diff --git a/fre/run/tests/yaml/input_datasets.yaml b/fre/run/tests/yaml/input_datasets.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5dd36e9d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fre/run/tests/yaml/input_datasets.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+input:
+  datasets:
+    common_LM4_ex1:
+      - label: input
+        target: INPUT/soil_type.nc
+        chksum: ''
+        timestamp: ''
+        platform: {{ platform }}
+        source: /some/path/soil_type.nc
+      - label: input
+        target: INPUT/
+        chksum: ''
+        timestamp: ''
+        platform: {{ platform }}
+        source: /some/path/biodata.nc
+    common_LM4_ex2:
+      - label: input
+        target: INPUT/soil_type.nc
+        chksum: ''
+        timestamp: ''
+        platform: {{ platform }}
+        source: /some/path/soil_type_gsde_5minute.nc
+      - label: input
+        target: INPUT/
+        chksum: ''
+        timestamp: ''
+        platform: {{ platform }}
+        source: /some/path/biodata.nc
diff --git a/fre/run/tests/yaml/layouts.yaml b/fre/run/tests/yaml/layouts.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f97dfb6ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fre/run/tests/yaml/layouts.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+layouts:
+  c96L65_ex_production:
+    job_wallclock: '16:00:00'
+    seg_runtime: '3:00:00'
+    atm: {ranks: '576', threads: null, layout: 4,24, io_layout: 1,4, mask_table: null}
+    lnd: {ranks: null, threads: null, layout: 4,24, io_layout: 1,4, mask_table: null}
+    ocn: {ranks: '0', threads: null, layout: 96,6, io_layout: 1,3, mask_table: null}
+    ice: {ranks: null, threads: null, layout: 96,6, io_layout: 1,3, mask_table: null}
diff --git a/fre/run/tests/yaml/model.yaml b/fre/run/tests/yaml/model.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d957fb39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fre/run/tests/yaml/model.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#Potential process for combining:
+# 1. model, settings, layouts, datasets, experiment yamls combined
+# 2. experiment yaml references bits in layouts and datasets
+# 3. layouts and datasets are cleaned out (all of them are not needed and makes the final config giant)
+
+fre_properties:
+  shared_yamls:
+    - "run/layouts.yaml"
+    - "run/input_datasets.yaml"
+  shared_nml:
+    - "$(includeDir)/nml/ocean_g12.nml"
+    - "$(includeDir)/nml/am5_common.nml"
+    - "$(includeDir)/nml/lm4p2_common.nml"
+    - "$(includeDir)/nml/am5_c96L65.nml"
+    - "$(includeDir)/nml/am5_amip.nml"
+
+build:
+  compile: "compile.yaml"
+  platform: "platforms.yaml"
+
+experiments:
+  foo_experiment:
+    settings: "settings.yaml"
+    run:
+      - "{{ fre_properties.shared_yamls }}"
+      - "run/exp.yaml"
+    postprocess:
+      - "pp1.yaml"
+    analysis:
+      - "analysis1.yaml"
+
+# Though it may seems repetitive, I personally like the "run", "pp", "analysis", and "settings" keys
+# 1. more explicit
+# 2. easy to flatten
+# 3. probably easier if user just wants postprocessing yamls (if on ppan) or no post-processing (just on gaea)
+# 4. easier to see/manage the order yamls are combined (if order matters in some cases)
diff --git a/fre/run/tests/yaml/platforms.yaml b/fre/run/tests/yaml/platforms.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0cbe9cb79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fre/run/tests/yaml/platforms.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+platforms:
+   - name: ncrc5.intel23
+     compiler: intel
+     envSetup: ["module use -a /ncrc/home2/fms/local/modulefiles",
+                 "source $MODULESHOME/init/sh",
+                 !join ["module load ", *INTEL, "/2023.2.0"],
+                 "module load fre/bronx-23",
+                 "module load cray-hdf5/1.12.2.11",
+                 "module load cray-netcdf/4.9.0.11"]
+     mkTemplate: !join ["/ncrc/home2/fms/local/opt/fre-commands/bronx-20/site/ncrc5/", *INTEL, ".mk"]
+     modelRoot: ${HOME}/fremake_canopy/test
+   - name: hpcme.intel25
+     compiler: intel
+     RUNenv: ""
+     modelRoot: /apps
+     container: True
+     containerBuild: "podman"
+     containerRun: "apptainer"
+     containerBase: "gitlab.gfdl.noaa.gov:5050/fre/hpc-me/base-ubuntu24.04-intel:2025.3"
+     mkTemplate: "/apps/mkmf/templates/hpcme-intel2025.03-oneapi.mk"
+     container2step: True
+     container2base: "gitlab.gfdl.noaa.gov:5050/fre/hpc-me/base-ubuntu24.04-intel:2025.3rte"
+     volume: *VOLUME
diff --git a/fre/run/tests/yaml/run_exp/experiment.yaml b/fre/run/tests/yaml/run_exp/experiment.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..637023e10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fre/run/tests/yaml/run_exp/experiment.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+## could include namelist info, dataset info, mode info
+
+run:
+  inputs:
+    namelist:
+      atmos_nml: "have to figure this one out"
+      files: {{ fre_properties.shared_nml }}
+    datasets: ## reference specific sections of input.yaml[datasets]
+      common_LM4p2: '{{ input.datasets.common_LM4_ex1 }}'
+  runtime_mode:
+    production:
+      simtime: $(EXP_AMIP_LEN)
+      simtime_units: years
+      segment_simtime: '12' #could just be P12M
+      segment_simtime_units: months
+      layouts:
+        c96L65_ex_production: '{{ layouts.c96L65_ex_production}}'
+#to-do: add regression example?
diff --git a/fre/run/tests/yaml/run_exp/settings.yaml b/fre/run/tests/yaml/run_exp/settings.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5d40510cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fre/run/tests/yaml/run_exp/settings.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+run:
+  workflow:
+    repository: "some_url.git"
+    version: "main"
+  settings:
+    site: "gaea"
+  switches:
+    clean_work: True