diff --git a/src/containerizer/verify.py b/src/containerizer/verify.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a34e151
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/containerizer/verify.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import subprocess
+import time
+import urllib.request
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+
+def _run(command: list[str], root: Path, timeout: int = 300) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    completed = subprocess.run(command, cwd=root, text=True, capture_output=True,
+                               timeout=timeout, check=False)
+    return {"command": " ".join(command), "exit_code": completed.returncode,
+            "output": (completed.stdout + completed.stderr)[-4000:]}
+
+
+def verify_with_docker(root: str | Path, port: int, health: str | None) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    root = Path(root)
+    evidence: dict[str, Any] = {"executed": True, "steps": []}
+    build = _run(["docker", "compose", "build", "--pull"], root)
+    evidence["steps"].append(build)
+    if build["exit_code"]:
+        evidence["passed"] = False
+        return evidence
+    start = _run(["docker", "compose", "up", "--detach", "--wait"], root)
+    evidence["steps"].append(start)
+    try:
+        if not start["exit_code"] and health:
+            time.sleep(1)
+            with urllib.request.urlopen(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}{health}", timeout=5) as response:
+                evidence["http_status"] = response.status
+        evidence["passed"] = start["exit_code"] == 0 and (
+            not health or evidence.get("http_status", 500) < 400)
+    finally:
+        evidence["steps"].append(_run(["docker", "compose", "down", "--volumes"], root))
+    return evidence