diff --git a/.template.yaml b/.template.yaml
index a023b440..f8c8b1fc 100644
--- a/.template.yaml
+++ b/.template.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Autogenerated - DO NOT EDIT
 # Parameters of the project as generated from template
-_commit: 3bb6f60
+_commit: 33b991b
 _src_path: gh:kraysent/python-template
 project_name: db_app
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index 6be17313..e20ac83d 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ install-dev:
 	uv sync --all-extras
 
 check:
+	@output=$$(copier check-update --answers-file .template.yaml 2>&1) || true; \
+	if echo "$$output" | grep -q "up-to-date"; then \
+		true; \
+	elif echo "$$output" | grep -q "New template version"; then \
+		echo "Template update available, run make update-template"; \
+	else \
+		echo "$$output"; \
+	fi
 	@find . \
 		-name "*.py" \
 		-not -path "./.venv/*" \
@@ -17,6 +25,10 @@ check:
 	@uvx ruff check \
 		--quiet \
 		--config=pyproject.toml
+	@uv run pytest \
+		--quiet \
+		--config-file=pyproject.toml \
+		tests/env_test.py tests/unit
 
 fix:
 	@uvx ruff format \
@@ -32,6 +44,15 @@ build:
 	docker build . \
 		--platform linux/arm64
 
+new-branch:
+	@read -p "Branch name: " branch_name && \
+	branch_name=$${branch_name// /-} && \
+	base=$$(git remote show origin | sed -n '/HEAD branch/s/.*: //p') && \
+	echo "Selecting $$base branch as default" && \
+	git fetch origin $$base && \
+	git checkout -b $$branch_name origin/$$base && \
+	git push -u origin $$branch_name
+
 update-template:
 	copier update \
 		--skip-answered \
@@ -96,10 +117,6 @@ cleanup:
 ## Testing
 
 # pytest is used to run unittest test cases
-test: check
-	uv run pytest --config-file=pyproject.toml tests/env_test.py
-	uv run pytest --config-file=pyproject.toml tests/unit
-
 test-all: check
 	@uv run pytest \
 		--config-file=pyproject.toml \
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index eef2dc31..dd1d7610 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -53,8 +53,14 @@ test = [
     "testcontainers-postgres>=0.0.1rc1",
 ]
 
+[tool.pytest.ini_options]
+pythonpath = ["."]
+addopts = "-W ignore::DeprecationWarning"
+testpaths = ["tests"]
+
 [tool.ruff]
 line-length = 120
+src = ["."]
 
 [tool.ruff.format]
 docstring-code-format = true
@@ -86,18 +92,16 @@ select = [
     "PLE",
     "FLY",
     "NPY201",
-    "ARG001"
+    "ARG001",
+    "PLC0415",
+    "S101",
 ]
 
 [tool.ruff.lint.per-file-ignores]
 "__init__.py" = [
     "F403", # ignore star imports warning in __init__ files
 ]
-
-[tool.pytest.ini_options]
-pythonpath = ["."]
-addopts = "-W ignore::DeprecationWarning"
-testpaths = ["tests"]
+"tests/**" = ["S101"]
 
 [[tool.mypy.overrides]]
 module = "astropy.*"
diff --git a/tests/env_test.py b/tests/env_test.py
index 935bf596..1e67ef58 100644
--- a/tests/env_test.py
+++ b/tests/env_test.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import sys
 import unittest
 
 from parameterized import parameterized
@@ -6,18 +5,8 @@
 import app.commands.adminapi.command as adminapi
 import app.commands.dataapi.command as dataapi
 
-MINIMAL_PYTHON_VERSION = (3, 10)
-
 
 class TestEnvironment(unittest.TestCase):
-    def test_python_version(self):
-        self.assertGreaterEqual(
-            sys.version_info,
-            MINIMAL_PYTHON_VERSION,
-            msg=f"You are using Python with version {'.'.join(map(str, sys.version_info))}"
-            f"while minimally supported version is {'.'.join(map(str, MINIMAL_PYTHON_VERSION))}",
-        )
-
     @parameterized.expand(
         [
             ("configs/dev/adminapi.yaml"),