diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 85599c8..b29787f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -17,3 +17,6 @@
 composer.phar
 composer.lock
 /vendor/
+
+# allow developer to have local config
+/configs/localdev.config.php
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 804300d..ad591ef 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ COMPOSER_ONLY_APPS = \
 # App directories that need nothing to build (no changes made during build)
 NOTHING_TO_BUILD_APPS = \
 
+# Apps with special build targets (not in the standard categories above)
+# These apps have dedicated build_<app>_app targets with custom build logic
+SPECIAL_BUILD_APPS = \
+	notify_push
+
 # Apps to be removed from final package (read from removed-apps.txt)
 REMOVE_UNWANTED_APPS = $(shell [ -f IONOS/removed-apps.txt ] && sed '/^#/d;/^$$/d;s/^/apps\//' IONOS/removed-apps.txt || echo "")
 
@@ -67,13 +72,14 @@ REMOVE_UNWANTED_APPS = $(shell [ -f IONOS/removed-apps.txt ] && sed '/^#/d;/^$$/
 FULL_BUILD_TARGETS = $(patsubst %,build_%_app,$(FULL_BUILD_APPS))
 COMPOSER_ONLY_TARGETS = $(patsubst %,build_%_app,$(COMPOSER_ONLY_APPS))
 NOTHING_TO_BUILD_TARGETS = $(patsubst %,build_%_app,$(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_APPS))
+SPECIAL_BUILD_TARGETS = $(patsubst %,build_%_app,$(SPECIAL_BUILD_APPS))
 
 # Core build targets
-.PHONY: help
+.PHONY: help .precheck
 # Main Nextcloud build
 .PHONY: build_ncw
 # Applications - dynamically generated
-.PHONY: build_all_external_apps build_notify_push_app build_notify_push_binary build_core_app_theming $(FULL_BUILD_TARGETS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_TARGETS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_TARGETS)
+.PHONY: build_all_external_apps build_notify_push_binary build_core_app_theming $(FULL_BUILD_TARGETS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_TARGETS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_TARGETS) $(SPECIAL_BUILD_TARGETS)
 # Configuration and packaging
 .PHONY: add_config_partials patch_shipped_json version.json zip_dependencies
 # Pipeline targets for GitLab workflow
@@ -83,7 +89,7 @@ NOTHING_TO_BUILD_TARGETS = $(patsubst %,build_%_app,$(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_APPS))
 # Validation targets
 .PHONY: validate_external_apps validate_all
 # Matrix generation
-.PHONY: generate_external_apps_matrix
+.PHONY: generate_external_apps_matrix generate_external_apps_matrix_json
 
 help: ## This help.
 	@echo "Usage: make [target]"
@@ -104,11 +110,52 @@ help: ## This help.
 	@echo "  validate_all               Run all validation tasks"
 	@echo "Matrix generation targets:"
 	@echo "  generate_external_apps_matrix  Generate external apps matrix YAML file"
+	@echo "  generate_external_apps_matrix_json  Generate external apps matrix JSON file"
 # HELP
 # This will output the help for each task
 # thanks to https://marmelab.com/blog/2016/02/29/auto-documented-makefile.html
 .DEFAULT_GOAL := help
 
+.precheck:
+	@{ \
+		if [ ! -d "apps-external" ]; then \
+			echo ""; \
+			echo "**********************************************************************"; \
+			echo "ERROR: apps-external/ directory not found!"; \
+			echo ""; \
+			echo "This Makefile must be executed from the Nextcloud project root."; \
+			echo "Usage: make -f IONOS/Makefile <target>"; \
+			echo "**********************************************************************"; \
+			echo ""; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi; \
+		if ! test -f "version.php" || ! test -d "lib" || ! test -d "core"; then \
+			echo ""; \
+			echo "**********************************************************************"; \
+			echo "ERROR: Required Nextcloud directories/files not found!"; \
+			echo ""; \
+			echo "This doesn't appear to be a valid Nextcloud project directory."; \
+			echo "Usage: make -f IONOS/Makefile <target>"; \
+			echo "**********************************************************************"; \
+			echo ""; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi; \
+		if ! command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+			echo ""; \
+			echo "**********************************************************************"; \
+			echo "ERROR: jq is not installed!"; \
+			echo ""; \
+			echo "jq is required for JSON processing in this Makefile."; \
+			echo "Please install jq:"; \
+			echo "  - Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt-get install jq"; \
+			echo "  - macOS: brew install jq"; \
+			echo "  - Other: https://jqlang.github.io/jq/download/"; \
+			echo "**********************************************************************"; \
+			echo ""; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi; \
+	} >&2
+
 # Common function to build apps with full build process
 define build_full_app
 	@echo "[i] Building $(1) app..."
@@ -127,13 +174,13 @@ define build_composer_app
 	@echo "[✓] $(1) app built successfully"
 endef
 
-build_core_app_theming: ## Build theming app
+build_core_app_theming: .precheck ## Build theming app
 	@echo "[i] Building theming app..."
 	cd apps/theming/composer && \
 		composer dump-autoload --optimize
 	@echo "[✓] theming app built successfully"
 
-build_ncw: build_core_app_theming ## Build Nextcloud Workspace
+build_ncw: .precheck build_core_app_theming ## Build Nextcloud Workspace
 #	composer install --no-dev -o && \
 #	npm ci && \
 #	NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=4096" npm run build
@@ -173,16 +220,16 @@ $(NOTIFY_PUSH_DIR)/vendor/autoload.php: $(NOTIFY_PUSH_DIR)/composer.json
 build_notify_push_binary: $(NOTIFY_PUSH_BINARY) ## Download notify_push binary
 	@echo "[i] notify_push binary ready"
 
-add_config_partials: ## Copy custom config files to Nextcloud config
+add_config_partials: .precheck ## Copy custom config files to Nextcloud config
 	@echo "[i] Copying config files..."
 	cp IONOS/configs/*.config.php config/
 	@echo "[✓] Config files copied successfully"
 
-patch_shipped_json: ## Patch shipped.json to make core apps disableable
+patch_shipped_json: .precheck ## Patch shipped.json to make core apps disableable
 	@echo "[i] Patching shipped.json..."
 	IONOS/apps-disable.sh
 
-version.json: ## Generate version file
+version.json: .precheck ## Generate version file
 	@echo "[i] Generating version.json..."
 	buildDate=$$(date +%s) && \
 	buildRef=$$(git rev-parse --short HEAD) && \
@@ -247,7 +294,7 @@ zip_dependencies: patch_shipped_json version.json ## Zip relevant files
 	@echo "[i] Package $(TARGET_PACKAGE_NAME) created successfully"
 
 # Parallel build targets
-build_all_external_apps: $(FULL_BUILD_TARGETS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_TARGETS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_TARGETS) build_notify_push_app ## Build all external apps
+build_all_external_apps: $(FULL_BUILD_TARGETS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_TARGETS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_TARGETS) $(SPECIAL_BUILD_TARGETS) ## Build all external apps
 	@echo "[i] All external apps built successfully"
 
 build_after_external_apps: build_ncw add_config_partials ## Build NCW and add configs after external apps are done
@@ -269,7 +316,7 @@ clean: ## Clean build artifacts
 	@rm -f $(NOTIFY_PUSH_BINARY) $(NOTIFY_PUSH_BINARY).sha256
 	@echo "[✓] Clean completed"
 
-validate_external_apps: ## Validate and suggest proper categorization for external apps
+validate_external_apps: .precheck ## Validate and suggest proper categorization for external apps
 	@echo "[i] Analyzing external apps to suggest proper build configuration..."
 	@echo "[i] Checking all apps in apps-external directory..."
 	@bash -c ' \
@@ -336,7 +383,7 @@ validate_external_apps: ## Validate and suggest proper categorization for extern
 	echo ""; \
 	echo "[i] Checking configured apps for missing submodules..."; \
 	\
-	for app in $(FULL_BUILD_APPS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_APPS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_APPS); do \
+	for app in $(FULL_BUILD_APPS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_APPS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_APPS) $(SPECIAL_BUILD_APPS); do \
 		if [ ! -d "apps-external/$$app" ]; then \
 			echo "  ❌ ERROR: App $$app is configured but directory does not exist"; \
 			validation_failed=1; \
@@ -574,18 +621,20 @@ validate_external_apps: ## Validate and suggest proper categorization for extern
 		exit 1; \
 	fi'
 
-validate_all: ## Run all validation tasks
+validate_all: .precheck ## Run all validation tasks
 	@echo "[i] Running validation..."
 	@$(MAKE) -f IONOS/Makefile validate_external_apps
 	@echo "[✓] Validation completed successfully"
 
-generate_external_apps_matrix: ## Generate external-apps-matrix.yml file with app configuration details
-	@echo "[i] Generating external apps matrix YAML file..."
+generate_external_apps_matrix: .precheck ## Generate external-apps-matrix.yml file with app configuration details
+	@echo "[i] Generating external apps matrix YAML file..." >&2
 	@echo "apps-external:"
 	@bash -c ' \
 	# Process all configured apps \
-	all_configured_apps="$(FULL_BUILD_APPS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_APPS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_APPS) notify_push"; \
-	for app in $$all_configured_apps; do \
+	all_configured_apps="$(FULL_BUILD_APPS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_APPS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_APPS) $(SPECIAL_BUILD_APPS)"; \
+	# Sort apps alphabetically \
+	sorted_apps=$$(echo $$all_configured_apps | tr " " "\n" | sort | tr "\n" " "); \
+	for app in $$sorted_apps; do \
 		if [ -d "apps-external/$$app" ]; then \
 			echo "  - name: $$app"; \
 			echo "    path: apps-external/$$app"; \
@@ -610,3 +659,47 @@ generate_external_apps_matrix: ## Generate external-apps-matrix.yml file with ap
 			echo ""; \
 		fi; \
 	done'
+
+generate_external_apps_matrix_json: .precheck ## Generate external-apps-matrix.json file with app configuration details
+	@echo "[i] Generating external apps matrix JSON file..." >&2
+	@bash -c ' \
+	# Process all configured apps \
+	all_configured_apps="$(FULL_BUILD_APPS) $(COMPOSER_ONLY_APPS) $(NOTHING_TO_BUILD_APPS) $(SPECIAL_BUILD_APPS)"; \
+	echo "["; \
+	first=true; \
+	found_any=false; \
+	for app in $$all_configured_apps; do \
+		if [ -d "apps-external/$$app" ]; then \
+			found_any=true; \
+			if [ "$$first" = true ]; then \
+				first=false; \
+			else \
+				echo "  },"; \
+			fi; \
+			echo "  {"; \
+			echo "    \"name\": \"$$app\","; \
+			echo "    \"path\": \"apps-external/$$app\","; \
+			\
+			# Check for npm (package.json) \
+			if [ -f "apps-external/$$app/package.json" ]; then \
+				echo "    \"has_npm\": true,"; \
+			else \
+				echo "    \"has_npm\": false,"; \
+			fi; \
+			\
+			# Check for composer (composer.json) \
+			if [ -f "apps-external/$$app/composer.json" ]; then \
+				echo "    \"has_composer\": true,"; \
+			else \
+				echo "    \"has_composer\": false,"; \
+			fi; \
+			\
+			# Determine makefile target \
+			makefile_target="build_$${app}_app"; \
+			echo "    \"makefile_target\": \"$$makefile_target\""; \
+		fi; \
+	done; \
+	if [ "$$found_any" = true ]; then \
+		echo "  }"; \
+	fi; \
+	echo "]"' | jq 'sort_by(.name)'