diff --git a/compose_viz/compose.py b/compose_viz/compose.py
index 6c65a8a..4cafca1 100644
--- a/compose_viz/compose.py
+++ b/compose_viz/compose.py
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ from compose_viz.service import Service
 
 class Compose:
     def __init__(self, services: List[Service]) -> None:
-        self.services = services
+        self._services = services
 
     def extract_networks(self) -> List[str]:
         raise NotImplementedError
+
+    @property
+    def services(self):
+        return self._services
diff --git a/compose_viz/parser.py b/compose_viz/parser.py
index 1f44bbc..e035e45 100644
--- a/compose_viz/parser.py
+++ b/compose_viz/parser.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+from re import S
 from compose_viz.compose import Compose
-
+from compose_viz.compose import Service
+import yaml
 
 class Parser:
     def __init__(self):
@@ -7,4 +9,36 @@ class Parser:
 
     def parse(self, file_path: str) -> Compose:
         # validate input file using `docker-compose config -q sys.argv[1]` first
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        # load the yaml file
+        with open(file_path, "r") as f:
+            try:
+                yaml_data = yaml.safe_load(f)
+            except yaml.YAMLError as exc:
+                raise yaml.YAMLError
+        # validate the yaml file
+        if not yaml_data:
+            print("Error: empty yaml file")
+            raise ValueError
+        if not yaml_data.get("services"):
+            print("Error: no services found")
+            raise ValueError
+        # parse services data into Service objects
+        services_data = yaml_data["services"]
+        services = []
+        for service, service_name in zip(services_data.values(), services_data.keys()):
+            #print("name: {}".format(service_name))
+            if service.get("image"):
+                service_image = service["image"]
+                #print("image: {}".format(service_image))
+            if service.get("networks"):
+                service_networks = service["networks"]
+                #print("networks: {}".format(service_networks))
+            services.append(Service(
+                name=service_name,
+                image=service_image,
+                networks=service_networks,
+            ))
+        # create Compose object
+        compose = Compose(services)
+
+        return compose
diff --git a/compose_viz/service.py b/compose_viz/service.py
index 6e42483..5b809e3 100644
--- a/compose_viz/service.py
+++ b/compose_viz/service.py
@@ -3,11 +3,43 @@ from typing import List
 
 class Service:
     def __init__(self, name: str, image: str, ports: List[str] = [], networks: List[str] = [], volumes: List[str] = [], depends_on: List[str] = [], links: List[str] = [], extends: List[str] = []) -> None:
-        self.name = name
-        self.image = image
-        self.ports = ports
-        self.networks = networks
-        self.volumes = volumes
-        self.depends_on = depends_on
-        self.links = links
-        self.extends = extends
+        self._name = name
+        self._image = image
+        self._ports = ports
+        self._networks = networks
+        self._volumes = volumes
+        self._depends_on = depends_on
+        self._links = links
+        self._extends = extends
+
+    @property
+    def name(self):
+        return self._name
+    
+    @property
+    def image(self):
+        return self._image
+
+    @property
+    def ports(self):
+        return self._ports
+
+    @property
+    def networks(self):
+        return self._networks
+
+    @property
+    def volumes(self):
+        return self._volumes
+
+    @property
+    def depends_on(self):
+        return self._depends_on
+
+    @property
+    def links(self):
+        return self._links
+
+    @property
+    def extends(self):
+        return self._extends