diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 273e6fc4a..1a341199e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -16,24 +16,24 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         include:
-          - python: "3.11"
-            image_tag: "nightly"
+          - image_tag: "nightly"
             pulp_api_root: "/relocated/djnd/"
-          - python: "3.11"
-            image_tag: "latest"
-          - python: "3.12"
-            image_tag: "3.39"
-          - python: "3.12"
-            image_tag: "3.28"
+            python: "3.11"
+          - image_tag: "latest"
+            python: "3.11"
+          - image_tag: "3.39"
+            python: "3.12"
+          - image_tag: "3.28"
             lower_bounds: true
-          - python: "3.8"
-            image_tag: "3.22"
-          - python: "3.9"
-            image_tag: "3.21"
+            python: "3.12"
+          - image_tag: "3.22"
+            python: "3.8"
+          - image_tag: "3.21"
             pulp_api_root: "/relocated/djnd/"
-          - python: "3.10"
-            image_tag: "3.18"
+            python: "3.9"
+          - image_tag: "3.18"
             lower_bounds: true
+            python: "3.10"
     steps:
       - uses: "actions/checkout@v4"
       - uses: "actions/cache@v4"
diff --git a/.ci/scripts/apply_templates.py b/cookiecutter/apply_templates.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
similarity index 72%
rename from .ci/scripts/apply_templates.py
rename to cookiecutter/apply_templates.py
index f3dc59b1f..4febaee6e
--- a/.ci/scripts/apply_templates.py
+++ b/cookiecutter/apply_templates.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/env python3
+
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import toml
+import yaml
+
 from cookiecutter.main import cookiecutter
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
@@ -10,12 +14,16 @@
     with open("pyproject.toml") as fp:
         config = toml.load(fp)["tool"]["pulp_cli_template"]
 
+    # CI
     sections.append("ci")
+    with open(".github/workflows/test.yml") as fp:
+        config["test_matrix"] = yaml.safe_load(fp)["jobs"]["test"]["strategy"]["matrix"]
 
+    # Docs
     if config["docs"]:
         sections.append("docs")
 
-    cutter_path = Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent / "cookiecutter"
+    cutter_path = Path(__file__).parent
 
     for section in sections:
         print(f"Apply {section} template")
diff --git a/cookiecutter/ci/cookiecutter.json b/cookiecutter/ci/cookiecutter.json
index 499d4aeba..8e6d453d3 100644
--- a/cookiecutter/ci/cookiecutter.json
+++ b/cookiecutter/ci/cookiecutter.json
@@ -8,10 +8,12 @@
   "__project_name": "pulp-cli{{ cookiecutter.__app_label_suffix }}",
   "__project_slug": "{{ cookiecutter.__project_name | lower | replace(' ', '_') }}",
   "_copy_without_render": [
+    "CHANGES/.TEMPLATE.md",
     ".github/workflows/collect_changes.yml",
     ".github/workflows/pr.yml",
     ".github/workflows/release.yml",
     ".github/workflows/release_branch.yml",
     ".github/workflows/pr_checks.yml"
-  ]
+  ],
+  "_extensions": [".pulp_filter_extension.PulpFilterExtension"]
 }
diff --git a/cookiecutter/ci/hooks/post_gen_project.py b/cookiecutter/ci/hooks/post_gen_project.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bac343376
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cookiecutter/ci/hooks/post_gen_project.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# flake8: noqa
+
+import os
+import shutil
+import sys
+
+REMOVE_PATHS = [
+    {% if not cookiecutter.glue -%} "CHANGES/pulp-glue{{ cookiecutter.__app_label_suffix }}", {%- endif %}
+]
+
+for path in REMOVE_PATHS:
+    path = path.strip()
+    if path and os.path.exists(path):
+        if os.path.isdir(path):
+            shutil.rmtree(path)
+        else:
+            os.unlink(path)
diff --git a/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/.github/workflows/test.yml b/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/.github/workflows/test.yml
index b153b3fc6..7ada46a1b 100644
--- a/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/.github/workflows/test.yml	
+++ b/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/.github/workflows/test.yml	
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: "ubuntu-20.04"
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        include:
-          {{ cookiecutter.test_matrix | indent(10) }}
+      matrix:{{ cookiecutter.test_matrix | to_nice_yaml(level=4, embed_in="dict") }}
     steps:
       - uses: "actions/checkout@v4"
       {%- include "cache_action" %}
diff --git a/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/CHANGES/.TEMPLATE.md b/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/CHANGES/.TEMPLATE.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1b9b356fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/CHANGES/.TEMPLATE.md	
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+
+{# TOWNCRIER TEMPLATE #}
+{% for section, _ in sections.items() %}
+{%- set section_slug = "-" + section|replace(" ", "-")|replace("_", "-")|lower %}
+{% if section %}### {{section}} {: #{{versiondata.version}}{{section_slug}} }
+
+{% else %}
+{%- set section_slug = "" %}
+{% endif %}
+
+{% if sections[section] %}
+{% for category, val in definitions.items() if category in sections[section]%}
+#### {{ definitions[category]['name'] }} {: #{{versiondata.version}}{{section_slug}}-{{category}} }
+
+{% if definitions[category]['showcontent'] %}
+{% for text, values in sections[section][category].items() %}
+- {{ text }}
+{% if values %}
+  {{ values|join(',\n  ') }}
+{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
+
+{% else %}
+- {{ sections[section][category]['']|join(', ') }}
+
+{% endif %}
+{% if sections[section][category]|length == 0 %}
+No significant changes.
+
+{% else %}
+{% endif %}
+
+{% endfor %}
+{% else %}
+No significant changes.
+
+
+{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
+---
+
+
diff --git a/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/CHANGES/pulp-glue{{ cookiecutter.__app_label_suffix }}/.gitkeep b/cookiecutter/ci/{{ cookiecutter.__project_slug }}/CHANGES/pulp-glue{{ cookiecutter.__app_label_suffix }}/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/cookiecutter/pulp_filter_extension.py b/cookiecutter/pulp_filter_extension.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..716e06aa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cookiecutter/pulp_filter_extension.py
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import shlex
+import typing as t
+
+from jinja2 import Environment
+from jinja2.ext import Extension
+
+
+def _assert_key(key: t.Any) -> str:
+    assert isinstance(key, str)
+    assert key.isidentifier()
+    return key
+
+
+def to_nice_yaml(data: t.Any, level: int = 0, embed_in: str = "") -> str:
+    """Filter for Jinja 2 templates to render human readable YAML."""
+    # Don't even believe this is complete!
+    # Yes, I have checked pyyaml and ruamel.
+    # Should I call this markup language "jaml" or "yson"?
+
+    nl = False
+    if isinstance(data, str):
+        result = f'"{data}"'
+    elif data is True:
+        result = "true"
+    elif data is False:
+        result = "false"
+    elif isinstance(data, int):
+        result = f"{data}"
+    elif isinstance(data, list):
+        if len(data):
+            nl = embed_in == "dict"
+            result = ("\n" + "  " * level).join(
+                ("-" + to_nice_yaml(item, level + 1, "list") for item in data)
+            )
+        else:
+            result = "[]"
+    elif isinstance(data, dict):
+        if len(data):
+            nl = embed_in == "dict"
+            result = ("\n" + "  " * level).join(
+                (
+                    f"{_assert_key(key)}:" + to_nice_yaml(value, level + 1, "dict")
+                    for key, value in sorted(data.items())
+                )
+            )
+        else:
+            result = "{}"
+    else:
+        raise NotImplementedError("YAML sucks!")
+    if nl:
+        return "\n" + "  " * level + result
+    elif embed_in:
+        return " " + result
+    else:
+        return result
+
+
+def to_camel(name: str) -> str:
+    return name.title().replace("_", "")
+
+
+def to_dash(name: str) -> str:
+    return name.replace("_", "-")
+
+
+def to_snake(name: str) -> str:
+    return name.replace("-", "_")
+
+
+class PulpFilterExtension(Extension):
+    def __init__(self, environment: Environment):
+        super().__init__(environment)
+        environment.filters["camel"] = to_camel
+        environment.filters["caps"] = str.upper
+        environment.filters["dash"] = to_dash
+        environment.filters["snake"] = to_snake
+        environment.filters["to_nice_yaml"] = to_nice_yaml
+        environment.filters["shquote"] = shlex.quote
+
+
+try:
+    import pytest
+except ImportError:
+    pass
+else:
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "value,level,embed_in,out",
+        [
+            ([], 0, "", "[]"),
+            ({}, 0, "", "{}"),
+            ("test", 0, "", '"test"'),
+            ({}, 1, "dict", " {}"),
+            ([], 1, "list", " []"),
+            ({}, 1, "list", " {}"),
+            ([], 1, "dict", " []"),
+            ([{}], 0, "", "- {}"),
+            ([[[]]], 0, "", "- - []"),
+            (
+                {"a": [], "b": "test", "c": [True, False]},
+                2,
+                "list",
+                """ a: []
+    b: "test"
+    c:
+      - true
+      - false""",
+            ),
+            ({"b": 1, "a": 0}, 0, "", "a: 0\nb: 1"),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_to_nice_yaml(value, level, embed_in, out):
+        assert to_nice_yaml(value, level, embed_in) == out
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index d590e8d04..0c270082e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -66,26 +66,6 @@ namespaces = true
 app_label = ""
 docs = true
 translations = true
-test_matrix = """
-- python: "3.11"
-  image_tag: "nightly"
-  pulp_api_root: "/relocated/djnd/"
-- python: "3.11"
-  image_tag: "latest"
-- python: "3.12"
-  image_tag: "3.39"
-- python: "3.12"
-  image_tag: "3.28"
-  lower_bounds: true
-- python: "3.8"
-  image_tag: "3.22"
-- python: "3.9"
-  image_tag: "3.21"
-  pulp_api_root: "/relocated/djnd/"
-- python: "3.10"
-  image_tag: "3.18"
-  lower_bounds: true
-"""
 
 [tool.towncrier]
 filename = "docs/CHANGES.md"
@@ -141,6 +121,7 @@ showcontent = false
 
 [tool.black]
 line-length = 100
+exclude = "cookiecutter/ci/hooks"
 
 [tool.isort]
 profile = "black"