diff --git a/docs/modifiers.md b/docs/modifiers.md
index 99cade539..639597b33 100644
--- a/docs/modifiers.md
+++ b/docs/modifiers.md
@@ -301,6 +301,19 @@ val message = "hello world!"
 ```
 ````
 
+In addition to the `process` method, the `PostModifier` trait also has several 
+life-cycle methods that signal when a `PostModifier` instance:
+* Has started for the first time (`onStart`) when MDoc is launched;
+* Just before compilation and processing occurs (`preProcess`) on each source 
+document file;
+* Just after compilation and processing has finished (`postProcess`) on each 
+source document file;
+* Has finished after processing the last source document file (`onExit`)
+before MDoc terminates.
+These methods can be used to initialize and deactivate resources required by 
+the `PostModifier` instances.  
+
+
 ## StringModifier
 
 A `StringModifier` is a custom modifier that processes the plain text contents
diff --git a/mdoc-docs/src/main/resources/META-INF/services/mdoc.PostModifier b/mdoc-docs/src/main/resources/META-INF/services/mdoc.PostModifier
index eaf64a23e..b1ee8407f 100644
--- a/mdoc-docs/src/main/resources/META-INF/services/mdoc.PostModifier
+++ b/mdoc-docs/src/main/resources/META-INF/services/mdoc.PostModifier
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 mdoc.docs.EvilplotModifier
+mdoc.docs.LifeCycleModifier
diff --git a/mdoc-docs/src/main/scala/mdoc/docs/EvilplotModifier.scala b/mdoc-docs/src/main/scala/mdoc/docs/EvilplotModifier.scala
index 31e38745e..5b1e7435a 100644
--- a/mdoc-docs/src/main/scala/mdoc/docs/EvilplotModifier.scala
+++ b/mdoc-docs/src/main/scala/mdoc/docs/EvilplotModifier.scala
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ package mdoc.docs
 import com.cibo.evilplot.geometry.Drawable
 import java.nio.file.Files
 import java.nio.file.Paths
+
 import mdoc._
+
 import scala.meta.inputs.Position
 
 class EvilplotModifier extends PostModifier {
@@ -36,4 +38,8 @@ class EvilplotModifier extends PostModifier {
         ""
     }
   }
+
+  override def onStart(settings: MainSettings): Unit = ()
+
+  override def onExit(exit: Exit): Unit = ()
 }
diff --git a/mdoc-docs/src/main/scala/mdoc/docs/LifeCycleModifier.scala b/mdoc-docs/src/main/scala/mdoc/docs/LifeCycleModifier.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d373557cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mdoc-docs/src/main/scala/mdoc/docs/LifeCycleModifier.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+package mdoc.docs
+
+import mdoc._
+
+/**
+  * Global counter used to test the [[mdoc.Main]] process counting.
+  */
+object LifeCycleCounter {
+  val numberOfStarts: ThreadLocal[Integer] = ThreadLocal.withInitial(() => 0)
+  val numberOfExists: ThreadLocal[Integer] = ThreadLocal.withInitial(() => 0)
+}
+
+class LifeCycleModifier extends PostModifier {
+  val name = "lifecycle"
+
+  // Starts and stops per instance
+  var numberOfStarts = 0
+  var numberOfExists = 0
+
+  def process(ctx: PostModifierContext): String = {
+    // Used for checking the counting
+    s"numberOfStarts = $numberOfStarts ; numberOfExists = $numberOfExists"
+  }
+
+  /**
+    * This is called once when the [[mdoc.Main]] process starts
+    * @param settings CLI or API settings used by mdoc
+    */
+  override def onStart(settings: MainSettings): Unit = {
+    numberOfStarts += 1
+    LifeCycleCounter.numberOfStarts.set(LifeCycleCounter.numberOfStarts.get() + 1)
+  }
+
+  /**
+    * This is called once when the [[mdoc.Main]] process finsihes
+    * @param exit is the exit code returned by mdoc's processing
+    */
+  override def onExit(exit: Exit): Unit = {
+    numberOfExists += 1
+    LifeCycleCounter.numberOfExists.set(LifeCycleCounter.numberOfExists.get() + 1)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/Exit.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/Exit.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b62e9ffa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/Exit.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package mdoc
+
+import mdoc.internal.cli.{Exit => CliExit}
+
+final class Exit private[mdoc] (val exit: CliExit) {
+  def merge(other: Exit): Exit = Exit(exit.merge(other.exit))
+  def isSuccess: Boolean = exit == CliExit.success
+  def isError: Boolean = exit == CliExit.error
+}
+
+object Exit {
+  private[mdoc] def apply(exit: CliExit): Exit = {
+    new Exit(exit)
+  }
+  def apply(): Exit = {
+    Exit(CliExit.success)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/Main.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/Main.scala
index a83ed7c37..e9a1f7aa2 100644
--- a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/Main.scala
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/Main.scala
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import scala.meta.io.AbsolutePath
 import mdoc.internal.cli.MainOps
 import mdoc.internal.cli.Settings
 import mdoc.internal.io.ConsoleReporter
-import mdoc.internal.markdown.Markdown
 
 object Main {
 
@@ -23,10 +22,11 @@ object Main {
   def process(args: Array[String], reporter: Reporter, cwd: Path): Int = {
     val base = Settings.default(AbsolutePath(cwd))
     val ctx = Settings.fromCliArgs(args.toList, base)
-    MainOps.process(ctx, reporter)
+    val mainSettings = ctx.andThen(s => Configured.ok(new MainSettings(s, reporter)))
+    MainOps.process(mainSettings, reporter)
   }
   def process(settings: MainSettings): Int = {
-    MainOps.process(Configured.ok(settings.settings), settings.reporter)
+    MainOps.process(Configured.ok(settings), settings.reporter)
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/MainSettings.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/MainSettings.scala
index 53ba30f43..d8f5624ad 100644
--- a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/MainSettings.scala
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/MainSettings.scala
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import scala.meta.io.AbsolutePath
 import mdoc.internal.cli.Settings
 import mdoc.internal.io.ConsoleReporter
 
-final class MainSettings private (
+final class MainSettings private[mdoc] (
     private[mdoc] val settings: Settings,
     private[mdoc] val reporter: Reporter
 ) {
diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/PostModifier.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/PostModifier.scala
index 9ec3053ee..6533907b6 100644
--- a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/PostModifier.scala
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/PostModifier.scala
@@ -1,19 +1,47 @@
 package mdoc
 
 import java.util.ServiceLoader
+
 import mdoc.internal.cli.Settings
 import metaconfig.ConfDecoder
 import metaconfig.ConfEncoder
 import metaconfig.ConfError
 import metaconfig.generic.Surface
+
 import scala.meta.inputs.Input
 import scala.meta.io.AbsolutePath
 import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
 import scala.meta.io.RelativePath
 
+/**
+  * Interface of classes used for processing Markdown code fences.
+  * It provides method calls to set-up resources before processing
+  * sources, process code fences of all source files and release
+  * resource just before mdoc terminates.
+  *
+  */
 trait PostModifier {
   val name: String
+
+  /**
+    * This methods is called once just before mdoc starts processing all of the
+    * source files. Use this to set-up resources required by the post-modifier.
+    *
+    * @param settings setting set via the command line or directly vi the API
+    */
+  def onStart(settings: MainSettings): Unit = ()
   def process(ctx: PostModifierContext): String
+
+  /**
+    * This methods is called once just after mdoc finished processing all of the
+    * source files. Use this to release or deactivate any resources that are not
+    * required by the post-modifier anymore.
+    *
+    * @param exit a value of 0 indicates mdoc processed all files with no error.
+    *             a value of 1 indicates mdoc processing resulted in at least
+    *             one error.
+    */
+  def onExit(exit: Exit): Unit = ()
 }
 
 object PostModifier {
diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/MainOps.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/MainOps.scala
index 4c5fc3974..a5dfcfe58 100644
--- a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/MainOps.scala
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/MainOps.scala
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ import io.methvin.watcher.DirectoryChangeEvent
 import java.nio.file.Files
 import java.nio.file.StandardCopyOption
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors
-import mdoc.Reporter
+
+import mdoc.{MainSettings, Reporter}
 import mdoc.internal.BuildInfo
 import mdoc.internal.io.IO
 import mdoc.internal.io.MdocFileListener
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import mdoc.internal.markdown.LinkHygiene
 import mdoc.internal.markdown.Markdown
 import mdoc.internal.pos.DiffUtils
 import metaconfig.Configured
+
 import scala.meta.Input
 import scala.meta.internal.io.FileIO
 import scala.meta.internal.io.PathIO
@@ -209,19 +211,19 @@ final class MainOps(
 }
 
 object MainOps {
-  def process(settings: Configured[Settings], reporter: Reporter): Int = {
+  def process(settings: Configured[MainSettings], reporter: Reporter): Int = {
     settings match {
-      case Configured.Ok(setting) if setting.help =>
+      case Configured.Ok(setting) if setting.settings.help =>
         reporter.println(Settings.help(BuildInfo.version, 80))
         0
-      case Configured.Ok(setting) if setting.usage =>
+      case Configured.Ok(setting) if setting.settings.usage =>
         reporter.println(Settings.usage)
         0
-      case Configured.Ok(setting) if setting.version =>
+      case Configured.Ok(setting) if setting.settings.version =>
         reporter.println(Settings.version(BuildInfo.version))
         0
       case els =>
-        els.andThen(_.validate(reporter)) match {
+        els.andThen(_.settings.validate(reporter)) match {
           case Configured.NotOk(error) =>
             error.all.foreach(message => reporter.error(message))
             1
@@ -229,8 +231,11 @@ object MainOps {
             if (ctx.settings.verbose) {
               ctx.reporter.setDebugEnabled(true)
             }
+            ctx.settings.postModifiers.foreach(_.onStart(settings.get))
             val runner = new MainOps(ctx)
             val exit = runner.run()
+            val exitCode = mdoc.Exit(exit)
+            ctx.settings.postModifiers.foreach(_.onExit(exitCode))
             if (exit.isSuccess) {
               0
             } else {
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/resources/META-INF/services/mdoc.PostModifier b/tests/unit/src/test/resources/META-INF/services/mdoc.PostModifier
index d806d0ae8..7bf54ea85 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/test/resources/META-INF/services/mdoc.PostModifier
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/resources/META-INF/services/mdoc.PostModifier
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 tests.markdown.EvilplotPostModifier
 tests.markdown.BulletPostModifier
+tests.markdown.LifeCycleModifier
+
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.11/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala b/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.11/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
index 127f1b7b2..024f2d330 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.11/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.11/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 package tests.markdown
 
-import mdoc.PostModifier
-import mdoc.PostModifierContext
+import mdoc.{MainSettings, PostModifier, PostModifierContext, Exit}
 
 class EvilplotPostModifier extends PostModifier {
   val name = "evilplot"
+
   def process(ctx: PostModifierContext): String = ""
+
+  override def onStart(settings: MainSettings): Unit = ()
+
+  override def onExit(exit: Exit): Unit = ()
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.12/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala b/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.12/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
index bfd3e3191..b78eba353 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.12/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.12/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ package tests.markdown
 
 import com.cibo.evilplot.geometry.Drawable
 import java.nio.file.Files
-import mdoc.PostModifier
-import mdoc.PostModifierContext
+
+import mdoc.{Exit, MainSettings, PostModifier, PostModifierContext}
 
 class EvilplotPostModifier extends PostModifier {
   val name = "evilplot"
@@ -28,4 +28,9 @@ class EvilplotPostModifier extends PostModifier {
         ""
     }
   }
+
+  override def onStart(settings: MainSettings): Unit = ()
+
+  override def onExit(exit: Exit): Unit = ()
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.12/tests/markdown/PostModifierSuite.scala b/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.12/tests/markdown/PostModifierSuite.scala
index 3f7be5aac..47e07b1b2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.12/tests/markdown/PostModifierSuite.scala
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.12/tests/markdown/PostModifierSuite.scala
@@ -53,4 +53,14 @@ class PostModifierSuite extends BaseMarkdownSuite {
     "error: expected int runtime value. Obtained message"
   )
 
+  check(
+    "lifecycle-1",
+    """
+      |```scala mdoc:lifecycle
+      |val x = "message"
+      |```
+    """.stripMargin,
+    "numberOfStarts = 0 ; numberOfExists = 0"
+  )
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.13/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala b/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.13/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
index 127f1b7b2..ad7517edd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.13/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/scala-2.13/tests/markdown/EvilplotPostModifier.scala
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 package tests.markdown
 
-import mdoc.PostModifier
-import mdoc.PostModifierContext
+import mdoc.{MainSettings, PostModifier, PostModifierContext, Exit}
 
 class EvilplotPostModifier extends PostModifier {
   val name = "evilplot"
   def process(ctx: PostModifierContext): String = ""
+
+  override def onStart(settings: MainSettings): Unit = ()
+
+  override def onExit(exit: Exit): Unit = ()
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/cli/CliSuite.scala b/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/cli/CliSuite.scala
index f13a03071..0034ce70d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/cli/CliSuite.scala
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/cli/CliSuite.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package tests.cli
 
 import java.nio.file.Files
+
 import mdoc.internal.BuildInfo
+import tests.markdown.{LifeCycleCounter, LifeCycleModifier}
 
 class CliSuite extends BaseCliSuite {
 
@@ -191,4 +193,46 @@ class CliSuite extends BaseCliSuite {
       |""".stripMargin
   )
 
+  checkCli(
+    "lifeCycle-0",
+    """
+      |/file1.md
+      |# file 1
+      |One
+      |```scala mdoc:lifecycle
+      |val x1 = 1
+      |```
+      |/file2.md
+      |# file 2
+      |Two
+      |```scala mdoc:lifecycle
+      |val x2 = 2
+      |```
+      |    """.stripMargin,
+    """
+      |/file1.md
+      |# file 1
+      |One
+      |numberOfStarts = 1 ; numberOfExists = 0
+      |/file2.md
+      |# file 2
+      |Two
+      |numberOfStarts = 1 ; numberOfExists = 0
+    """.stripMargin, // process counts per PostModifier instance, starts and exists per mdoc.Main process
+    setup = { fixture =>
+      // Global thread local counter updated by all mdoc.Main process
+      // All tests in this test suite run sequentially but change the counter
+      // So make sure we start anew for this test
+      LifeCycleCounter.reset()
+    },
+    onStdout = { out =>
+      assert(out.contains("Compiling 2 files to"))
+      assert(out.contains("Compiled in"))
+      assert(out.contains("(0 errors"))
+      // Should start and stop one only once in this test (several times for test-suite)
+      assert(LifeCycleCounter.numberOfExists.get() == 1)
+      assert(LifeCycleCounter.numberOfStarts.get() == 1)
+    }
+  )
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/markdown/BulletPostModifier.scala b/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/markdown/BulletPostModifier.scala
index 28a2710f0..7c10f08d6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/markdown/BulletPostModifier.scala
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/markdown/BulletPostModifier.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package tests.markdown
 
-import mdoc.PostModifier
-import mdoc.PostModifierContext
+import mdoc.{Exit, MainSettings, PostModifier, PostModifierContext}
 
 class BulletPostModifier extends PostModifier {
   val name = "bullet"
@@ -14,4 +13,9 @@ class BulletPostModifier extends PostModifier {
         ""
     }
   }
+
+  override def onStart(settings: MainSettings): Unit = ()
+
+  override def onExit(exit: Exit): Unit = ()
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/markdown/LifeCycleModifier.scala b/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/markdown/LifeCycleModifier.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2759099b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/markdown/LifeCycleModifier.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package tests.markdown
+
+import mdoc._
+
+/**
+  * Global counter used to test the [[mdoc.Main]] process counting.
+  * Because tests can be executed concurrently, these need to be
+  * thread local. The following counters are used for testing within
+  * the same thread.
+  */
+object LifeCycleCounter {
+  val numberOfStarts: ThreadLocal[Integer] = ThreadLocal.withInitial(() => 0)
+  val numberOfExists: ThreadLocal[Integer] = ThreadLocal.withInitial(() => 0)
+
+  /**
+    * Reset counters to zero.
+    */
+  def reset(): Unit = {
+    LifeCycleCounter.numberOfStarts.set(0)
+    LifeCycleCounter.numberOfExists.set(0)
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+  * PostModifier used for testing the [[onStart()]] and [[onExit()]] calls.
+  */
+class LifeCycleModifier extends PostModifier {
+  val name = "lifecycle"
+
+  // Starts and stops per instance
+  var numberOfStarts = 0
+  var numberOfExists = 0
+
+  def process(ctx: PostModifierContext): String = {
+    // Used for checking the counting between threads
+    s"numberOfStarts = $numberOfStarts ; numberOfExists = $numberOfExists"
+  }
+
+  /**
+    * This is called once when the [[mdoc.Main]] process starts
+    * @param settings CLI or API settings used by mdoc
+    */
+  override def onStart(settings: MainSettings): Unit = {
+    numberOfStarts += 1
+    LifeCycleCounter.numberOfStarts.set(LifeCycleCounter.numberOfStarts.get() + 1)
+  }
+
+  /**
+    * This is called once when the [[mdoc.Main]] process finishes
+    * @param exit is the exit code returned by mdoc's processing
+    */
+  override def onExit(exit: Exit): Unit = {
+    numberOfExists += 1
+    LifeCycleCounter.numberOfExists.set(LifeCycleCounter.numberOfExists.get() + 1)
+  }
+}