
-       (warn "Subscription crerated: " v)
+       (warn "Subscription created: " v)
        (if-not handler-fn
          (error "re-frame: no subscription handler registered for: \"" query-id "\". Returning a nil subscription."))
        (cache-and-return v [] (handler-fn app-db v)))))
@@ -83,3 +85,93 @@
             ;; need to double deref it to get to the actual value.
             (warn "Subscription created: " v dynv)
             (cache-and-return v dynv (reaction @@sub))))))))
+
+;; -- Helper code for register-pure -------------------
+
+(s/def ::register-pure-args (s/cat
+                :sub-name   keyword?
+                :sub-fn     (s/? fn?)
+                :arrow-args (s/* (s/cat :key #{:<-} :val vector?))
+                :f          fn?))
+
+(defn- fmap
+  "Returns a new version of 'm' in which f has been applied to each value.
+  (fmap inc {:a 4, :b 2}) => {:a 5, :b 3}"
+  [f m]
+  (into {} (for [[k val] m] [k (f val)])))
+
+(defn- multi-deref
+  "derefs a map sequence or a singleton"
+  [data]
+  (cond
+    (map? data)  (fmap deref data)
+    (coll? data) (map deref data)
+    :else @data))
+
+(defn register-pure
+  "This fn allows the user to write a 'pure' subscription
+  i.e. that is a subscription that operates on the values within app-db
+  rather than the atom itself
+  Note there are 3 ways this function can be called
+
+    ```(register-pure
+         :test-sub
+         (fn [db [_]] db))```
+  In this example the entire app-db is derefed and passed to the subscription
+  function as a singleton
+
+      ```(subs/register-pure
+           :a-b-sub
+           (fn [q-vec d-vec]
+               [(subs/subscribe [:a-sub])
+                (subs/subscribe [:b-sub])]
+           (fn [[a b] [_]] {:a a :b b}))```
+  In this example the the first function is called with the query vector
+  and the dynamic vector as arguements the return value of this function
+  can be singleton reaction or a list or map of reactions. Note that `q-vec`
+  and `d-vec` can be destructured and used in the subscriptions (this is the point
+  actually). Again the subscriptions are derefed and passed to the subscription
+  function
+
+      ```(subs/register-pure
+           :a-b-sub
+           :<- [:a-sub]
+           :<- [:b-sub]
+           (fn [[a b] [_]] {:a a :b b}))```
+  In this example the convienent syntax of `:<-` is used to cover the majority
+  of cases where only a simple subscription is needed without any parameters
+
+  "
+  [& args]
+  (let [conform           (s/conform ::register-pure-args args)
+        {:keys [sub-name
+                sub-fn
+                arrow-args
+                f]}       conform
+        arrow-subs (->> arrow-args
+                        (map :val))]
+    (cond
+      sub-fn                   ;; first case the user provides a custom sub-fn
+      (register
+         sub-name
+         (fn [db q-vec d-vec]
+           (let [subscriptions (sub-fn q-vec d-vec)]    ;; this let needs to be outside the fn
+             (ratom/make-reaction
+               (fn [] (f (multi-deref subscriptions) q-vec d-vec))))))
+      arrow-args              ;; the user uses the :<- sugar
+      (register
+         sub-name
+         (fn [db q-vec d-vec]
+           (let [subscriptions (map subscribe arrow-subs)]    ;; this let needs to be outside the fn
+             (ratom/make-reaction
+               (fn [] (f (multi-deref subscriptions) q-vec d-vec))))))
+      :else
+      (register ;; the simple case with no subs
+         sub-name
+         (fn [db q-vec d-vec]
+           (ratom/make-reaction (fn [] (f @db q-vec d-vec))))))))
+
+#_(s/fdef register-pure
+        :args ::register-pure-args)
+
+#_(s/instrument #'register-pure)
diff --git a/test/re-frame/test/subs.cljs b/test/re-frame/test/subs.cljs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e1d46a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/re-frame/test/subs.cljs
@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+(ns re-frame.test.subs
+  (:require [cljs.test         :refer-macros [is deftest]]
+            [reagent.ratom     :refer-macros [reaction]]
+            [re-frame.subs     :as subs]
+            [re-frame.db       :as db]
+            [re-frame.core     :as re-frame]))
+
+;=====test basic subscriptions  ======
+
+(deftest test-reg-sub
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register
+    :test-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (reaction (deref db))))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:test-sub])]
+    (is (= @db/app-db @test-sub))
+    (reset! db/app-db 1)
+    (is (= 1 @test-sub))))
+
+(deftest test-chained-subs
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register
+    :a-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (reaction (:a @db))))
+
+  (subs/register
+    :b-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (reaction (:b @db))))
+
+  (subs/register
+    :a-b-sub
+    (fn [db [_]]
+      (let [a (subs/subscribe [:a-sub])
+            b (subs/subscribe [:b-sub])]
+        (reaction {:a @a :b @b}))))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:a-b-sub])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= {:a 1 :b 2} @test-sub))
+    (swap! db/app-db assoc :b 3)
+    (is (= {:a 1 :b 3} @test-sub))))
+
+(deftest test-sub-parameters
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register
+    :test-sub
+    (fn [db [_ b]] (reaction [(:a @db) b])))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:test-sub :c])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= [1 :c] @test-sub))))
+
+
+(deftest test-sub-chained-parameters
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register
+    :a-sub
+    (fn [db [_ a]] (reaction [(:a @db) a])))
+
+  (subs/register
+    :b-sub
+    (fn [db [_ b]] (reaction [(:b @db) b])))
+
+  (subs/register
+    :a-b-sub
+    (fn [db [_ c]]
+      (let [a (subs/subscribe [:a-sub c])
+            b (subs/subscribe [:b-sub c])]
+        (reaction {:a @a :b @b}))))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:a-b-sub :c])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= {:a [1 :c], :b [2 :c]} @test-sub))))
+
+;============== test register-pure macros ================
+
+(deftest test-reg-sub-macro
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :test-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] db))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:test-sub])]
+    (is (= @db/app-db @test-sub))
+    (reset! db/app-db 1)
+    (is (= 1 @test-sub))))
+
+(deftest test-reg-sub-macro-singleton
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (:a db)))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-b-sub
+    (fn [_ _ _]
+      (subs/subscribe [:a-sub]))
+    (fn [a [_]]
+      {:a a}))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:a-b-sub])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= {:a 1} @test-sub))
+    (swap! db/app-db assoc :b 3)
+    (is (= {:a 1} @test-sub))))
+
+(deftest test-reg-sub-macro-vector
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (:a db)))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :b-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (:b db)))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-b-sub
+    (fn [_ _ _]
+      [(subs/subscribe [:a-sub])
+       (subs/subscribe [:b-sub])])
+    (fn [[a b] [_]]
+      {:a a :b b}))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:a-b-sub])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= {:a 1 :b 2} @test-sub))
+    (swap! db/app-db assoc :b 3)
+    (is (= {:a 1 :b 3} @test-sub))))
+
+(deftest test-reg-sub-macro-map
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (:a db)))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :b-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (:b db)))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-b-sub
+    (fn [_ _ _]
+      {:a (subs/subscribe [:a-sub])
+       :b (subs/subscribe [:b-sub])})
+    (fn [{:keys [a b]} [_]]
+      {:a a :b b}))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:a-b-sub])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= {:a 1 :b 2} @test-sub))
+    (swap! db/app-db assoc :b 3)
+    (is (= {:a 1 :b 3} @test-sub))))
+
+(deftest test-sub-macro-parameters
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :test-sub
+    (fn [db [_ b]] [(:a db) b]))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:test-sub :c])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= [1 :c] @test-sub))))
+
+(deftest test-sub-macros-chained-parameters
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-sub
+    (fn [db [_ a]] [(:a db) a]))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :b-sub
+    (fn [db [_ b]] [(:b db) b]))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-b-sub
+    (fn [[_ c] _]
+      [(subs/subscribe [:a-sub c])
+       (subs/subscribe [:b-sub c])])
+    (fn [[a b] [_ c]] {:a a :b b}))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:a-b-sub :c])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= {:a [1 :c] :b [2 :c]} @test-sub))))
+
+
+(deftest test-sub-macros-chained-parameters-<-
+  "test the syntactial sugar"
+  (subs/clear-handlers!)
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :a-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (:a db)))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+    :b-sub
+    (fn [db [_]] (:b db)))
+
+  (subs/register-pure
+        :a-b-sub
+        :<- [:a-sub]
+        :<- [:b-sub]
+        (fn [[a b] [_ c]] {:a a :b b}))
+
+  (let [test-sub (subs/subscribe [:a-b-sub :c])]
+    (reset! db/app-db {:a 1 :b 2})
+    (is (= {:a 1 :b 2} @test-sub) ))
+  )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/re-frame/test/test_runner.cljs b/test/re-frame/test/test_runner.cljs
index 778471b..8f64d83 100644
--- a/test/re-frame/test/test_runner.cljs
+++ b/test/re-frame/test/test_runner.cljs
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 (ns re-frame.test.runner
   (:require [jx.reporter.karma :as karma :include-macros true]
             [re-frame.test.middleware]
-            [re-frame.test.undo]))
+            [re-frame.test.undo]
+            [re-frame.test.subs]))
 
 
 (defn ^:export run [karma]
   (karma/run-tests
     karma
     're-frame.test.middleware
-    're-frame.test.undo))
+    're-frame.test.undo
+    're-frame.test.subs))