diff --git a/.github/workflows/codecov.yml b/.github/workflows/codecov.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e8bae0c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/codecov.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+name: Gather coverage report and upload to codecov
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  release:
+    types:
+      - prereleased
+      - published
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+defaults:
+  run:
+    shell: bash -l {0}
+
+jobs:
+  coverage:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out diffpy.utils
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Initialize miniconda
+        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
+        with:
+          activate-environment: test
+          auto-update-conda: true
+          environment-file: environment.yml
+          auto-activate-base: false
+
+      - name: Conda config
+        run: >-
+          conda config --set always_yes yes
+          --set changeps1 no
+
+      - name: Install diffpy.utils and requirements
+        run: |
+          conda install --file requirements/run.txt
+          conda install --file requirements/test.txt
+          python -m pip install -r requirements/pip.txt
+          python -m pip install . --no-deps
+
+      - name: Validate diffpy.utils
+        run: |
+          coverage run -m pytest -vv -s
+          coverage report -m
+          codecov
+
+      - name: Upload coverage to Codecov
+        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
+        env:
+          CODECOV_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yml b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
index a4661f5c..7b3ac4ce 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
@@ -1,43 +1,48 @@
-name: Build Documentation
+name: Build and Deploy Documentation
 
 on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
   release:
+    types:
+      - published
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+defaults:
+  run:
+    shell: bash -l {0}
 
 jobs:
-  test:
+  docs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    defaults:
-      run:
-        shell: bash -l {0}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-        with:
-          fetch-depth: 0
+      - name: Check out diffpy.utils
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
+      - name: Initialize miniconda
+        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
         with:
           activate-environment: build
           auto-update-conda: true
+          environment-file: environment.yml
+          auto-activate-base: false
 
-      - name: install requirements
+      - name: Conda config
         run: >-
-          conda install -n build -c conda-forge
-          --file requirements/build.txt
-          --file requirements/run.txt
-          --file requirements/docs.txt
-          --quiet --yes
+          conda config --set always_yes yes
+          --set changeps1 no
 
-      - name: install the package
-        run: python -m pip install . --no-deps
+      - name: Install diffpy.utils and build requirements
+        run: |
+          conda install --file requirements/build.txt
+          conda install --file requirements/run.txt
+          conda install --file requirements/docs.txt
+          python -m pip install -r requirements/pip.txt
+          python -m pip install . --no-deps
 
       - name: build documents
         run: make -C doc html
 
       - name: Deploy
-        uses: peaceiris/actions-gh-pages@v3
+        uses: peaceiris/actions-gh-pages@v4
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           publish_dir: ./doc/build/html
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index c39ace43..fb0cb88b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -1,55 +1,42 @@
-name: CI
+name: Test
 
 on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
-      - CI
   pull_request:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
+defaults:
+  run:
+    shell: bash -l {0}
+
 jobs:
-  miniconda:
-    name: Miniconda ${{ matrix.os }}
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
-    strategy:
-        matrix:
-            os: ["ubuntu-latest"]
+  validate:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - name: check out diffpy.utils
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
-        with:
-          repository: diffpy/diffpy.utils
-          path: .
-          fetch-depth: 0  # avoid shallow clone with no tags
+      - name: Check out diffpy.utils
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: initialize miniconda
-        # this uses a marketplace action that sets up miniconda in a way that makes
-        # it easier to use.  I tried setting it up without this and it was a pain
-        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
+      - name: Initialize miniconda
+        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
         with:
           activate-environment: test
-          # environment.yml file is needed by this action.  Because I don't want
-          # maintain this but rather maintain the requirements files it just has
-          # basic things in it like conda and pip
-          environment-file: ./environment.yml
-          python-version: 3
+          auto-update-conda: true
+          environment-file: environment.yml
           auto-activate-base: false
 
-      - name: install diffpy.utils requirements
-        shell: bash -l {0}
+      - name: Conda config
+        run: >-
+          conda config --set always_yes yes
+          --set changeps1 no
+
+      - name: Install diffpy.utils and requirements
         run: |
-          conda config --set always_yes yes --set changeps1 no
-          conda config --add channels conda-forge
-          conda activate test
           conda install --file requirements/run.txt
           conda install --file requirements/test.txt
-          pip install .
+          python -m pip install -r requirements/pip.txt
+          python -m pip install . --no-deps
 
       - name: Validate diffpy.utils
-        shell: bash -l {0}
-        run: |
-          conda activate test
-          coverage run run_tests.py
-          coverage report -m
-          codecov
+        run: python -m pytest
diff --git a/requirements/pip.txt b/requirements/pip.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/testhelpers.py b/tests/testhelpers.py
deleted file mode 100644
index aaa2a519..00000000
--- a/tests/testhelpers.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-##############################################################################
-#
-# diffpy.utils      by DANSE Diffraction group
-#                   Simon J. L. Billinge
-#                   (c) 2011 The Trustees of Columbia University
-#                   in the City of New York.  All rights reserved.
-#
-# File coded by:    Pavol Juhas
-#
-# See AUTHORS.txt for a list of people who contributed.
-# See LICENSE_DANSE.txt for license information.
-#
-##############################################################################
-
-"""Helper routines for running other unit tests.
-"""
-
-# helper functions
-
-
-def datafile(filename):
-    from importlib.resources import as_file, files
-
-    ref = files(__package__) / ("testdata/" + filename)
-    with as_file(ref) as rv:
-        return rv
-
-
-# End of file