diff --git a/flux_local/manifest.py b/flux_local/manifest.py
index 218b8a19..2ba15def 100644
--- a/flux_local/manifest.py
+++ b/flux_local/manifest.py
@@ -5,23 +5,29 @@
 e.g. such as writing management plan for resources.
 """
 
+import dataclasses
 import datetime
-from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import Any
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, cast
 
+import aiofiles
+import yaml
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
 __all__ = [
+    "read_manifest",
+    "write_manifest",
     "Manifest",
     "Cluster",
     "Kustomization",
     "HelmRepository",
     "HelmRelease",
     "HelmChart",
+    "ManifestException",
 ]
 
 
-@dataclass
+@dataclasses.dataclass
 class HelmChart:
     """A representation of an instantiation of a chart for a HelmRelease."""
 
@@ -62,7 +68,7 @@ def chart_name(self) -> str:
         return f"{self.repo_namespace}-{self.repo_name}/{self.name}"
 
 
-@dataclass
+@dataclasses.dataclass
 class HelmRelease:
     """A representation of a Flux HelmRelease."""
 
@@ -93,7 +99,7 @@ def release_name(self) -> str:
         return f"{self.namespace}-{self.name}"
 
 
-@dataclass
+@dataclasses.dataclass
 class HelmRepository:
     """A representation of a flux HelmRepository."""
 
@@ -127,7 +133,7 @@ def repo_name(self) -> str:
         return f"{self.namespace}-{self.name}"
 
 
-@dataclass
+@dataclasses.dataclass
 class Kustomization:
     """A Kustomization is a set of declared cluster artifacts.
 
@@ -154,7 +160,7 @@ def id_name(self) -> str:
         return f"{self.path}"
 
 
-@dataclass
+@dataclasses.dataclass
 class Cluster:
     """A set of nodes that run containerized applications.
 
@@ -202,3 +208,51 @@ class Manifest(BaseModel):
 
     clusters: list[Cluster]
     """A list of Clusters represented in the repo."""
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def parse_yaml(content: str) -> "Manifest":
+        """Parse a serialized manifest."""
+        doc = next(yaml.load_all(content, Loader=yaml.Loader), None)
+        if not doc or "spec" not in doc:
+            raise ManifestException("Manifest file malformed, missing 'spec'")
+        return Manifest(clusters=doc["spec"])
+
+    def yaml(self) -> str:
+        """Serialize the manifest as a yaml file."""
+        return cast(
+            str,
+            yaml.dump(
+                {"spec": [dataclasses.asdict(cluster) for cluster in self.clusters]},
+                sort_keys=False,
+                explicit_start=True,
+            ),
+        )
+
+
+class ManifestException(Exception):
+    """Error raised while working with the Manifest."""
+
+
+async def read_manifest(manifest_path: Path) -> Manifest:
+    """Return the contents of a serialized manifest file."""
+    async with aiofiles.open(str(manifest_path)) as manifest_file:
+        content = await manifest_file.read()
+        return Manifest.parse_yaml(content)
+
+
+async def write_manifest(manifest_path: Path, manifest: Manifest) -> None:
+    """Write the specified manifest content to disk."""
+    content = manifest.yaml()
+    async with aiofiles.open(str(manifest_path), mode="w") as manifest_file:
+        await manifest_file.write(content)
+
+
+async def update_manifest(manifest_path: Path, manifest: Manifest) -> None:
+    """Write the specified manifest only if changed."""
+    async with aiofiles.open(str(manifest_path)) as manifest_file:
+        content = await manifest_file.read()
+    new_content = manifest.yaml()
+    if content == new_content:
+        return
+    async with aiofiles.open(str(manifest_path), mode="w") as manifest_file:
+        await manifest_file.write(new_content)
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index fb50fca0..f859c2fd 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [metadata]
 name = flux-local
-version = 0.0.2
+version = 0.0.3
 description = flux-local is a python library and set of tools for managing a flux gitops repository, with validation steps to help improve quality of commits, PRs, and general local testing.
 long_description = file: README.md
 long_description_content_type = text/markdown
diff --git a/tests/test_manifest.py b/tests/test_manifest.py
index 0a387796..9f78a840 100644
--- a/tests/test_manifest.py
+++ b/tests/test_manifest.py
@@ -1,10 +1,20 @@
 """Tests for manifest library."""
 
+import json
 from pathlib import Path
 
+import pytest
 import yaml
 
-from flux_local.manifest import HelmRelease, HelmRepository
+from flux_local.manifest import (
+    Cluster,
+    HelmRelease,
+    HelmRepository,
+    Manifest,
+    ManifestException,
+    read_manifest,
+    write_manifest,
+)
 
 TESTDATA_DIR = Path("tests/testdata/helm-repo")
 
@@ -34,3 +44,40 @@ def test_parse_helm_repository() -> None:
     assert repo.name == "bitnami"
     assert repo.namespace == "flux-system"
     assert repo.url == "https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami"
+
+
+async def test_read_manifest_invalid_file() -> None:
+    """Test reading an invalid manifest file."""
+    with pytest.raises(ManifestException, match="Manifest file malformed"):
+        await read_manifest(Path("/dev/null"))
+
+
+async def test_write_manifest_file() -> None:
+    """Test reading an invalid manifest file."""
+    await write_manifest(Path("/dev/null"), Manifest(clusters=[]))
+
+
+async def test_read_write_empty_manifest(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Test serializing and reading back a manifest."""
+    manifest = Manifest(clusters=[])
+    await write_manifest(tmp_path / "file.yaml", manifest)
+    new_manifest = await read_manifest(tmp_path / "file.yaml")
+    assert not new_manifest.clusters
+
+
+async def test_read_write_manifest(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Test serializing and reading back a manifest."""
+    manifest = Manifest(
+        clusters=[Cluster(name="cluster", path="./example", kustomizations=[])]
+    )
+    await write_manifest(tmp_path / "file.yaml", manifest)
+    new_manifest = await read_manifest(tmp_path / "file.yaml")
+    assert json.loads(new_manifest.json()) == {
+        "clusters": [
+            {
+                "name": "cluster",
+                "path": "./example",
+                "kustomizations": [],
+            },
+        ]
+    }