diff --git a/.github/workflows/validation.yml b/.github/workflows/validation.yml
index ee554f9f59..98e9935904 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validation.yml
@@ -27,10 +27,8 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
           node-version: 22
-      - name: Install dependencies
-        run: npm install `cat npm-requirements.txt`
       - name: Run style checks
-        run: npx remark src/**/*.md --frail --rc-path .remarkrc
+        run: make remark
 
   # YAML
   yamllint:
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index d233723fb8..21bcfd6341 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ repos:
           - click
           - markdown-it-py
           - importlib_resources
+          - jinja2
           - pandas-stubs
           - pyparsing
           - pytest
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a56b672d82..76de5d4056 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-.PHONY:  tools/contributors.tsv
-
 validate_citation_cff: CITATION.cff
 	cffconvert --validate
 
@@ -8,12 +6,13 @@ update_contributors:
 	python tools/print_contributors.py
 	yarn all-contributors generate
 
+.PHONY: runprettier
 runprettier:
 	prettier --write "src/schema/**/*.yaml"
 	python3 -m yamllint -f standard src/schema/ -c .yamllint.yml
 
+.PHONY: commitschema
 SCHEMA_CHANGES := $(shell git diff --name-only | grep src/schema/*.yaml)
-
 commitschema:
 	@echo SCHEMA_CHANGES $(SCHEMA_CHANGES)
 	git add src/schema/*.yaml && \
@@ -23,6 +22,9 @@ commitschema:
 
 formatschema: runprettier commitschema
 
-all:
+# check style of all markdown files
+node_modules: npm-requirements.txt
+	npm install `cat npm-requirements.txt`
 
-.PHONY: runprettier commitschema
+remark: node_modules
+	npx remark src/**/*.md --frail --rc-path .remarkrc
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/pyproject.toml b/tools/schemacode/pyproject.toml
index 7e7b10fc52..8801d3357c 100644
--- a/tools/schemacode/pyproject.toml
+++ b/tools/schemacode/pyproject.toml
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ expressions = ["pyparsing"]
 render = [
     "tabulate",
     "pandas",
-    "markdown-it-py"
+    "markdown-it-py",
+    "jinja2"
 ]
 tests = [
     "bidsschematools[expressions,render]",
@@ -68,7 +69,8 @@ bidsschematools = [
     "data/schema/BIDS_VERSION",
     "data/schema/SCHEMA_VERSION",
     "data/schema/**/*.yaml",
-    "tests/data/*"
+    "tests/data/*",
+    "render/templates/*"
 ]
 
 [tool.black]
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/common_principle.jinja b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/common_principle.jinja
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bad215ae02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/common_principle.jinja
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{% for principle in principles %}
+1. **{{ principle.display_name }}** - {{ principle.description }}
+
+{% endfor %}
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/entity_definition.jinja b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/entity_definition.jinja
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39aac1a76c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/entity_definition.jinja
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+
+## {{ entity.name }}
+
+**Full name**: {{ entity.display_name }}
+
+**Format**: `{{ entity.name }}-<{{ entity.format }}>`
+{% if entity.allowed_values %}
+**Allowed values**: `{% for value in allowed_values %}{{ value }}{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %}`
+{% endif %}
+**Definition**: {{ entity.description }}
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/glossary.jinja b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/glossary.jinja
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..814dffaa41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/templates/glossary.jinja
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+
+<a name="{{ obj['key'] }}"></a>
+## {{ obj_key }}
+
+**Name**: {{ obj_def['display_name'] }}
+
+**Type**: {{ obj['type'].title() }}
+{% if obj["type"] == "suffix" %}
+**Format**: `<entities>_{{ obj_def['value'] }}.<extension>`
+{% elif obj["type"] == "extension" %}
+**Format**: `<entities>_<suffix>{{ obj_def['value'] }}`
+{% elif obj["type"] == "format" %}
+**Regular expression**: `{{ obj_def['pattern'] }}`
+{% endif %}
+
+{% if levels %}
+**Allowed values**: `{% for level in levels %}{{ level }}{% if not loop.last %}`, `{% endif %}{% endfor %}`
+{% endif %}
+
+**Description**:
+{{ obj_desc }}
+
+{% if reduced_obj_def %}
+**Schema information**:
+```yml
+{{ reduced_obj_def }}
+```
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/text.py b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/text.py
index d6945526ae..90e8d01481 100644
--- a/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/text.py
+++ b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/render/text.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """Functions for rendering portions of the schema as text."""
 
+from pathlib import Path
+
 import yaml
+from jinja2 import Template
 from markdown_it import MarkdownIt
 
 from bidsschematools.render import utils
@@ -26,6 +29,8 @@
     "suffixes": "suffix",
 }
 
+TEMPLATE_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / "templates"
+
 
 def make_entity_definitions(schema, src_path=None):
     """Generate definitions and other relevant information for entities in the specification.
@@ -50,37 +55,32 @@ def make_entity_definitions(schema, src_path=None):
     text = ""
     for entity in entity_order:
         entity_info = entity_definitions[entity]
-        entity_text = _make_entity_definition(entity, entity_info)
-        text += "\n" + entity_text
+        text += _make_entity_definition(entity_info)
 
-    text = text.replace("SPEC_ROOT", utils.get_relpath(src_path))
-    return text
+    return text.replace("SPEC_ROOT", utils.get_relpath(src_path))
 
 
-def _make_entity_definition(entity, entity_info):
-    """Describe an entity."""
-    entity_shorthand = entity_info["name"]
-    text = ""
-    text += f"## {entity_shorthand}"
-    text += "\n\n"
-    text += f"**Full name**: {entity_info['display_name']}"
-    text += "\n\n"
-    text += f"**Format**: `{entity_info['name']}-<{entity_info.get('format', 'label')}>`"
-    text += "\n\n"
-    if "enum" in entity_info.keys():
-        allowed_values = []
+def _make_entity_definition(entity_info):
+    """Generate markdown description for an entity."""
+    # Prepare data for template rendering
+    entity_info.format = entity_info.get("format", "label")
+
+    # Prepare enum values if present
+    allowed_values = []
+    if "enum" in entity_info:
         for value in entity_info["enum"]:
             if isinstance(value, str):
                 allowed_values.append(value)
-            else:
+            elif isinstance(value, dict) and "name" in value:
                 allowed_values.append(value["name"])
+            else:
+                allowed_values.append(str(value))  # Fallback to string
+    entity_info.allowed_values = allowed_values
 
-        text += f"**Allowed values**: `{'`, `'.join(allowed_values)}`"
-        text += "\n\n"
-
-    description = entity_info["description"]
-    text += f"**Definition**: {description}"
-    return text
+    with (TEMPLATE_DIR / "entity_definition.jinja").open("r") as f:
+        template_str = f.read()
+    template = Template(template_str)
+    return template.render(entity=entity_info)
 
 
 def make_glossary(schema, src_path=None):
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ def make_glossary(schema, src_path=None):
     all_objects = {}
     schema = schema.to_dict()
 
+    with (TEMPLATE_DIR / "glossary.jinja").open("r") as f:
+        template_str = f.read()
+
     for group, group_objects in schema["objects"].items():
         group_obj_keys = list(group_objects.keys())
 
@@ -142,27 +145,20 @@ def make_glossary(schema, src_path=None):
     text = ""
     for obj_key in sorted(all_objects.keys()):
         obj = all_objects[obj_key]
-        obj_marker = obj["key"]
+
         obj_def = obj.get("definition", None)
         if obj_def is None:
-            raise ValueError(f"{obj_marker} has no definition.")
+            raise ValueError(f"{obj['key']} has no definition.")
 
         # Clean up the text description
         obj_desc = obj_def.get("description", None)
         if obj_desc is None:
-            raise ValueError(f"{obj_marker} has no description.")
-
-        text += f'\n<a name="{obj_marker}"></a>'
-        text += f"\n## {obj_key}\n\n"
-        text += f"**Name**: {obj_def['display_name']}\n\n"
-        text += f"**Type**: {obj['type'].title()}\n\n"
+            raise ValueError(f"{obj['key']} has no description.")
+        obj_desc = MarkdownIt().render(f"{obj_desc}")
 
-        if obj["type"] == "suffix":
-            text += f"**Format**: `<entities>_{obj_def['value']}.<extension>`\n\n"
-        elif obj["type"] == "extension":
-            text += f"**Format**: `<entities>_<suffix>{obj_def['value']}`\n\n"
-        elif obj["type"] == "format":
-            text += f"**Regular expression**: `{obj_def['pattern']}`\n\n"
+        levels = list(obj_def.get("enum", []) or obj_def.get("definition", {}).get("Levels", {}))
+        if levels:
+            levels = [level["name"] if isinstance(level, dict) else level for level in levels]
 
         keys_to_drop = [
             "description",
@@ -173,20 +169,19 @@ def make_glossary(schema, src_path=None):
             "enum",
             "definition",
         ]
-        levels = list(obj_def.get("enum", []) or obj_def.get("definition", {}).get("Levels", {}))
-        if levels:
-            levels = [level["name"] if isinstance(level, dict) else level for level in levels]
-            text += f"**Allowed values**: `{'`, `'.join(levels)}`\n\n"
-
-        # Convert description into markdown and append to text
-        obj_desc = MarkdownIt().render(f"**Description**:\n{obj_desc}")
-        text += f"{obj_desc}\n\n"
-
         reduced_obj_def = {k: v for k, v in obj_def.items() if k not in keys_to_drop}
-
         if reduced_obj_def:
             reduced_obj_def = yaml.dump(reduced_obj_def)
-            text += f"**Schema information**:\n```yaml\n{reduced_obj_def}\n```"
+
+        template = Template(template_str)
+        text += template.render(
+            obj_key=obj_key,
+            obj=obj,
+            obj_def=obj_def,
+            obj_desc=obj_desc,
+            levels=levels,
+            reduced_obj_def=reduced_obj_def,
+        )
 
     # Spec internal links need to be replaced
     text = text.replace("SPEC_ROOT", utils.get_relpath(src_path))
@@ -549,21 +544,19 @@ def define_common_principles(schema, src_path=None):
     string : str
         The definitions of the common principles in a multiline string.
     """
-    string = ""
+    # reorder the principles according to the order
     common_principles = schema["objects"]["common_principles"]
     order = schema["rules"]["common_principles"]
-    for i_prin, principle in enumerate(order):
-        principle_name = common_principles[principle]["display_name"]
-        substring = (
-            f"{i_prin + 1}. **{principle_name}** - {common_principles[principle]['description']}"
-        )
-        string += substring
-        if i_prin < len(order) - 1:
-            string += "\n\n"
+    principles = []
+    for principle in order:
+        principles.append(common_principles.get(principle))
 
-    string = string.replace("SPEC_ROOT", utils.get_relpath(src_path))
+    with (TEMPLATE_DIR / "common_principle.jinja").open("r") as f:
+        template_str = f.read()
+    template = Template(template_str)
+    text = template.render(principles=principles)
 
-    return string
+    return text.replace("SPEC_ROOT", utils.get_relpath(src_path))
 
 
 def define_allowed_top_directories(schema, src_path=None) -> str:
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/tests/test_render_text.py b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/tests/test_render_text.py
index 6f67567f1f..ba174c6199 100644
--- a/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/tests/test_render_text.py
+++ b/tools/schemacode/src/bidsschematools/tests/test_render_text.py
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ def test_make_entity_definitions(schema_obj):
     for expected_format in expected_formats:
         assert expected_format in schema_text
 
+    assert "**Definition**: A person or animal participating in the study." in schema_text
+
 
 def test_make_glossary(schema_obj, schema_dir):
     """
@@ -43,13 +45,13 @@ def test_make_glossary(schema_obj, schema_dir):
     """
     # Test consistency
     object_files = []
-    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(schema_dir, topdown=False):
+    for root, _, files in os.walk(schema_dir, topdown=False):
         if "objects" in root:
             for object_file in files:
                 object_base, _ = os.path.splitext(object_file)
                 object_files.append(object_base)
     rule_files = []
-    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(schema_dir, topdown=False):
+    for root, _, files in os.walk(schema_dir, topdown=False):
         if "rules" in root:
             for rule_file in files:
                 rule_base, _ = os.path.splitext(rule_file)
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ def test_make_glossary(schema_obj, schema_dir):
     rules_only = list(filter(lambda a: a not in object_files, rule_files))
 
     glossary = text.make_glossary(schema_obj)
+
     for line in glossary.split("\n"):
         if line.startswith('<a name="objects.'):
             # Are all objects objects?