diff --git a/src/afs/services/__init__.py b/src/afs/services/__init__.py
index 2dceb6d..df232d0 100644
--- a/src/afs/services/__init__.py
+++ b/src/afs/services/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 """AFS service management primitives."""
 
+from .adapters.base import ServiceAdapter
+from .adapters.launchd import LaunchdAdapter
+from .adapters.systemd import SystemdAdapter
 from .manager import ServiceManager
 from .models import ServiceDefinition, ServiceState, ServiceStatus, ServiceType
 
@@ -9,4 +12,7 @@ __all__ = [
     "ServiceState",
     "ServiceStatus",
     "ServiceType",
+    "ServiceAdapter",
+    "LaunchdAdapter",
+    "SystemdAdapter",
 ]
diff --git a/src/afs/services/adapters/base.py b/src/afs/services/adapters/base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..348d542
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/afs/services/adapters/base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+"""Base classes for AFS service adapters."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+
+from ..models import ServiceDefinition
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ServiceAdapter:
+    platform_name: str
+
+    def render(self, definition: ServiceDefinition) -> str:
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    def file_extension(self) -> str:
+        return ""
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/afs/services/adapters/launchd.py b/src/afs/services/adapters/launchd.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2de2c7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/afs/services/adapters/launchd.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Launchd adapter (render-only) for AFS services."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+
+from .base import ServiceAdapter
+from ..models import ServiceDefinition
+
+
+class LaunchdAdapter(ServiceAdapter):
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        super().__init__(platform_name="darwin")
+
+    def render(self, definition: ServiceDefinition) -> str:
+        payload: dict[str, object] = {
+            "Label": f"afs.{definition.name}",
+            "ProgramArguments": list(definition.command),
+            "RunAtLoad": bool(definition.run_at_load),
+            "KeepAlive": bool(definition.keep_alive),
+        }
+        if definition.working_directory:
+            payload["WorkingDirectory"] = str(definition.working_directory)
+        if definition.environment:
+            payload["EnvironmentVariables"] = dict(definition.environment)
+        return json.dumps(payload, indent=2)
+
+    def file_extension(self) -> str:
+        return ".plist"
diff --git a/src/afs/services/adapters/systemd.py b/src/afs/services/adapters/systemd.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8caad6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/afs/services/adapters/systemd.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+"""Systemd adapter (render-only) for AFS services."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from .base import ServiceAdapter
+from ..models import ServiceDefinition, ServiceType
+
+
+class SystemdAdapter(ServiceAdapter):
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        super().__init__(platform_name="linux")
+
+    def render(self, definition: ServiceDefinition) -> str:
+        lines = [
+            "[Unit]",
+            f"Description={definition.label}",
+            "",
+            "[Service]",
+            f"ExecStart={' '.join(definition.command)}",
+        ]
+        if definition.working_directory:
+            lines.append(f"WorkingDirectory={definition.working_directory}")
+        if definition.environment:
+            for key, value in definition.environment.items():
+                lines.append(f"Environment={key}={value}")
+        if definition.service_type == ServiceType.ONESHOT:
+            lines.append("Type=oneshot")
+        if definition.keep_alive:
+            lines.append("Restart=on-failure")
+        lines.extend([
+            "",
+            "[Install]",
+            "WantedBy=default.target",
+        ])
+        return "\n".join(lines)
+
+    def file_extension(self) -> str:
+        return ".service"
diff --git a/src/afs/services/manager.py b/src/afs/services/manager.py
index 8111e1a..00f577a 100644
--- a/src/afs/services/manager.py
+++ b/src/afs/services/manager.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import json
 import platform
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -10,6 +9,9 @@ from typing import Iterable
 
 from ..config import load_config_model
 from ..schema import AFSConfig, ServiceConfig
+from .adapters.base import ServiceAdapter
+from .adapters.launchd import LaunchdAdapter
+from .adapters.systemd import SystemdAdapter
 from .models import ServiceDefinition, ServiceState, ServiceStatus, ServiceType
 
 
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ class ServiceManager:
         self.config = config or load_config_model()
         self.service_root = service_root or Path.home() / ".config" / "afs" / "services"
         self.platform_name = platform_name or platform.system().lower()
+        self._adapter = self._build_adapter(self.platform_name)
 
     def list_definitions(self) -> list[ServiceDefinition]:
         definitions = self._builtin_definitions()
@@ -40,11 +43,7 @@ class ServiceManager:
         definition = self.get_definition(name)
         if not definition:
             raise KeyError(f"Unknown service: {name}")
-
-        if self.platform_name.startswith("darwin"):
-            payload = render_launchd_plist(definition)
-            return json.dumps(payload, indent=2)
-        return render_systemd_unit(definition)
+        return self._adapter.render(definition)
 
     def status(self, name: str) -> ServiceStatus:
         definition = self.get_definition(name)
@@ -117,6 +116,14 @@ class ServiceManager:
             ),
         }
 
+    def _build_adapter(self, platform_name: str) -> ServiceAdapter:
+        platform_name = platform_name.lower()
+        if platform_name.startswith("darwin") or platform_name.startswith("mac"):
+            return LaunchdAdapter()
+        if platform_name.startswith("linux"):
+            return SystemdAdapter()
+        return SystemdAdapter()
+
     def _resolve_python_executable(self) -> str:
         if self.config.general.python_executable:
             return str(self.config.general.python_executable)
@@ -158,41 +165,3 @@ def _merge_definition(
         run_at_load=override.auto_start,
     )
 
-
-def render_launchd_plist(definition: ServiceDefinition) -> dict[str, object]:
-    payload: dict[str, object] = {
-        "Label": f"afs.{definition.name}",
-        "ProgramArguments": list(definition.command),
-        "RunAtLoad": bool(definition.run_at_load),
-        "KeepAlive": bool(definition.keep_alive),
-    }
-    if definition.working_directory:
-        payload["WorkingDirectory"] = str(definition.working_directory)
-    if definition.environment:
-        payload["EnvironmentVariables"] = dict(definition.environment)
-    return payload
-
-
-def render_systemd_unit(definition: ServiceDefinition) -> str:
-    lines = [
-        "[Unit]",
-        f"Description={definition.label}",
-        "",
-        "[Service]",
-        f"ExecStart={' '.join(definition.command)}",
-    ]
-    if definition.working_directory:
-        lines.append(f"WorkingDirectory={definition.working_directory}")
-    if definition.environment:
-        for key, value in definition.environment.items():
-            lines.append(f"Environment={key}={value}")
-    if definition.service_type == ServiceType.ONESHOT:
-        lines.append("Type=oneshot")
-    if definition.keep_alive:
-        lines.append("Restart=on-failure")
-    lines.extend([
-        "",
-        "[Install]",
-        "WantedBy=default.target",
-    ])
-    return "\n".join(lines)
diff --git a/tests/test_services.py b/tests/test_services.py
index ce2f951..ffacc33 100644
--- a/tests/test_services.py
+++ b/tests/test_services.py
@@ -26,3 +26,9 @@ def test_service_render_contains_execstart() -> None:
     manager = ServiceManager(config=AFSConfig(), platform_name="linux")
     unit = manager.render_unit("orchestrator")
     assert "ExecStart=" in unit
+
+
+def test_service_render_launchd_contains_label() -> None:
+    manager = ServiceManager(config=AFSConfig(), platform_name="darwin")
+    payload = manager.render_unit("orchestrator")
+    assert "\"Label\"" in payload