@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func Load(configDetails types.ConfigDetails) (*types.Config, error) {

 			return nil, err

 		}

-		servicesList, err := loadServices(servicesConfig, configDetails.WorkingDir)

+		servicesList, err := LoadServices(servicesConfig, configDetails.WorkingDir)

 		if err != nil {

 			return nil, err

 		}

@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func Load(configDetails types.ConfigDetails) (*types.Config, error) {

 			return nil, err

 		}

-		networksMapping, err := loadNetworks(networksConfig)

+		networksMapping, err := LoadNetworks(networksConfig)

 		if err != nil {

 			return nil, err

 		}

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func Load(configDetails types.ConfigDetails) (*types.Config, error) {

 			return nil, err

 		}

-		volumesMapping, err := loadVolumes(volumesConfig)

+		volumesMapping, err := LoadVolumes(volumesConfig)

 		if err != nil {

 			return nil, err

 		}

@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func Load(configDetails types.ConfigDetails) (*types.Config, error) {

 			return nil, err

 		}

-		secretsMapping, err := loadSecrets(secretsConfig, configDetails.WorkingDir)

+		secretsMapping, err := LoadSecrets(secretsConfig, configDetails.WorkingDir)

 		if err != nil {

 			return nil, err

 		}

@@ -304,11 +304,13 @@ func formatInvalidKeyError(keyPrefix string, key interface{}) error {

 	return fmt.Errorf("Non-string key %s: %#v", location, key)

 }

-func loadServices(servicesDict types.Dict, workingDir string) ([]types.ServiceConfig, error) {

+// LoadServices produces a ServiceConfig map from a compose file Dict

+// the servicesDict is not validated if directly used. Use Load() to enable validation

+func LoadServices(servicesDict types.Dict, workingDir string) ([]types.ServiceConfig, error) {

 	var services []types.ServiceConfig

 	for name, serviceDef := range servicesDict {

-		serviceConfig, err := loadService(name, serviceDef.(types.Dict), workingDir)

+		serviceConfig, err := LoadService(name, serviceDef.(types.Dict), workingDir)

 		if err != nil {

 			return nil, err

 		}

@@ -318,7 +320,9 @@ func loadServices(servicesDict types.Dict, workingDir string) ([]types.ServiceCo

 	return services, nil

 }

-func loadService(name string, serviceDict types.Dict, workingDir string) (*types.ServiceConfig, error) {

+// LoadService produces a single ServiceConfig from a compose file Dict

+// the serviceDict is not validated if directly used. Use Load() to enable validation

+func LoadService(name string, serviceDict types.Dict, workingDir string) (*types.ServiceConfig, error) {

 	serviceConfig := &types.ServiceConfig{}

 	if err := transform(serviceDict, serviceConfig); err != nil {

 		return nil, err

@@ -405,7 +409,9 @@ func transformUlimits(data interface{}) (interface{}, error) {

 	}

 }

-func loadNetworks(source types.Dict) (map[string]types.NetworkConfig, error) {

+// LoadNetworks produces a NetworkConfig map from a compose file Dict

+// the source Dict is not validated if directly used. Use Load() to enable validation

+func LoadNetworks(source types.Dict) (map[string]types.NetworkConfig, error) {

 	networks := make(map[string]types.NetworkConfig)

 	err := transform(source, &networks)

 	if err != nil {

@@ -420,7 +426,9 @@ func loadNetworks(source types.Dict) (map[string]types.NetworkConfig, error) {

 	return networks, nil

 }

-func loadVolumes(source types.Dict) (map[string]types.VolumeConfig, error) {

+// LoadVolumes produces a VolumeConfig map from a compose file Dict

+// the source Dict is not validated if directly used. Use Load() to enable validation

+func LoadVolumes(source types.Dict) (map[string]types.VolumeConfig, error) {

 	volumes := make(map[string]types.VolumeConfig)

 	err := transform(source, &volumes)

 	if err != nil {

@@ -435,7 +443,9 @@ func loadVolumes(source types.Dict) (map[string]types.VolumeConfig, error) {

 	return volumes, nil

 }

-func loadSecrets(source types.Dict, workingDir string) (map[string]types.SecretConfig, error) {

+// LoadSecrets produces a SecretConfig map from a compose file Dict

+// the source Dict is not validated if directly used. Use Load() to enable validation

+func LoadSecrets(source types.Dict, workingDir string) (map[string]types.SecretConfig, error) {

 	secrets := make(map[string]types.SecretConfig)

 	if err := transform(source, &secrets); err != nil {

 		return secrets, err