diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 53344cf..10a2f71 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 .vscode/
 .DS_Store
 node_modules
+/*.json
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 06f70e1..858b06d 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@
 # It is not intended for manual editing.
 version = 4
 
+[[package]]
+name = "aho-corasick"
+version = "1.1.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8e60d3430d3a69478ad0993f19238d2df97c507009a52b3c10addcd7f6bcb916"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "alloy-eip2124"
 version = "0.1.0"
@@ -231,6 +240,56 @@ dependencies = [
  "tracing",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "anstream"
+version = "0.6.18"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8acc5369981196006228e28809f761875c0327210a891e941f4c683b3a99529b"
+dependencies = [
+ "anstyle",
+ "anstyle-parse",
+ "anstyle-query",
+ "anstyle-wincon",
+ "colorchoice",
+ "is_terminal_polyfill",
+ "utf8parse",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "anstyle"
+version = "1.0.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "55cc3b69f167a1ef2e161439aa98aed94e6028e5f9a59be9a6ffb47aef1651f9"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "anstyle-parse"
+version = "0.2.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3b2d16507662817a6a20a9ea92df6652ee4f94f914589377d69f3b21bc5798a9"
+dependencies = [
+ "utf8parse",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "anstyle-query"
+version = "1.1.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "79947af37f4177cfead1110013d678905c37501914fba0efea834c3fe9a8d60c"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-sys",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "anstyle-wincon"
+version = "3.0.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ca3534e77181a9cc07539ad51f2141fe32f6c3ffd4df76db8ad92346b003ae4e"
+dependencies = [
+ "anstyle",
+ "once_cell",
+ "windows-sys",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "anyhow"
 version = "1.0.97"
@@ -501,6 +560,52 @@ version = "1.0.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "baf1de4339761588bc0619e3cbc0120ee582ebb74b53b4efbf79117bd2da40fd"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "clap"
+version = "4.5.32"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "6088f3ae8c3608d19260cd7445411865a485688711b78b5be70d78cd96136f83"
+dependencies = [
+ "clap_builder",
+ "clap_derive",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "clap_builder"
+version = "4.5.32"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "22a7ef7f676155edfb82daa97f99441f3ebf4a58d5e32f295a56259f1b6facc8"
+dependencies = [
+ "anstream",
+ "anstyle",
+ "clap_lex",
+ "strsim",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "clap_derive"
+version = "4.5.32"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "09176aae279615badda0765c0c0b3f6ed53f4709118af73cf4655d85d1530cd7"
+dependencies = [
+ "heck",
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 2.0.100",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "clap_lex"
+version = "0.7.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f46ad14479a25103f283c0f10005961cf086d8dc42205bb44c46ac563475dca6"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "colorchoice"
+version = "1.0.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5b63caa9aa9397e2d9480a9b13673856c78d8ac123288526c37d7839f2a86990"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "const-hex"
 version = "1.14.0"
@@ -723,6 +828,29 @@ dependencies = [
  "zeroize",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "env_filter"
+version = "0.1.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "186e05a59d4c50738528153b83b0b0194d3a29507dfec16eccd4b342903397d0"
+dependencies = [
+ "log",
+ "regex",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "env_logger"
+version = "0.11.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c3716d7a920fb4fac5d84e9d4bce8ceb321e9414b4409da61b07b75c1e3d0697"
+dependencies = [
+ "anstream",
+ "anstyle",
+ "env_filter",
+ "jiff",
+ "log",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "equivalent"
 version = "1.0.2"
@@ -929,6 +1057,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "is_terminal_polyfill"
+version = "1.70.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7943c866cc5cd64cbc25b2e01621d07fa8eb2a1a23160ee81ce38704e97b8ecf"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "itertools"
 version = "0.10.5"
@@ -944,6 +1078,30 @@ version = "1.0.15"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "4a5f13b858c8d314ee3e8f639011f7ccefe71f97f96e50151fb991f267928e2c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "jiff"
+version = "0.2.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d699bc6dfc879fb1bf9bdff0d4c56f0884fc6f0d0eb0fba397a6d00cd9a6b85e"
+dependencies = [
+ "jiff-static",
+ "log",
+ "portable-atomic",
+ "portable-atomic-util",
+ "serde",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "jiff-static"
+version = "0.2.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8d16e75759ee0aa64c57a56acbf43916987b20c77373cb7e808979e02b93c9f9"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 2.0.100",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "k256"
 version = "0.13.4"
@@ -1000,6 +1158,12 @@ version = "0.9.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "fe7db12097d22ec582439daf8618b8fdd1a7bef6270e9af3b1ebcd30893cf413"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "log"
+version = "0.4.26"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "30bde2b3dc3671ae49d8e2e9f044c7c005836e7a023ee57cffa25ab82764bb9e"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "macro-string"
 version = "0.1.4"
@@ -1136,6 +1300,21 @@ dependencies = [
  "spki",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "portable-atomic"
+version = "1.11.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "350e9b48cbc6b0e028b0473b114454c6316e57336ee184ceab6e53f72c178b3e"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "portable-atomic-util"
+version = "0.2.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d8a2f0d8d040d7848a709caf78912debcc3f33ee4b3cac47d73d1e1069e83507"
+dependencies = [
+ "portable-atomic",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ppv-lite86"
 version = "0.2.21"
@@ -1283,12 +1462,48 @@ dependencies = [
  "rand_core",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "regex"
+version = "1.11.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b544ef1b4eac5dc2db33ea63606ae9ffcfac26c1416a2806ae0bf5f56b201191"
+dependencies = [
+ "aho-corasick",
+ "memchr",
+ "regex-automata",
+ "regex-syntax",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "regex-automata"
+version = "0.4.9"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "809e8dc61f6de73b46c85f4c96486310fe304c434cfa43669d7b40f711150908"
+dependencies = [
+ "aho-corasick",
+ "memchr",
+ "regex-syntax",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "regex-syntax"
 version = "0.8.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "2b15c43186be67a4fd63bee50d0303afffcef381492ebe2c5d87f324e1b8815c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "revive-differential-testing-core"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "anyhow",
+ "clap",
+ "env_logger",
+ "log",
+ "revive-differential-testing-format",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "revive-differential-testing-format"
 version = "0.1.0"
@@ -1299,19 +1514,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "alloy-serde",
  "alloy-sol-types",
  "anyhow",
+ "log",
  "semver 1.0.26",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "revive-differential-testing-retester"
-version = "0.1.0"
-dependencies = [
- "revive-differential-testing-format",
- "serde_json",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "rfc6979"
 version = "0.4.0"
@@ -1570,6 +1778,12 @@ version = "1.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "a2eb9349b6444b326872e140eb1cf5e7c522154d69e7a0ffb0fb81c06b37543f"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "strsim"
+version = "0.11.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7da8b5736845d9f2fcb837ea5d9e2628564b3b043a70948a3f0b778838c5fb4f"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "subtle"
 version = "2.6.1"
@@ -1745,6 +1959,12 @@ version = "0.2.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ebc1c04c71510c7f702b52b7c350734c9ff1295c464a03335b00bb84fc54f853"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "utf8parse"
+version = "0.2.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "06abde3611657adf66d383f00b093d7faecc7fa57071cce2578660c9f1010821"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "valuable"
 version = "0.1.1"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index e158118..2c6252c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,9 +21,12 @@ alloy-genesis = "0.12.6"
 alloy-primitives = { version = "0.8.23", features = ["serde"] }
 alloy-serde = "0.12.6"
 alloy-sol-types = "0.8.23"
+env_logger = "0.11.7"
+log = "0.4.26"
 semver = "1.0"
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = { version = "1.0", features = ["arbitrary_precision"] }
+clap = { version = "4", features = ["derive"] }
 
 # revive compiler
 revive-llvm-context = { git = "https://github.com/paritytech/revive", rev = "2bbc5d713d1bf8b38c43f6ce9382812561ca3ce1" }
diff --git a/crates/retester/Cargo.toml b/crates/core/Cargo.toml
similarity index 55%
rename from crates/retester/Cargo.toml
rename to crates/core/Cargo.toml
index 1b41551..0ccae91 100644
--- a/crates/retester/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/core/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [package]
-name = "revive-differential-testing-retester"
+name = "revive-differential-testing-core"
 version.workspace = true
 authors.workspace = true
 license.workspace = true
@@ -9,8 +9,13 @@ rust-version.workspace = true
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "retester"
-path = "src/main.rs"
+path = "src/bin/main.rs"
 
 [dependencies]
+anyhow = { workspace = true }
+clap = { workspace = true }
+log = { workspace = true }
+env_logger = { workspace = true }
 revive-differential-testing-format = { workspace = true }
+serde = { workspace = true, features = [ "derive" ] }
 serde_json = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/arguments.rs b/crates/core/src/arguments.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db1893e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/core/src/arguments.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+use clap::Parser;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Parser)]
+#[command(name = "The PolkaVM Solidity compiler", arg_required_else_help = true)]
+pub struct Arguments {
+    /// The path where the `resolc` executable to be tested is found at.
+    ///
+    /// By default it uses the `resolc` found in `$PATH`
+    #[arg(long = "resolc")]
+    pub resolc: Option<PathBuf>,
+
+    /// A list of test corpus JSON files to be tested.
+    #[arg(long = "corpus")]
+    pub corpus: Vec<PathBuf>,
+}
diff --git a/crates/core/src/bin/main.rs b/crates/core/src/bin/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6949931
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/core/src/bin/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+use std::collections::BTreeSet;
+
+use clap::Parser;
+
+use revive_differential_testing_core::arguments::Arguments;
+use revive_differential_testing_format::corpus::Corpus;
+
+fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    env_logger::init();
+
+    let args = Arguments::try_parse()?;
+
+    for path in args.corpus.iter().collect::<BTreeSet<_>>() {
+        log::trace!("attempting corpus {path:?}");
+        let corpus = Corpus::try_from_path(path)?;
+        log::info!("found corpus: {corpus:?}");
+
+        let tests = corpus.enumerate_tests();
+
+        log::debug!("{tests:?}");
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/crates/core/src/lib.rs b/crates/core/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d66410
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/core/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+//! The revive differential testing core library.
+//!
+//! This crate defines the testing configuration and
+//! provides a helper utilty to execute tests.
+
+pub mod arguments;
diff --git a/crates/format/Cargo.toml b/crates/format/Cargo.toml
index 8c2d0a6..b1116ac 100644
--- a/crates/format/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/format/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ alloy-serde = { workspace = true }
 alloy-primitives = { workspace = true }
 alloy-sol-types = { workspace = true }
 anyhow = { workspace = true }
+log = { workspace = true }
 semver = { workspace = true }
 serde = { workspace = true, features = [ "derive" ] }
 serde_json = { workspace = true }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/format/src/case.rs b/crates/format/src/case.rs
index 10c0972..4c67581 100644
--- a/crates/format/src/case.rs
+++ b/crates/format/src/case.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use serde::{Deserialize, de::Deserializer};
+use serde::Deserialize;
 
 use crate::{input::Input, mode::Mode};
 
@@ -8,5 +8,4 @@ pub struct Case {
     pub comment: Option<String>,
     pub modes: Option<Vec<Mode>>,
     pub inputs: Vec<Input>,
-    pub expected: Vec<String>,
 }
diff --git a/crates/format/src/corpus.rs b/crates/format/src/corpus.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2717207
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/format/src/corpus.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+use std::{
+    fs::File,
+    path::{Path, PathBuf},
+};
+
+use serde::Deserialize;
+
+use crate::metadata::Metadata;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub struct Corpus {
+    pub name: String,
+    pub path: PathBuf,
+}
+
+impl Corpus {
+    /// Try to read and parse the corpus definition file at given `path`.
+    pub fn try_from_path(path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        let file = File::open(path)?;
+        Ok(serde_json::from_reader(file)?)
+    }
+
+    /// Scan the corpus base directory and return all tests found.
+    pub fn enumerate_tests(&self) -> Vec<Metadata> {
+        let mut tests = Vec::new();
+        collect_metadata(&self.path, &mut tests);
+        tests
+    }
+}
+
+/// Recursively walks `path` and parses any JSON or Solidity file into a test
+/// definition [Metadata].
+///
+/// Found tests are inserted into `tests`.
+///
+/// `path` is expected to be a directory.
+pub fn collect_metadata(path: &Path, tests: &mut Vec<Metadata>) {
+    let dir_entry = match std::fs::read_dir(path) {
+        Ok(dir_entry) => dir_entry,
+        Err(error) => {
+            log::error!("failed to read dir '{}': {error}", path.display());
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+
+    for entry in dir_entry {
+        let entry = match entry {
+            Ok(entry) => entry,
+            Err(error) => {
+                log::error!("error reading dir entry: {error}");
+                continue;
+            }
+        };
+
+        let path = entry.path();
+        if path.is_dir() {
+            collect_metadata(&path, tests);
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if path.is_file() {
+            if let Some(metadata) = Metadata::try_from_file(&path) {
+                tests.push(metadata)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/format/src/input.rs b/crates/format/src/input.rs
index 87d6a45..8f1de01 100644
--- a/crates/format/src/input.rs
+++ b/crates/format/src/input.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ where
         match calldata_string.parse::<U256>() {
             Ok(parsed) => result.extend_from_slice(&parsed.to_be_bytes::<32>()),
             Err(error) => {
-                return Err(serde::de::Error::custom(&format!(
+                return Err(serde::de::Error::custom(format!(
                     "parsing U256 {calldata_string} error: {error}"
                 )));
             }
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ where
             match Function::parse(&signature) {
                 Ok(function) => Method::Function(function.selector().0),
                 Err(error) => {
-                    return Err(serde::de::Error::custom(&format!(
+                    return Err(serde::de::Error::custom(format!(
                         "parsing function signature '{signature}' error: {error}"
                     )));
                 }
diff --git a/crates/format/src/lib.rs b/crates/format/src/lib.rs
index 74de75b..21ae375 100644
--- a/crates/format/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/format/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! The revive differential tests case format.
 
 pub mod case;
+pub mod corpus;
 pub mod input;
 pub mod metadata;
 pub mod mode;
diff --git a/crates/format/src/metadata.rs b/crates/format/src/metadata.rs
index 0e5e0eb..73f84fa 100644
--- a/crates/format/src/metadata.rs
+++ b/crates/format/src/metadata.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
-use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+use std::{
+    collections::BTreeMap,
+    fs::File,
+    path::{Path, PathBuf},
+};
 
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
 use crate::{case::Case, mode::Mode};
 
+pub const METADATA_FILE_EXTENSION: &str = "json";
+pub const SOLIDITY_CASE_FILE_EXTENSION: &str = "sol";
+
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Deserialize, Clone, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Metadata {
     pub cases: Vec<Case>,
@@ -11,4 +18,64 @@ pub struct Metadata {
     pub libraries: Option<BTreeMap<String, BTreeMap<String, String>>>,
     pub ignore: Option<bool>,
     pub modes: Option<Vec<Mode>>,
+    pub path: Option<PathBuf>,
+    pub directory: Option<PathBuf>,
+}
+
+impl Metadata {
+    /// Try to parse the test metadata struct from the given file at `path`.
+    ///
+    /// Returns `None` if `path` didn't contain a test metadata or case definition.
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    /// Expects the supplied `path` to be a file.
+    pub fn try_from_file(path: &Path) -> Option<Self> {
+        assert!(path.is_file(), "not a file: {}", path.display());
+
+        let Some(file_extension) = path.extension() else {
+            log::debug!("skipping corpus file: {}", path.display());
+            return None;
+        };
+
+        if file_extension == METADATA_FILE_EXTENSION {
+            return Self::try_from_json(path);
+        }
+
+        if file_extension == SOLIDITY_CASE_FILE_EXTENSION {
+            return None;
+            //return Self::try_from_solidity(path);
+        }
+
+        log::debug!("ignoring invalid corpus file: {}", path.display());
+        None
+    }
+
+    fn try_from_json(path: &Path) -> Option<Self> {
+        let file = File::open(path)
+            .inspect_err(|error| {
+                log::error!(
+                    "opening JSON test metadata file '{}' error: {error}",
+                    path.display()
+                );
+            })
+            .ok()?;
+
+        match serde_json::from_reader::<_, Metadata>(file) {
+            Ok(mut metadata) => {
+                metadata.directory = Some(path.to_path_buf());
+                Some(metadata)
+            }
+            Err(error) => {
+                log::error!(
+                    "parsing JSON test metadata file '{}' error: {error}",
+                    path.display()
+                );
+                None
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn try_from_solidity(path: &Path) -> Option<Self> {
+        todo!()
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/format/src/mode.rs b/crates/format/src/mode.rs
index 27616a7..75649f6 100644
--- a/crates/format/src/mode.rs
+++ b/crates/format/src/mode.rs
@@ -38,13 +38,13 @@ impl SolcMode {
             _ => return None,
         }
 
-        while let Some(part) = parts.next() {
+        for part in parts {
             if let Ok(solc_version) = semver::VersionReq::parse(part) {
                 result.solc_version = Some(solc_version);
                 continue;
             }
-            if part.starts_with("-O") {
-                result.llvm_optimizer_settings.push(part[2..].to_string());
+            if let Some(level) = part.strip_prefix("-O") {
+                result.llvm_optimizer_settings.push(level.to_string());
                 continue;
             }
             panic!("the YUL mode string {mode_string} failed to parse, invalid part: {part}")
diff --git a/crates/retester/src/main.rs b/crates/retester/src/main.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 7dc72d7..0000000
--- a/crates/retester/src/main.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-use revive_differential_testing_format::metadata::Metadata;
-
-fn main() {
-    let example_def = include_str!("../../../test.json");
-
-    let metadata: Metadata = serde_json::from_str(example_def).unwrap();
-
-    println!("{metadata:?}");
-}