diff --git a/packages/core/src/egg.ts b/packages/core/src/egg.ts
index 2596923430..c7cbe18e88 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/egg.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/egg.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ export interface EggCoreOptions {
   env?: string;
   /** Skip lifecycle hooks, only trigger loadMetadata for manifest generation */
   metadataOnly?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * When true, lifecycle stops after the `configWillLoad` phase.
+   * `configDidLoad`, `didLoad`, `willReady`, `didReady`, and `serverDidReady`
+   * are skipped. Used for V8 startup snapshot construction — SDKs typically
+   * execute during `configDidLoad`, opening connections and starting timers
+   * which are not serializable. Analogous to `metadataOnly` mode.
+   */
+  snapshot?: boolean;
 }
 
 export type EggCoreInitOptions = Partial<EggCoreOptions>;
@@ -191,6 +199,7 @@ export class EggCore extends KoaApplication {
       baseDir: options.baseDir,
       app: this,
       logger: this.console,
+      snapshot: options.snapshot,
     });
     this.lifecycle.on('error', (err) => this.emit('error', err));
     this.lifecycle.on('ready_timeout', (id) => this.emit('ready_timeout', id));
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lifecycle.ts b/packages/core/src/lifecycle.ts
index e2e4c8bd8d..3facbe3eb5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lifecycle.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lifecycle.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,15 @@ export interface LifecycleOptions {
   baseDir: string;
   app: EggCore;
   logger: EggConsoleLogger;
+  /**
+   * When true, the lifecycle stops after configWillLoad phase completes.
+   * configDidLoad, didLoad, willReady, didReady, and serverDidReady hooks
+   * are NOT called. Used for V8 startup snapshot construction — SDKs
+   * typically execute during configDidLoad, opening connections and starting
+   * timers which are not serializable. The handling is analogous to
+   * metadataOnly mode: both short-circuit the lifecycle chain early.
+   */
+  snapshot?: boolean;
 }
 
 export type FunWithFullPath = Fun & { fullPath?: string };
@@ -119,7 +128,7 @@ export class Lifecycle extends EventEmitter {
     });
 
     this.ready((err) => {
-      if (!this.#metadataOnly) {
+      if (!this.#metadataOnly && !this.options.snapshot) {
         void this.triggerDidReady(err);
       }
       debug('app ready');
@@ -251,6 +260,14 @@ export class Lifecycle extends EventEmitter {
       }
     }
     debug('trigger configWillLoad end');
+    if (this.options.snapshot) {
+      // Snapshot mode: stop AFTER configWillLoad, BEFORE configDidLoad.
+      // SDKs typically execute during configDidLoad hooks — these open connections
+      // and start timers which are not serializable in V8 startup snapshots.
+      debug('snapshot mode: stopping after configWillLoad, skipping configDidLoad and later phases');
+      this.ready(true);
+      return;
+    }
     this.triggerConfigDidLoad();
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/core/test/snapshot.test.ts b/packages/core/test/snapshot.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e584046f7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/test/snapshot.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,246 @@
+import { strict as assert } from 'node:assert';
+
+import { describe, it, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+
+import { EggCore } from '../src/egg.ts';
+import { Lifecycle } from '../src/lifecycle.ts';
+
+describe('test/snapshot.test.ts', () => {
+  let app: EggCore | undefined;
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    if (app) {
+      await app.close();
+      app = undefined;
+    }
+  });
+
+  describe('Lifecycle snapshot mode', () => {
+    it('should stop after configWillLoad and skip configDidLoad/didLoad/willReady/didReady/serverDidReady', async () => {
+      const callOrder: string[] = [];
+
+      const lifecycle = new Lifecycle({
+        baseDir: '.',
+        app: new EggCore(),
+        snapshot: true,
+      });
+
+      lifecycle.addBootHook(
+        class Boot {
+          configWillLoad(): void {
+            callOrder.push('configWillLoad');
+          }
+
+          configDidLoad(): void {
+            callOrder.push('configDidLoad');
+          }
+
+          async didLoad(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('didLoad');
+          }
+
+          async willReady(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('willReady');
+          }
+
+          async didReady(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('didReady');
+          }
+
+          async serverDidReady(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('serverDidReady');
+          }
+        },
+      );
+
+      lifecycle.init();
+      lifecycle.triggerConfigWillLoad();
+      await lifecycle.ready();
+
+      // configWillLoad should be called
+      assert.ok(callOrder.includes('configWillLoad'), 'configWillLoad should be called');
+
+      // configDidLoad and all later hooks should NOT be called
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('configDidLoad'), 'configDidLoad should NOT be called in snapshot mode');
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('didLoad'), 'didLoad should NOT be called in snapshot mode');
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('willReady'), 'willReady should NOT be called in snapshot mode');
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('didReady'), 'didReady should NOT be called in snapshot mode');
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('serverDidReady'), 'serverDidReady should NOT be called in snapshot mode');
+
+      await lifecycle.close();
+    });
+
+    it('should call all lifecycle hooks when snapshot is not set', async () => {
+      const callOrder: string[] = [];
+
+      const lifecycle = new Lifecycle({
+        baseDir: '.',
+        app: new EggCore(),
+        // no snapshot option
+      });
+
+      lifecycle.addBootHook(
+        class Boot {
+          configWillLoad(): void {
+            callOrder.push('configWillLoad');
+          }
+
+          configDidLoad(): void {
+            callOrder.push('configDidLoad');
+          }
+
+          async didLoad(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('didLoad');
+          }
+
+          async willReady(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('willReady');
+          }
+
+          async didReady(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('didReady');
+          }
+        },
+      );
+
+      lifecycle.init();
+      lifecycle.triggerConfigWillLoad();
+      await lifecycle.ready();
+
+      // All hooks should be called in normal mode
+      assert.ok(callOrder.includes('configWillLoad'), 'configWillLoad should be called');
+      assert.ok(callOrder.includes('configDidLoad'), 'configDidLoad should be called');
+      assert.ok(callOrder.includes('didLoad'), 'didLoad should be called');
+      assert.ok(callOrder.includes('willReady'), 'willReady should be called in normal mode');
+      assert.ok(callOrder.includes('didReady'), 'didReady should be called in normal mode');
+
+      await lifecycle.close();
+    });
+
+    it('should mark ready immediately after configWillLoad in snapshot mode', async () => {
+      let configWillLoadCompleted = false;
+      let configDidLoadCalled = false;
+      let didLoadCalled = false;
+
+      const lifecycle = new Lifecycle({
+        baseDir: '.',
+        app: new EggCore(),
+        snapshot: true,
+      });
+
+      lifecycle.addBootHook(
+        class Boot {
+          configWillLoad(): void {
+            configWillLoadCompleted = true;
+          }
+
+          configDidLoad(): void {
+            configDidLoadCalled = true;
+          }
+
+          async didLoad(): Promise<void> {
+            didLoadCalled = true;
+          }
+        },
+      );
+
+      lifecycle.init();
+      lifecycle.triggerConfigWillLoad();
+      await lifecycle.ready();
+
+      assert.ok(configWillLoadCompleted, 'configWillLoad should have completed');
+      assert.ok(!configDidLoadCalled, 'configDidLoad should NOT be called in snapshot mode');
+      assert.ok(!didLoadCalled, 'didLoad should NOT be called in snapshot mode');
+
+      await lifecycle.close();
+    });
+
+    it('should not register beforeClose hooks in snapshot mode (configDidLoad skipped)', async () => {
+      let beforeCloseCalled = false;
+
+      const lifecycle = new Lifecycle({
+        baseDir: '.',
+        app: new EggCore(),
+        snapshot: true,
+      });
+
+      lifecycle.addBootHook(
+        class Boot {
+          configWillLoad(): void {
+            // configWillLoad runs in snapshot mode
+          }
+
+          configDidLoad(): void {
+            // configDidLoad is skipped in snapshot mode
+          }
+
+          async beforeClose(): Promise<void> {
+            beforeCloseCalled = true;
+          }
+        },
+      );
+
+      lifecycle.init();
+      lifecycle.triggerConfigWillLoad();
+      await lifecycle.ready();
+      await lifecycle.close();
+
+      // beforeClose is registered during configDidLoad iteration, which is skipped
+      assert.ok(!beforeCloseCalled, 'beforeClose should NOT be called since configDidLoad is skipped');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('EggCore snapshot option', () => {
+    it('should pass snapshot option to lifecycle', () => {
+      app = new EggCore({ snapshot: true });
+      assert.equal(app.options.snapshot, true);
+      assert.equal(app.lifecycle.options.snapshot, true);
+    });
+
+    it('should not set snapshot by default', () => {
+      app = new EggCore();
+      assert.equal(app.options.snapshot, undefined);
+      assert.equal(app.lifecycle.options.snapshot, undefined);
+    });
+
+    it('should become ready after configWillLoad in snapshot mode (EggCore level)', async () => {
+      const callOrder: string[] = [];
+
+      app = new EggCore({ snapshot: true });
+
+      app.lifecycle.addBootHook(
+        class Boot {
+          configWillLoad(): void {
+            callOrder.push('configWillLoad');
+          }
+
+          configDidLoad(): void {
+            callOrder.push('configDidLoad');
+          }
+
+          async didLoad(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('didLoad');
+          }
+
+          async willReady(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('willReady');
+          }
+
+          async didReady(): Promise<void> {
+            callOrder.push('didReady');
+          }
+        },
+      );
+
+      app.lifecycle.init();
+      app.lifecycle.triggerConfigWillLoad();
+      await app.ready();
+
+      assert.ok(callOrder.includes('configWillLoad'), 'configWillLoad should be called');
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('configDidLoad'), 'configDidLoad should NOT be called');
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('didLoad'), 'didLoad should NOT be called');
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('willReady'), 'willReady should NOT be called');
+      assert.ok(!callOrder.includes('didReady'), 'didReady should NOT be called');
+    });
+  });
+});