diff --git a/src/ragged/_spec_array_object.py b/src/ragged/_spec_array_object.py
index f099388..e83fe2e 100644
--- a/src/ragged/_spec_array_object.py
+++ b/src/ragged/_spec_array_object.py
@@ -1236,6 +1236,8 @@ def _unbox(*inputs: array) -> tuple[ak.Array | SupportsDLPack, ...]:
         msg = f"mixed array types: {types}"
         raise TypeError(msg)
 
+    # FIXME: either complain about mixed devices or cast to a common device
+
     return tuple(x._impl for x in inputs)  # pylint: disable=W0212
 
 
diff --git a/src/ragged/io/__init__.py b/src/ragged/io/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae8206c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ragged/io/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# BSD 3-Clause License; see https://github.com/scikit-hep/ragged/blob/main/LICENSE
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from .cf import *
diff --git a/src/ragged/io/cf.py b/src/ragged/io/cf.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b36179f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ragged/io/cf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# BSD 3-Clause License; see https://github.com/scikit-hep/ragged/blob/main/LICENSE
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Tuple
+
+import awkward as ak
+import numpy as np
+
+from .._spec_array_object import array, _unbox, _box
+from .._import import device_namespace
+
+
+def to_cf_contiguous(x: array) -> Tuple[array, array]:
+    if x.ndim != 2:
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    (y,) = _unbox(x)
+
+    return _box(type(x), ak.flatten(y)), _box(type(x), ak.num(y))
+
+
+def from_cf_contiguous(content: array, counts: array) -> array:
+    if content.ndim != 1 or counts.ndim != 1:
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    cont, cnts = _unbox(content, counts)
+
+    return _box(type(content), ak.unflatten(cont, cnts))
+
+
+def to_cf_indexed(x: array) -> Tuple[array, array]:
+    if x.ndim != 2:
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    _, ns = device_namespace(x.device)
+    (y,) = _unbox(x)
+
+    index, _ = ak.broadcast_arrays(ns.arange(len(x), dtype=ns.int64), y)
+
+    return _box(type(x), ak.flatten(y)), _box(type(x), ak.flatten(index))
+
+
+def from_cf_indexed(content: array, index: array) -> array:
+    if content.ndim != 1 or index.ndim != 1:
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    _, ns = device_namespace(content.device)
+    cont, ind = _unbox(content, index)
+
+    counts = ns.zeros(ak.max(ind) + 1, dtype=ns.int64)
+    ns.add.at(counts, ns.asarray(ind), 1)
+
+    return _box(type(content), ak.unflatten(cont[ns.argsort(ind)], counts))
+
+
+__all__ = ["to_cf_contiguous", "from_cf_contiguous", "to_cf_indexed", "from_cf_indexed"]