diff --git a/lua/ivy/init.lua b/lua/ivy/init.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f62f6fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/ivy/init.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+local controller = require "ivy.controller"
+local register_backend = require "ivy.register_backend"
+
+-- Local variable to check if ivy has been setup, this is to prevent multiple
+-- setups of ivy
+local has_setup = false
+
+local ivy = {}
+ivy.run = controller.run
+ivy.register_backend = register_backend
+
+---@class IvySetupOptions
+---@field backends (IvyBackend | { ["1"]: string, ["2"]: IvyBackendOptions} | string)[]
+
+---@param config IvySetupOptions
+function ivy.setup(config)
+  if has_setup then
+    return
+  end
+
+  for _, backend in ipairs(config.backends) do
+    register_backend(backend)
+  end
+
+  has_setup = true
+end
+
+return ivy
diff --git a/plugin/ivy.lua b/plugin/ivy.lua
index 81169f9..cab4b9a 100644
--- a/plugin/ivy.lua
+++ b/plugin/ivy.lua
@@ -1,31 +1,19 @@
 local controller = require "ivy.controller"
-local register_backend = require "ivy.register_backend"
 
 -- Put the controller in to the vim global so we can access it in mappings
 -- better without requires. You can call controller commands like `vim.ivy.xxx`.
 -- luacheck: ignore
 vim.ivy = controller
 
 vim.paste = (function(overridden)
   return function(lines, phase)
     local file_type = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_option(0, "filetype")
     if file_type == "ivy" then
       vim.ivy.paste()
     else
       overridden(lines, phase)
     end
   end
 end)(vim.paste)
 
-register_backend "ivy.backends.buffers"
-register_backend "ivy.backends.files"
-register_backend "ivy.backends.lines"
-register_backend "ivy.backends.lsp-workspace-symbols"
-
-if vim.fn.executable "rg" then
-  register_backend "ivy.backends.rg"
-elseif vim.fn.executable "ag" then
-  register_backend "ivy.backends.ag"
-end
-
 vim.cmd "highlight IvyMatch cterm=bold gui=bold"