diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 022a2bb..2c5bb51 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,7 +27,44 @@ patternfly-cli [command]
 ### Available Commands
 
 - **`create`**: Create a new project from the available templates.
-- **`update`**: Update your project to a newer version .
+- **`list`**: List all available templates (built-in and optional custom).
+- **`update`**: Update your project to a newer version.
+
+### Custom templates
+
+You can add your own templates in addition to the built-in ones by passing a JSON file with the `--template-file` (or `-t`) option. Custom templates are merged with the built-in list; if a custom template has the same `name` as a built-in one, the custom definition is used.
+
+**Create with custom templates:**
+
+```sh
+patternfly-cli create my-app --template-file ./my-templates.json
+```
+
+**List templates including custom file:**
+
+```sh
+patternfly-cli list --template-file ./my-templates.json
+```
+
+**JSON format** (array of template objects, same shape as the built-in templates):
+
+```json
+[
+  {
+    "name": "my-template",
+    "description": "My custom project template",
+    "repo": "https://github.com/org/repo.git",
+    "options": ["--single-branch", "--branch", "main"],
+    "packageManager": "npm"
+  }
+]
+```
+
+- **`name`** (required): Template identifier.
+- **`description`** (required): Short description shown in prompts and `list`.
+- **`repo`** (required): Git clone URL.
+- **`options`** (optional): Array of extra arguments for `git clone` (e.g. `["--single-branch", "--branch", "main"]`).
+- **`packageManager`** (optional): `npm`, `yarn`, or `pnpm`; defaults to `npm` if omitted.
 
 
 ## Development / Installation
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 52abb66..9506999 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -23,7 +23,21 @@
     "moduleFileExtensions": [
       "ts",
       "js"
-    ]
+    ],
+    "transform": {
+      "^.+\\.tsx?$": [
+        "ts-jest",
+        {
+          "tsconfig": {
+            "module": "commonjs",
+            "moduleResolution": "node"
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "moduleNameMapper": {
+      "^(\\.\\./.*)\\.js$": "$1"
+    }
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "0g": "^0.4.2",
diff --git a/src/__tests__/cli.test.ts b/src/__tests__/cli.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97f45e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/cli.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+import path from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import { loadCustomTemplates, mergeTemplates } from '../template-loader.js';
+import templates from '../templates.js';
+
+const fixturesDir = path.join(process.cwd(), 'src', '__tests__', 'fixtures');
+
+describe('loadCustomTemplates', () => {
+  const exitSpy = jest.spyOn(process, 'exit').mockImplementation(((code?: number) => {
+    throw new Error(`process.exit(${code})`);
+  }) as () => never);
+  const consoleErrorSpy = jest.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    consoleErrorSpy.mockClear();
+  });
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    exitSpy.mockRestore();
+    consoleErrorSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  it('loads and parses a valid template file', () => {
+    const filePath = path.join(fixturesDir, 'valid-templates.json');
+    const result = loadCustomTemplates(filePath);
+
+    expect(result).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(result[0]).toEqual({
+      name: 'custom-one',
+      description: 'A custom template',
+      repo: 'https://github.com/example/custom-one.git',
+    });
+    expect(result[1]).toEqual({
+      name: 'custom-with-options',
+      description: 'Custom with clone options',
+      repo: 'https://github.com/example/custom.git',
+      options: ['--depth', '1'],
+      packageManager: 'pnpm',
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('exits when file does not exist', () => {
+    const filePath = path.join(fixturesDir, 'nonexistent.json');
+
+    expect(() => loadCustomTemplates(filePath)).toThrow('process.exit(1)');
+    expect(consoleErrorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining('Template file not found'),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('exits when file contains invalid JSON', async () => {
+    const invalidPath = path.join(fixturesDir, 'invalid-json.txt');
+    await fs.writeFile(invalidPath, 'not valid json {');
+
+    try {
+      expect(() => loadCustomTemplates(invalidPath)).toThrow('process.exit(1)');
+      expect(consoleErrorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.stringContaining('Invalid JSON'),
+      );
+    } finally {
+      await fs.remove(invalidPath);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('exits when JSON is not an array', () => {
+    const filePath = path.join(fixturesDir, 'not-array.json');
+
+    expect(() => loadCustomTemplates(filePath)).toThrow('process.exit(1)');
+    expect(consoleErrorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining('must be a JSON array'),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('exits when template is missing required name', () => {
+    const filePath = path.join(fixturesDir, 'invalid-template-missing-name.json');
+
+    expect(() => loadCustomTemplates(filePath)).toThrow('process.exit(1)');
+    expect(consoleErrorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining('"name" must be'),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('exits when template has invalid options (non-string array)', () => {
+    const filePath = path.join(fixturesDir, 'invalid-template-bad-options.json');
+
+    expect(() => loadCustomTemplates(filePath)).toThrow('process.exit(1)');
+    expect(consoleErrorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining('"options" must be'),
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+describe('mergeTemplates', () => {
+  const exitSpy = jest.spyOn(process, 'exit').mockImplementation(((code?: number) => {
+    throw new Error(`process.exit(${code})`);
+  }) as () => never);
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    exitSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+  it('returns built-in templates when no custom file path is provided', () => {
+    const result = mergeTemplates(templates);
+
+    expect(result).toEqual(templates);
+    expect(result).toHaveLength(templates.length);
+  });
+
+  it('returns built-in templates when custom file path is undefined', () => {
+    const result = mergeTemplates(templates, undefined);
+
+    expect(result).toEqual(templates);
+  });
+
+  it('merges custom templates with built-in, custom overrides by name', () => {
+    const customPath = path.join(fixturesDir, 'valid-templates.json');
+    const result = mergeTemplates(templates, customPath);
+
+    const names = result.map((t) => t.name);
+    expect(names).toContain('custom-one');
+    expect(names).toContain('custom-with-options');
+
+    const customOne = result.find((t) => t.name === 'custom-one');
+    expect(customOne?.repo).toBe('https://github.com/example/custom-one.git');
+  });
+
+  it('overrides built-in template when custom has same name', async () => {
+    const builtInStarter = templates.find((t) => t.name === 'starter');
+    expect(builtInStarter).toBeDefined();
+
+    const customPath = path.join(fixturesDir, 'override-starter.json');
+    await fs.writeJson(customPath, [
+      {
+        name: 'starter',
+        description: 'Overridden starter',
+        repo: 'https://github.com/custom/overridden-starter.git',
+      },
+    ]);
+
+    try {
+      const result = mergeTemplates(templates, customPath);
+      const starter = result.find((t) => t.name === 'starter');
+      expect(starter?.description).toBe('Overridden starter');
+      expect(starter?.repo).toBe('https://github.com/custom/overridden-starter.git');
+    } finally {
+      await fs.remove(customPath);
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/__tests__/fixtures/invalid-template-bad-options.json b/src/__tests__/fixtures/invalid-template-bad-options.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95dd23e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/fixtures/invalid-template-bad-options.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+[{"name": "bad", "description": "Bad options", "repo": "https://example.com/repo.git", "options": [123]}]
diff --git a/src/__tests__/fixtures/invalid-template-missing-name.json b/src/__tests__/fixtures/invalid-template-missing-name.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34eaf61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/fixtures/invalid-template-missing-name.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+[{"description": "No name", "repo": "https://example.com/repo.git"}]
diff --git a/src/__tests__/fixtures/not-array.json b/src/__tests__/fixtures/not-array.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb60768
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/fixtures/not-array.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"templates": []}
diff --git a/src/__tests__/fixtures/valid-templates.json b/src/__tests__/fixtures/valid-templates.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..198db5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/fixtures/valid-templates.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[
+  {
+    "name": "custom-one",
+    "description": "A custom template",
+    "repo": "https://github.com/example/custom-one.git"
+  },
+  {
+    "name": "custom-with-options",
+    "description": "Custom with clone options",
+    "repo": "https://github.com/example/custom.git",
+    "options": ["--depth", "1"],
+    "packageManager": "pnpm"
+  }
+]
diff --git a/src/cli.ts b/src/cli.ts
index ed56c19..b6035d5 100644
--- a/src/cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli.ts
@@ -5,27 +5,36 @@ import { execa } from 'execa';
 import inquirer from 'inquirer';
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
 import path from 'path';
-import templates from './templates.js';
+import { defaultTemplates }from './templates.js';
+import { mergeTemplates } from './template-loader.js';
 
+/** Project data provided by the user */
 type ProjectData = {
-  name: string,
+  /** Project name */
+  name: string, 
+  /** Project version */
   version: string,
+  /** Project description */
   description: string,
+  /** Project author */
   author: string
 }
 
+/** Command to create a new project */
 program
   .version('1.0.0')
   .command('create')
   .description('Create a new project from a git template')
   .argument('<project-directory>', 'The directory to create the project in')
   .argument('[template-name]', 'The name of the template to use')
-  .action(async (projectDirectory, templateName) => {
-    
+  .option('-t, --template-file <path>', 'Path to a JSON file with custom templates (same format as built-in)')
+  .action(async (projectDirectory, templateName, options) => {
+    const templatesToUse = mergeTemplates(defaultTemplates, options?.templateFile);
+
     // If template name is not provided, show available templates and let user select
     if (!templateName) {
       console.log('\n📋 Available templates:\n');
-      templates.forEach(t => {
+      templatesToUse.forEach(t => {
         console.log(`  ${t.name.padEnd(12)} - ${t.description}`);
       });
       console.log('');
@@ -35,7 +44,7 @@ program
           type: 'list',
           name: 'templateName',
           message: 'Select a template:',
-          choices: templates.map(t => ({
+          choices: templatesToUse.map(t => ({
             name: `${t.name} - ${t.description}`,
             value: t.name
           }))
@@ -47,11 +56,11 @@ program
     }
     
     // Look up the template by name
-    const template = templates.find(t => t.name === templateName);
+    const template = templatesToUse.find(t => t.name === templateName);
     if (!template) {
       console.error(`❌ Template "${templateName}" not found.\n`);
       console.log('📋 Available templates:\n');
-      templates.forEach(t => {
+      templatesToUse.forEach(t => {
         console.log(`  ${t.name.padEnd(12)} - ${t.description}`);
       });
       console.log('');
@@ -158,13 +167,16 @@ program
     }
   });
 
+/** Command to list all available templates */
 program
   .command('list')
   .description('List all available templates')
   .option('--verbose', 'List all available templates with verbose information')
+  .option('-t, --template-file <path>', 'Include templates from a JSON file (same format as built-in)')
   .action((options) => {
+    const templatesToUse = mergeTemplates(defaultTemplates, options?.templateFile);
     console.log('\n📋 Available templates:\n');
-    templates.forEach(template => {
+    templatesToUse.forEach(template => {
       console.log(`  ${template.name.padEnd(20)} - ${template.description}`)
       if (options.verbose) {
         console.log(`    Repo URL: ${template.repo}`);
@@ -176,6 +188,7 @@ program
     console.log('');
   });
 
+/** Command to run PatternFly codemods on a directory */
 program
   .command('update')
   .description('Run PatternFly codemods on a directory to transform code to the latest PatternFly patterns')
diff --git a/src/template-loader.ts b/src/template-loader.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b33d93a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/template-loader.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import path from 'path';
+import type { Template } from './templates.js';
+
+/** Functoin used to load custom templates from a JSON file */
+export function loadCustomTemplates(filePath: string): Template[] {
+  const resolved = path.resolve(filePath);
+  if (!fs.existsSync(resolved)) {
+    console.error(`❌ Template file not found: ${resolved}\n`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  const raw = fs.readFileSync(resolved, 'utf-8');
+  let data: unknown;
+  try {
+    data = JSON.parse(raw);
+  } catch {
+    console.error(`❌ Invalid JSON in template file: ${resolved}\n`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  if (!Array.isArray(data)) {
+    console.error(`❌ Template file must be a JSON array of templates.\n`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  const result: Template[] = [];
+  for (let i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
+    const item = data[i];
+    if (!item || typeof item !== 'object' || Array.isArray(item)) {
+      console.error(`❌ Template at index ${i}: must be an object.\n`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    const obj = item as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const name = obj['name'];
+    const description = obj['description'];
+    const repo = obj['repo'];
+    if (typeof name !== 'string' || !name.trim()) {
+      console.error(`❌ Template at index ${i}: "name" must be a non-empty string.\n`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    if (typeof description !== 'string') {
+      console.error(`❌ Template at index ${i}: "description" must be a string.\n`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    if (typeof repo !== 'string' || !repo.trim()) {
+      console.error(`❌ Template at index ${i}: "repo" must be a non-empty string.\n`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    const options = obj['options'];
+    const packageManager = obj['packageManager'];
+    if (options !== undefined && (!Array.isArray(options) || options.some((o) => typeof o !== 'string'))) {
+      console.error(`❌ Template at index ${i}: "options" must be an array of strings.\n`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    if (packageManager !== undefined && typeof packageManager !== 'string') {
+      console.error(`❌ Template at index ${i}: "packageManager" must be a string.\n`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    result.push({
+      name: name.trim(),
+      description: String(description),
+      repo: repo.trim(),
+      ...(Array.isArray(options) && options.length > 0 && { options: options as string[] }),
+      ...(typeof packageManager === 'string' && packageManager.length > 0 && { packageManager }),
+    });
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+/** Function used to merge built-in templates with custom templates */
+export function mergeTemplates(builtIn: Template[], customFilePath?: string): Template[] {
+  if (!customFilePath) {
+    return builtIn;
+  }
+  const custom = loadCustomTemplates(customFilePath);
+  const byName = new Map<string, Template>();
+  builtIn.forEach((t) => byName.set(t.name, t));
+  custom.forEach((t) => byName.set(t.name, t));
+  return [...byName.values()];
+}
diff --git a/src/templates.ts b/src/templates.ts
index fef58e3..c8ebe65 100644
--- a/src/templates.ts
+++ b/src/templates.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,17 @@
-const templates = [
+export type Template = {
+  /** Template name */
+  name: string;
+  /** Template description */
+  description: string;
+  /** Template repository URL */
+  repo: string;
+  /** Template checkout options */
+  options?: string[];
+  /** Template package manager */
+  packageManager?: string;
+};
+
+export const defaultTemplates: Template[] = [
     {
         name: "starter",
         description: "A starter template for Patternfly react typescript project",
@@ -19,11 +32,11 @@ const templates = [
         packageManager: "yarn"
     },
     {
-        name: "ai_enabled_starter",
-        description: "A starter template for Patternfly ai enabled project",
-        repo: "https://github.com/patternfly/patternfly-react-seed.git",
-        options: ["--single-branch", "--branch", "ai_enabled"]
+        name: "rhoai_enabled_starter",
+        description: "A starter template for Red Hat Open AI enabled project",
+        repo: "https://gitlab.cee.redhat.com/uxd/prototypes/rhoai",
+        options: ["--single-branch", "--branch", "3.2"]
     }
 ]
 
-export default templates;
\ No newline at end of file
+export default defaultTemplates;
\ No newline at end of file