diff --git a/.devcontainer/postCreateCommand b/.devcontainer/postCreateCommand
index df4587c..f8160b3 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/postCreateCommand
+++ b/.devcontainer/postCreateCommand
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
 
 if [[ $USER != "root" ]] ; then
     # make sure the non-root user can build iocs and (mounted in) support modules
-    sudo chown -R ${USER}:${USER} /epics/links /venv
-    sudo chown -h ${USER}:${USER} /epics /epics/ioc
+    sudo chown -R ${USER}:${USER} /epics/ibek-defs /epics/pvi-defs /epics/support/configure /venv
+    sudo chown -h ${USER}:${USER} /epics /epics/ioc /epics/support
 
     # also give non-root user access to the same bash config we use in podman
     sudo chmod a+rx /root
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ fi
 # all epics-containers devcontainers
 ################################################################################
 
-
 # add user's custom profile container creation script
 if [ -f ~/.bashprofile_dev_container ]; then
     . ~/.bashprofile_dev_container
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.sh b/.github/workflows/build.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 412a0e9..0000000
--- a/.github/workflows/build.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-# A generic build script for epics-containers ioc repositories
-#
-# Note that this is implemented in bash to make it portable between
-# CI frameworks. This approach uses the minimum of GitHub Actions.
-# Also works locally for testing outside of CI
-#
-# INPUTS:
-#   PUSH: if true, push the container image to the registry
-#   TAG: the tag to use for the container image
-#   PLATFORM: the platform to build for (linux/amd64 or linux/arm64)
-#   CACHE: the directory to use for caching
-
-export EC_TAG="--tag ${TAG:-latest}"
-export EC_PLATFORM="--platform ${PLATFORM:-linux/amd64}"
-export EC_CACHE="${CACHE:-/tmp/ec-cache}"
-if [[ "${PUSH}" == 'true' ]] ; then EC_PUSH='--push' ; fi
-
-THIS=$(dirname ${0})
-set -xe
-mkdir -p ${EC_CACHE}
-
-# get the current version of ec CLI
-pip install -r ${THIS}/../../requirements_ec.txt
-
-# add cache arguments - local file cache passed by github seems to be most reliable
-export EC_CARGS="
-    --cache-from type=local,src=${EC_CACHE}
-    --cache-to type=local,dest=${EC_CACHE}
-"
-
-# add extra cross compilation platforms below if needed  e.g.
-#   ec dev build  --arch rtems ... for RTEMS cross compile
-
-# build runtime and developer images
-ec -v dev build ${EC_TAG} ${EC_PLATFORM} ${EC_PUSH} ${EC_CARGS}
-
-# extract the ioc schema from the runtime image
-ec dev launch-local ${EC_TAG} --execute 'ibek ioc generate-schema' > ibek.ioc.schema.json
-
-# run acceptance tests
-shopt -s nullglob # expand to nothing if no tests are found
-for t in "${THIS}/../../tests/*.sh"; do ${t}; done
-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 4d85407..fe03d58 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -11,57 +11,60 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: read
       packages: write
-    env:
-      CACHE: /tmp/.buildx-cache
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
+      max-parallel: 1 # take advantage of caching
       matrix:
+        target: [developer, runtime]
+        architecture: [linux]
         include:
-          - architecture: linux
-            os: ubuntu-latest
-            platform: linux/amd64
+          - os: ubuntu-latest
+            platforms: linux/amd64
 
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    env:
+      TAG: ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}-${{ matrix.architecture }}-${{ matrix.target }}:${{ github.ref_name }}
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
           submodules: recursive
 
-      - name: Cache Docker layers
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
-        with:
-          path: ${{ env.CACHE }}
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.architecture }}-buildx-${{ github.sha }}
-          restore-keys: |
-            ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.architecture }}-buildx-
-
       - name: Log in to GitHub Docker Registry
-        uses: docker/login-action@v1
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
         with:
           registry: ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }}
           username: ${{ github.actor }}
           password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-      - name: Setup python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Build image
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
         with:
-          python-version: "3.10"
+          context: .
+          platforms: ${{ matrix.platforms }}
+          target: ${{ matrix.target }}
+          build-args: TARGET_ARCHITECTURE=${{ matrix.architecture }}
+          tags: ${{ env.TAG }}
+          cache-from: type=gha
+          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
+          load: true
 
-      - name: Docker Build Script
-        env:
-          ARCH: ${{ matrix.architecture }}
-          PLATFORM: ${{ matrix.platform }}
-          TAG: ${{ github.ref_name }}
-          PUSH: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags') }}
-          CACHE: ${{ env.CACHE }}
-        run: .github/workflows/build.sh
+      - name: Test image
+        run: tests/run-tests.sh
 
-      - name: Upload schema as artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+      - name: Push image
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_type == 'tag' }}
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
         with:
-          name: ioc-schema
-          path: ibek.ioc.schema.json
+          context: .
+          platforms: ${{ matrix.platforms }}
+          target: ${{ matrix.target }}
+          build-args: TARGET_ARCHITECTURE=${{ matrix.architecture }}
+          tags: ${{ env.TAG }}
+          push: true
 
   release:
     # Release on tag push - publish ioc schema
@@ -69,11 +72,14 @@ jobs:
     if: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_type == 'tag' }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
+    # this job runs in the (linux) developer container we just made
+    container:
+      image: ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}-linux-developer:${{ github.ref_name }}
+
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: ioc-schema
-          path: ./
+      - name: generate-schema
+        run: |
+          ibek ioc generate-schema --output ibek.ioc.schema.json
 
       - name: Github Release
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@de2c0eb89ae2a093876385947365aca7b0e5f844 # v0.1.15
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b21013b..a13736e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -13,3 +13,6 @@ ibek
 
 # config folder is there to be replaced there is just a dummy with Readme.
 ioc/config
+
+# podman may leave this around in aborted builds
+.build.swp
diff --git a/build b/build
index ca9d319..7c5d905 100755
--- a/build
+++ b/build
@@ -4,18 +4,24 @@
 # generic local build script for epics-containers ioc repositories             #
 ################################################################################
 
-# pass rtems as first argument to build RTEMS on cross-compiler
-TARGET_ARCHITECTURE=${1:-linux}
+# set TARGET_ARCHITECTURE to rtems for RTEMS based targets
+T_A=${TARGET_ARCHITECTURE:-linux}
+# set TARGET to runtime for runtime images
+TARGET=${TARGET:-developer}
+# set TAG to override the default tag
+TAG=${TAG:-ec_test}
 
+# log commands and stop on erros
 set -xe
 
 cd $(dirname ${0})
 
+# use docker if available else use podman
+if ! docker version &>/dev/null; then alias docker=podman; fi
+
 # make sure new repos get their submodule ibek-support
 git submodule update --init
 
-# build runtime and developer images
-ec dev build --arch ${TARGET_ARCHITECTURE}
+# build and developer images
+docker build -t ${TAG} --build-arg TARGET_ARCHITECTURE=$T_A --target $TARGET .
 
-# get the schema file from the developer container and save it locally
-ec dev launch-local --execute 'ibek ioc generate-schema' > ibek.ioc.schema.json
diff --git a/ibek-support b/ibek-support
index 035d2d4..cb08f9a 160000
--- a/ibek-support
+++ b/ibek-support
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 035d2d47f7a2a3cbcadecb95294a973fa3fd7246
+Subproject commit cb08f9aeacd566ea13ccdfe9f0731c2a3bb7f453
diff --git a/ioc/start.sh b/ioc/start.sh
index b20b72f..344edef 100755
--- a/ioc/start.sh
+++ b/ioc/start.sh
@@ -63,19 +63,17 @@ description='
 function ibek_error {
     echo "${1}"
 
-    # Wait indefinitely so the container does not exit and restart continually.
-    while true; do
-        sleep 1000
-    done
+    # Wait for a bit so the container does not exit and restart continually
+    sleep 10
 }
 
 # environment setup ************************************************************
 
-set -x -e
+# log commands and stop on errors
+set -xe
 
-export TOP=$(realpath $(dirname $0))
-cd ${TOP}
-CONFIG_DIR=${TOP}/config
+cd ${IOC}
+CONFIG_DIR=${IOC}/config
 
 # add module paths to environment for use in ioc startup script
 if [[ -f ${SUPPORT}/configure/RELEASE.shell ]]; then
@@ -99,6 +97,14 @@ epics_db=${RUNTIME_DIR}/ioc.db
 # in case there are multiple YAML, pick the first one in the glob
 ibek_src=${ibek_yamls[0]}
 
+if [ -d ${CONFIG_DIR} ]; then
+    echo "checking config folder ${CONFIG_DIR}"
+    ls -al ${CONFIG_DIR}
+else
+    echo "ERROR: No config folder found."
+    ibek_error "${description}"
+fi
+
 # 1. start.sh override script **************************************************
 if [ -f ${override} ]; then
     exec bash ${override}
@@ -132,11 +138,9 @@ elif [ -f ${ioc_startup} ] ; then
         msi ${includes} -I${RUNTIME_DIR} -S ${CONFIG_DIR}/ioc.subst -o ${epics_db}
     fi
     final_ioc_startup=${ioc_startup}
-# 4. empty config folder ***************************************************
+# 4. incorrect config folder ***************************************************
 else
-    echo "No startup assets found in ${CONFIG_DIR}"
-    echo
-
+    echo "ERROR: No startup assets found in ${CONFIG_DIR}"
     ibek_error "${description}"
 fi
 
diff --git a/requirements_ec.txt b/requirements_ec.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 6033a85..0000000
--- a/requirements_ec.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-epics-containers-cli==2.6.11
-# to install direct from github during development in the e.g. dev branch:
-#git+https://github.com/epics-containers/epics-containers-cli.git@dev
diff --git a/tests/config/bl00i-ea-test-ioc.yaml b/tests/config/bl00i-ea-test-ioc.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50c768d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config/bl00i-ea-test-ioc.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://github.com/epics-containers/ioc-template/releases/download/2024.1.1/ibek.ioc.schema.json
+
+ioc_name: "{{ ioc_yaml_file_name }}"
+
+description: Very generic instance for testing generic IOCs
+
+entities:
+  - type: epics.EpicsEnvSet
+    name: EPICS_TZ
+    value: "GMT0BST"
+
+  - type: devIocStats.iocAdminSoft
+    IOC: "{{ ioc_name | upper }}"
+
+  - type: epics.StartupCommand
+    command: dbLoadRecords("/epics/ioc/config/ioc.db")
+
+  - type: epics.dbpf
+    pv: EXAMPLE:IBEK:A
+    value: "2.54"
+
+  - type: epics.dbpf
+    pv: EXAMPLE:IBEK:B
+    value: "2.61"
+
+  - type: epics.PostStartupCommand
+    command: |
+      dbgf EXAMPLE:IBEK:SUM
+      dbgf BL00I-EA-TEST-IOC:ST_SCRIPT1
diff --git a/tests/example-ibek-config/ioc.db b/tests/config/ioc.db
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/example-ibek-config/ioc.db
rename to tests/config/ioc.db
diff --git a/tests/example-config/calc.db b/tests/example-config/calc.db
deleted file mode 100644
index ae23846..0000000
--- a/tests/example-config/calc.db
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-record(calc, "EXAMPLE2:SUM") {
-  field(DESC, "Sum A and B")
-  field(CALC, "A+B")
-  field(INPA, "EXAMPLE2:A")
-  field(INPB, "EXAMPLE2:B")
-}
-
-record(ao, "EXAMPLE2:A") {
-    field(DESC, "A voltage")
-    field(PREC, "3")
-    field(EGU,  "Volts")
-    field(DRVL, "-10")
-    field(DRVH, "+10")
-    field(VAL,  "0.000")
-    field(FLNK, "EXAMPLE2:SUM")
-}
-
-record(ao, "EXAMPLE2:B") {
-    field(DESC, "B voltage")
-    field(PREC, "3")
-    field(EGU,  "Volts")
-    field(DRVL, "-10")
-    field(DRVH, "+10")
-    field(VAL,  "0.000")
-    field(FLNK, "EXAMPLE2:SUM")
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/example-config/ioc.substitutions b/tests/example-config/ioc.substitutions
deleted file mode 100644
index 4fa1884..0000000
--- a/tests/example-config/ioc.substitutions
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-
-# Macros:
-#  IOC  Device prefix
-file $(IOCSTATS)/db/iocAdminSoft.db
-{
-pattern { IOC }
-    { "test-ioc" }
-}
-
-# Macros:
-#  IOC  Device prefix
-file $(IOCSTATS)/db/iocAdminScanMon.db
-{
-pattern { IOC }
-    { "test-ioc" }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/example-config/st.cmd b/tests/example-config/st.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 61720df..0000000
--- a/tests/example-config/st.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-# Example hand coded IOC startup script for example-config
-cd "/epics/ioc"
-
-epicsEnvSet "EPICS_CA_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES", '6000000'
-
-dbLoadDatabase "dbd/ioc.dbd"
-ioc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase)
-
-dbLoadRecords("config/calc.db")
-dbLoadRecords("/tmp/ioc.db")
-
-iocInit()
diff --git a/tests/example-ibek-config/ioc.yaml b/tests/example-ibek-config/ioc.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 5740795..0000000
--- a/tests/example-ibek-config/ioc.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-ioc_name: test-ibek-ioc
-description: a basic example for testing ioc-template
-
-entities:
-  - type: devIocStats.iocAdminSoft
-    IOC: test-ibek-ioc
-
-  - type: epics.StartupCommand
-    command: dbLoadRecords("/epics/ioc/config/ioc.db")
diff --git a/tests/run-tests.sh b/tests/run-tests.sh
index f56fde5..76ca99c 100755
--- a/tests/run-tests.sh
+++ b/tests/run-tests.sh
@@ -5,36 +5,35 @@
 # all present and correct and that mounting IOC config or ibek config
 # works as expected.
 
-THIS_DIR=$(realpath $(dirname $0))
-ROOT=$(realpath ${THIS_DIR}/..)
+THIS=$(realpath $(dirname $0))
+ROOT=$(realpath ${THIS}/..)
+CONF=/epics/ioc/config
 
+# log commands and stop on errorsr
 set -ex
 
+# use docker if available else use podman
+if ! docker version &>/dev/null; then alias docker=podman; fi
+
 cd ${ROOT}
-# Build the container (inherit arguments from CI workflow if set) ##############
-ec dev build ${EC_TAG}
-
-# try out an ibek config IOC instance with the generic IOC #####################
-ec dev launch-local tests/example-config --args '-dit' ${EC_TAG}
-ec dev wait-pv EXAMPLE2:A --attempts 20
-ec dev exec 'caput EXAMPLE2:A 1.3'
-ec dev exec 'caput EXAMPLE2:B 1.2'
-ec dev exec 'caget EXAMPLE2:SUM' | grep '2.5'
-
-# Test an ibek IOC #############################################################
-ec dev launch-local tests/example-ibek-config --args '-dit' ${EC_TAG}
-ec dev wait-pv EXAMPLE:IBEK:A --attempts 20
-ec dev exec 'caput EXAMPLE:IBEK:A 1.3'
-ec dev exec 'caput EXAMPLE:IBEK:B 1.2'
-ec dev exec 'caget EXAMPLE:IBEK:SUM' | grep '2.5'
-ec dev exec 'caget test-ibek-ioc:EPICS_VERS' | grep 'R7.0.7'
-
-# Stop the test IOC ############################################################
-ec dev stop
-
-# Done #########################################################################
-echo
-echo "All tests passed!"
+
+# if a tag was passed in this implies it was already built
+export TAG=${TAG:-ec_test}
+if [[ ${TAG} == "ec_test" ]] ; then TARGET=runtime ./build; fi
+
+# try out a test ibek config IOC instance with the generic IOC
+result=$(docker run --rm -v ${THIS}/config:${CONF} ${TAG} /epics/ioc/start.sh 2>&1)
+
+# check that the IOC output expected results
+if echo "${result}" | grep -i error; then
+    echo "ERROR: errors in IOC startup"
+    exit 1
+elif [[ ! ${result} =~ "5.15" || ! ${result} =~ "/epics/runtime/st.cmd" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: dbgf output not as expected"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Tests passed!"
 
 
 
diff --git a/user_examples/.bashprofile_dev_container b/user_examples/.bashprofile_dev_container
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e5af527
--- /dev/null
+++ b/user_examples/.bashprofile_dev_container
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+################################################################################
+# Custom profile for epics-containers devcontainer                             #
+#                                                                              #
+# This will run inside the devcontainer after creation                         #
+################################################################################
+
+# apt-get update
+# apt-get -y --no-install-recommends install vimdiff
+# apt-get install what you like
+
+# add command line completion to the ibek tool
+ibek --install-completion bash
+
diff --git a/user_examples/.bashrc_dev_container b/user_examples/.bashrc_dev_container
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ca306a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/user_examples/.bashrc_dev_container
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+################################################################################
+###### This is sourced by all terminals epics-containers IOC devcontainer ######
+###### personal .bashrc_dev for setting up environment in devcontainers   ######
+################################################################################
+
+export LS_OPTIONS='--color=auto'
+eval "$(dircolors)" 2> /dev/null
+alias ls='ls $LS_OPTIONS'
+alias ll='ls $LS_OPTIONS -l'
+alias l='ls $LS_OPTIONS -lA'
+
+# Save all history forever
+# Add these to your user's .bashrc to keep a single history inside and out of containers
+export HISTCONTROL=ignoreboth:erasedups  # Remove adjacent duplicate entries
+export HISTSIZE=                         # Unlimited history
+export HISTFILESIZE=                     # Unlimited history
+# Use a unique bash history file so it doesn't get manually trucated by applications
+export HISTFILE=${HOME}/.bash_eternal_history
+shopt -s histappend                      # Append to history, don't overwrite it
+export PROMPT_COMMAND='history -a'
+
+# add git completion
+if [[ ! -f /tmp/git-completion.bash ]]; then
+  wget -q -P /tmp  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/git/git/master/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
+fi
+source /tmp/git-completion.bash
diff --git a/user_examples/README.md b/user_examples/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94bc520
--- /dev/null
+++ b/user_examples/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+User Customization Examples
+===========================
+
+Users can customize their epics-containers developer containers by copying
+the files in this folder into their home directory and customizing them as
+required.
+
+epics-containers .devcontainer configuration will automatically pick up
+these files from the home directory.
+
+- .bashrc_dev_container: runs on start of every new shell in the container.
+- /bashprofile_dev_container: runs once immediately after the creation
+  of a devcontainer.
\ No newline at end of file