diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 94078b0d..8d6586c4 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -657,6 +657,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "dora-examples"
+version = "0.0.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "dora-coordinator",
+ "eyre",
+ "tokio",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "dora-message"
 version = "0.1.0"
@@ -2749,10 +2758,11 @@ checksum = "cda74da7e1a664f795bb1f8a87ec406fb89a02522cf6e50620d016add6dbbf5c"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "tokio"
-version = "1.17.0"
+version = "1.20.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2af73ac49756f3f7c01172e34a23e5d0216f6c32333757c2c61feb2bbff5a5ee"
+checksum = "7a8325f63a7d4774dd041e363b2409ed1c5cbbd0f867795e661df066b2b0a581"
 dependencies = [
+ "autocfg 1.1.0",
  "bytes",
  "libc",
  "memchr",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 0e740451..a11b9489 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,3 +12,18 @@ members = [
   "libraries/extensions/telemetry/*",
   "libraries/extensions/zenoh-logger",
 ]
+
+[package]
+name = "dora-examples"
+version = "0.0.0"
+edition = "2021"
+license = "Apache-2.0"
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+eyre = "0.6.8"
+tokio = "1.20.1"
+dora-coordinator = { path = "binaries/coordinator" }
+
+[[example]]
+name = "c-dataflow"
+path = "examples/c-dataflow/run.rs"
diff --git a/examples/c-dataflow/.gitignore b/examples/c-dataflow/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..378eac25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/c-dataflow/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+build
diff --git a/examples/c-dataflow/dataflow.yml b/examples/c-dataflow/dataflow.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31b4238d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/c-dataflow/dataflow.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+communication:
+  zenoh:
+    prefix: /example-c-dataflow
+
+nodes:
+  - id: c_node
+    custom:
+      run: build/c_node
+      inputs:
+        timer: dora/timer/secs/1
+      outputs:
+        - tick
+  - id: runtime-node
+    operators:
+      - id: c_operator
+        shared-library: build/operator.so
+        inputs:
+          tick: c_node/tick
+        outputs:
+          - counter
+  - id: c_sink
+    custom:
+      run: build/c_sink
+      inputs:
+        counter: runtime-node/c_operator/counter
diff --git a/examples/c-dataflow/node.c b/examples/c-dataflow/node.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..94d9d5f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/c-dataflow/node.c
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <assert.h>
+#include "build/node_api.h"
+
+// sleep
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#include <Windows.h>
+#else
+#include <unistd.h>
+#endif
+
+int main()
+{
+    void *dora_context = init_dora_context_from_env();
+    if (dora_context == NULL)
+    {
+        fprintf(stderr, "failed to init dora context\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    for (char i = 0; i < 10; i++)
+    {
+        void *input = dora_next_input(dora_context);
+
+        char *data;
+        size_t data_len;
+        read_dora_input_data(input, &data, &data_len);
+
+        assert(data_len == 0);
+
+        char out_id[] = "tick";
+        dora_send_output(dora_context, out_id, strlen(out_id), &i, 1);
+
+        free_dora_input(input);
+    }
+
+    free_dora_context(dora_context);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/examples/c-operator/operator.c b/examples/c-dataflow/operator.c
similarity index 55%
rename from examples/c-operator/operator.c
rename to examples/c-dataflow/operator.c
index 17e9661c..0ca98c91 100644
--- a/examples/c-operator/operator.c
+++ b/examples/c-dataflow/operator.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-#include "operator_api.h"
+#include "build/operator_api.h"
+#include <assert.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -21,35 +22,39 @@ void dora_drop_operator(void *operator_context)
 
 int dora_on_input(
     const char *id_start,
-    unsigned int id_len,
+    size_t id_len,
     const char *data_start,
-    unsigned int data_len,
+    size_t data_len,
     const int (*output_fn_raw)(const char *id_start,
-                               unsigned int id_len,
+                               size_t id_len,
                                const char *data_start,
-                               unsigned int data_len,
+                               size_t data_len,
                                const void *output_context),
     void *output_context,
     const void *operator_context)
 {
-    char *context = (char *)operator_context;
+    char *counter = (char *)operator_context;
 
     char id[id_len + 1];
     memcpy(id, id_start, id_len);
     id[id_len] = 0;
 
-    if (strcmp(id, "time") == 0)
+    if (strcmp(id, "tick") == 0)
     {
-        char time[data_len + 1];
-        memcpy(time, data_start, data_len);
-        time[data_len] = 0;
+        char data[data_len + 1];
+        memcpy(data, data_start, data_len);
+        data[data_len] = 0;
 
-        printf("C operator received time input %s, context: %i\n", time, *context);
-        *context += 1;
+        *counter += 1;
+        printf("C operator received tick input with data `%s`, counter: %i\n", data, *counter);
 
         char *out_id = "counter";
 
-        int res = (output_fn_raw)(out_id, strlen(out_id), context, 1, output_context);
+        char out_data[100];
+        int count = snprintf(out_data, sizeof(out_data), "The current counter value is %d", *counter);
+        assert(count >= 0 && count < 100);
+
+        int res = (output_fn_raw)(out_id, strlen(out_id), out_data, strlen(out_data), output_context);
         if (res != 0)
         {
             printf("C operator failed to send output\n");
@@ -57,7 +62,7 @@ int dora_on_input(
     }
     else
     {
-        printf("C operator received unexpected input %s, context: %i\n", id, *context);
+        printf("C operator received unexpected input %s, context: %i\n", id, *counter);
     }
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/examples/c-dataflow/run.rs b/examples/c-dataflow/run.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f597fa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/c-dataflow/run.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+use eyre::{bail, Context};
+use std::path::Path;
+
+#[tokio::main]
+async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
+    std::env::set_current_dir(Path::new(file!()).parent().unwrap())
+        .wrap_err("failed to set working dir")?;
+
+    tokio::fs::create_dir_all("build").await?;
+
+    let root = Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"));
+    build_package("dora-runtime").await?;
+    build_package("dora-node-api-c").await?;
+    build_c_node(root, "node.c", "c_node").await?;
+    build_c_node(root, "sink.c", "c_sink").await?;
+    build_c_operator(root).await?;
+
+    dora_coordinator::run(dora_coordinator::Command::Run {
+        dataflow: Path::new("dataflow.yml").to_owned(),
+        runtime: Some(root.join("target").join("release").join("dora-runtime")),
+    })
+    .await?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+async fn build_package(package: &str) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+    let cargo = std::env::var("CARGO").unwrap();
+    let mut cmd = tokio::process::Command::new(&cargo);
+    cmd.arg("build").arg("--release");
+    cmd.arg("--package").arg(package);
+    if !cmd.status().await?.success() {
+        bail!("failed to build {package}");
+    };
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+async fn build_c_node(root: &Path, name: &str, out_name: &str) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+    // copy header file
+    tokio::fs::copy(
+        root.join("apis").join("c").join("node").join("node_api.h"),
+        Path::new("build").join("node_api.h"),
+    )
+    .await?;
+
+    let mut clang = tokio::process::Command::new("clang");
+    clang.arg(name);
+    clang.arg("-l").arg("dora_node_api_c");
+    clang.arg("-l").arg("m");
+    clang.arg("-L").arg(root.join("target").join("release"));
+    clang.arg("--output").arg(Path::new("build").join(out_name));
+    if !clang.status().await?.success() {
+        bail!("failed to compile c node");
+    };
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+async fn build_c_operator(root: &Path) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+    // copy header file
+    tokio::fs::copy(
+        root.join("apis")
+            .join("c")
+            .join("operator")
+            .join("operator_api.h"),
+        Path::new("build").join("operator_api.h"),
+    )
+    .await?;
+
+    let mut compile = tokio::process::Command::new("clang");
+    compile.arg("-c").arg("operator.c");
+    compile.arg("-o").arg("build/operator.o");
+    if !compile.status().await?.success() {
+        bail!("failed to compile c operator");
+    };
+
+    let mut link = tokio::process::Command::new("clang");
+    link.arg("-shared").arg("build/operator.o");
+    link.arg("-o").arg("build/operator.so");
+    if !link.status().await?.success() {
+        bail!("failed to link c operator");
+    };
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/examples/c-dataflow/sink.c b/examples/c-dataflow/sink.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f1f5da2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/c-dataflow/sink.c
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <assert.h>
+#include "build/node_api.h"
+
+int main()
+{
+    void *dora_context = init_dora_context_from_env();
+    if (dora_context == NULL)
+    {
+        fprintf(stderr, "failed to init dora context\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    while (1)
+    {
+        void *input = dora_next_input(dora_context);
+        if (input == NULL)
+        {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        char *id = (char *)0xdeadbeafcafebabe;
+        size_t id_len;
+        read_dora_input_id(input, &id, &id_len);
+
+        char *data;
+        size_t data_len;
+        read_dora_input_data(input, &data, &data_len);
+
+        printf("sink received input `");
+        fwrite(id, id_len, 1, stdout);
+        printf("` with data: '");
+        fwrite(data, data_len, 1, stdout);
+        printf("'\n");
+
+        free_dora_input(input);
+    }
+
+    free_dora_context(dora_context);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/libraries/core/src/descriptor/mod.rs b/libraries/core/src/descriptor/mod.rs
index 5ae27129..94e5917e 100644
--- a/libraries/core/src/descriptor/mod.rs
+++ b/libraries/core/src/descriptor/mod.rs
@@ -166,6 +166,18 @@ pub enum OperatorSource {
     Wasm(PathBuf),
 }
 
+impl OperatorSource {
+    pub fn canonicalize(&mut self) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+        let path = match self {
+            OperatorSource::SharedLibrary(path) => path,
+            OperatorSource::Python(path) => path,
+            OperatorSource::Wasm(path) => path,
+        };
+        *path = path.canonicalize()?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, Clone)]
 pub struct PythonOperatorConfig {
     pub path: PathBuf,