diff --git a/app/models/component.rb b/app/models/component.rb
index eb8eb2dc8..4bbce5ec9 100644
--- a/app/models/component.rb
+++ b/app/models/component.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ class Component < ApplicationRecord
   belongs_to :project
   validates :name, presence: true
   validates :extension, presence: true
-  validates :index, presence: true, uniqueness: { scope: :project_id }
   validate :default_component_protected_properties, on: :update
 
   private
diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index 5297329cc..d7ab81ebd 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class Project < ApplicationRecord
   before_validation :check_unique_not_null, on: :create
   validates :identifier, presence: true, uniqueness: true
   belongs_to :parent, class_name: 'Project', foreign_key: 'remixed_from_id', optional: true, inverse_of: :remixes
-  has_many :components, -> { order(:index) }, dependent: :destroy, inverse_of: :project
+  has_many :components, -> { order(default: :desc, name: :asc) }, dependent: :destroy, inverse_of: :project
   has_many :remixes, class_name: 'Project', foreign_key: 'remixed_from_id', dependent: :nullify, inverse_of: :parent
   has_many_attached :images
   accepts_nested_attributes_for :components
diff --git a/app/views/api/projects/show.json.jbuilder b/app/views/api/projects/show.json.jbuilder
index 75dbff2c3..de8b6fa8c 100644
--- a/app/views/api/projects/show.json.jbuilder
+++ b/app/views/api/projects/show.json.jbuilder
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ json.call(@project, :identifier, :project_type, :name, :user_id)
 
 json.parent(@project.parent, :name, :identifier) if @project.parent
 
-json.components @project.components, :id, :name, :extension, :content, :index
+json.components @project.components, :id, :name, :extension, :content
 
 json.image_list @project.images do |image|
   json.filename image.filename
diff --git a/db/migrate/20230210142728_remove_component_index_column.rb b/db/migrate/20230210142728_remove_component_index_column.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..25a2540de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20230210142728_remove_component_index_column.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class RemoveComponentIndexColumn < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.0]
+  def change
+    remove_column :components, :index
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 0f2b14b8a..19abe38d3 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended that you check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema[7.0].define(version: 2023_02_09_171350) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema[7.0].define(version: 2023_02_10_142728) do
   # These are extensions that must be enabled in order to support this database
   enable_extension "pgcrypto"
   enable_extension "plpgsql"
@@ -50,9 +50,7 @@
     t.string "content"
     t.datetime "created_at", null: false
     t.datetime "updated_at", null: false
-    t.integer "index"
     t.boolean "default", default: false, null: false
-    t.index ["index", "project_id"], name: "index_components_on_index_and_project_id", unique: true
     t.index ["project_id"], name: "index_components_on_project_id"
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/concepts/project/operations/create_remix.rb b/lib/concepts/project/operations/create_remix.rb
index d8373ab90..38a9cdf2c 100644
--- a/lib/concepts/project/operations/create_remix.rb
+++ b/lib/concepts/project/operations/create_remix.rb
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def create_remix(original_project, params, user_id)
         end
 
         params[:components].each do |x|
-          remix.components.build(x.slice(:name, :extension, :content, :index))
+          remix.components.build(x.slice(:name, :extension, :content))
         end
 
         remix
diff --git a/lib/project_importer.rb b/lib/project_importer.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9912e5593
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/project_importer.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+class ProjectImporter
+  attr_reader :name, :identifier, :images, :components, :type
+
+  def initialize(name:, identifier:, type:, components:, images: [])
+    @name = name
+    @identifier = identifier
+    @components = components
+    @images = images
+    @type = type
+  end
+
+  def import!
+    Project.transaction do
+      setup_project
+      delete_components
+      create_components
+      delete_removed_images
+      attach_images_if_needed
+
+      project.save!
+    end
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def project
+    @project ||= Project.find_or_initialize_by(identifier:)
+  end
+
+  def setup_project
+    project.name = name
+    project.project_type = type
+  end
+
+  def delete_components
+    project.components.each(&:destroy)
+  end
+
+  def create_components
+    components.each do |component|
+      project_component = Component.new(**component)
+      project.components << project_component
+    end
+  end
+
+  def delete_removed_images
+    return if removed_image_names.empty?
+
+    removed_image_names.each do |filename|
+      img = project.images.find { |i| i.blob.filename == filename }
+      img.purge
+    end
+  end
+
+  def removed_image_names
+    existing_images = project.images.map { |x| x.blob.filename.to_s }
+    existing_images - images.pluck(:filename)
+  end
+
+  def attach_images_if_needed
+    images.each do |image|
+      existing_image = find_existing_image(image[:filename])
+      if existing_image
+        next if existing_image.blob.checksum == image_checksum(image[:io])
+
+        existing_image.purge
+      end
+      project.images.attach(**image)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def find_existing_image(filename)
+    project.images.find { |i| i.blob.filename == filename }
+  end
+
+  def image_checksum(io)
+    OpenSSL::Digest.new('MD5').tap do |checksum|
+      while (chunk = io.read(5.megabytes))
+        checksum << chunk
+      end
+
+      io.rewind
+    end.base64digest
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/projects.rake b/lib/tasks/projects.rake
index 23307857b..ffc039bba 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/projects.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/projects.rake
@@ -1,78 +1,49 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 require 'yaml'
+require 'project_importer'
+
+CODE_FORMATS = ['.py', '.csv', '.txt'].freeze
+IMAGE_FORMATS = ['.png', '.jpg', '.jpeg'].freeze
 
 namespace :projects do
   desc 'Import starter projects'
   task create_starter: :environment do
     Dir.each_child("#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/project_components") do |dir|
       proj_config = YAML.safe_load(File.read("#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/project_components/#{dir}/project_config.yml"))
-      project = find_project(proj_config)
-      components = proj_config['COMPONENTS']
-      components.each do |component|
-        name = component['name']
-        extension = component['extension']
-        code = File.read(File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/project_components/#{dir}/#{component['location']}")
-        index = component['index']
-        default = component['default']
-        project_component = Component.new(name:, extension:, content: code, index:, default:)
-        project.components << project_component
+      files = Dir.children("#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/project_components/#{dir}")
+      code_files = files.filter { |file| CODE_FORMATS.include? File.extname(file) }
+      image_files = files.filter { |file| IMAGE_FORMATS.include? File.extname(file) }
+
+      components = []
+      code_files.each do |file|
+        components << component(file, dir)
       end
 
-      project_images = proj_config['IMAGES'] || []
-      delete_removed_images(project, project_images)
-      project_images.each do |image_name|
-        attach_image_if_needed(project, image_name, dir)
+      images = []
+      image_files.each do |file|
+        images << image(file, dir)
       end
 
-      project.save
+      project_importer = ProjectImporter.new(name: proj_config['NAME'], identifier: proj_config['IDENTIFIER'],
+                                             type: proj_config['TYPE'] ||= 'python', components:, images:)
+      project_importer.import!
     end
   end
 end
 
-def find_project(proj_config)
-  if Project.find_by(identifier: proj_config['IDENTIFIER']).nil?
-    project = Project.new(identifier: proj_config['IDENTIFIER'], name: proj_config['NAME'],
-                          project_type: proj_config['TYPE'] ||= 'python')
-  else
-    project = Project.find_by(identifier: proj_config['IDENTIFIER'])
-    project.name = proj_config['NAME']
-    project.components.each(&:destroy)
-  end
-
-  project
-end
-
-def delete_removed_images(project, images_to_attach)
-  existing_images = project.images.map { |x| x.blob.filename.to_s }
-  diff = existing_images - images_to_attach
-  return if diff.empty?
-
-  diff.each do |filename|
-    img = project.images.find { |i| i.blob.filename == filename }
-    img.purge
-  end
-end
-
-def attach_image_if_needed(project, image_name, dir)
-  existing_image = project.images.find { |i| i.blob.filename == image_name }
-
-  if existing_image
-    return if existing_image.blob.checksum == image_checksum(image_name, dir)
+private
 
-    existing_image.purge
-  end
-  project.images.attach(io: File.open(File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/project_components/#{dir}/#{image_name}"),
-                        filename: image_name)
+def component(file, dir)
+  name = File.basename(file, '.*')
+  extension = File.extname(file).delete('.')
+  code = File.read(File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/project_components/#{dir}/#{File.basename(file)}")
+  default = (File.basename(file) == 'main.py')
+  component = { name:, extension:, content: code, default: }
 end
 
-def image_checksum(image_name, dir)
-  io = File.open(File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/project_components/#{dir}/#{image_name}")
-  OpenSSL::Digest.new('MD5').tap do |checksum|
-    while (chunk = io.read(5.megabytes))
-      checksum << chunk
-    end
-
-    io.rewind
-  end.base64digest
+def image(file, dir)
+  filename = File.basename(file)
+  io = File.open(File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/project_components/#{dir}/#{filename}")
+  image = { filename:, io: }
 end
diff --git a/spec/concepts/project/create_remix_spec.rb b/spec/concepts/project/create_remix_spec.rb
index 74099800d..3c1307e16 100644
--- a/spec/concepts/project/create_remix_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/concepts/project/create_remix_spec.rb
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@
           id: component.id,
           name: component.name,
           extension: component.extension,
-          content: 'some updated component content',
-          index: component.index
+          content: 'some updated component content'
         }
       ]
     }
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@
     end
 
     context 'when a new component has been added before remixing' do
-      let(:new_component_params) { { name: 'added_component', extension: 'py', content: 'some added component content', index: 9999 } }
+      let(:new_component_params) { { name: 'added_component', extension: 'py', content: 'some added component content' } }
 
       before do
         remix_params[:components] << new_component_params
@@ -94,7 +93,7 @@
 
       it 'persists the new component' do
         remixed_project = create_remix[:project]
-        expect(remixed_project.components.last.attributes.symbolize_keys).to include(new_component_params)
+        expect(remixed_project.components.first.attributes.symbolize_keys).to include(new_component_params)
       end
     end
 
@@ -136,7 +135,7 @@
     end
 
     context 'when project components are invalid' do
-      let(:invalid_component_params) { { name: 'added_component', extension: 'py', content: '' } }
+      let(:invalid_component_params) { { name: 'added_component', content: '' } }
 
       before do
         remix_params[:components] << invalid_component_params
@@ -156,8 +155,7 @@ def component_props(component)
     {
       name: component.name,
       content: component.content,
-      extension: component.extension,
-      index: component.index
+      extension: component.extension
     }
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/concepts/project/create_spec.rb b/spec/concepts/project/create_spec.rb
index d1f4d92d1..aa7d35019 100644
--- a/spec/concepts/project/create_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/concepts/project/create_spec.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
             name: 'main',
             extension: 'py',
             content: 'print("hello world")',
-            index: 0,
             default: true
           }],
           image_list: [],
diff --git a/spec/concepts/project/update_default_component_spec.rb b/spec/concepts/project/update_default_component_spec.rb
index 415202355..5960fcc61 100644
--- a/spec/concepts/project/update_default_component_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/concepts/project/update_default_component_spec.rb
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@
           :id,
           :name,
           :content,
-          :extension,
-          :index
+          :extension
         )
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/concepts/project/update_delete_components_spec.rb b/spec/concepts/project/update_delete_components_spec.rb
index 4b1a9b998..18a1aadb0 100644
--- a/spec/concepts/project/update_delete_components_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/concepts/project/update_delete_components_spec.rb
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
       :id,
       :name,
       :content,
-      :extension,
-      :index
+      :extension
     )
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/concepts/project/update_invalid_spec.rb b/spec/concepts/project/update_invalid_spec.rb
index 8b60be486..7c2560f56 100644
--- a/spec/concepts/project/update_invalid_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/concepts/project/update_invalid_spec.rb
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@
       id: editable_component.id,
       name: nil,
       content: 'updated content',
-      extension: 'py',
-      index: 5
+      extension: 'py'
     }
   end
 
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@
   end
 
   def component_properties_hash(component)
-    component.attributes.symbolize_keys.slice(:name, :content, :extension, :index)
+    component.attributes.symbolize_keys.slice(:name, :content, :extension)
   end
 
   def default_component_hash
@@ -54,8 +53,7 @@ def default_component_hash
       :id,
       :name,
       :content,
-      :extension,
-      :index
+      :extension
     )
   end
 
@@ -63,8 +61,7 @@ def new_component_hash
     {
       name: 'new component',
       content: 'new component content',
-      extension: 'py',
-      index: 99
+      extension: 'py'
     }
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/concepts/project/update_spec.rb b/spec/concepts/project/update_spec.rb
index f28347f75..4598e578e 100644
--- a/spec/concepts/project/update_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/concepts/project/update_spec.rb
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@
         id: editable_component.id,
         name: 'updated component name',
         content: 'updated content',
-        extension: 'py',
-        index: 5
+        extension: 'py'
       }
     end
 
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@
       it 'updates component properties' do
         expect { update }
           .to change { component_properties_hash(editable_component.reload) }
-          .to(edited_component_hash.slice(:name, :content, :extension, :index))
+          .to(edited_component_hash.slice(:name, :content, :extension))
       end
     end
 
@@ -83,8 +82,7 @@ def component_properties_hash(component)
     component.attributes.symbolize_keys.slice(
       :name,
       :content,
-      :extension,
-      :index
+      :extension
     )
   end
 
@@ -93,8 +91,7 @@ def default_component_hash
       :id,
       :name,
       :content,
-      :extension,
-      :index
+      :extension
     )
   end
 
@@ -102,8 +99,7 @@ def new_component_hash
     {
       name: 'new component',
       content: 'new component content',
-      extension: 'py',
-      index: 99
+      extension: 'py'
     }
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/factories/component.rb b/spec/factories/component.rb
index debe18f42..f0d2c06ad 100644
--- a/spec/factories/component.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/component.rb
@@ -4,14 +4,12 @@
   factory :component do
     name { Faker::Lorem.word }
     extension { 'py' }
-    sequence(:index) { |n| n }
     default { false }
     content { Faker::Lorem.paragraph }
     project
 
     factory :default_python_component do
       name { 'main' }
-      index { 0 }
       default { true }
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/component_spec.rb b/spec/models/component_spec.rb
index 308465152..506ab8f73 100644
--- a/spec/models/component_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/component_spec.rb
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
   it { is_expected.to belong_to(:project) }
   it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:name) }
   it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:extension) }
-  it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:index) }
-  it { is_expected.to validate_uniqueness_of(:index).scoped_to(:project_id) }
 
   context 'when default component' do
     let(:component) { create(:default_python_component) }
diff --git a/spec/project_importer_spec.rb b/spec/project_importer_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b6b8572e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/project_importer_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'rails_helper'
+require 'project_importer'
+
+RSpec.describe ProjectImporter do
+  let(:importer) do
+    described_class.new(
+      name: 'My amazing project',
+      identifier: 'my-amazing-project',
+      type: 'python',
+      components: [
+        { name: 'main', extension: 'py', content: 'print(\'hello\')', default: true },
+        { name: 'amazing', extension: 'py', content: 'print(\'this is amazing\')' }
+      ],
+      images: [
+        { filename: 'my-amazing-image.png', io: File.open('spec/fixtures/files/test_image_1.png') }
+      ]
+    )
+  end
+
+  context 'when the project does not already exist in the database' do
+    let(:project) { Project.find_by(identifier: importer.identifier) }
+
+    it 'saves the project to the database' do
+      expect { importer.import! }.to change(Project, :count).by(1)
+    end
+
+    it 'names the project correctly' do
+      importer.import!
+      expect(project.name).to eq(importer.name)
+    end
+
+    it 'gives the project the correct type' do
+      importer.import!
+      expect(project.project_type).to eq(importer.type)
+    end
+
+    it 'creates the project components' do
+      importer.import!
+      expect(project.components.count).to eq(2)
+    end
+
+    it 'creates the project images' do
+      importer.import!
+      expect(project.images.count).to eq(1)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'when the project already exists in the database' do
+    let!(:project) do
+      create(
+        :project,
+        :with_default_component,
+        :with_components,
+        :with_attached_image,
+        component_count: 2,
+        identifier: 'my-amazing-project'
+      )
+    end
+
+    it 'does not change number of saved projects' do
+      expect { importer.import! }.not_to change(Project, :count)
+    end
+
+    it 'renames project' do
+      expect { importer.import! }.to change { project.reload.name }.to(importer.name)
+    end
+
+    it 'deletes removed components' do
+      expect { importer.import! }.to change { project.components.count }.from(3).to(2)
+    end
+
+    it 'updates existing components' do
+      expect { importer.import! }.to change { project.reload.components[0].content }.to('print(\'hello\')')
+    end
+
+    it 'creates new components' do
+      expect { importer.import! }.to change { project.reload.components[1].name }.to('amazing')
+    end
+
+    it 'updates images' do
+      expect { importer.import! }.to change { project.reload.images[0].filename.to_s }.to('my-amazing-image.png')
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/requests/projects/update_spec.rb b/spec/requests/projects/update_spec.rb
index 69fc72f04..835ab070e 100644
--- a/spec/requests/projects/update_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/projects/update_spec.rb
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
         :id,
         :name,
         :content,
-        :extension,
-        :index
+        :extension
       )
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/tasks/create_starter_spec.rb b/spec/tasks/create_starter_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02614d5bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/tasks/create_starter_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'rails_helper'
+require 'project_importer'
+
+Rails.application.load_tasks
+
+describe 'projects:create_starter', type: :task do
+  subject { task.execute }
+
+  let(:project_config) { { 'NAME' => 'My amazing project', 'IDENTIFIER' => 'my-amazing-project', 'TYPE' => 'python' } }
+
+  it 'runs' do
+    allow(YAML).to receive(:safe_load).and_return(project_config)
+    allow(File).to receive(:read).and_return('print("hello")')
+    expect { Rake::Task['projects:create_starter'].invoke }.not_to raise_error
+  end
+end