diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
index ff6c6f4e..33cb82ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
@@ -4,11 +4,17 @@ on:
   push:
     branches: [main]
     paths:
-      - '.github/workflows/lint.yml'
+      - '.github/workflows/*.yml'
+      - '.github/workflows/*.yaml'
+      - '*.yml'
+      - '*.yaml'
   pull_request:
     branches: [main]
     paths:
-      - '.github/workflows/lint.yml'
+      - '.github/workflows/*.yml'
+      - '.github/workflows/*.yaml'
+      - '*.yml'
+      - '*.yaml'
 
 jobs:
   yaml-lint:
@@ -17,13 +23,85 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Set up Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
-          node-version: "20"
+          python-version: "3.x"
 
-      - name: Install YAML linter
-        run: npm install -g yaml-lint
+      - name: Install yamllint
+        run: pip install yamllint
 
-      - name: Lint YAML files
-        run: yamllint .github/workflows/*.{yml,yaml}
+      - name: Create yamllint config
+        run: |
+          cat > .yamllint.yml << 'EOF'
+          extends: default
+          rules:
+            line-length:
+              max: 120
+              level: warning
+            comments:
+              min-spaces-from-content: 1
+            braces:
+              max-spaces-inside: 1
+              max-spaces-inside-empty: 0
+            brackets:
+              max-spaces-inside: 1
+              max-spaces-inside-empty: 0
+            indentation:
+              spaces: 2
+          EOF
+
+      - name: Lint GitHub Actions workflows
+        run: |
+          echo "🔍 Linting GitHub Actions workflows..."
+          if ! yamllint .github/workflows/; then
+            echo "❌ YAML lint errors found in workflows"
+            echo "::error::YAML formatting issues in GitHub Actions workflows"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "✅ All workflow files passed YAML linting"
+
+      - name: Lint other YAML files
+        run: |
+          echo "🔍 Linting other YAML files..."
+          # Find all YAML files in repo (excluding node_modules, .git, etc.)
+          YAML_FILES=$(find . -name "*.yml" -o -name "*.yaml" | grep -v -E '(node_modules|\.git|\.venv|dist)' | grep -v '.yamllint.yml')
+          
+          if [ -z "$YAML_FILES" ]; then
+            echo "ℹ️ No additional YAML files found"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          
+          echo "Found YAML files: $YAML_FILES"
+          
+          if ! echo "$YAML_FILES" | xargs yamllint; then
+            echo "❌ YAML lint errors found in project files"
+            echo "::error::YAML formatting issues in project files"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "✅ All project YAML files passed linting"
+
+      - name: Validate workflow syntax
+        run: |
+          echo "🔍 Validating GitHub Actions workflow syntax..."
+          # Use GitHub's own action syntax validation
+          for file in .github/workflows/*.yml .github/workflows/*.yaml; do
+            if [[ -f "$file" ]]; then
+              echo "Validating $file..."
+              # Basic syntax check - yamllint already validated YAML syntax
+              # Check for required fields
+              if ! grep -q "^name:" "$file"; then
+                echo "::error file=$file::Missing required 'name' field"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              if ! grep -q "^on:" "$file"; then
+                echo "::error file=$file::Missing required 'on' field" 
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              if ! grep -q "^jobs:" "$file"; then
+                echo "::error file=$file::Missing required 'jobs' field"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+            fi
+          done
+          echo "✅ All workflows have required structure"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-templates.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-templates.yml
index 2a6cb619..105e73a5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-templates.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-templates.yml
@@ -176,4 +176,35 @@ jobs:
             owner: context.repo.owner,
             repo: context.repo.repo,
             body: comment
-          });
\ No newline at end of file
+          });
+    
+    - name: Validation Summary
+      if: always()
+      run: |
+        echo "📊 Template Validation Summary"
+        echo "============================="
+        
+        # Collect status from all steps
+        VALIDATION_STATUS="${{ steps.validation.outputs.validation_status || 'not-run' }}"
+        THIRD_PARTY_FOUND="${{ steps.third_party_check.outputs.third_party_found || 'false' }}"
+        THUMBNAIL_ISSUES="${{ steps.thumbnail_check.outputs.thumbnail_issues || 'false' }}"
+        
+        echo "🔍 Schema & Structure Validation: $VALIDATION_STATUS"
+        echo "📄 JSON Syntax Check: $([ '${{ steps.json-check.outcome }}' = 'success' ] && echo 'passed' || echo 'failed')"
+        echo "📏 File Size Check: $([ '${{ steps.size-check.outcome }}' = 'success' ] && echo 'completed' || echo 'failed')"
+        echo "🔧 Third-party Nodes: $([ '$THIRD_PARTY_FOUND' = 'true' ] && echo 'found (warning)' || echo 'clean')"
+        echo "🖼️ Thumbnail Validation: $([ '$THUMBNAIL_ISSUES' = 'true' ] && echo 'issues found' || echo 'passed')"
+        
+        # Overall status
+        if [ "$VALIDATION_STATUS" = "passed" ] && [ "${{ steps.json-check.outcome }}" = "success" ]; then
+          if [ "$THIRD_PARTY_FOUND" = "true" ] || [ "$THUMBNAIL_ISSUES" = "true" ]; then
+            echo "::warning title=Validation Complete::✅ Core validation passed with warnings"
+            echo "🟡 Overall Status: PASSED WITH WARNINGS"
+          else
+            echo "::notice title=Validation Complete::✅ All validations passed successfully"
+            echo "🟢 Overall Status: ALL CHECKS PASSED"
+          fi
+        else
+          echo "::error title=Validation Complete::❌ Validation failed - issues must be resolved"
+          echo "🔴 Overall Status: FAILED"
+        fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/validate_templates.py b/scripts/validate_templates.py
index d625d279..46337764 100755
--- a/scripts/validate_templates.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_templates.py
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ def load_json(file_path: Path) -> Dict:
         return json.load(f)
 
 
-def validate_schema(index_data: List[Dict], schema_path: Path) -> Tuple[bool, List[str]]:
-    """Validate index.json against JSON schema."""
+def validate_schema(index_data: List[Dict], schema_path: Path, file_name: str = "index.json") -> Tuple[bool, List[str]]:
+    """Validate index.json against JSON schema with enhanced error reporting."""
     errors = []
     
     try:
@@ -31,12 +31,31 @@ def validate_schema(index_data: List[Dict], schema_path: Path) -> Tuple[bool, Li
         jsonschema.validate(instance=index_data, schema=schema)
         return True, []
     except jsonschema.ValidationError as e:
-        errors.append(f"Schema validation error: {e.message}")
-        if e.path:
-            errors.append(f"  at path: {'.'.join(str(p) for p in e.path)}")
+        # Enhanced error reporting for GitHub Actions
+        path_str = ".".join(str(p) for p in e.path) if e.path else "root"
+        error_msg = f"Schema validation error at {path_str}: {e.message}"
+        
+        # Try to find the specific template name if error is in a template
+        if e.path and len(e.path) >= 3 and e.path[1] == "templates":
+            try:
+                category_idx = e.path[0]
+                template_idx = e.path[2]
+                template_name = index_data[category_idx]["templates"][template_idx].get("name", "unknown")
+                error_msg = f"Template '{template_name}': {e.message}"
+            except (IndexError, KeyError, TypeError):
+                pass
+        
+        errors.append(error_msg)
+        
+        # Add validation context
+        if hasattr(e, 'absolute_path'):
+            errors.append(f"  Path: {'.'.join(str(p) for p in e.absolute_path)}")
+        if hasattr(e, 'schema_path'):
+            errors.append(f"  Schema rule: {'.'.join(str(p) for p in e.schema_path)}")
+            
         return False, errors
     except Exception as e:
-        errors.append(f"Unexpected error during validation: {str(e)}")
+        errors.append(f"Unexpected error during schema validation: {str(e)}")
         return False, errors
 
 
@@ -327,6 +346,9 @@ def main():
     all_errors = []
     all_warnings = []
     
+    # Check for GitHub Actions environment
+    is_github_actions = os.environ.get('GITHUB_ACTIONS') == 'true'
+    
     # Run validations
     print("\n1️⃣  Validating all index files against JSON schema...")
     schema_all_valid = True
@@ -334,18 +356,26 @@ def main():
         print(f"   Validating {index_file.name}...")
         try:
             index_data = load_json(index_file)
-            valid, errors = validate_schema(index_data, schema_path)
+            valid, errors = validate_schema(index_data, schema_path, index_file.name)
             if valid:
                 print(f"     ✅ {index_file.name} schema validation passed")
+                # GitHub Actions annotation for success
+                if is_github_actions:
+                    print(f"::notice file=templates/{index_file.name}::Schema validation passed")
             else:
                 print(f"     ❌ {index_file.name} schema validation failed")
                 schema_all_valid = False
-                # Prefix errors with filename for clarity
-                prefixed_errors = [f"{index_file.name}: {error}" for error in errors]
-                all_errors.extend(prefixed_errors)
+                # Enhanced GitHub Actions annotations
+                for error in errors:
+                    if is_github_actions:
+                        print(f"::error file=templates/{index_file.name}::{error}")
+                    all_errors.append(f"{index_file.name}: {error}")
         except Exception as e:
             print(f"     ❌ Error loading {index_file.name}: {e}")
-            all_errors.append(f"{index_file.name}: Failed to load - {e}")
+            error_msg = f"Failed to load {index_file.name}: {e}"
+            if is_github_actions:
+                print(f"::error file=templates/{index_file.name}::{error_msg}")
+            all_errors.append(error_msg)
             schema_all_valid = False
     
     if schema_all_valid:
@@ -388,30 +418,66 @@ def main():
         print("   ❌ Templates using deprecated top-level models format found")
         all_errors.extend(errors)
     
-    # Print warnings
+    # Print warnings with enhanced annotations
     if all_warnings:
-        print("\nWarnings:")
+        print(f"\nWarnings ({len(all_warnings)}):")
         for warning in all_warnings:
             print(f"  ⚠️  {warning}")
-            # GitHub Actions annotation
+            # Enhanced GitHub Actions annotation with better categorization
             if is_github_actions:
-                print(f"::warning file=templates/index.json::{warning}")
+                if "not referenced" in warning.lower():
+                    print(f"::warning file=templates/index.json,title=Orphaned File::{warning}")
+                elif "missing" in warning.lower():
+                    print(f"::warning file=templates/index.json,title=Missing File::{warning}")
+                else:
+                    print(f"::warning file=templates/index.json::{warning}")
     
-    # Summary
+    # Summary with detailed GitHub Actions annotations
     print("\n" + "="*50)
     if all_errors:
-        print(f"❌ Validation failed with {len(all_errors)} error(s):\n")
-        for error in all_errors:
-            print(f"   • {error}")
-            # GitHub Actions annotation for errors
-            if is_github_actions:
-                print(f"::error file=templates/index.json::{error}")
+        print(f"❌ Validation failed with {len(all_errors)} error(s):")
+        
+        # Categorize errors for better reporting
+        schema_errors = [e for e in all_errors if "schema" in e.lower()]
+        file_errors = [e for e in all_errors if "not found" in e.lower() or "missing" in e.lower()]
+        other_errors = [e for e in all_errors if e not in schema_errors and e not in file_errors]
+        
+        if schema_errors:
+            print(f"\n📋 Schema Errors ({len(schema_errors)}):")
+            for error in schema_errors:
+                print(f"   • {error}")
+        
+        if file_errors:
+            print(f"\n📁 File Errors ({len(file_errors)}):")
+            for error in file_errors:
+                print(f"   • {error}")
+        
+        if other_errors:
+            print(f"\n🔧 Other Errors ({len(other_errors)}):")
+            for error in other_errors:
+                print(f"   • {error}")
+        
+        # GitHub Actions summary annotation
+        if is_github_actions:
+            error_summary = f"Validation failed: {len(schema_errors)} schema, {len(file_errors)} file, {len(other_errors)} other errors"
+            print(f"::error title=Validation Failed::{error_summary}")
+        
         return 1
     else:
+        success_msg = f"✅ All validations passed!"
         if all_warnings:
-            print(f"✅ All validations passed with {len(all_warnings)} warning(s)!")
-        else:
-            print("✅ All validations passed!")
+            success_msg = f"✅ All validations passed with {len(all_warnings)} warning(s)!"
+        
+        print(success_msg)
+        
+        # GitHub Actions success annotation
+        if is_github_actions:
+            files_validated = len(index_files)
+            summary = f"Successfully validated {files_validated} index files"
+            if all_warnings:
+                summary += f" with {len(all_warnings)} warnings"
+            print(f"::notice title=Validation Success::{summary}")
+        
         return 0