diff --git a/IPython/core/component.py b/IPython/core/component.py
index d2659d8..e8f7e92 100644
--- a/IPython/core/component.py
+++ b/IPython/core/component.py
@@ -186,4 +186,4 @@ class Component(HasTraitlets):
             self._children.append(child)
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return "<Component('%s')>" % self.name
\ No newline at end of file
+        return "<Component('%s')>" % self.name
diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_component.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_component.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37c21f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_component.py
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# encoding: utf-8
+"""
+Tests for IPython.core.component
+
+Authors:
+
+* Brian Granger
+* Fernando Perez (design help)
+"""
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#  Copyright (C) 2008-2009  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
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+from unittest import TestCase
+
+from IPython.core.component import Component
+
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Test cases
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class TestComponentMeta(TestCase):
+
+    def test_get_instances(self):
+        class BaseComponent(Component):
+            pass
+        c1 = BaseComponent(None)
+        c2 = BaseComponent(c1)
+        self.assertEquals(BaseComponent.get_instances(),[c1,c2])
+
+
+class TestComponent(TestCase):
+
+    def test_parent_child(self):
+        c1 = Component(None)
+        c2 = Component(c1)
+        c3 = Component(c1)
+        c4 = Component(c3)
+        self.assertEquals(c1.parent, None)
+        self.assertEquals(c2.parent, c1)
+        self.assertEquals(c3.parent, c1)
+        self.assertEquals(c4.parent, c3)
+        self.assertEquals(c1.children, [c2, c3])
+        self.assertEquals(c2.children, [])
+        self.assertEquals(c3.children, [c4])
+        self.assertEquals(c4.children, [])
+
+    def test_root(self):
+        c1 = Component(None)
+        c2 = Component(c1)
+        c3 = Component(c1)
+        c4 = Component(c3)
+        self.assertEquals(c1.root, c1.root)
+        self.assertEquals(c2.root, c1)
+        self.assertEquals(c3.root, c1)
+        self.assertEquals(c4.root, c1)
\ No newline at end of file