diff --git a/include/common.h b/include/common.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5df556e9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/common.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+
+#ifndef _KIWIX_COMMON_H_
+#define _KIWIX_COMMON_H_
+
+#include <zim/zim.h>
+
+#ifdef __GNUC__
+#define DEPRECATED __attribute__((deprecated))
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+#define DEPRECATED __declspec(deprecated)
+#else
+#praga message("WARNING: You need to implement DEPRECATED for this compiler")
+#define DEPRECATED
+#endif
+
+
+namespace kiwix {
+
+typedef zim::size_type size_type;
+typedef zim::offset_type offset_type;
+
+}
+
+#endif //_KIWIX_COMMON_H_
diff --git a/include/meson.build b/include/meson.build
index a3d6b1ea1..2e376c617 100644
--- a/include/meson.build
+++ b/include/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 headers = [
+  'common.h',
   'library.h',
   'manager.h',
   'opds_dumper.h',