diff --git a/DataParser.Console/DataParser.Console.fsproj b/DataParser.Console/DataParser.Console.fsproj
index 6ff1e0e..43ef940 100644
--- a/DataParser.Console/DataParser.Console.fsproj
+++ b/DataParser.Console/DataParser.Console.fsproj
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
     <PropertyGroup>
         <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
-        <TargetFramework>net9.0</TargetFramework>
+        <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
         <DockerDefaultTargetOS>Linux</DockerDefaultTargetOS>
     </PropertyGroup>
 
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@
         <Compile Include="DataFileParseResult.fs" />
         <Compile Include="FileRead.fs" />
         <Compile Include="FileWrite.fs" />
+        <Compile Include="FreeIO.fs" />
+        <Compile Include="FreeIOInterpreter.fs" />
+        <Compile Include="PureIOInterpreter.fs" />
         <Compile Include="Program.fs"/>
     </ItemGroup>
 
diff --git a/DataParser.Console/FreeIO.fs b/DataParser.Console/FreeIO.fs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..976d3a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DataParser.Console/FreeIO.fs
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+namespace DataParser.Console
+
+open ResultMap
+open DataParser.Console.DataFiles
+open DataParser.Console.Core
+open DataParser.Console.FormatFiles
+
+/// IO algebra for the application (free monad instructions)
+type IO<'next> =
+    | ReadSpecs of folder:string * (ResultMap<FormatName, FormatLine list, Error> -> 'next)
+    | ParseDataFile of dataFile:DataFileFormat * (Result<DataFileParseResult, Error list> -> 'next)
+    | WriteOutput of folder:string * DataFileParseResult * (unit -> 'next)
+    | LogError of string * (unit -> 'next)
+    | LogInfo of string * (unit -> 'next)
+
+/// Free monad over IO
+type FreeIO<'a> =
+    | Pure of 'a
+    | Free of IO<FreeIO<'a>>
+
+module FreeIOOps =
+    let rec bind (f:'a -> FreeIO<'b>) (m:FreeIO<'a>) : FreeIO<'b> =
+        match m with
+        | Pure x -> f x
+        | Free op ->
+            match op with
+            | ReadSpecs(path, next) -> Free(ReadSpecs(path, next >> bind f))
+            | ParseDataFile(df, next) -> Free(ParseDataFile(df, next >> bind f))
+            | WriteOutput(folder, r, next) -> Free(WriteOutput(folder, r, next >> bind f))
+            | LogError(msg, next) -> Free(LogError(msg, next >> bind f))
+            | LogInfo(msg, next) -> Free(LogInfo(msg, next >> bind f))
+
+    let map f m = bind (f >> Pure) m
+
+    let liftF (op: IO<'a>) : FreeIO<'a> =
+        match op with
+        | ReadSpecs(p, k) -> Free(ReadSpecs(p, k >> Pure))
+        | ParseDataFile(d, k) -> Free(ParseDataFile(d, k >> Pure))
+        | WriteOutput(fol, r, k) -> Free(WriteOutput(fol, r, k >> Pure))
+        | LogError(msg, k) -> Free(LogError(msg, k >> Pure))
+        | LogInfo(msg, k) -> Free(LogInfo(msg, k >> Pure))
+
+    // smart constructors
+    let readSpecs folder = Free(ReadSpecs(folder, Pure))
+    let parseDataFile df = Free(ParseDataFile(df, Pure))
+    let writeOutput folder result = Free(WriteOutput(folder, result, Pure))
+    let logError msg = Free(LogError(msg, Pure))
+    let logInfo msg = Free(LogInfo(msg, Pure))
+
+    type IOBuilder() =
+        member _.Bind(m, f) = bind f m
+        member _.Return(x) = Pure x
+        member _.ReturnFrom(x:FreeIO<'a>) = x
+        member _.Zero() = Pure ()
+        member _.Delay(f: unit -> FreeIO<'a>) = f()
+        member _.For(seq: seq<'a>, body: 'a -> FreeIO<unit>) : FreeIO<unit> =
+            // fold left to sequence effects in order
+            Seq.fold (fun acc v -> bind (fun _ -> body v) acc) (Pure ()) seq
+        member _.Combine(comp, cont) =
+            // sequence two computations: run comp then cont
+            bind (fun _ -> cont) comp
+
+    let io = IOBuilder()
diff --git a/DataParser.Console/FreeIOInterpreter.fs b/DataParser.Console/FreeIOInterpreter.fs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5dbcf1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DataParser.Console/FreeIOInterpreter.fs
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+namespace DataParser.Console
+
+open System.Threading.Tasks
+open DataParser.Console.FileRead
+
+module FreeIOInterpreter =
+
+    let rec interpret = function
+        | Pure x -> Task.FromResult x
+            | Free (ReadSpecs(folder, next)) -> task {
+                  let! specs = readAllSpecFilesAsync folder
+                  return! interpret (next specs)
+            }
+            | Free (ParseDataFile(df, next)) -> task {
+                  let! r = parseDataFile df
+                  return! interpret (next r)
+            }
+            | Free (WriteOutput(folder, result, next)) -> task {
+                  do! DataParser.Console.FileWrite.writeOutputFileAsync folder result
+                  return! interpret (next())
+            }
+            | Free (LogError(msg, next)) -> task {
+                  eprintfn "%s" msg
+                  return! interpret (next())
+            }
+            | Free (LogInfo(msg, next)) -> task {
+                  printfn "%s" msg
+                  return! interpret (next())
+            }
diff --git a/DataParser.Console/Program.fs b/DataParser.Console/Program.fs
index 56fae78..8fa6646 100644
--- a/DataParser.Console/Program.fs
+++ b/DataParser.Console/Program.fs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-open System
-open System.Threading.Tasks
+open System
+open DataParser.Console.FreeIOOps
+open DataParser.Console.FreeIOInterpreter
 open DataParser.Console.FileRead
-open DataParser.Console.FileWrite
 open ResultMap
 
 [<Literal>] 
@@ -13,52 +13,34 @@ let DataFolderPath = "./data"
 [<Literal>]
 let OutputFolderPath = "./output"
 
-let okHandler _ = writeOutputFileAsync OutputFolderPath
+let makeProgram specFolder dataFolder outputFolder =
+    io {
+        do! logInfo "Reading spec files..."
+        let! specs = readSpecs specFolder
 
-let errorHandler filePath errors =
-    eprintfn $"Error occurred during processing data file: {filePath}. Errors are : %+A{errors}"
+        let dataFileInfos = getDataFileInfos dataFolder
 
-let consolidateResultsAsync (ResultMap dataFileFormats) =
-    let folder acc k = function
-        | Ok dataFileFormat ->
-            task {
-                let! parseResult = parseDataFile dataFileFormat
-                return! Map.add <!> Task.singleton k <*> Task.singleton parseResult <*> acc
-            }
-        | Error e -> 
-            Map.add <!> Task.singleton k <*> Task.singleton (Error e) <*> acc
-    
-    Map.fold folder (Task.singleton Map.empty) dataFileFormats
-    |> Task.map ResultMap
-
-printfn "Reading spec files..."
-
-let t =
-    task {
-        let! specs = readAllSpecFilesAsync SpecFolderPath
-
-        let dataFileInfos = getDataFileInfos DataFolderPath
-
-        printfn "Parsing data files..."
+        do! logInfo "Parsing data files..."
         let dataFileFormats = getDataFileFormats specs dataFileInfos
 
-        let! consolidatedResults = consolidateResultsAsync dataFileFormats
-
-        let result =
-            let errorHandler filePath =
-                Task.toUnit << Task.fromUnit << Task.singleton << errorHandler filePath
-            ResultMap.either okHandler errorHandler consolidatedResults
-
-        printfn "Writing to output folder..."
-        let tasks =
-            result
-            |> Map.values
-            |> Seq.map Task.fromUnit
-            |> Seq.toArray
-        do! Task.WhenAll tasks
-
-        printfn "Processing complete. Press Enter to exit."
-        ignore <| Console.ReadLine()
+        // iterate over entries and parse/write
+        let (ResultMap m) = dataFileFormats
+        for KeyValue(filePath, entry) in m do
+            match entry with
+            | Ok dataFileFormat ->
+                let! parseResult = DataParser.Console.FreeIOOps.parseDataFile dataFileFormat
+                match parseResult with
+                | Ok parseRes -> do! writeOutput outputFolder parseRes
+                | Error errs -> do! logError (sprintf "Error occurred during processing data file: %A. Errors are : %A" filePath errs)
+            | Error errs ->
+                do! logError (sprintf "Error occurred during processing data file: %A. Errors are : %A" filePath errs)
+
+        do! logInfo "Processing complete."
     }
 
-t.GetAwaiter().GetResult()
+// run the program (when executed as an app)
+interpret (makeProgram SpecFolderPath DataFolderPath OutputFolderPath)
+|> Task.runSynchronously
+
+printfn "Processing complete. Press Enter to exit."
+ignore <| Console.ReadLine()
diff --git a/DataParser.Console/PureIoInterpreter.fs b/DataParser.Console/PureIoInterpreter.fs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4468929
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DataParser.Console/PureIoInterpreter.fs
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+namespace DataParser.Console
+
+open ResultMap
+open DataParser.Console.DataFiles
+
+module PureIOInterpreter =
+    open Core
+    open FormatFiles
+
+    type RecordedAction =
+        | ReadSpecs of folder: string
+        | ParseDataFile of filePath: string
+        | WriteOutput of folder: string * DataFileParseResult
+        | LogError of string
+        | LogInfo of string
+
+    /// Interpret a FreeIO program purely by invoking provided handlers and recording actions.
+    let rec interpretPure (onReadSpecs: string -> ResultMap<FormatName, FormatLine list, Error>)
+                          (onParse: DataFileFormat -> Result<DataFileParseResult, Error list>)
+                          (program: FreeIO<'a>) : ('a * RecordedAction list) =
+        match program with
+        | Pure x -> (x, [])
+        | Free op ->
+            match op with
+            | IO.ReadSpecs(folder, next) ->
+                let specs = onReadSpecs folder
+                let (res, actions) = interpretPure onReadSpecs onParse (next specs)
+                (res, RecordedAction.ReadSpecs folder :: actions)
+            | IO.ParseDataFile(df, next) ->
+                // choose to call the parse handler and record which file was parsed
+                let parseRes = onParse df
+                let (res, actions) = interpretPure onReadSpecs onParse (next parseRes)
+                let filePathStr = match df.FilePath with FilePath s -> s
+                (res, RecordedAction.ParseDataFile filePathStr :: actions)
+            | IO.WriteOutput(folder, result, next) ->
+                let (res, actions) = interpretPure onReadSpecs onParse (next())
+                (res, RecordedAction.WriteOutput(folder, result) :: actions)
+            | IO.LogError(msg, next) ->
+                let (res, actions) = interpretPure onReadSpecs onParse (next())
+                (res, RecordedAction.LogError msg :: actions)
+            | IO.LogInfo(msg, next) ->
+                let (res, actions) = interpretPure onReadSpecs onParse (next())
+                (res, RecordedAction.LogInfo msg :: actions)
diff --git a/DataParser.Console/Task.fs b/DataParser.Console/Task.fs
index 7c1f0bd..40607f3 100644
--- a/DataParser.Console/Task.fs
+++ b/DataParser.Console/Task.fs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ module Task
 
 open System.Threading.Tasks
 
+let runSynchronously (task: Task) = task.GetAwaiter().GetResult()
+
 let map = (<!>)
 
 let toUnit (x: Task) = task { do! x }
diff --git a/DataParser.Tests/DataParser.Tests.fsproj b/DataParser.Tests/DataParser.Tests.fsproj
index 59f85d4..0cae1c9 100644
--- a/DataParser.Tests/DataParser.Tests.fsproj
+++ b/DataParser.Tests/DataParser.Tests.fsproj
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
 
     <PropertyGroup>
-        <TargetFramework>net9.0</TargetFramework>
+        <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
 
         <IsPackable>false</IsPackable>
         <GenerateProgramFile>false</GenerateProgramFile>
diff --git a/DataParser.Tests/ProgramTests.fs b/DataParser.Tests/ProgramTests.fs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b79f3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DataParser.Tests/ProgramTests.fs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+module DataParser.Tests.ProgramTests
+
+open System
+open System.IO
+open Swensen.Unquote
+open DataParser.Console
+open ResultMap
+
+open Xunit
+
+[<Fact>]
+let ``program should request specs, parse data and request write`` () =
+    // arrange: create a temp workspace with specs and data
+    let baseDir = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), Guid.NewGuid().ToString())
+    Directory.CreateDirectory(baseDir) |> ignore
+    let specsDir = Path.Combine(baseDir, "specs")
+    let dataDir = Path.Combine(baseDir, "data")
+    let outDir = Path.Combine(baseDir, "output")
+    Directory.CreateDirectory(specsDir) |> ignore
+    Directory.CreateDirectory(dataDir) |> ignore
+    Directory.CreateDirectory(outDir) |> ignore
+
+    // write a simple spec file
+    let specContent = "\"column name\",width,datatype\nname,10,TEXT\n"
+    File.WriteAllText(Path.Combine(specsDir, "person.csv"), specContent)
+
+    // write a simple data file with a name of 10 chars
+    let dataLine = "ABCDEFGHIJ\n"
+    File.WriteAllText(Path.Combine(dataDir, "person_2020-01-01.txt"), dataLine)
+
+    // handlers that the pure interpreter will use
+    let readHandler (folder: string) : ResultMap<FormatName, FormatLine list, Error> =
+        // read all csv files and parse them using existing parser
+        let items =
+            Directory.GetFiles(folder, "*.csv")
+            |> Array.map (fun fp ->
+                let formatName = FormatName (Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension fp)
+                let text = File.ReadAllText(fp)
+                let parsed = DataParser.Console.FormatFiles.parseFormatFile text
+                formatName, parsed)
+        ResultMap << Map.ofArray <| items
+
+    let parseHandler (df: DataFileFormat) : Result<DataFileParseResult, Error list> =
+        // reuse the real parse path by calling the task-based parser synchronously
+        DataParser.Console.FileRead.parseDataFile df |> fun t -> t.GetAwaiter().GetResult()
+
+    // act: build the program with our temp dirs and run the pure interpreter
+    let program = Program.makeProgram specsDir dataDir outDir
+    let ((), actions) = PureIoInterpreter.interpretPure readHandler parseHandler program
+
+    // assert: actions include ReadSpecs, ParseDataFile, WriteOutput and final LogInfo
+    let hasReadSpecs = actions |> List.exists (function PureIoInterpreter.ReadSpecs _ -> true | _ -> false)
+    let hasParse = actions |> List.exists (function PureIoInterpreter.ParseDataFile _ -> true | _ -> false)
+    let hasWrite = actions |> List.exists (function PureIoInterpreter.WriteOutput(_, _) -> true | _ -> false)
+    let hasFinalLog = actions |> List.exists (function PureIoInterpreter.LogInfo m -> m = "Processing complete." | _ -> false)
+
+    test <@ hasReadSpecs = true && hasParse = true && hasWrite = true && hasFinalLog = true @>