diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-book.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-book.yaml
index fe842f6..db39fbf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-book.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-book.yaml
@@ -3,48 +3,19 @@ name: build-book
 on:
   workflow_call:
     inputs:
-      environment_name:
-        description: 'Name of conda environment to activate (NO LONGER USED)'
+      # Control of build input
+      build_from_artifact:
+        description: "Should we try to build from a previously uploaded code artifact?"
         required: false
-        default: 'cookbook-dev'
-        type: string
-      environment_file:
-        description: 'Name of conda environment file'
-        required: false
-        default: 'environment.yml'
-        type: string
-      path_to_notebooks:
-        description: 'Location of the JupyterBook source relative to repo root'
-        required: false
-        default: '.'
-        type: string
-      artifact_name:
-        description: 'The name to assign to the built book artifact.'
-        required: false
-        default: 'book-zip'
-        type: string
-      build_command:
-        description: 'The linux command to build the book or site.'
-        required: false
-        default: 'myst build --execute --html'
-        type: string
-      output_path:
-        description: 'Path to the built html content relative to `path_to_notebooks`'
-        required: false
-        default: '_build/html'
-        type: string
-      build_from_code_artifact:
-        description: 'Should we try to build from a previously uploaded code artifact?'
-        required: false
-        default: 'false'
+        default: "false"
         type: string
       code_artifact_name:
-        description: 'Name of zipped artifact passed in, instead of checking out the repository.'
+        description: "Name of zipped artifact passed in, instead of checking out the repository."
         required: false
-        default: 'code-zip'
+        default: "code-zip"
         type: string
       workflow:
-        description: 'Identify the workflow that produced the artifact'
+        description: "Identify the workflow that produced the artifact"
         required: false
         default: trigger-book-build.yaml
         type: string
@@ -53,41 +24,10 @@ on:
         required: false
         default: success
         type: string
-      base_url:
-        description: 'Determines where the website is served from, including CSS & JS assets (needed for MyST)'
-        required: false
-        default: '/${{ github.event.repository.name }}'
-        type: string
-
-    secrets:
-      PRIVATE_KEY:
-        description: 'Google analytics key needed for metrics page on portal site'
-        required: false
-      PRIVATE_KEY_ID:
-        description: 'Google analytics key id needed for metrics page on portal site'
-        required: false
-      ARM_USERNAME:
-        description: 'Username for the ARM Data Discovery portal (https://adc.arm.gov/armlive/)'
-        required: false
-      ARM_PASSWORD:
-        description: 'Password for the ARM Data Discovery portal (https://adc.arm.gov/armlive/)'
-        required: false
-      AQS_USERNAME:
-        description: 'Username for the AQS Data Portal'
-        required: false
-      AQS_KEY:
-        description: 'Key for the AQS Data Portal'
-        required: false
-      EARTHDATA_USERNAME:
-        description: 'NASA Earthdata API Username'
-        required: false
-      EARTHDATA_PASSWORD:
-        description: 'NASA Earthdata API Password'
-        required: false
 
 env:
   # the BASE_URL environment variable needs to be set if building with myst
-  BASE_URL: ${{ inputs.base_url }}
+  BASE_URL: "/${{ github.event.repository.name }}"
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -95,6 +35,8 @@ jobs:
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: bash -leo pipefail {0}
+    env:
+      ENV_FILE: environment.yml
     steps:
       - name: Checkout the code from the repo
         if: inputs.build_from_code_artifact == 'false'
@@ -116,140 +58,57 @@ jobs:
         if: inputs.build_from_code_artifact == 'true'
         run: |
           unzip pr_code.zip
-          rm -f pr_code.zip   
+          rm -f pr_code.zip
 
-      - name: Get GitHub environment variables
-        id: get-env
-        uses: FranzDiebold/github-env-vars-action@v2
-      
-      - name: Check for config file
-        id: check_config
-        uses: andstor/file-existence-action@v3
-        with:
-          files: "${{ inputs.path_to_notebooks }}/_config.yml"
-      
-      - name: Parse config file
-        id: parse_config
-        if: steps.check_config.outputs.files_exists == 'true'
-        uses: CumulusDS/get-yaml-paths-action@v1.0.2
+      - name: Load cookbook configuration
+        id: config
+        uses: CumulusDS/get-yaml-paths-action@v1.0.1
         with:
-          file: ${{ inputs.path_to_notebooks }}/_config.yml
-          execute_notebooks: execute.execute_notebooks
-          binderhub_url: sphinx.config.html_theme_options.launch_buttons.binderhub_url
-          timeout: execute.timeout
-
-      - name: Echo values from config file
-        if: steps.check_config.outputs.files_exists == 'true'
-        run: |
-          echo ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.execute_notebooks }}
-          echo ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.binderhub_url }}
-          echo ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.timeout }}
+          file: cookbook.yml
+          # Settings JMES paths
+          execute: execution.enable
+          cacheExecution: execution.use-cache
+          executeOnBinder: execution.use-binder
 
       - name: Test for environment change
         id: env_change
         uses: tj-actions/changed-files@v47
         with:
-          files: ${{ inputs.environment_file }}
+          files: "${{ env.ENV_FILE }}"
 
       - name: Echo environment change test result
         run: |
           echo '(DEBUG) The value of steps.env_change.outputs.any_changed is:'
           echo ${{ steps.env_change.outputs.any_changed }}
-      
+
       - name: Setup environment with micromamba
         uses: mamba-org/setup-micromamba@v2
         with:
-          environment-file: ${{ inputs.environment_file }}
-      
-      - name: Create book build environment
-        if: |
-          (inputs.use_cached_environment != 'true'
-          || steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true')
-          && steps.parse_config.outputs.execute_notebooks == 'binder'
-        run: |
-          conda install -c conda-forge jupyter-book pip
-          conda install sphinx-pythia-theme
-          pip install git+https://github.com/pangeo-gallery/binderbot.git
-          conda list
-
-      - name: Get paths to notebook files
-        if: |
-          steps.parse_config.outputs.execute_notebooks == 'binder'
-        # This will find ALL *.ipynb files in the repo
-        #  It would be better to cross-check this against the _toc.yml file
-        #  to avoid unneccesary execution of notebooks that aren't included in the book
-        shell: python
-        run: |
-          import glob
-          notebooks = glob.glob('**/*.ipynb', recursive=True)
-          outfile = open("notebook_paths", "w")
-          for path in notebooks:
-              outfile.write(path + ' ')
-          outfile.close() # Writing these out to a file because I can't figure out how to set an environment variable from a python script 
+          environment-file: "${{ env.ENV_FILE }}"
 
-      - name: Execute notebooks via binderbot using existing image
-        if: |
-          ( steps.parse_config.outputs.execute_notebooks == 'binder'
-          && steps.env_change.outputs.any_changed != 'true' )
-        env:
-          ARM_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.ARM_USERNAME }}
-          ARM_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.ARM_PASSWORD }}
-          AQS_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.AQS_USERNAME }}
-          AQS_KEY: ${{ secrets.AQS_KEY }}
-          EARTHDATA_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.EARTHDATA_USERNAME }}
-          EARTHDATA_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.EARTHDATA_PASSWORD }}
-        run: |
-          NOTEBOOKS=$(cat notebook_paths)
-          echo 'Retrieved binder_url: ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.binderhub_url }}'
-          echo "We will now execute these notebooks: $NOTEBOOKS"
-          echo "using the existing binder image from the main branch"
-          python -m binderbot.cli --binder-url ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.binderhub_url }} --repo ${{ github.repository }} --ref main --nb-timeout ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.timeout }} $NOTEBOOKS --pass-env-var ARM_USERNAME --pass-env-var ARM_PASSWORD
+      - name: Setup execution environment on a BinderHub
+        if: steps.config.executeOnBinder && steps.config.execute
+        # This action sets up evironment variables for e.g. mystmd to recognise and use
+        uses: 2i2c-org/clinder@action-v1
+        with:
+          hub-url: https://binder.projectpythia.org/
 
-      - name: Execute notebooks via binderbot using new image with latest environment
-        if: |
-            ( steps.parse_config.outputs.execute_notebooks == 'binder'
-            && steps.env_change.outputs.any_changed == 'true' )
-        env:
-          ARM_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.ARM_USERNAME }}
-          ARM_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.ARM_PASSWORD }}
-          AQS_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.AQS_USERNAME }}
-          AQS_KEY: ${{ secrets.AQS_KEY }}
-          EARTHDATA_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.EARTHDATA_USERNAME }}
-          EARTHDATA_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.EARTHDATA_PASSWORD }}
-        run: |
-          NOTEBOOKS=$(cat notebook_paths)
-          echo 'Retrieved binder_url: ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.binderhub_url }}'
-          echo "We will now execute these notebooks: $NOTEBOOKS"
-          echo "using the updated environment file in this branch to build a new image"
-          python -m binderbot.cli --binder-url ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.binderhub_url }} --repo ${{ github.actor }}/$CI_REPOSITORY_NAME --ref $CI_ACTION_REF_NAME --nb-timeout ${{ steps.parse_config.outputs.timeout }} $NOTEBOOKS --pass-env-var ARM_USERNAME --pass-env-var ARM_PASSWORD
+      - name: Cache execution
+        if: steps.config.cacheExecution && steps.config.execute
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ${{ inputs.path_to_notebooks }}/_build/execute
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles(env.ENV_FILE) }}-execution
 
-      - name: Disable notebook execution during jupyterbook build
-        if: |
-          steps.parse_config.outputs.execute_notebooks == 'binder'
-        shell: python
+      - name: Build the book with execution
+        if: steps.config.execute
         run: |
-          import yaml
-          with open('${{ inputs.path_to_notebooks }}/_config.yml') as f:
-            data = yaml.safe_load(f)
-          data['execute']['execute_notebooks'] = 'off'
-          with open('${{ inputs.path_to_notebooks }}/_config.yml', 'w') as f:
-            yaml.dump(data, f)
+          myst build --execute --html --strict
 
-      - name: Build the book
-        # Assumption is that if execute_notebooks != 'binder' then the _config.yml file must be set to execute notebooks during build
-        env:
-          PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.PRIVATE_KEY }}
-          PRIVATE_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.PRIVATE_KEY_ID }}
-          ARM_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.ARM_USERNAME }}
-          ARM_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.ARM_PASSWORD }}
-          AQS_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.AQS_USERNAME }}
-          AQS_KEY: ${{ secrets.AQS_KEY }}
-          EARTHDATA_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.EARTHDATA_USERNAME }}
-          EARTHDATA_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.EARTHDATA_PASSWORD }}
-          SECRETS_VARS: ${{ toJson(secrets) }}
+      - name: Build the book without execution
+        if: !steps.config.execute
         run: |
-          cd ${{ inputs.path_to_notebooks }}
-          ${{ inputs.build_command }}
+          myst build --html --strict
 
       - name: Zip the book
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/config-validator.yaml b/.github/workflows/config-validator.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..68f0ed2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/config-validator.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+name: config-validator
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}=${{ github.head_ref}}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  cookbook-validator:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - name: Validate workflows
+        uses: dsanders11/json-schema-validate-action@v2.0.0
+        with:
+          # Schema is not versioned by URL — the versioning is defined _in_ the schema
+          # The latest version of the schema should always be used for validation.
+          schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ProjectPythia/cookbook-actions/refs/heads/feat/clinder/cookbook.schema.json
+          files: cookbook.yaml
+  myst-validator:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - name: Validate workflows
+        uses: dsanders11/json-schema-validate-action@v2.0.0
+        with:
+          # Assume that MyST schema is unchanging
+          schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ProjectPythia/cookbook-actions/refs/heads/feat/clinder/myst.schema.json
+          files: myst.yaml
diff --git a/cookbook.schema.json b/cookbook.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15cf0b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cookbook.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://github.com/projectpythia/pythia-config/cookbook.schema.json",
+  "$ref": "#/definitions/config",
+  "definitions": {
+    "config": {
+      "$comment": "Allow multiple versions of config to co-exist across a set of repositories by requiring the schema version",
+      "oneOf": [
+        {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/configV1"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "configV1": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["version"],
+      "properties": {
+        "version": {
+          "const": 1
+        },
+        "execution": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/execution"
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "execution": {
+      "properties": {
+        "enable": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
+        "use-cache": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
+        "use-binder": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [],
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/myst.schema.json b/myst.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7da4b2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/myst.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://github.com/projectpythia/pythia-config/myst.schema.json",
+  "$ref": "#/definitions/myst.yml",
+  "definitions": {
+    "myst.yml": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": ["project"],
+      "properties": {
+        "project": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/project"
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "project": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": ["title", "thumbnail", "tags"],
+      "properties": {
+        "title": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "thumbnail": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "tags": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}