diff --git a/cmd/build.go b/cmd/build.go
index cafbdf5..a61e71c 100644
--- a/cmd/build.go
+++ b/cmd/build.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func buildCommand(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	recipePath := args[0]
-	err := core.BuildRecipe(recipePath)
+	_, err := core.BuildRecipe(recipePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/compile.go b/cmd/compile.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..588e43a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/compile.go
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/vanilla-os/vib/core"
+)
+
+func NewCompileCommand() *cobra.Command {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "compile",
+		Short: "Compile a recipe",
+		RunE:  compileCommand,
+	}
+	cmd.Flags().SetInterspersed(false)
+
+	return cmd
+}
+
+func compileCommand(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	if len(args) < 2 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no recipe path or runtime specified")
+	}
+
+	recipePath := args[0]
+	runtime := args[1]
+	err := core.CompileRecipe(recipePath, runtime)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index d3fb3b1..ceddb33 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 func init() {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(NewBuildCommand())
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(NewValidateCommand())
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(NewCompileCommand())
 }
 
 func Execute() error {
diff --git a/core/build.go b/core/build.go
index a365a00..85c7e8e 100644
--- a/core/build.go
+++ b/core/build.go
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 // BuildRecipe builds a Containerfile from a recipe path
-func BuildRecipe(recipePath string) error {
+func BuildRecipe(recipePath string) (Recipe, error) {
 	// load the recipe
 	recipe, err := LoadRecipe(recipePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return Recipe{}, err
 	}
 
 	fmt.Printf("Building recipe %s\n", recipe.Name)
@@ -18,14 +18,14 @@ func BuildRecipe(recipePath string) error {
 	// resolve (and download) the sources
 	modules, sources, err := ResolveSources(recipe)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return Recipe{}, err
 	}
 
 	// move them to the sources directory so they can be
 	// used by the modules during the build
 	err = MoveSources(recipe, sources)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return Recipe{}, err
 	}
 
 	// build the modules*
@@ -33,16 +33,16 @@ func BuildRecipe(recipePath string) error {
 	//   in the Containerfile to build the modules
 	cmds, err := BuildModules(recipe, modules)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return Recipe{}, err
 	}
 
 	// build the Containerfile
 	err = BuildContainerfile(recipe, cmds)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return Recipe{}, err
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return *recipe, nil
 }
 
 // BuildContainerfile builds a Containerfile from a recipe
diff --git a/core/compile.go b/core/compile.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec17965
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/compile.go
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package core
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+)
+
+// CompileRecipe compiles a recipe into a runnable image.
+func CompileRecipe(recipePath string, runtime string) error {
+	recipe, err := BuildRecipe(recipePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	storePath := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", os.Getenv("HOME"), ".vib/store")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(storePath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		err = os.MkdirAll(storePath, 0755)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	switch runtime {
+	case "docker":
+		err = compileDocker(recipe, storePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	case "podman":
+		err = compilePodman(recipe, storePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	case "buildah":
+		return fmt.Errorf("buildah not implemented yet")
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("no runtime specified and the prometheus library is not implemented yet")
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("Image %s built successfully\n", recipe.Id)
+	fmt.Printf("Remember to point %s to %s\n", runtime, storePath)
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func compileDocker(recipe Recipe, storePath string) error {
+	docker, err := exec.LookPath("docker")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(
+		docker, "build",
+		"-t", recipe.Id,
+		"-f", recipe.Containerfile,
+		"--root", storePath,
+		".",
+	)
+	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	cmd.Dir = recipe.ParentPath
+
+	return cmd.Run()
+}
+
+func compilePodman(recipe Recipe, storePath string) error {
+	podman, err := exec.LookPath("podman")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(
+		podman, "build",
+		"-t", recipe.Id,
+		"-f", recipe.Containerfile,
+		"--root", storePath,
+		".",
+	)
+	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	cmd.Dir = recipe.ParentPath
+
+	return cmd.Run()
+}
diff --git a/core/structs.go b/core/structs.go
index 0c1bef7..e338120 100644
--- a/core/structs.go
+++ b/core/structs.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package core
 type Recipe struct {
 	Base          string `json:"base"`
 	Name          string
+	Id            string
 	Labels        map[string]string `json:"labels"`
 	Args          map[string]string `json:"args"`
 	Runs          []string          `json:"runs"`
diff --git a/example/example.yml b/example/example.yml
index 7854d2b..9f5a428 100644
--- a/example/example.yml
+++ b/example/example.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 base: debian:sid-slim
-name: Vanilla Core
+name: Vib Example
+id: vib-example
 labels:
   maintainer: Vanilla OS Contributors
 args: