diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index ddedce4..c1bb1f6 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ derivatives/**
 
 # ignore documentation
 docs/**
+
+# ignore CI scripts
+ci/**
+.github/**
diff --git a/.github/interop/README.md b/.github/interop/README.md
deleted file mode 100644
index c46c4e6..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-# Legacy Interop
-The scripts here are intended to patch older versions of ldmx-sw
-so that they can be built by newer container images. They are
-run before the build configuration (`cmake`) step and are run
-from the ldmx-sw parent directory.
diff --git a/.github/interop/force-legacy-onnx.sh b/.github/interop/force-legacy-onnx.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 2ac61dd..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/force-legacy-onnx.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# don't have cmake even check for another onnx
-sed -i '68,72 {s|^|#|}' ldmx-sw/cmake/FindONNXRuntime.cmake
diff --git a/.github/interop/no-testing.sh b/.github/interop/no-testing.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 2abb261..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/no-testing.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# don't build ldmx-sw tests by commenting out the build_test call
-sed -i 's|build_test()|#build_test()|' ldmx-sw/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/.github/interop/v3.0.0/force-legacy-onnx.sh b/.github/interop/v3.0.0/force-legacy-onnx.sh
deleted file mode 120000
index bd75c62..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/v3.0.0/force-legacy-onnx.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../force-legacy-onnx.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/interop/v3.0.0/no-testing.sh b/.github/interop/v3.0.0/no-testing.sh
deleted file mode 120000
index dad5644..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/v3.0.0/no-testing.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../no-testing.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/interop/v3.0.2/force-legacy-onnx.sh b/.github/interop/v3.0.2/force-legacy-onnx.sh
deleted file mode 120000
index bd75c62..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/v3.0.2/force-legacy-onnx.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../force-legacy-onnx.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/interop/v3.0.2/no-testing.sh b/.github/interop/v3.0.2/no-testing.sh
deleted file mode 120000
index dad5644..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/v3.0.2/no-testing.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../no-testing.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/interop/v3.1.13/force-legacy-onnx.sh b/.github/interop/v3.1.13/force-legacy-onnx.sh
deleted file mode 120000
index bd75c62..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/v3.1.13/force-legacy-onnx.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../force-legacy-onnx.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/interop/v3.1.13/no-testing.sh b/.github/interop/v3.1.13/no-testing.sh
deleted file mode 120000
index dad5644..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/v3.1.13/no-testing.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../no-testing.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/interop/v3.2.4/force-legacy-onnx.sh b/.github/interop/v3.2.4/force-legacy-onnx.sh
deleted file mode 120000
index bd75c62..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/v3.2.4/force-legacy-onnx.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../force-legacy-onnx.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/interop/v3.2.4/no-testing.sh b/.github/interop/v3.2.4/no-testing.sh
deleted file mode 120000
index dad5644..0000000
--- a/.github/interop/v3.2.4/no-testing.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../no-testing.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 1049c81..85b8e87 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -123,24 +123,29 @@ jobs:
         name: Inspect image
         run: |
           docker buildx imagetools inspect ${{ env.REGISTRY_IMAGE }}:${{ steps.meta.outputs.version }}
+
+  list-ldmx-sw-to-test:
+    name: List ldmx-sw Versions to Test
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      matrix: ${{steps.read_json.outputs.matrix}}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - id: read_json
+        run: echo "matrix=$(jq -c . ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json)" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           
   test:
-    needs: merge
+    needs:
+      - list-ldmx-sw-to-test
+      - merge
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        ldmx_sw_branch: [ trunk, v3.0.0, v3.0.2, v3.1.13, v3.2.4, v3.2.12, v3.3.0, v3.4.0, v4.0.0 ]
+      matrix: ${{fromJSON(needs.list-ldmx-sw-to-test.outputs.matrix)}}
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: bash
     steps:
-    -
-      name: Setup QEMU
-      uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
-    -
-      name: Set up Docker Buildx
-      uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
     -
       name: Download Build Context for Test Script
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -156,48 +161,10 @@ jobs:
           type=semver,pattern={{version}}
           type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}}
     -
-      name: Pull down ldmx-sw for testing
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      name: Install just
+      uses: extractions/setup-just@v2
       with:
-        repository: LDMX-Software/ldmx-sw
-        submodules: recursive
-        path: ldmx-sw
-        ref: ${{ matrix.ldmx_sw_branch }}
-        fetch-depth: 0
+        just-version: 1.26.0
     - 
       name: Test the Image
-      run: |
-          echo "::group::Init Environment"
-          # extract a single tag to run tests with
-          tag=$(jq -r .tags[0] <<<"${DOCKER_METADATA_OUTPUT_JSON}")
-          export LDMX_BASE=$(pwd)
-          export _docker_parameters="-i -e LDMX_BASE -v $LDMX_BASE:$LDMX_BASE ${tag}"
-          mkdir ldmx-sw/build
-          interop_patches=".github/interop/${{ matrix.ldmx_sw_branch }}" 
-          echo "::endgroup::"
-          if [ -d ${interop_patches} ]; then
-            echo "::group::Found ldmx-sw patches for ${{ matrix.ldmx_sw_branch }}"
-            for patch in ${interop_patches}/*; do
-              echo "running ${patch}"
-              ./${patch}
-            done
-            echo "::endgroup::"
-          else
-            echo "::group::No patches for ${{ matrix.ldmx_sw_branch }}"
-            echo "::endgroup::"
-          fi
-          echo "::group::Build ldmx-sw"
-          docker run $_docker_parameters $(pwd)/ldmx-sw/build 'cmake .. && make install'
-          echo "::endgroup::"
-          echo "::group::Run python test script"
-          docker run $_docker_parameters $(pwd) python3 test.py
-          echo "::endgroup::"
-          if [ ! -d ${interop_patches} ]; then
-            echo "::group::ldmx-sw test program"
-            docker run $_docker_parameters $(pwd)/ldmx-sw/build ctest --verbose
-            echo "::endgroup::"
-            echo "::group::run a basic inclusive sim"
-            docker run $_docker_parameters $(pwd) \
-              'LDMX_RUN_NUMBER=1 LDMX_NUM_EVENTS=10 fire ldmx-sw/.github/validation_samples/inclusive/config.py'
-            echo "::endgroup::"
-          fi
+      run: ./ci/test-ldmx-sw $(jq -r .tags[0] <<< "${DOCKER_METADATA_OUTPUT_JSON}") ${{ matrix.ldmx_sw }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ldmx-sw-dependabot.yml b/.github/workflows/ldmx-sw-dependabot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a8a30a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ldmx-sw-dependabot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+---
+
+name: Test ldmx-sw Dependabot
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '0 0 * * 0' # every Sunday at midnight
+
+jobs:
+  check-on-runner-releases:
+    permissions:
+      pull-requests: write
+      contents: write
+      actions: write
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - name: fetch latest releases
+        run: |
+          ./ci/ldmx-sw-dependabot --apply 
+          git config --global user.name ldmx-sw-test-bot
+          git config --global user.email ldmx-sw-test-bot@users.noreply.github.com
+          git switch -c auto-ldmx-sw-test-update
+          git add ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json
+          git commit -m "Auto ldmx-sw Version Update" || exit 0
+          git push -fu origin auto-runner-update
+          gh pr create \
+            --base main \
+            --head auto-runner-update \
+            --title "Auto ldmx-sw Version Update" \
+            --body "Written by custom dependabot script that checks for new updates. PR now free to be modified/closed."
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
diff --git a/ci/interop/README.md b/ci/interop/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d839ec8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/interop/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Legacy Interop
+
+The patch files here are intended to patch older versions of ldmx-sw
+so that they can be built with newer images that have newer dependencies
+and compilers.
+
+They are `git apply`ed within ldmx-sw and are applied before the configuration (`cmake`)
+step so that they can modify the build configuration files if need be.
+
+For creating a patch files, there is a small script in this directory
+that runs the appropriate `git` commands for you.
+```
+# inside of the ldmx-sw you have patched
+path/to/ci/interop/save-patch
+```
+
+Many versions of ldmx-sw require the same patch and so instead of copying the
+same file, I have just symlinked a specific version's patch file to the previous
+version so that developers only need to update a patch file for the version
+where the (now breaking) change was introduced.
diff --git a/ci/interop/save-patch b/ci/interop/save-patch
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..111f3e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/interop/save-patch
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#  save the patched version of ldmx-sw into a patch file
+
+set -o nounset
+set -o errexit
+
+usage() {
+  cat <<\HELP
+
+ USAGE:
+  ./path/to/ci/interop/save-patch [path/to/ldmx-sw] [-h|--help]
+
+ ARGUMENTS
+  -h|--help       : print this help and exit
+  path/to/ldmx-sw : provide full path to ldmx-sw, otherwise tries to use current directory
+
+HELP
+}
+
+ci_interop_dir="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd)"
+ldmx_sw_dir="${PWD}" # default to current directory
+while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
+  case "$1" in
+    -h|--help)
+      usage
+      exit 0
+      ;;
+    -*)
+      echo "ERROR: Unknown option '${1}'"
+      usage
+      exit 1
+      ;;
+    *)
+      if [ -d "${1}" ]; then
+        ldmx_sw_dir="$(cd -- "${1}" &> /dev/null && pwd)"
+      else
+        echo "ERROR: '${1}' is not a directory."
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      ;;
+  esac
+  shift
+done
+
+cd "${ldmx_sw_dir}"
+
+if ! git rev-parse --git-dir &> /dev/null; then
+  echo "ERROR: '${ldmx_sw_dir}' is not a git repository."
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+first_remote_url=$(git remote get-url $(git remote))
+if ! [[ "${first_remote_url}" =~ .*LDMX-Software/ldmx-sw.* ]]; then
+  echo "ERROR: '${ldmx_sw_dir}' is not ldmx-sw. It points to '${first_remote_url}'."
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+# inside ldmx-sw
+version=$(git describe --tags)
+diff_cmd="git diff"
+if [[ "${version}" =~ ^v3 ]]; then
+  diff_cmd="${diff_cmd} --submodule=diff"
+fi
+
+rm ${ci_interop_dir}/${version}.patch
+${diff_cmd} > ${ci_interop_dir}/${version}.patch
+
diff --git a/ci/interop/v3.3.0.patch b/ci/interop/v3.3.0.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8737514
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/interop/v3.3.0.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+Submodule Conditions contains modified content
+diff --git a/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h b/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
+index e418c42..79ed3a3 100644
+--- a/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
++++ b/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
+@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
+ #define FRAMEWORK_SIMPLETABLECONDITION_H_
+ 
+ #include <vector>
++#include <cstdint>
+ 
+ #include "Framework/ConditionsObject.h"
+ #include "Framework/Exception/Exception.h"
diff --git a/ci/interop/v3.4.0.patch b/ci/interop/v3.4.0.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de68c03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/interop/v3.4.0.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+Submodule Conditions contains modified content
+diff --git a/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h b/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
+index 467d8b9..632de04 100644
+--- a/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
++++ b/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
+@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
+ 
+ #include <vector>
+ #include <ostream>
++#include <cstdint>
+ 
+ #include "Framework/ConditionsObject.h"
+ #include "Framework/Exception/Exception.h"
diff --git a/ci/interop/v4.0.5.patch b/ci/interop/v4.0.5.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62ff99c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/interop/v4.0.5.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+diff --git a/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h b/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
+index d34d930d..b69f81c7 100644
+--- a/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
++++ b/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
+@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
+ 
+ #include <ostream>
+ #include <vector>
++#include <cstdint>
+ 
+ #include "Framework/ConditionsObject.h"
+ #include "Framework/Exception/Exception.h"
diff --git a/ci/interop/v4.1.4.patch b/ci/interop/v4.1.4.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f37d2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/interop/v4.1.4.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+diff --git a/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h b/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
+index d34d930d..b69f81c7 100644
+--- a/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
++++ b/Conditions/include/Conditions/SimpleTableCondition.h
+@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
+ 
+ #include <ostream>
+ #include <vector>
++#include <cstdint>
+ 
+ #include "Framework/ConditionsObject.h"
+ #include "Framework/Exception/Exception.h"
+diff --git a/TrigScint/src/TrigScint/Firmware/clusterproducer_sw.cxx b/TrigScint/src/TrigScint/Firmware/clusterproducer_sw.cxx
+index 140011d9..0e07b681 100644
+--- a/TrigScint/src/TrigScint/Firmware/clusterproducer_sw.cxx
++++ b/TrigScint/src/TrigScint/Firmware/clusterproducer_sw.cxx
+@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+ #include <stdio.h>
+ 
++#include <array>
+ #include <iostream>
+ 
+ #include "TrigScint/Firmware/clusterproducer.h"
diff --git a/ci/interop/v4.2.3.patch b/ci/interop/v4.2.3.patch
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..eec60da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/interop/v4.2.3.patch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+v4.1.4.patch
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ci/ldmx-sw-dependabot b/ci/ldmx-sw-dependabot
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6506d2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/ldmx-sw-dependabot
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -o errexit
+set -o nounset
+
+error() {
+  printf >&2 "\033[1;31mERROR: \033[0m\033[31m%s\033[0m\n" "$*"
+}
+
+inf() {
+  printf "\033[1mINFO: \033[0m%s\n" "$*"
+}
+
+# fetch the latest release version for the input owner and repo
+# https://docs.github.com/en/rest/releases/releases?apiVersion=2022-11-28#get-the-latest-release
+# Args
+#  1 : repository
+# Output
+#  prints the tag to stdout
+fetch() {
+  gh api \
+    -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.json" \
+    -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
+    "/repos/${1}/releases/latest" \
+    --jq '.tag_name'
+}
+
+# update the test workflow with the passed runner and version
+# Args:
+#  1 : provide to actually apply edit, otherwise just print lines that would change
+# Output:
+#  Edits the ci/runners-to-test.json in place if 3 args provided,
+#  otherwise just prints lines that would be edited to stdout
+update() {
+  latest="$(fetch LDMX-Software/ldmx-sw)"
+  ci_latest="$(jq -cr '.ldmx_sw[-1]' ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json)"
+  if [ "${ci_latest}" = "${latest}" ]; then
+    inf "CI ${ci_latest} and ldmx-sw ${latest} agree on latest version. No updates to be made."
+    return 0
+  fi
+  latest_major=$(echo "${latest}" | sed 's|^v||' | cut -f 1 -d .)
+  latest_minor=$(echo "${latest}" | cut -f 2 -d .)
+  latest_patch=$(echo "${latest}" | cut -f 3 -d .)
+  ci_latest_major=$(echo "${ci_latest}" | sed 's|^v||' | cut -f 1 -d .)
+  ci_latest_minor=$(echo "${ci_latest}" | cut -f 2 -d .)
+  ci_latest_patch=$(echo "${ci_latest}" | cut -f 3 -d .)
+  if [ "${latest_major}" -eq "${ci_latest_major}" ] && [ "${latest_minor}" -eq "${ci_latest_minor}" ]; then
+    inf "Only a patch difference between ${latest} and ${ci_latest}, replacing ${ci_latest} with ${latest}."
+    jq --arg latest "${latest}" '.ldmx_sw[-1] = $latest' ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json > ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json.upd
+  else
+    inf "More than a patch difference, adding ${latest} as a new test to the CI."
+    jq --arg latest "${latest}" '.ldmx_sw += [$latest]' ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json > ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json.upd
+  fi
+  if [ -z "${1}" ]; then
+    diff ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json.upd || true
+    rm ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json.upd
+  else
+    mv ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json.upd ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json
+  fi
+}
+
+help() {
+  cat<<\HELP
+
+  check for new runner versions to test
+
+ USAGE:
+
+  ./ci/ldmx-sw-dependabot [options]
+
+ OPTIONS
+  -h, --help : print this help and exit
+  --apply    : actually edit the ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json instead of
+               just printing the lines that have been changed
+
+HELP
+}
+
+apply=""
+while [ "$#" -gt "0" ]; do
+  case "$1" in
+    -h|--help)
+      help
+      exit 0
+      ;;
+    --apply)
+      apply="APPLY"
+      ;;
+    *)
+      help
+      error "Unrecognized argument '$1'"
+      exit 1
+      ;;
+  esac
+  shift
+done
+
+update "${apply}"
diff --git a/ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json b/ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e40542
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/ldmx-sw-to-test.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "ldmx_sw": [
+    "trunk",
+    "v3.3.0",
+    "v3.4.0",
+    "v4.0.5",
+    "v4.1.4",
+    "v4.2.3"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/ci/test-ldmx-sw b/ci/test-ldmx-sw
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..54e2b7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/test-ldmx-sw
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -o errexit
+set -o nounset
+
+echo "::group::initialize environment"
+curl -s https://tomeichlersmith.github.io/denv/install | sh
+denv check
+denv init ${1}
+echo "::endgroup::"
+
+echo "::group::clone ldmx-sw"
+git clone  --recursive --branch ${2} https://github.com/LDMX-Software/ldmx-sw.git
+echo "::endgroup::"
+
+echo "::group::patch ldmx-sw"
+patch_file="ci/interop/${2}.patch"
+if [ -f "${patch_file}" ]; then
+  echo "applying ${patch_file}"
+  git -C ldmx-sw apply "../${patch_file}"
+  git -C ldmx-sw diff
+else
+  echo "no patches found (${patch_file} does not exist)"
+fi
+echo "::endgroup::"
+
+ldmx_sw_major="$(echo "${2}" | sed 's|^v||' | cut -f 1 -d .)"
+ldmx_sw_minor="$(echo "${2}" | cut -f 2 -d .)"
+
+echo "::group::build ldmx-sw"
+use_just=false
+if [ "${2}" = "trunk" ]; then
+  echo "we can use just since we are on trunk"
+  use_just=true
+elif [ "${ldmx_sw_major}" -gt 4 ] || [ "${ldmx_sw_major}" -eq 4 ] && [ "${ldmx_sw_minor}" -gt 0 ]; then
+  echo "we can use just since we are on a release >= 4.1.0"
+  use_just=true
+fi
+
+if ${use_just}; then
+  just ldmx-sw/configure
+  just ldmx-sw/build  
+else
+  denv cmake -B ldmx-sw/build -S ldmx-sw
+  denv cmake --build ldmx-sw/build --target install
+fi
+echo "::endgroup::"
+
+echo "::group::basic simulation run"
+denv fire ldmx-sw/SimCore/test/basic.py
+echo "::endgroup::"