diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6488b46c..25e06cf2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1795,7 +1795,7 @@ with 10 ms temporal separation.
 ```json
 > .init -f example/generate.json
 {
-  "delayMs": 10,
+  "delayMs": 250,
   "generated":"${[1..10]~>$generate(delayMs)}"
 }
 ```
diff --git a/example/generate.json b/example/generate.json
index 79fb4252..0862c6d0 100644
--- a/example/generate.json
+++ b/example/generate.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
-  "delayMs": 10,
+  "delayMs": 250,
   "generated":"${[1..10]~>$generate(delayMs)}"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index fd809a0f..9fbf43f3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "stated-js",
-  "version": "0.1.39",
+  "version": "0.1.40",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "description": "JSONata embedded in JSON",
   "main": "./dist/src/index.js",
diff --git a/src/Lifecycle.ts b/src/Lifecycle.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..51b22ab0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Lifecycle.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import TemplateProcessor from "./TemplateProcessor.js";
+
+/**
+ * Enum representing the various states of the lifecycle.
+ * This is used to track different phases during the operation of the system.
+ */
+export enum LifecycleState {
+    /**
+     * The state representing the start of the initialization process.
+     */
+    StartInitialize = 'StartInitialize',
+
+    /**
+     * The state before temporary variables are removed from the system.
+     */
+    PreTmpVarRemoval = 'PreTmpVarRemoval',
+
+    /**
+     * The state when the system has been fully initialized and is ready for use.
+     */
+    Initialized = 'Initialized',
+
+    /**
+     * The state when the process to close the system begins.
+     */
+    StartClose = 'StartClose',
+
+    /**
+     * The state when the system has fully closed and is no longer operational.
+     */
+    Closed = 'Closed',
+}
+
+/**
+ * Callback type definition for functions that handle lifecycle transitions.
+ *
+ * This type represents an asynchronous function that will be called whenever the
+ * lifecycle state changes. It receives the new lifecycle state and a `TemplateProcessor`
+ * instance for processing.
+ *
+ * @param state - The new lifecycle state that the system has transitioned to.
+ * @param templateProcessor - The `TemplateProcessor` instance to be used for handling the state transition.
+ *
+ * @returns A `Promise<void>` indicating the asynchronous operation is complete.
+ */
+export type LifecycleCallback = (state: LifecycleState, templateProcessor: TemplateProcessor) => Promise<void>;
+
+/**
+ * Interface for managing lifecycle callbacks.
+ */
+export interface LifecycleOwner {
+    /**
+     * Registers a lifecycle callback for a specific lifecycle state.
+     * @param state The lifecycle state to register the callback for.
+     * @param cbFn The callback function to execute when the lifecycle state is triggered.
+     */
+    setLifecycleCallback(state: LifecycleState, cbFn: LifecycleCallback): void;
+
+    /**
+     * Removes a specific lifecycle callback or all callbacks for a lifecycle state.
+     * @param state The lifecycle state to remove the callback from.
+     * @param cbFn The specific callback function to remove. If not provided, all callbacks for the state will be removed.
+     */
+    removeLifecycleCallback(state: LifecycleState, cbFn?: LifecycleCallback): void;
+}
+
+
diff --git a/src/LifecycleManager.ts b/src/LifecycleManager.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fbec02db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/LifecycleManager.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import { LifecycleState, LifecycleCallback, LifecycleOwner } from './Lifecycle.js';
+import TemplateProcessor from "./TemplateProcessor.js";
+
+
+/**
+ * Class for managing lifecycle callbacks.
+ */
+export class LifecycleManager implements LifecycleOwner {
+    private lifecycleCallbacks: Map<LifecycleState, Set<LifecycleCallback>>;
+    private templateProcessor: TemplateProcessor;
+
+    constructor(templateProcessor:TemplateProcessor) {
+        this.lifecycleCallbacks = new Map();
+        this.templateProcessor = templateProcessor;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Registers a lifecycle callback for a specific lifecycle state.
+     * @param state The lifecycle state to register the callback for.
+     * @param cbFn The callback function to execute when the lifecycle state is triggered.
+     */
+    setLifecycleCallback(state: LifecycleState, cbFn: LifecycleCallback) {
+        this.templateProcessor.logger.debug(`Lifecycle callback set on state: ${state}`);
+        let callbacks = this.lifecycleCallbacks.get(state);
+        if (!callbacks) {
+            callbacks = new Set();
+            this.lifecycleCallbacks.set(state, callbacks);
+        }
+        callbacks.add(cbFn);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Removes a specific lifecycle callback or all callbacks for a lifecycle state.
+     * @param state The lifecycle state to remove the callback from.
+     * @param cbFn The specific callback function to remove. If not provided, all callbacks for the state will be removed.
+     */
+    removeLifecycleCallback(state: LifecycleState, cbFn?: LifecycleCallback) {
+        this.templateProcessor.logger.debug(`Lifecycle callback removed from state: ${state}`);
+        if (cbFn) {
+            const callbacks = this.lifecycleCallbacks.get(state);
+            if (callbacks) {
+                callbacks.delete(cbFn);
+            }
+        } else {
+            this.lifecycleCallbacks.delete(state);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Calls all lifecycle callbacks registered for a specific lifecycle state.
+     * @param state The lifecycle state to trigger callbacks for.
+     */
+    async runCallbacks(state: LifecycleState) {
+        this.templateProcessor.logger.debug(`Calling lifecycle callbacks for state: ${state}`);
+        const callbacks = this.lifecycleCallbacks.get(state);
+        if (callbacks) {
+            const promises = Array.from(callbacks).map(cbFn =>
+                Promise.resolve().then(() => cbFn(state, this.templateProcessor))
+            );
+
+            try {
+                await Promise.all(promises);
+            } catch (error: any) {
+                this.templateProcessor.logger.error(`Error in lifecycle callback at state ${state}: ${error.message}`);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    clear(){
+        this.lifecycleCallbacks.clear();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/TemplateProcessor.ts b/src/TemplateProcessor.ts
index a5e7cbec..8ec1181a 100644
--- a/src/TemplateProcessor.ts
+++ b/src/TemplateProcessor.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ import {saferFetch} from "./utils/FetchWrapper.js";
 import {env} from "./utils/env.js"
 import * as jsonata from "jsonata";
 import {GeneratorManager} from "./utils/GeneratorManager.js";
+import {LifecycleOwner, LifecycleState} from "./Lifecycle.js";
+import {LifecycleManager} from "./LifecycleManager.js";
 
 
 declare const BUILD_TARGET: string | undefined;
@@ -304,15 +306,18 @@ export default class TemplateProcessor {
 
     private generatorManager:GeneratorManager;
 
-    /** Allows caller to set a callback to propagate initialization into their framework */
+    /** Allows caller to set a callback to propagate initialization into their framework
+     * @deprecated use lifecycleManager instead
+     * */
     public readonly onInitialize: Map<string,() => Promise<void>|void>;
 
     /**
      * Allows a caller to receive a callback after the template is evaluated, but before any temporary variables are
      * removed. This function is slated to be replaced with a map of functions like onInitialize
-     * @deprecated
+     * @deprecated use lifecycleManager instead
      */
     public postInitialize: ()=> Promise<void> = async () =>{};
+    public readonly lifecycleManager:LifecycleOwner = new LifecycleManager(this);
 
     public executionStatus: ExecutionStatus;
 
@@ -452,6 +457,7 @@ export default class TemplateProcessor {
             this.logger.debug(`Running onInitialize plugin '${name}'...`);
             await task();
         }
+        await (this.lifecycleManager as LifecycleManager).runCallbacks(LifecycleState.StartInitialize);
         try {
             if (jsonPtr === "/") {
                 this.errorReport = {}; //clear the error report when we initialize a root importedSubtemplate
@@ -492,9 +498,11 @@ export default class TemplateProcessor {
                 await this.executionStatus.restore(this);
             }
             await this.postInitialize();
+            await (this.lifecycleManager as LifecycleManager).runCallbacks(LifecycleState.PreTmpVarRemoval);
             this.removeTemporaryVariables(this.tempVars, jsonPtr);
             this.logger.verbose("initialization complete...");
             this.logOutput(this.output);
+            await (this.lifecycleManager as LifecycleManager).runCallbacks(LifecycleState.Initialized);
         }finally {
             this.isInitializing = false;
         }
@@ -502,11 +510,14 @@ export default class TemplateProcessor {
 
     async close():Promise<void>{
         this.isClosed = true;
+        await (this.lifecycleManager as LifecycleManager).runCallbacks(LifecycleState.StartClose);
         this.executionQueue.length = 0; //nuke execution queue
         await this.drainExecutionQueue();
         this.timerManager.clear();
         this.changeCallbacks.clear();
         this.executionStatus.clear();
+        await (this.lifecycleManager as LifecycleManager).runCallbacks(LifecycleState.Closed);
+        (this.lifecycleManager as LifecycleManager).clear();
     }
 
     private async evaluateInitialPlan(jsonPtr:JsonPointerString) {
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 79009c01..2eef49c1 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ export * as MetaInfoProducer from './MetaInfoProducer.js';
 export {default as JsonPointer} from './JsonPointer.js'
 export {stringifyTemplateJSON} from './utils/stringify.js'
 export {CliCoreBase} from './CliCoreBase.js';
+export * from './Lifecycle.js';
 
diff --git a/src/test/TemplateProcessor.test.js b/src/test/TemplateProcessor.test.js
index 463e64e5..bff75f18 100644
--- a/src/test/TemplateProcessor.test.js
+++ b/src/test/TemplateProcessor.test.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import jsonata from "jsonata";
 import { default as jp } from "../../dist/src/JsonPointer.js";
 import StatedREPL from "../../dist/src/StatedREPL.js";
 import { jest, expect, describe, beforeEach, afterEach, test} from '@jest/globals';
+import {LifecycleState} from "../../dist/src/Lifecycle.js";
 
 if (typeof Bun !== 'undefined') {
     // Dynamically import Jest's globals if in Bun.js environment
@@ -3139,3 +3140,83 @@ test("test generate", async () => {
         await tp.close();
     }
 });
+
+
+test("test lifecycle manager", async () => {
+    const o = {
+        "a": "hello",
+        "tmp": "!${'remove me'}"
+    };
+
+    const callCount = 10;
+
+
+
+    const tp = new TemplateProcessor(o);
+
+    let resolve0;
+    const promise0 = new Promise((resolve) => {
+        resolve0 = resolve;
+    })
+    tp.lifecycleManager.setLifecycleCallback(LifecycleState.StartInitialize, async (state, tp)=>{
+        expect(state).toEqual(LifecycleState.StartInitialize);
+        expect(tp.output).toEqual({
+            "a": "hello",
+            "tmp": "!${'remove me'}"
+        });
+        resolve0();
+    });
+    let resolve1;
+    const promise1 = new Promise((resolve) => {
+        resolve1 = resolve;
+    })
+    tp.lifecycleManager.setLifecycleCallback(LifecycleState.PreTmpVarRemoval, async (state)=>{
+        expect(state).toEqual(LifecycleState.PreTmpVarRemoval);
+        expect(tp.output).toEqual({
+            "a": "hello",
+            "tmp": "remove me"
+        });
+        resolve1();
+    });
+    let resolve2;
+    const promise2 = new Promise((resolve) => {
+        resolve2 = resolve;
+    })
+    tp.lifecycleManager.setLifecycleCallback(LifecycleState.Initialized, async (state)=>{
+        expect(state).toEqual(LifecycleState.Initialized);
+        expect(tp.output).toEqual({
+            "a": "hello",
+        });
+        resolve2();
+    });
+    let resolve3;
+    const promise3 = new Promise((resolve) => {
+        resolve3 = resolve;
+    })
+    tp.lifecycleManager.setLifecycleCallback(LifecycleState.StartClose, async (state)=>{
+        expect(state).toEqual(LifecycleState.StartClose);
+        expect(tp.output).toEqual({
+            "a": "hello",
+        });
+        resolve3();
+    });
+    let resolve4;
+    const promise4 = new Promise((resolve) => {
+        resolve4 = resolve;
+    })
+    tp.lifecycleManager.setLifecycleCallback(LifecycleState.Closed, async (state)=>{
+        expect(state).toEqual(LifecycleState.Closed);
+        expect(tp.output).toEqual({
+            "a": "hello",
+        });
+        resolve4();
+    });
+    try {
+        await tp.initialize();
+        await Promise.all([promise0, promise1]);
+        tp.close();
+        await Promise.all([promise2, promise3, promise4]);
+    } finally {
+        await tp.close();
+    }
+});
\ No newline at end of file