diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index d7738a1..1ed0488 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -23,3 +23,31 @@ macro_rules! prog_name {
         "yofi"
     };
 }
+
+pub fn render_to_buffer(
+    config: &config::Config,
+    state: &mut state::State,
+    scale: u16,
+    width: i32,
+    height: i32,
+    buffer: &mut [u32],
+) {
+    use draw::Drawable;
+
+    let mut dt = DrawTarget::from_backing(width, height, buffer);
+    let mut space_left = draw::Space {
+        width: width as f32,
+        height: height as f32,
+    };
+    let mut point = draw::Point::new(0., 0.);
+
+    let (mut drawables, dyn_space) = draw::make_drawables(config, state, scale);
+    if let Some(dyn_space) = dyn_space {
+        space_left.height = space_left.height.min(dyn_space.height);
+    }
+    while let Some(d) = drawables.borrowed_next() {
+        let occupied = d.draw(&mut dt, scale, space_left, point);
+        point.y += occupied.height;
+        space_left.height -= occupied.height;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/mode.rs b/src/mode.rs
index 6216781..8e3e4be 100644
--- a/src/mode.rs
+++ b/src/mode.rs
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ impl Mode {
         dialog::DialogMode::new().map(Self::Dialog)
     }
 
+    pub fn dialog_from_lines(lines: Vec<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::Dialog(dialog::DialogMode::from_lines(lines))
+    }
+
     pub fn fork_eval(&mut self, info: EvalInfo<'_>) -> Result<()> {
         // Safety:
         // - no need for signal-safety as we single-thread everywhere;
diff --git a/src/mode/dialog.rs b/src/mode/dialog.rs
index 3cc67fa..5bf446f 100644
--- a/src/mode/dialog.rs
+++ b/src/mode/dialog.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ impl DialogMode {
             .map(|lines| Self { lines })
     }
 
+    pub fn from_lines(lines: Vec<String>) -> Self {
+        Self { lines }
+    }
+
     pub fn eval(&mut self, info: EvalInfo<'_>) -> Result<std::convert::Infallible> {
         let value = info
             .index
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/initial.png b/tests/fixtures/initial.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c0e20b
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/fixtures/initial.png differ
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/nav_down.png b/tests/fixtures/nav_down.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1054e75
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/fixtures/nav_down.png differ
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/search.png b/tests/fixtures/search.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3ba196
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/fixtures/search.png differ
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/search_then_nav.png b/tests/fixtures/search_then_nav.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0a2e1f9
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/fixtures/search_then_nav.png differ
diff --git a/tests/regression/main.rs b/tests/regression/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..288e4bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/regression/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+//! Regression tests for yofi's rendering pipeline.
+//!
+//! These tests render headlessly to a buffer and compare against stored reference snapshots.
+//! With YOFI_BLESS=1 env, snapshot images are overwritten.
+//! Snapshots are stored as PNG files in `tests/fixtures/` and can be viewed directly.
+//!
+//! On mismatch, `<name>.new.png` and `<name>.diff.png` are saved next to the fixture for
+//! inspection. The diff highlights changed pixels in red.
+
+mod snap;
+use snap::{run_regression, test_entries, Action};
+
+#[test]
+fn initial() {
+    run_regression("initial", test_entries(), &[]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn search() {
+    run_regression("search", test_entries(), &[Action::Type("fire")]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn nav_down() {
+    run_regression(
+        "nav_down",
+        test_entries(),
+        &[Action::NextItem, Action::NextItem],
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn search_then_nav() {
+    run_regression(
+        "search_then_nav",
+        test_entries(),
+        &[Action::Type("te"), Action::NextItem],
+    );
+}
diff --git a/tests/regression/snap.rs b/tests/regression/snap.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..735ee26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/regression/snap.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+use yofi::config::Config;
+use yofi::mode::Mode;
+use yofi::state::State;
+use yofi::window::Params;
+
+pub enum Action {
+    Type(&'static str),
+    NextItem,
+}
+
+pub fn test_entries() -> Vec<String> {
+    [
+        "Firefox",
+        "Chromium",
+        "Terminal",
+        "Files",
+        "Settings",
+        "Calculator",
+        "Text Editor",
+        "Music Player",
+    ]
+    .iter()
+    .map(|s| s.to_string())
+    .collect()
+}
+
+fn unpremultiply_to_rgba(buffer: &[u32]) -> Vec<u8> {
+    let mut rgba = Vec::with_capacity(buffer.len() * 4);
+    for &px in buffer {
+        let a = (px >> 24) & 0xff;
+        let r = (px >> 16) & 0xff;
+        let g = (px >> 8) & 0xff;
+        let b = px & 0xff;
+        if a == 0 {
+            rgba.extend_from_slice(&[0, 0, 0, 0]);
+        } else {
+            rgba.push((r * 255 / a) as u8);
+            rgba.push((g * 255 / a) as u8);
+            rgba.push((b * 255 / a) as u8);
+            rgba.push(a as u8);
+        }
+    }
+    rgba
+}
+
+fn save_png(path: &str, width: u32, height: u32, rgba: &[u8]) {
+    let file = std::fs::File::create(path).expect("failed to create PNG file");
+    let mut encoder = png::Encoder::new(file, width, height);
+    encoder.set_color(png::ColorType::Rgba);
+    encoder.set_depth(png::BitDepth::Eight);
+    let mut writer = encoder.write_header().expect("failed to write PNG header");
+    writer
+        .write_image_data(rgba)
+        .expect("failed to write PNG data");
+}
+
+fn make_diff_image(expected: &[u8], actual: &[u8], width: u32, height: u32) -> Vec<u8> {
+    let mut diff = Vec::with_capacity(expected.len());
+    for (exp, act) in expected.chunks_exact(4).zip(actual.chunks_exact(4)) {
+        if exp == act {
+            // Matching pixel: dim grayscale
+            let gray = ((exp[0] as u16 + exp[1] as u16 + exp[2] as u16) / 3 / 3) as u8;
+            diff.extend_from_slice(&[gray, gray, gray, 255]);
+        } else {
+            // Differing pixel: bright red
+            diff.extend_from_slice(&[255, 0, 0, 255]);
+        }
+    }
+    // Pad if sizes differ (dimension mismatch)
+    let total = (width as usize) * (height as usize) * 4;
+    diff.resize(total, 0);
+    diff
+}
+
+fn load_png_rgba(path: &str) -> (u32, u32, Vec<u8>) {
+    let file = std::fs::File::open(path).unwrap_or_else(|_| {
+        panic!("fixture not found: {path}\nRun with YOFI_BLESS=1 to generate reference snapshots")
+    });
+    let decoder = png::Decoder::new(file);
+    let mut reader = decoder.read_info().unwrap();
+    let mut rgba = vec![0u8; reader.output_buffer_size()];
+    let info = reader.next_frame(&mut rgba).unwrap();
+    rgba.truncate(info.buffer_size());
+    (info.width, info.height, rgba)
+}
+
+pub fn run_regression(name: &str, entries: Vec<String>, actions: &[Action]) {
+    let config = Config::default();
+
+    let mode = Mode::dialog_from_lines(entries);
+    let mut state = State::new(mode);
+
+    for action in actions {
+        match action {
+            Action::Type(s) => state.append_to_input(s),
+            Action::NextItem => state.next_item(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    let params: Params = config.param();
+    let scale = params.scale.unwrap_or(1);
+    let w = (params.width * u32::from(scale)) as i32;
+    let h = (params.height * u32::from(scale)) as i32;
+    let mut buffer = vec![0u32; (w * h) as usize];
+    yofi::render_to_buffer(&config, &mut state, scale, w, h, &mut buffer);
+
+    let actual_rgba = unpremultiply_to_rgba(&buffer);
+    let w = w as u32;
+    let h = h as u32;
+
+    let fixture = format!("tests/fixtures/{name}.png");
+    let new_file = format!("tests/fixtures/{name}.new.png");
+    let diff_file = format!("tests/fixtures/{name}.diff.png");
+
+    if std::env::var("YOFI_BLESS").is_ok() {
+        save_png(&fixture, w, h, &actual_rgba);
+        eprintln!("blessed: {fixture}");
+    } else {
+        let (rw, rh, reference_rgba) = load_png_rgba(&fixture);
+        assert!(
+            rw == w && rh == h,
+            "dimension mismatch for '{name}': expected {rw}x{rh}, got {w}x{h}"
+        );
+        if actual_rgba != reference_rgba {
+            save_png(&new_file, w, h, &actual_rgba);
+            let diff = make_diff_image(&reference_rgba, &actual_rgba, w, h);
+            save_png(&diff_file, w, h, &diff);
+            panic!(
+                "pixel mismatch for '{name}'\n  \
+                 new: {new_file}\n  \
+                 diff: {diff_file}\n  \
+                 Run with YOFI_BLESS=1 to update"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}