diff --git a/crates/ecr/src/lib.rs b/crates/ecr/src/lib.rs
index 0292d66..50dfc2d 100644
--- a/crates/ecr/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ecr/src/lib.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ pub mod extract;
 pub mod kernel;
 pub mod mount;
 pub mod namespace;
+pub mod progress;
 pub mod qemu;
 pub mod qemu_vm;
 pub mod rootfs;
@@ -38,4 +39,5 @@ macro_rules! veprintln {
 
 pub use exec::{exec, ExecOptions};
 pub use mount::BindTarget;
+pub use progress::{NoProgress, Progress, Unit};
 pub use rootfs::{PrepareRequest, PreparedRootfs, RootfsCache};
diff --git a/crates/ecr/src/progress.rs b/crates/ecr/src/progress.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58b3496
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ecr/src/progress.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+//! Progress reporting for long-running operations.
+//!
+//! The library never touches the terminal: downloads, extraction and
+//! initramfs creation report their progress through the [`Progress`]
+//! sink supplied by the caller.  Consumers choose what to render —
+//! progress bars, spinners, structured events — or pass [`NoProgress`]
+//! for silence.
+
+/// What a progress operation counts.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum Unit {
+    /// Bytes transferred (downloads).
+    Bytes,
+    /// Files processed (extraction, archive creation).
+    Files,
+}
+
+/// Sink for progress of long-running library operations.
+///
+/// Operations are sequential: `begin` starts the next operation (any
+/// previous one is implicitly over), `advance` counts completed units,
+/// `finish` marks its end.  Sinks must be callable from any thread.
+pub trait Progress: Send + Sync {
+    /// An operation labelled `label` starts, counting `unit`s; `total`
+    /// is the unit count when known upfront.
+    fn begin(&self, label: &str, unit: Unit, total: Option<u64>);
+
+    /// `n` more units of the current operation completed.
+    fn advance(&self, n: u64);
+
+    /// The current operation ended.
+    fn finish(&self);
+}
+
+/// A [`Progress`] sink that discards every event.
+pub struct NoProgress;
+
+impl Progress for NoProgress {
+    fn begin(&self, _: &str, _: Unit, _: Option<u64>) {}
+    fn advance(&self, _: u64) {}
+    fn finish(&self) {}
+}