diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9b71fe7..47f0945 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 .vscode
 __pycache__
 *.rock
+.venv/
+yaml_checker/yaml_checker.egg-info
diff --git a/yaml_checker/README.md b/yaml_checker/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b84e1d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+# YAML Checker
+
+An internal CLI util for formatting and validating YAML files. This project
+relies on Pydantic and Ruamel libraries.
+
+**Installation**
+```bash
+pip install -e yaml_checker
+```
+
+**Usage**
+```
+usage: yaml_checker [-h] [-v] [-w] [--config CONFIG] [files ...]
+
+positional arguments:
+  files            Additional files to process (optional).
+
+options:
+  -h, --help       show this help message and exit
+  -v, --verbose    Enable verbose output.
+  -w, --write      Write yaml output to disk.
+  --config CONFIG  CheckYAML subclass to load
+```
+
+**Example**
+
+```bash
+# Lets cat a demonstration file for comparison. 
+$ cat yaml_checker/demo/slice.yaml
+# yaml_checker --config=Chisel demo/slice.yaml
+
+package: grep
+
+essential:
+    - grep_copyright
+
+# hello: world
+
+slices:
+  bins:
+    essential:
+    - libpcre2-8-0_libs # tests
+
+    # another test
+    - libc6_libs
+    contents:
+              /usr/bin/grep:
+
+  deprecated:
+    # These are shell scripts requiring a symlink from /usr/bin/dash to
+    # /usr/bin/sh.
+    # See: https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/noble/en/man1/grep.1.html
+    essential: 
+    - dash_bins
+    - grep_bins
+    contents:
+      # we ned this leading comment
+      /usr/bin/rgrep: # this should be last
+
+      /usr/bin/fgrep:
+
+      # careful with this path ...
+      /usr/bin/egrep: # it is my favorite 
+  copyright:
+      contents:
+          /usr/share/doc/grep/copyright:
+# Note: Missing new line at EOF
+
+# Now we can run the yaml_checker to format the same file.
+# Note how comments are preserved during sorting of lists and
+# dict type objects. If you want to test the validator, 
+# uncomment the hello field. 
+$ yaml_checker --config=Chisel yaml_checker/demo/slice.yaml
+# yaml_checker --config=Chisel demo/slice.yaml
+
+package: grep
+
+essential:
+  - grep_copyright
+
+# hello: world
+
+slices:
+  bins:
+    essential:
+      - libc6_libs
+      - libpcre2-8-0_libs # tests
+
+    # another test
+    contents:
+      /usr/bin/grep:
+
+  deprecated:
+    # These are shell scripts requiring a symlink from /usr/bin/dash to
+    # /usr/bin/sh.
+    # See: https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/noble/en/man1/grep.1.html
+    essential:
+      - dash_bins
+      - grep_bins
+    contents:
+      # we ned this leading comment
+
+      #  careful with this path ...
+      /usr/bin/egrep:  #  it is my favorite
+      /usr/bin/fgrep:
+      /usr/bin/rgrep: #  this should be last
+  copyright:
+    contents:
+      /usr/share/doc/grep/copyright:
+
+```
diff --git a/yaml_checker/demo/slice.yaml b/yaml_checker/demo/slice.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db26dce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/demo/slice.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# yaml_checker --config=Chisel demo/slice.yaml
+
+package: grep
+
+essential:
+    - grep_copyright
+
+# hello: world
+
+slices:
+  bins:
+    essential:
+    - libpcre2-8-0_libs # tests
+
+    # another test
+    - libc6_libs
+    contents:
+              /usr/bin/grep:
+
+  deprecated:
+    # These are shell scripts requiring a symlink from /usr/bin/dash to
+    # /usr/bin/sh.
+    # See: https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/noble/en/man1/grep.1.html
+    essential: 
+    - dash_bins
+    - grep_bins
+    contents:
+      # we ned this leading comment
+      /usr/bin/rgrep: # this should be last
+
+      /usr/bin/fgrep:
+
+      # careful with this path ...
+      /usr/bin/egrep: # it is my favorite 
+  copyright:
+      contents:
+          /usr/share/doc/grep/copyright:
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/yaml_checker/requirements.txt b/yaml_checker/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ece35be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+pydantic==2.8.2
+ruamel.yaml==0.18.6
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/yaml_checker/setup.py b/yaml_checker/setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a140857
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from setuptools import find_packages, setup
+
+
+def read_text(filename):
+    filepath = Path(__file__).parent / filename
+    return filepath.read_text()
+
+
+setup(
+    name="yaml_checker",
+    version="0.1.0",
+    long_description=read_text("README.md"),
+    packages=find_packages(),
+    install_requires=read_text("requirements.txt"),
+    entry_points={
+        "console_scripts": [
+            "yaml_checker=yaml_checker.__main__:main",
+            "clayaml=yaml_checker.__main__:main",
+        ],
+    },
+)
diff --git a/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/__init__.py b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/__main__.py b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/__main__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53e1618
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/__main__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import argparse
+import logging
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from .config.base import YAMLCheckConfigBase
+
+# TODO: display all available configs in help
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+
+parser.add_argument(
+    "-v", "--verbose", action="store_true", help="Enable verbose output."
+)
+
+parser.add_argument(
+    "-w", "--write", action="store_true", help="Write yaml output to disk."
+)
+
+parser.add_argument(
+    "--config",
+    type=str,
+    default="YAMLCheckConfigBase",
+    help="CheckYAML subclass to load",
+)
+
+parser.add_argument(
+    "files", type=Path, nargs="*", help="Additional files to process (optional)."
+)
+
+
+def main():
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    log_level = logging.DEBUG if args.verbose else logging.INFO
+    logging.basicConfig(level=log_level)
+
+    check_yaml_config = YAMLCheckConfigBase.configs[args.config]
+
+    yaml = check_yaml_config()
+
+    for file in args.files:
+        data = yaml.load(file.read_text())
+        data = yaml.apply_rules(data)
+        yaml.validate_model(data)
+
+        output = yaml.dump(data)
+
+        if args.write:
+            file.write_text(output)
+        else:
+            print(output)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/__init__.py b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3724559
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from importlib import import_module
+from pathlib import Path
+
+submodule_root = Path(__file__).parent
+package_name = __name__
+
+# import all submodules so our configs registry is populated
+for submodule in submodule_root.glob("*.py"):
+    submodule_name = submodule.stem
+
+    if submodule_name.startswith("_"):
+        continue
+
+    import_module(f"{__name__}.{submodule_name}")
diff --git a/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/base.py b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4dc75a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+import fnmatch
+import logging
+from io import StringIO
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+from ruamel.yaml import YAML
+
+
+class YAMLCheckConfigReg(type):
+    def __init__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Track all subclass configurations of YAMLCheckConfigBase  for CLI"""
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        name = cls.__name__
+        if name not in cls.configs:
+            cls.configs[name] = cls
+
+
+class YAMLCheckConfigBase(metaclass=YAMLCheckConfigReg):
+    configs = {}  # Store configs for access from CLI
+    rules = {}  # map glob strings to class method names
+
+    class Model(BaseModel):
+        """Pydantic BaseModel to provide validation"""
+
+        class Config:
+            extra = "allow"
+
+    class Config:
+        """ruamel.yaml configuration set before loading."""
+
+        preserve_quotes = True
+        width = 80
+        map_indent = 2
+        sequence_indent = 4
+        sequence_dash_offset = 2
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        """YAMLCheck Base Config"""
+        self.yaml = YAML()
+
+        # load Config into yaml
+        for attr in dir(self.Config):
+            if attr.startswith("__"):
+                continue
+
+            attr_val = getattr(self.Config, attr)
+
+            if hasattr(self.yaml, attr):
+                setattr(self.yaml, attr, attr_val)
+            else:
+                raise AttributeError(f"Invalid ruamel.yaml attribute: {attr}")
+
+    def load(self, yaml_str: str):
+        """Load YAML data from string"""
+        data = self.yaml.load(yaml_str)
+
+        return data
+
+    def dump(self, data: Any):
+        """Dump data to YAML string"""
+        with StringIO() as sio:
+            self.yaml.dump(data, sio)
+            sio.seek(0)
+
+            return sio.read()
+
+    def validate_model(self, data: Any):
+        """Apply validate data against model"""
+        if issubclass(self.Model, BaseModel):
+            _ = self.Model(**data)
+
+    def _apply_rules(self, path: Path, data: Any):
+        """Recursively apply rules starting from the outermost elements."""
+        logging.debug(f"Walking path {path}.")
+
+        # recurse over dicts and lists
+        if isinstance(data, dict):
+            for key, value in data.items():
+                data[key] = self._apply_rules(path / str(key), value)
+
+        elif isinstance(data, list):
+            for index, item in enumerate(data):
+                data[index] = self._apply_rules(path / str(item), item)
+
+        # scan for applicable rules at each directory
+        # TODO: selection of rules here does not scale well and should be improved
+        for key, value in self.rules.items():
+            if fnmatch.fnmatch(path, key):
+                logging.debug(f'Applying rule "{value}" at {path}')
+                rule = getattr(self, value)
+                data = rule(path, data)
+
+        return data
+
+    def apply_rules(self, data: Any):
+        """Walk all objects in data and apply rules where applicable."""
+        return self._apply_rules(Path("/"), data)
diff --git a/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/chisel.py b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/chisel.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0397861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/chisel.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+from typing import Any, Dict, List
+
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Field, RootModel
+from ruamel.yaml.comments import CommentedMap
+from ruamel.yaml.scalarstring import PlainScalarString
+
+from .base import YAMLCheckConfigBase
+
+
+class Slices(RootModel):
+    # TODO: expand slices model to validate individual slices
+    root: Dict[str, Any]
+
+
+class SDF(BaseModel):
+    package: str = Field()
+    essential: List[str] = Field()
+    slices: Slices = Field()
+
+    model_config = {"extra": "forbid"}
+
+
+class Chisel(YAMLCheckConfigBase):
+    rules = {
+        "/slices/*/essential": "sort_content",
+        "/slices/*/essential/*": "no_quotes",
+        "/slices/*/contents": "sort_content",
+    }
+
+    def sort_content(self, path, data):
+        """Sort dict and list objects."""
+
+        def prep_comment_content(value):
+            # remove whitespace and leading pound sign
+            value = value.strip()
+            value = value.strip("#")
+            return value
+
+        if isinstance(data, dict):
+            sorted_dict = CommentedMap()
+            for key in sorted(data.keys()):
+                sorted_dict[key] = data[key]
+
+                if key in data.ca.items:
+                    _, key_comments, eol_comment, _ = data.ca.items[key]
+
+                    # Migrate comments to new sorted dictionary. This works for most
+                    # but not all cases
+                    if key_comments is not None:
+                        if not isinstance(key_comments, list):
+                            key_comments = [key_comments]
+
+                        for key_comment in key_comments:
+                            content = prep_comment_content(key_comment.value)
+                            sorted_dict.yaml_set_comment_before_after_key(
+                                key, before=content, indent=key_comment.column
+                            )
+
+                    if eol_comment is not None:
+                        # These should be sorted ok, no need for warning
+                        content = prep_comment_content(eol_comment.value)
+                        sorted_dict.yaml_add_eol_comment(content, key)
+
+            return sorted_dict
+
+        elif isinstance(data, list):
+            data.sort()
+            return data
+
+        return data
+
+    def no_quotes(self, path, data):
+        """Remove quotes form strings"""
+        if isinstance(data, str):
+            return PlainScalarString(data)
+
+        return data
+
+    # validate documents with basic SDF model
+    Model = SDF
diff --git a/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/oci_factory.py b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/oci_factory.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f60270d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yaml_checker/yaml_checker/config/oci_factory.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import logging
+
+from ruamel.yaml.scalarstring import (DoubleQuotedScalarString,
+                                      SingleQuotedScalarString)
+
+from .base import YAMLCheckConfigBase
+
+
+class OCIFactory(YAMLCheckConfigBase):
+    rules = {"/**": "convert_to_single_quotes"}
+
+    def convert_to_single_quotes(self, path, data):
+        # filter out only strings of DoubleQuotedScalarString
+        if isinstance(data, DoubleQuotedScalarString):
+            # skip strings containing "'" character
+            if "'" in data:
+                logging.warning(f'Cannot convert {path}, contains "\'" character.')
+                return data
+
+            return SingleQuotedScalarString(data)
+
+        # fall back
+        return data