diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/AbstractMetaDataProducerBasedQQQApplication.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/AbstractMetaDataProducerBasedQQQApplication.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9b7fd619
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/AbstractMetaDataProducerBasedQQQApplication.java
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2024.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances;
+
+
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.MetaDataProducerHelper;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Version of AbstractQQQApplication that assumes all meta-data is produced
+ ** by MetaDataProducers in a single package.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public abstract class AbstractMetaDataProducerBasedQQQApplication extends AbstractQQQApplication
+{
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   public abstract String getMetaDataPackageName();
+
+
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public QInstance defineQInstance() throws QException
+   {
+      QInstance qInstance = new QInstance();
+      MetaDataProducerHelper.processAllMetaDataProducersInPackage(qInstance, getMetaDataPackageName());
+      return (qInstance);
+   }
+
+}
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/AbstractQQQApplication.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/AbstractQQQApplication.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..03bd0b61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/AbstractQQQApplication.java
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2024.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances;
+
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QInstanceValidationException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.validation.plugins.QInstanceValidatorPluginInterface;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Base class to provide the definition of a QQQ-based application.
+ **
+ ** Essentially, just how to define its meta-data - in the form of a QInstance.
+ **
+ ** Also provides means to define the instance validation plugins to be used.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public abstract class AbstractQQQApplication
+{
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   public abstract QInstance defineQInstance() throws QException;
+
+
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   public QInstance defineValidatedQInstance() throws QException, QInstanceValidationException
+   {
+      QInstance qInstance = defineQInstance();
+
+      QInstanceValidator.removeAllValidatorPlugins();
+      for(QInstanceValidatorPluginInterface<?> validatorPlugin : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(getValidatorPlugins()))
+      {
+         QInstanceValidator.addValidatorPlugin(validatorPlugin);
+      }
+
+      QInstanceValidator qInstanceValidator = new QInstanceValidator();
+      qInstanceValidator.validate(qInstance);
+      return (qInstance);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   protected List<QInstanceValidatorPluginInterface<?>> getValidatorPlugins()
+   {
+      return new ArrayList<>();
+   }
+}