diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collection/MapBuilder.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collection/MapBuilder.java
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index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..9a1e242d51f10ea74c1ca73de625391a41d23307
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+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collection/MapBuilder.java
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 ETH Zuerich, SIS
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collection;
+
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+/**
+ * Helper class to fill {@link Map} instances in fluid api style. 
+ *
+ * @author Franz-Josef Elmer
+ */
+public class MapBuilder<K, T>
+{
+    private final Map<K, T> map;
+    
+    public MapBuilder()
+    {
+        this(new HashMap<K, T>());
+    }
+    
+    public MapBuilder(Map<K, T> map)
+    {
+        this.map = map;
+    }
+    
+    public Map<K, T> getMap()
+    {
+        return map;
+    }
+
+    public MapBuilder<K, T> entry(K key, T value)
+    {
+        map.put(key, value);
+        return this;
+    }
+}