diff --git a/.github/workflows/examples.yaml b/.github/workflows/examples.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2d8586cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/examples.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,248 @@
+name: Verify Examples
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+    paths:
+      - "examples/**"
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+    paths:
+      - "src/**"
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+env:
+  CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
+
+jobs:
+  validate:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.13"
+
+      - uses: aws-actions/setup-sam@v2
+        with:
+          use-installer: true
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Validate all SAM templates
+        run: |
+          failed=0
+          for template in $(find examples -maxdepth 2 -name "template.yaml" | sort); do
+            dir=$(dirname "$template")
+            echo "Validating $dir..."
+            if ! sam validate --template "$template" --lint 2>&1; then
+              echo "FAIL: $dir"
+              failed=1
+            fi
+          done
+          if [ "$failed" -eq 1 ]; then
+            echo "Some templates failed validation"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+  build-layer:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Install stable toolchain
+        run: rustup target add x86_64-unknown-linux-musl
+
+      - name: Install cargo lambda
+        run: pip3 install cargo-lambda
+
+      - name: Configure Rust cache
+        uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
+
+      - name: Build x86_64 layer
+        run: |
+          cargo lambda build --release --extension --target x86_64-unknown-linux-musl
+          mkdir -p layer-x86_64
+          cp layer/bootstrap layer-x86_64/
+          cp target/lambda/extensions/lambda-adapter layer-x86_64/
+
+      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: layer-x86_64
+          path: layer-x86_64/
+
+  # Docker-based examples verified with sam local start-api.
+  # Excluded: nginx, php, flask, aspnet-mvc (web app hardcodes port 8080
+  # which conflicts with SAM's Lambda Runtime Interface Emulator).
+  test-image:
+    needs: [build-layer]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        example:
+          - expressjs
+          - fastapi
+          - fastapi-background-tasks
+          - fasthtml
+          - gin
+          - nextjs
+          - remix
+          - springboot
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.13"
+
+      - uses: aws-actions/setup-sam@v2
+        with:
+          use-installer: true
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: layer-x86_64
+          path: /tmp/layer-x86_64
+
+      - name: Build local adapter image
+        run: |
+          printf 'FROM scratch\nCOPY lambda-adapter /lambda-adapter\n' | \
+            docker build -t public.ecr.aws/awsguru/aws-lambda-adapter:1.0.0-rc1 -f- /tmp/layer-x86_64
+
+      - name: Build
+        working-directory: examples/${{ matrix.example }}
+        run: sam build
+
+      - name: Start local API and verify
+        working-directory: examples/${{ matrix.example }}
+        run: |
+          # Set PORT=8000 to avoid conflict with SAM's RIE on port 8080
+          echo '{"Parameters":{"PORT":"8000"}}' > /tmp/env.json
+          sam local start-api --port 3000 --warm-containers EAGER --container-env-vars /tmp/env.json &
+          SAM_PID=$!
+          echo "SAM_PID=$SAM_PID" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+          echo "Waiting for local API to start..."
+          for i in $(seq 1 90); do
+            if curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" http://127.0.0.1:3000/ 2>/dev/null | grep -q "^[2345]"; then
+              echo "API is ready after ${i}s"
+              break
+            fi
+            if [ "$i" -eq 90 ]; then
+              echo "API failed to start within 90s"
+              kill $SAM_PID 2>/dev/null || true
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            sleep 1
+          done
+
+          status=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" http://127.0.0.1:3000/)
+          echo "HTTP status: $status"
+          if [[ "$status" -ge 200 && "$status" -lt 500 ]]; then
+            echo "OK: Got valid response"
+          else
+            echo "FAIL: Unexpected status $status"
+            kill $SAM_PID 2>/dev/null || true
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+      - name: Stop local API
+        if: always()
+        run: kill $SAM_PID 2>/dev/null || true
+
+  # Zip-based examples verified with local layer.
+  # Excluded: aspnet-*-zip (hardcode port 8080),
+  # bun/nginx/php-zip (need third-party layers), arm64 examples (javalin, rust-*).
+  test-zip:
+    needs: [build-layer]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        example:
+          - deno-zip
+          - expressjs-zip
+          - fastapi-zip
+          - fasthtml-zip
+          - flask-zip
+          - gin-zip
+          - nextjs-zip
+          - remix-zip
+          - springboot-zip
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.13"
+
+      - uses: aws-actions/setup-sam@v2
+        with:
+          use-installer: true
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: layer-x86_64
+          path: /tmp/layer-x86_64
+
+      - name: Prepare local layer
+        run: |
+          LAYER_DIR="/tmp/local-layers/LambdaAdapterLayerX86"
+          mkdir -p "$LAYER_DIR/extensions"
+          cp /tmp/layer-x86_64/bootstrap "$LAYER_DIR/"
+          cp /tmp/layer-x86_64/lambda-adapter "$LAYER_DIR/extensions/"
+          chmod +x "$LAYER_DIR/extensions/lambda-adapter" "$LAYER_DIR/bootstrap"
+
+      - name: Patch template to use local layer
+        working-directory: examples/${{ matrix.example }}
+        run: |
+          sed -i 's|!Sub arn:aws:lambda:${AWS::Region}:753240598075:layer:LambdaAdapterLayerX86:[0-9]*|/tmp/local-layers/LambdaAdapterLayerX86|' template.yaml
+
+      - name: Build
+        working-directory: examples/${{ matrix.example }}
+        run: sam build
+
+      - name: Start local API and verify
+        working-directory: examples/${{ matrix.example }}
+        run: |
+          # Set PORT=8000 to avoid conflict with SAM's RIE on port 8080
+          echo '{"Parameters":{"PORT":"8000"}}' > /tmp/env.json
+          sam local start-api --port 3000 --warm-containers EAGER --container-env-vars /tmp/env.json &
+          SAM_PID=$!
+          echo "SAM_PID=$SAM_PID" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+          echo "Waiting for local API to start..."
+          for i in $(seq 1 90); do
+            if curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" http://127.0.0.1:3000/ 2>/dev/null | grep -q "^[2345]"; then
+              echo "API is ready after ${i}s"
+              break
+            fi
+            if [ "$i" -eq 90 ]; then
+              echo "API failed to start within 90s"
+              kill $SAM_PID 2>/dev/null || true
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            sleep 1
+          done
+
+          status=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" http://127.0.0.1:3000/)
+          echo "HTTP status: $status"
+          if [[ "$status" -ge 200 && "$status" -lt 500 ]]; then
+            echo "OK: Got valid response"
+          else
+            echo "FAIL: Unexpected status $status"
+            kill $SAM_PID 2>/dev/null || true
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+      - name: Stop local API
+        if: always()
+        run: kill $SAM_PID 2>/dev/null || true