diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index d5863fc6..2fcaa693 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ path = "src/sirocco/__init__.py"
 extra-dependencies = [
     "ipdb"
 ]
+default-args = []
+extra-args = ["--doctest-modules"]
 
 [[tool.hatch.envs.hatch-test.matrix]]
 python = ["3.12"]
diff --git a/src/sirocco/parsing/_yaml_data_models.py b/src/sirocco/parsing/_yaml_data_models.py
index 976f7fa7..70642a20 100644
--- a/src/sirocco/parsing/_yaml_data_models.py
+++ b/src/sirocco/parsing/_yaml_data_models.py
@@ -8,7 +8,15 @@
 
 from isoduration import parse_duration
 from isoduration.types import Duration  # pydantic needs type # noqa: TCH002
-from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Discriminator, Field, Tag, field_validator, model_validator
+from pydantic import (
+    BaseModel,
+    ConfigDict,
+    Discriminator,
+    Field,
+    Tag,
+    field_validator,
+    model_validator,
+)
 
 from sirocco.parsing._utils import TimeUtils
 
@@ -387,6 +395,39 @@ def get_plugin_from_named_base_model(data: dict) -> str:
 
 
 class ConfigWorkflow(BaseModel):
+    """
+    The root of the configuration tree.
+
+    Examples:
+
+        minimal yaml to generate:
+
+            >>> import textwrap
+            >>> import pydantic_yaml
+            >>> config = textwrap.dedent(
+            ...     '''
+            ...     cycles:
+            ...       - minimal_cycle:
+            ...           tasks:
+            ...             - task_a:
+            ...     tasks:
+            ...       - task_b:
+            ...           plugin: shell
+            ...     data:
+            ...       available:
+            ...         - foo:
+            ...       generated:
+            ...         - bar:
+            ...     '''
+            ... )
+            >>> wf = pydantic_yaml.parse_yaml_raw_as(ConfigWorkflow, config)
+
+        minimum programmatically created instance
+
+            >>> empty_wf = ConfigWorkflow(cycles=[], tasks=[], data={})
+
+    """
+
     name: str | None = None
     rootdir: Path | None = None
     cycles: list[ConfigCycle]
diff --git a/src/sirocco/pretty_print.py b/src/sirocco/pretty_print.py
index 4100b15c..cf482f51 100644
--- a/src/sirocco/pretty_print.py
+++ b/src/sirocco/pretty_print.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def as_block(self, header: str, body: str) -> str:
 
         Example:
 
-        >>> print(PrettyPrinter().as_block("header", "foo\nbar"))
+        >>> print(PrettyPrinter().as_block("header", "foo\\nbar"))
         header:
           foo
           bar
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def as_item(self, content: str) -> str:
         - foo
 
         >>> pp = PrettyPrinter()
-        >>> print(pp.as_item(pp.as_block("header", "multiple\nlines\nof text")))
+        >>> print(pp.as_item(pp.as_block("header", "multiple\\nlines\\nof text")))
         - header:
             multiple
             lines
@@ -87,14 +87,13 @@ def format_basic(self, obj: core.GraphItem) -> str:
         >>> from datetime import datetime
         >>> print(
         ...     PrettyPrinter().format_basic(
-        ...         Task(
-        ...             name=foo,
+        ...         core.Task(
+        ...             name="foo",
         ...             coordinates={"date": datetime(1000, 1, 1).date()},
-        ...             workflow=None,
         ...         )
         ...     )
         ... )
-        foo [1000-01-01]
+        foo [date: 1000-01-01]
         """
         name = obj.name
         if obj.coordinates:
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/__init__.py b/tests/unit_tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/core/__init__.py b/tests/unit_tests/core/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/core/test_workflow.py b/tests/unit_tests/core/test_workflow.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ab1394fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/core/test_workflow.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+from sirocco import pretty_print
+from sirocco.core import workflow
+from sirocco.parsing import _yaml_data_models as models
+
+
+def test_minimal_workflow():
+    minimal_config = models.ConfigWorkflow(
+        cycles=[],
+        tasks=[{"some_task": {"plugin": "shell"}}],
+        data=models.ConfigData(
+            available=[models.ConfigAvailableData(foo={})],
+            generated=[models.ConfigGeneratedData(bar={})],
+        ),
+    )
+
+    testee = workflow.Workflow(minimal_config)
+
+    pretty_print.PrettyPrinter().format(testee)
+
+    assert testee.name is None
+    assert len(list(testee.tasks)) == 0
+    assert len(list(testee.cycles)) == 0
+    assert testee.data[("foo", {})].available
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/parsing/__init__.py b/tests/unit_tests/parsing/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/parsing/test_yaml_data_models.py b/tests/unit_tests/parsing/test_yaml_data_models.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..27464f60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/parsing/test_yaml_data_models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import textwrap
+
+from sirocco.parsing import _yaml_data_models as models
+
+
+def test_workflow_test_internal_dicts():
+    testee = models.ConfigWorkflow(
+        cycles=[],
+        tasks=[{"some_task": {"plugin": "shell"}}],
+        data=models.ConfigData(
+            available=[models.ConfigAvailableData(foo={})],
+            generated=[models.ConfigGeneratedData(bar={})],
+        ),
+    )
+    assert testee.data_dict["foo"].name == "foo"
+    assert testee.data_dict["bar"].name == "bar"
+    assert testee.task_dict["some_task"].name == "some_task"
+
+
+def test_load_workflow_config(tmp_path):
+    minimal_config = textwrap.dedent(
+        """
+        cycles:
+          - minimal:
+              tasks:
+                - a:
+        tasks:
+          - b:
+              plugin: shell
+        data:
+          available:
+            - c:
+          generated:
+            - d:
+        """
+    )
+    minimal = tmp_path / "minimal.yml"
+    minimal.write_text(minimal_config)
+    testee = models.load_workflow_config(str(minimal))
+    assert testee.name == "minimal"
+    assert testee.rootdir == tmp_path