diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/kernelmanager.py b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/kernelmanager.py
index 1bfae33..6828f17 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/kernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/kernelmanager.py
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ Authors:
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 import os
-import signal
-import sys
 import uuid
 
 import zmq
@@ -94,7 +92,7 @@ class MultiKernelManager(LoggingConfigurable):
         )
         km.start_kernel(**kwargs)
         # start just the shell channel, needed for graceful restart
-        km.start_channels(shell=True, sub=False, stdin=False, hb=False)
+        km.start_channels(shell=True, iopub=False, stdin=False, hb=False)
         self._kernels[kernel_id] = km
         return kernel_id
 
diff --git a/IPython/inprocess/blockingkernelmanager.py b/IPython/inprocess/blockingkernelmanager.py
index e9dc184..38a2a08 100644
--- a/IPython/inprocess/blockingkernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/inprocess/blockingkernelmanager.py
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@ Useful for test suites and blocking terminal interfaces.
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-# Standard library imports.
-import Queue
-from threading import Event
-
 # Local imports.
 from IPython.utils.io import raw_print
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import Type
diff --git a/IPython/inprocess/kernelmanager.py b/IPython/inprocess/kernelmanager.py
index 77b525f..f5137a8 100644
--- a/IPython/inprocess/kernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/inprocess/kernelmanager.py
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
 from IPython.config.loader import Config
 from IPython.inprocess.socket import DummySocket
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import HasTraits, Any, Instance, Type
+from IPython.zmq.kernelmanagerabc import (
+    ShellChannelABC, IOPubChannelABC,
+    HBChannelABC, StdInChannelABC,
+    KernelManagerABC
+)
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Channel classes
@@ -322,15 +327,15 @@ class InProcessKernelManager(HasTraits):
     _hb_channel = Any
 
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    # Channel management methods:
+    # Channel management methods.
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    def start_channels(self, shell=True, sub=True, stdin=True, hb=True):
+    def start_channels(self, shell=True, iopub=True, stdin=True, hb=True):
         """ Starts the channels for this kernel.
         """
         if shell:
             self.shell_channel.start()
-        if sub:
+        if iopub:
             self.iopub_channel.start()
         if stdin:
             self.stdin_channel.start()
@@ -358,6 +363,35 @@ class InProcessKernelManager(HasTraits):
         return (self.shell_channel.is_alive() or self.iopub_channel.is_alive() or
                 self.stdin_channel.is_alive() or self.hb_channel.is_alive())
 
+    @property
+    def shell_channel(self):
+        """Get the REQ socket channel object to make requests of the kernel."""
+        if self._shell_channel is None:
+            self._shell_channel = self.shell_channel_class(self)
+        return self._shell_channel
+
+    @property
+    def iopub_channel(self):
+        """Get the SUB socket channel object."""
+        if self._iopub_channel is None:
+            self._iopub_channel = self.iopub_channel_class(self)
+        return self._iopub_channel
+
+    @property
+    def stdin_channel(self):
+        """Get the REP socket channel object to handle stdin (raw_input)."""
+        if self._stdin_channel is None:
+            self._stdin_channel = self.stdin_channel_class(self)
+        return self._stdin_channel
+
+    @property
+    def hb_channel(self):
+        """Get the heartbeat socket channel object to check that the
+        kernel is alive."""
+        if self._hb_channel is None:
+            self._hb_channel = self.hb_channel_class(self)
+        return self._hb_channel
+
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Kernel management methods:
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -409,35 +443,13 @@ class InProcessKernelManager(HasTraits):
         """ Is the kernel process still running? """
         return True
 
-    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    # Channels used for communication with the kernel:
-    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    @property
-    def shell_channel(self):
-        """Get the REQ socket channel object to make requests of the kernel."""
-        if self._shell_channel is None:
-            self._shell_channel = self.shell_channel_class(self)
-        return self._shell_channel
-
-    @property
-    def iopub_channel(self):
-        """Get the SUB socket channel object."""
-        if self._iopub_channel is None:
-            self._iopub_channel = self.iopub_channel_class(self)
-        return self._iopub_channel
 
-    @property
-    def stdin_channel(self):
-        """Get the REP socket channel object to handle stdin (raw_input)."""
-        if self._stdin_channel is None:
-            self._stdin_channel = self.stdin_channel_class(self)
-        return self._stdin_channel
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# ABC Registration
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    @property
-    def hb_channel(self):
-        """Get the heartbeat socket channel object to check that the
-        kernel is alive."""
-        if self._hb_channel is None:
-            self._hb_channel = self.hb_channel_class(self)
-        return self._hb_channel
+ShellChannelABC.register(InProcessShellChannel)
+IOPubChannelABC.register(InProcessIOPubChannel)
+HBChannelABC.register(InProcessHBChannel)
+StdInChannelABC.register(InProcessStdInChannel)
+KernelManagerABC.register(InProcessKernelManager)
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/blockingkernelmanager.py b/IPython/zmq/blockingkernelmanager.py
index 6b53697..69aac2f 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/blockingkernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/blockingkernelmanager.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ Useful for test suites and blocking terminal interfaces.
 # Imports
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+import Queue
+
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import Type
 from kernelmanager import KernelManager, IOPubChannel, HBChannel, \
     ShellChannel, StdInChannel
@@ -81,4 +83,4 @@ class BlockingKernelManager(KernelManager):
     iopub_channel_class = Type(BlockingIOPubChannel)
     stdin_channel_class = Type(BlockingStdInChannel)
     hb_channel_class = Type(BlockingHBChannel)
-  
+
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py b/IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py
index 00d3ed0..10a6ceb 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py
@@ -34,15 +34,20 @@ from zmq import ZMQError
 from zmq.eventloop import ioloop, zmqstream
 
 # Local imports.
-from IPython.config.loader import Config
 from IPython.config.configurable import Configurable
 from IPython.utils.localinterfaces import LOCALHOST, LOCAL_IPS
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import (
-    HasTraits, Any, Instance, Type, Unicode, Integer, Bool, CaselessStrEnum
+    Any, Instance, Type, Unicode, Integer, Bool, CaselessStrEnum
 )
 from IPython.utils.py3compat import str_to_bytes
 from IPython.zmq.entry_point import write_connection_file
 from session import Session
+from IPython.zmq.kernelmanagerabc import (
+    ShellChannelABC, IOPubChannelABC,
+    HBChannelABC, StdInChannelABC,
+    KernelManagerABC
+)
+
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Constants and exceptions
@@ -698,7 +703,7 @@ class KernelManager(Configurable):
     # Channel management methods:
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    def start_channels(self, shell=True, sub=True, stdin=True, hb=True):
+    def start_channels(self, shell=True, iopub=True, stdin=True, hb=True):
         """Starts the channels for this kernel.
 
         This will create the channels if they do not exist and then start
@@ -708,7 +713,7 @@ class KernelManager(Configurable):
         """
         if shell:
             self.shell_channel.start()
-        if sub:
+        if iopub:
             self.iopub_channel.start()
         if stdin:
             self.stdin_channel.start()
@@ -736,8 +741,56 @@ class KernelManager(Configurable):
         return (self.shell_channel.is_alive() or self.iopub_channel.is_alive() or
                 self.stdin_channel.is_alive() or self.hb_channel.is_alive())
 
+    def _make_url(self, port):
+        """make a zmq url with a port"""
+        if self.transport == 'tcp':
+            return "tcp://%s:%i" % (self.ip, port)
+        else:
+            return "%s://%s-%s" % (self.transport, self.ip, port)
+
+    @property
+    def shell_channel(self):
+        """Get the REQ socket channel object to make requests of the kernel."""
+        if self._shell_channel is None:
+            self._shell_channel = self.shell_channel_class(self.context,
+                                                           self.session,
+                                                           self._make_url(self.shell_port),
+            )
+        return self._shell_channel
+
+    @property
+    def iopub_channel(self):
+        """Get the SUB socket channel object."""
+        if self._iopub_channel is None:
+            self._iopub_channel = self.iopub_channel_class(self.context,
+                                                       self.session,
+                                                       self._make_url(self.iopub_port),
+            )
+        return self._iopub_channel
+
+    @property
+    def stdin_channel(self):
+        """Get the REP socket channel object to handle stdin (raw_input)."""
+        if self._stdin_channel is None:
+            self._stdin_channel = self.stdin_channel_class(self.context,
+                                                           self.session,
+                                                           self._make_url(self.stdin_port),
+            )
+        return self._stdin_channel
+
+    @property
+    def hb_channel(self):
+        """Get the heartbeat socket channel object to check that the
+        kernel is alive."""
+        if self._hb_channel is None:
+            self._hb_channel = self.hb_channel_class(self.context,
+                                                     self.session,
+                                                     self._make_url(self.hb_port),
+            )
+        return self._hb_channel
+
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    # Kernel process management methods:
+    # Connection and ipc file management.
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     def cleanup_connection_file(self):
@@ -796,7 +849,11 @@ class KernelManager(Configurable):
         self.hb_port = cfg['hb_port']
         
         self._connection_file_written = True
-    
+
+    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # Kernel management.
+    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
     def start_kernel(self, **kw):
         """Starts a kernel process and configures the manager to use it.
 
@@ -985,54 +1042,13 @@ class KernelManager(Configurable):
             # so naively return True
             return True
 
-    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    # Channels used for communication with the kernel:
-    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    def _make_url(self, port):
-        """make a zmq url with a port"""
-        if self.transport == 'tcp':
-            return "tcp://%s:%i" % (self.ip, port)
-        else:
-            return "%s://%s-%s" % (self.transport, self.ip, port)
-
-    @property
-    def shell_channel(self):
-        """Get the REQ socket channel object to make requests of the kernel."""
-        if self._shell_channel is None:
-            self._shell_channel = self.shell_channel_class(self.context,
-                                                           self.session,
-                                                           self._make_url(self.shell_port),
-            )
-        return self._shell_channel
-
-    @property
-    def iopub_channel(self):
-        """Get the SUB socket channel object."""
-        if self._iopub_channel is None:
-            self._iopub_channel = self.iopub_channel_class(self.context,
-                                                       self.session,
-                                                       self._make_url(self.iopub_port),
-            )
-        return self._iopub_channel
 
-    @property
-    def stdin_channel(self):
-        """Get the REP socket channel object to handle stdin (raw_input)."""
-        if self._stdin_channel is None:
-            self._stdin_channel = self.stdin_channel_class(self.context,
-                                                           self.session,
-                                                           self._make_url(self.stdin_port),
-            )
-        return self._stdin_channel
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# ABC Registration
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    @property
-    def hb_channel(self):
-        """Get the heartbeat socket channel object to check that the
-        kernel is alive."""
-        if self._hb_channel is None:
-            self._hb_channel = self.hb_channel_class(self.context,
-                                                     self.session,
-                                                     self._make_url(self.hb_port),
-            )
-        return self._hb_channel
+ShellChannelABC.register(ShellChannel)
+IOPubChannelABC.register(IOPubChannel)
+HBChannelABC.register(HBChannel)
+StdInChannelABC.register(StdInChannel)
+KernelManagerABC.register(KernelManager)
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/kernelmanagerabc.py b/IPython/zmq/kernelmanagerabc.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a43266b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/zmq/kernelmanagerabc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,399 @@
+"""Abstract base classes for kernel manager and channels."""
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#  Copyright (C) 2013  The IPython Development Team
+#
+#  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.  The full license is in
+#  the file COPYING, distributed as part of this software.
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Imports
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# Standard library imports.
+import abc
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Channels
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class ChannelABC(object):
+    """A base class for all channel ABCs."""
+
+    __metaclass__ = abc.ABCMeta
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def start(self):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def stop(self):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def is_alive(self):
+        pass
+
+
+class ShellChannelABC(ChannelABC):
+    """The DEALER channel for issues request/replies to the kernel.
+    """
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def allow_stdin(self):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def execute(self, code, silent=False, store_history=True,
+                user_variables=None, user_expressions=None, allow_stdin=None):
+        """Execute code in the kernel.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        code : str
+            A string of Python code.
+
+        silent : bool, optional (default False)
+            If set, the kernel will execute the code as quietly possible, and
+            will force store_history to be False.
+
+        store_history : bool, optional (default True)
+            If set, the kernel will store command history.  This is forced
+            to be False if silent is True.
+
+        user_variables : list, optional
+            A list of variable names to pull from the user's namespace.  They
+            will come back as a dict with these names as keys and their
+            :func:`repr` as values.
+
+        user_expressions : dict, optional
+            A dict mapping names to expressions to be evaluated in the user's
+            dict. The expression values are returned as strings formatted using
+            :func:`repr`.
+
+        allow_stdin : bool, optional (default self.allow_stdin)
+            Flag for whether the kernel can send stdin requests to frontends.
+
+            Some frontends (e.g. the Notebook) do not support stdin requests. 
+            If raw_input is called from code executed from such a frontend, a
+            StdinNotImplementedError will be raised.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        The msg_id of the message sent.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def complete(self, text, line, cursor_pos, block=None):
+        """Tab complete text in the kernel's namespace.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        text : str
+            The text to complete.
+        line : str
+            The full line of text that is the surrounding context for the
+            text to complete.
+        cursor_pos : int
+            The position of the cursor in the line where the completion was
+            requested.
+        block : str, optional
+            The full block of code in which the completion is being requested.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        The msg_id of the message sent.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def object_info(self, oname, detail_level=0):
+        """Get metadata information about an object.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        oname : str
+            A string specifying the object name.
+        detail_level : int, optional
+            The level of detail for the introspection (0-2)
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        The msg_id of the message sent.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def history(self, raw=True, output=False, hist_access_type='range', **kwargs):
+        """Get entries from the history list.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        raw : bool
+            If True, return the raw input.
+        output : bool
+            If True, then return the output as well.
+        hist_access_type : str
+            'range' (fill in session, start and stop params), 'tail' (fill in n)
+             or 'search' (fill in pattern param).
+
+        session : int
+            For a range request, the session from which to get lines. Session
+            numbers are positive integers; negative ones count back from the
+            current session.
+        start : int
+            The first line number of a history range.
+        stop : int
+            The final (excluded) line number of a history range.
+
+        n : int
+            The number of lines of history to get for a tail request.
+
+        pattern : str
+            The glob-syntax pattern for a search request.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        The msg_id of the message sent.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def kernel_info(self):
+        """Request kernel info."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def shutdown(self, restart=False):
+        """Request an immediate kernel shutdown.
+
+        Upon receipt of the (empty) reply, client code can safely assume that
+        the kernel has shut down and it's safe to forcefully terminate it if
+        it's still alive.
+
+        The kernel will send the reply via a function registered with Python's
+        atexit module, ensuring it's truly done as the kernel is done with all
+        normal operation.
+        """
+        pass
+
+
+class IOPubChannelABC(ChannelABC):
+    """The SUB channel which listens for messages that the kernel publishes."""
+
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def flush(self, timeout=1.0):
+        """Immediately processes all pending messages on the SUB channel.
+
+        Callers should use this method to ensure that :method:`call_handlers`
+        has been called for all messages that have been received on the
+        0MQ SUB socket of this channel.
+
+        This method is thread safe.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        timeout : float, optional
+            The maximum amount of time to spend flushing, in seconds. The
+            default is one second.
+        """
+        pass
+
+
+class StdInChannelABC(ChannelABC):
+    """A reply channel to handle raw_input requests that the kernel makes."""
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def input(self, string):
+        """Send a string of raw input to the kernel."""
+        pass
+
+
+class HBChannelABC(ChannelABC):
+    """The heartbeat channel which monitors the kernel heartbeat."""
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def time_to_dead(self):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def pause(self):
+        """Pause the heartbeat."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def unpause(self):
+        """Unpause the heartbeat."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def is_beating(self):
+        """Is the heartbeat running and responsive (and not paused)."""
+        pass
+
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Main kernel manager class
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class KernelManagerABC(object):
+    """ Manages a kernel for a frontend."""
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def kernel(self):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def shell_channel_class(self):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def iopub_channel_class(self):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def hb_channel_class(self):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def stdin_channel_class(self):
+        pass
+
+    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # Channel management methods:
+    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def start_channels(self, shell=True, iopub=True, stdin=True, hb=True):
+        """Starts the channels for this kernel.
+
+        This will create the channels if they do not exist and then start
+        them. If port numbers of 0 are being used (random ports) then you
+        must first call :method:`start_kernel`. If the channels have been
+        stopped and you call this, :class:`RuntimeError` will be raised.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def stop_channels(self):
+        """Stops all the running channels for this kernel."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def channels_running(self):
+        """Are any of the channels created and running?"""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def shell_channel(self):
+        """Get the REQ socket channel object to make requests of the kernel."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def iopub_channel(self):
+        """Get the SUB socket channel object."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def stdin_channel(self):
+        """Get the REP socket channel object to handle stdin (raw_input)."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def hb_channel(self):
+        """Get the heartbeat socket channel object to check that the
+        kernel is alive."""
+        pass
+
+    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # Kernel management.
+    #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def start_kernel(self, **kw):
+        """Starts a kernel process and configures the manager to use it.
+
+        If random ports (port=0) are being used, this method must be called
+        before the channels are created.
+
+        Parameters:
+        -----------
+        launcher : callable, optional (default None)
+             A custom function for launching the kernel process (generally a
+             wrapper around ``entry_point.base_launch_kernel``). In most cases,
+             it should not be necessary to use this parameter.
+
+        **kw : optional
+             See respective options for IPython and Python kernels.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def shutdown_kernel(self, now=False, restart=False):
+        """ Attempts to the stop the kernel process cleanly."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def restart_kernel(self, now=False, **kw):
+        """Restarts a kernel with the arguments that were used to launch it.
+
+        If the old kernel was launched with random ports, the same ports will be
+        used for the new kernel.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        now : bool, optional
+            If True, the kernel is forcefully restarted *immediately*, without
+            having a chance to do any cleanup action.  Otherwise the kernel is
+            given 1s to clean up before a forceful restart is issued.
+
+            In all cases the kernel is restarted, the only difference is whether
+            it is given a chance to perform a clean shutdown or not.
+
+        **kw : optional
+            Any options specified here will replace those used to launch the
+            kernel.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def has_kernel(self):
+        """Returns whether a kernel process has been specified for the kernel
+        manager.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def kill_kernel(self):
+        """ Kill the running kernel.
+
+        This method blocks until the kernel process has terminated.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def interrupt_kernel(self):
+        """ Interrupts the kernel.
+
+        Unlike ``signal_kernel``, this operation is well supported on all
+        platforms.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def signal_kernel(self, signum):
+        """ Sends a signal to the kernel.
+
+        Note that since only SIGTERM is supported on Windows, this function is
+        only useful on Unix systems.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractproperty
+    def is_alive(self):
+        """Is the kernel process still running?"""
+        pass