diff --git a/pixstrip-core/src/encoder.rs b/pixstrip-core/src/encoder.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..584205d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixstrip-core/src/encoder.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+use std::io::Cursor;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use crate::error::{PixstripError, Result};
+use crate::types::{ImageFormat, QualityPreset};
+
+pub struct OutputEncoder;
+
+impl OutputEncoder {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self
+    }
+
+    pub fn encode(
+        &self,
+        img: &image::DynamicImage,
+        format: ImageFormat,
+        quality: Option<u8>,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        match format {
+            ImageFormat::Jpeg => self.encode_jpeg(img, quality.unwrap_or(85)),
+            ImageFormat::Png => self.encode_png(img),
+            ImageFormat::WebP => self.encode_webp(img, quality.unwrap_or(80)),
+            ImageFormat::Avif => self.encode_avif(img, quality.unwrap_or(80)),
+            ImageFormat::Gif => self.encode_fallback(img, image::ImageFormat::Gif),
+            ImageFormat::Tiff => self.encode_fallback(img, image::ImageFormat::Tiff),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn encode_to_file(
+        &self,
+        img: &image::DynamicImage,
+        path: &Path,
+        format: ImageFormat,
+        quality: Option<u8>,
+    ) -> Result<()> {
+        let bytes = self.encode(img, format, quality)?;
+        if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
+            std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).map_err(PixstripError::Io)?;
+        }
+        std::fs::write(path, &bytes).map_err(PixstripError::Io)?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn quality_for_format(&self, format: ImageFormat, preset: &QualityPreset) -> u8 {
+        match format {
+            ImageFormat::Jpeg => preset.jpeg_quality(),
+            ImageFormat::WebP => preset.webp_quality() as u8,
+            ImageFormat::Avif => preset.webp_quality() as u8,
+            ImageFormat::Png => preset.png_level(),
+            _ => preset.jpeg_quality(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn encode_jpeg(&self, img: &image::DynamicImage, quality: u8) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        let rgb = img.to_rgb8();
+        let (width, height) = (rgb.width() as usize, rgb.height() as usize);
+        let pixels = rgb.as_raw();
+
+        let mut comp = mozjpeg::Compress::new(mozjpeg::ColorSpace::JCS_RGB);
+        comp.set_size(width, height);
+        comp.set_quality(quality as f32);
+
+        let mut output = Vec::new();
+        let mut started = comp.start_compress(&mut output).map_err(|e| PixstripError::Processing {
+            operation: "jpeg_encode".into(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+
+        let row_stride = width * 3;
+        for y in 0..height {
+            let start = y * row_stride;
+            let end = start + row_stride;
+            let _ = started.write_scanlines(&pixels[start..end]);
+        }
+
+        started.finish().map_err(|e| PixstripError::Processing {
+            operation: "jpeg_encode".into(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+
+        Ok(output)
+    }
+
+    fn encode_png(&self, img: &image::DynamicImage) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        let cursor = Cursor::new(&mut buf);
+        let rgba = img.to_rgba8();
+        let encoder = image::codecs::png::PngEncoder::new(cursor);
+        image::ImageEncoder::write_image(
+            encoder,
+            rgba.as_raw(),
+            rgba.width(),
+            rgba.height(),
+            image::ExtendedColorType::Rgba8,
+        )
+        .map_err(|e| PixstripError::Processing {
+            operation: "png_encode".into(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+
+        let optimized = oxipng::optimize_from_memory(&buf, &oxipng::Options::default())
+            .map_err(|e| PixstripError::Processing {
+                operation: "png_optimize".into(),
+                reason: e.to_string(),
+            })?;
+
+        Ok(optimized)
+    }
+
+    fn encode_webp(&self, img: &image::DynamicImage, quality: u8) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        let encoder = webp::Encoder::from_image(img).map_err(|e| PixstripError::Processing {
+            operation: "webp_encode".into(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+        let mem = encoder.encode(quality as f32);
+        Ok(mem.to_vec())
+    }
+
+    fn encode_avif(&self, img: &image::DynamicImage, quality: u8) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        let cursor = Cursor::new(&mut buf);
+        let rgba = img.to_rgba8();
+        let encoder = image::codecs::avif::AvifEncoder::new_with_speed_quality(
+            cursor,
+            6,
+            quality,
+        );
+        image::ImageEncoder::write_image(
+            encoder,
+            rgba.as_raw(),
+            rgba.width(),
+            rgba.height(),
+            image::ExtendedColorType::Rgba8,
+        )
+        .map_err(|e| PixstripError::Processing {
+            operation: "avif_encode".into(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+        Ok(buf)
+    }
+
+    fn encode_fallback(
+        &self,
+        img: &image::DynamicImage,
+        format: image::ImageFormat,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        let cursor = Cursor::new(&mut buf);
+        img.write_to(cursor, format).map_err(|e| PixstripError::Processing {
+            operation: "encode".into(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+        Ok(buf)
+    }
+}
+
+impl Default for OutputEncoder {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/pixstrip-core/src/lib.rs b/pixstrip-core/src/lib.rs
index 2c6699f..dd4f864 100644
--- a/pixstrip-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/pixstrip-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 pub mod config;
 pub mod discovery;
+pub mod encoder;
 pub mod error;
 pub mod loader;
 pub mod operations;
diff --git a/pixstrip-core/tests/encoder_tests.rs b/pixstrip-core/tests/encoder_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef27946
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixstrip-core/tests/encoder_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+use pixstrip_core::encoder::OutputEncoder;
+use pixstrip_core::types::{ImageFormat, QualityPreset};
+
+fn create_test_rgb_image(width: u32, height: u32) -> image::DynamicImage {
+    let img = image::RgbImage::from_fn(width, height, |x, y| {
+        image::Rgb([(x % 256) as u8, (y % 256) as u8, 128])
+    });
+    image::DynamicImage::ImageRgb8(img)
+}
+
+fn create_test_rgba_image(width: u32, height: u32) -> image::DynamicImage {
+    let img = image::RgbaImage::from_fn(width, height, |x, y| {
+        image::Rgba([(x % 256) as u8, (y % 256) as u8, 100, 255])
+    });
+    image::DynamicImage::ImageRgba8(img)
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn encode_jpeg() {
+    let img = create_test_rgb_image(200, 150);
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    let bytes = encoder.encode(&img, ImageFormat::Jpeg, Some(85)).unwrap();
+    assert!(!bytes.is_empty());
+    // JPEG magic bytes
+    assert_eq!(bytes[0], 0xFF);
+    assert_eq!(bytes[1], 0xD8);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn encode_jpeg_quality_affects_size() {
+    let img = create_test_rgb_image(200, 150);
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    let high = encoder.encode(&img, ImageFormat::Jpeg, Some(95)).unwrap();
+    let low = encoder.encode(&img, ImageFormat::Jpeg, Some(50)).unwrap();
+    assert!(high.len() > low.len(), "Higher quality should produce larger files");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn encode_png() {
+    let img = create_test_rgba_image(200, 150);
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    let bytes = encoder.encode(&img, ImageFormat::Png, None).unwrap();
+    assert!(!bytes.is_empty());
+    // PNG magic bytes
+    assert_eq!(&bytes[0..4], &[0x89, 0x50, 0x4E, 0x47]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn encode_webp() {
+    let img = create_test_rgb_image(200, 150);
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    let bytes = encoder.encode(&img, ImageFormat::WebP, Some(80)).unwrap();
+    assert!(!bytes.is_empty());
+    // RIFF header
+    assert_eq!(&bytes[0..4], b"RIFF");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn encode_to_file() {
+    let img = create_test_rgb_image(200, 150);
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("output.jpg");
+    encoder.encode_to_file(&img, &path, ImageFormat::Jpeg, Some(85)).unwrap();
+    assert!(path.exists());
+    let metadata = std::fs::metadata(&path).unwrap();
+    assert!(metadata.len() > 0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn quality_from_preset() {
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    let preset = QualityPreset::High;
+    let q = encoder.quality_for_format(ImageFormat::Jpeg, &preset);
+    assert_eq!(q, 85);
+    let q = encoder.quality_for_format(ImageFormat::WebP, &preset);
+    assert!((q as f32 - 85.0).abs() < 1.0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn encode_gif_fallback() {
+    let img = create_test_rgba_image(50, 50);
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    let bytes = encoder.encode(&img, ImageFormat::Gif, None).unwrap();
+    assert!(!bytes.is_empty());
+    // GIF magic bytes
+    assert_eq!(&bytes[0..3], b"GIF");
+}
diff --git a/pixstrip-core/tests/integration_tests.rs b/pixstrip-core/tests/integration_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58d52f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixstrip-core/tests/integration_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+use pixstrip_core::encoder::OutputEncoder;
+use pixstrip_core::loader::ImageLoader;
+use pixstrip_core::operations::resize::resize_image;
+use pixstrip_core::operations::ResizeConfig;
+use pixstrip_core::types::ImageFormat;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+fn create_test_jpeg(path: &Path) {
+    let img = image::RgbImage::from_fn(400, 300, |x, y| {
+        image::Rgb([(x % 256) as u8, (y % 256) as u8, 128])
+    });
+    img.save_with_format(path, image::ImageFormat::Jpeg).unwrap();
+}
+
+fn create_test_png(path: &Path) {
+    let img = image::RgbaImage::from_fn(400, 300, |x, y| {
+        image::Rgba([(x % 256) as u8, (y % 256) as u8, 100, 255])
+    });
+    img.save_with_format(path, image::ImageFormat::Png).unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn load_resize_save_as_webp() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let input = dir.path().join("input.jpg");
+    let output = dir.path().join("output.webp");
+    create_test_jpeg(&input);
+
+    let loader = ImageLoader::new();
+    let img = loader.load_pixels(&input).unwrap();
+
+    let config = ResizeConfig::ByWidth(200);
+    let resized = resize_image(&img, &config).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(resized.width(), 200);
+    assert_eq!(resized.height(), 150);
+
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    encoder.encode_to_file(&resized, &output, ImageFormat::WebP, Some(80)).unwrap();
+    assert!(output.exists());
+
+    let info = loader.load_info(&output).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(info.dimensions.width, 200);
+    assert_eq!(info.dimensions.height, 150);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn load_png_compress_smaller() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let input = dir.path().join("input.png");
+    let output = dir.path().join("output.png");
+    create_test_png(&input);
+
+    let loader = ImageLoader::new();
+    let img = loader.load_pixels(&input).unwrap();
+
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    encoder.encode_to_file(&img, &output, ImageFormat::Png, None).unwrap();
+
+    let original_size = std::fs::metadata(&input).unwrap().len();
+    let optimized_size = std::fs::metadata(&output).unwrap().len();
+    assert!(
+        optimized_size <= original_size,
+        "Optimized PNG ({}) should be <= original ({})",
+        optimized_size,
+        original_size
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn load_jpeg_convert_to_png() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let input = dir.path().join("input.jpg");
+    let output = dir.path().join("output.png");
+    create_test_jpeg(&input);
+
+    let loader = ImageLoader::new();
+    let img = loader.load_pixels(&input).unwrap();
+
+    let encoder = OutputEncoder::new();
+    encoder.encode_to_file(&img, &output, ImageFormat::Png, None).unwrap();
+    assert!(output.exists());
+
+    let info = loader.load_info(&output).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(info.format, Some(ImageFormat::Png));
+}