diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 24b3d367..b6cd2751 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,8 +21,14 @@ seq-macro = "0.3.5"
 paste = "1.0.15"
 ctor = "0.2.8"
 once_cell = "1.20.2"
+clap = { version = "4.5.21", features = ["derive"] }
+assert_cmd = "2.0.16"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 rand_distr = "0.4.3"
 tempfile = "3.3"
 ordered-float = "4.3.0"
+
+[[bin]]
+name = "runner_test_custom_args"
+path = "tests/bin/runner_test_custom_args.rs"
diff --git a/examples/runner/main.rs b/examples/runner/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce08e162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/runner/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+use clap::Args;
+use ixa::runner::run_with_custom_args;
+
+#[derive(Args, Debug)]
+struct Extra {
+    #[arg(short, long)]
+    foo: bool,
+}
+
+fn main() {
+    // Try running this with `cargo run --example runner -- --seed 42`
+    run_with_custom_args(|context, args, extra: Option<Extra>| {
+        context.add_plan(1.0, |_| {
+            println!("Hello, world!");
+        });
+        println!("{}", args.random_seed);
+        if let Some(extra) = extra {
+            println!("{}", extra.foo);
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    })
+    .unwrap();
+}
diff --git a/src/global_properties.rs b/src/global_properties.rs
index b23923e7..e16c3f1e 100644
--- a/src/global_properties.rs
+++ b/src/global_properties.rs
@@ -49,19 +49,23 @@ where
     for<'de> <T as GlobalProperty>::Value: serde::Deserialize<'de>,
 {
     let properties = GLOBAL_PROPERTIES.lock().unwrap();
-    properties.borrow_mut().insert(
-        name.to_string(),
-        Arc::new(
-            |context: &mut Context, name, value| -> Result<(), IxaError> {
-                let val: T::Value = serde_json::from_value(value)?;
-                if context.get_global_property_value(T::new()).is_some() {
-                    return Err(IxaError::IxaError(format!("Duplicate property {name}")));
-                }
-                context.set_global_property_value(T::new(), val)?;
-                Ok(())
-            },
-        ),
-    );
+    assert!(properties
+        .borrow_mut()
+        .insert(
+            name.to_string(),
+            Arc::new(
+                |context: &mut Context, name, value| -> Result<(), IxaError> {
+                    let val: T::Value = serde_json::from_value(value)?;
+                    T::validate(&val)?;
+                    if context.get_global_property_value(T::new()).is_some() {
+                        return Err(IxaError::IxaError(format!("Duplicate property {name}")));
+                    }
+                    context.set_global_property_value(T::new(), val)?;
+                    Ok(())
+                },
+            ),
+        )
+        .is_none());
 }
 
 #[allow(clippy::missing_panics_doc)]
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index cfdaa3b2..6f9663cf 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -49,3 +49,5 @@ pub use random::{ContextRandomExt, RngId};
 
 pub mod report;
 pub use report::{ConfigReportOptions, ContextReportExt, Report};
+pub mod runner;
+pub use runner::{run_with_args, run_with_custom_args, BaseArgs};
diff --git a/src/runner.rs b/src/runner.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..57360fe3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/runner.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+use crate::context::Context;
+use crate::error::IxaError;
+use crate::global_properties::ContextGlobalPropertiesExt;
+use crate::random::ContextRandomExt;
+use crate::report::ContextReportExt;
+use clap::{Args, Command, FromArgMatches as _};
+
+/// Default cli arguments for ixa runner
+#[derive(Args, Debug)]
+pub struct BaseArgs {
+    /// Random seed
+    #[arg(short, long, default_value = "0")]
+    pub random_seed: u64,
+
+    /// Optional path for a global properties config file
+    #[arg(short, long, default_value = "")]
+    pub config: String,
+
+    /// Optional path for report output
+    #[arg(short, long, default_value = "")]
+    pub output_dir: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Args)]
+pub struct PlaceholderCustom {}
+
+fn create_ixa_cli() -> Command {
+    let cli = Command::new("ixa");
+    BaseArgs::augment_args(cli)
+}
+
+/// Runs a simulation with custom cli arguments.
+///
+/// This function allows you to define custom arguments and a setup function
+///
+/// # Parameters
+/// - `setup_fn`: A function that takes a mutable reference to a `Context`, a `BaseArgs` struct,
+///    a Option<A> where A is the custom cli arguments struct
+///
+/// # Errors
+/// Returns an error if argument parsing or the setup function fails
+#[allow(clippy::missing_errors_doc)]
+pub fn run_with_custom_args<A, F>(setup_fn: F) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>>
+where
+    A: Args,
+    F: Fn(&mut Context, BaseArgs, Option<A>) -> Result<(), IxaError>,
+{
+    let mut cli = create_ixa_cli();
+    cli = A::augment_args(cli);
+    let matches = cli.get_matches();
+
+    let base_args_matches = BaseArgs::from_arg_matches(&matches)?;
+    let custom_matches = A::from_arg_matches(&matches)?;
+    run_with_args_internal(base_args_matches, Some(custom_matches), setup_fn)
+}
+
+/// Runs a simulation with default cli arguments
+///
+/// This function parses command line arguments allows you to define a setup function
+///
+/// # Parameters
+/// - `setup_fn`: A function that takes a mutable reference to a `Context`and `BaseArgs` struct
+///
+/// # Errors
+/// Returns an error if argument parsing or the setup function fails
+#[allow(clippy::missing_errors_doc)]
+pub fn run_with_args<F>(setup_fn: F) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>>
+where
+    F: Fn(&mut Context, BaseArgs, Option<PlaceholderCustom>) -> Result<(), IxaError>,
+{
+    let cli = create_ixa_cli();
+    let matches = cli.get_matches();
+
+    let base_args_matches = BaseArgs::from_arg_matches(&matches)?;
+    run_with_args_internal(base_args_matches, None, setup_fn)
+}
+
+fn run_with_args_internal<A, F>(
+    args: BaseArgs,
+    custom_args: Option<A>,
+    setup_fn: F,
+) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>>
+where
+    F: Fn(&mut Context, BaseArgs, Option<A>) -> Result<(), IxaError>,
+{
+    // Instantiate a context
+    let mut context = Context::new();
+
+    // Optionally set global properties from a file
+    if !args.config.is_empty() {
+        println!("Loading global properties from: {}", args.config);
+        let config_path = Path::new(&args.config);
+        context.load_global_properties(config_path)?;
+    }
+
+    // Optionally set output dir for reports
+    if !args.output_dir.is_empty() {
+        let output_dir = PathBuf::from(&args.output_dir);
+        let report_config = context.report_options();
+        report_config.directory(output_dir);
+    }
+
+    context.init_random(args.random_seed);
+
+    // Run the provided Fn
+    setup_fn(&mut context, args, custom_args)?;
+
+    // Execute the context
+    context.execute();
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::{define_global_property, define_rng};
+    use assert_cmd::Command;
+    use serde::Deserialize;
+
+    #[derive(Args, Debug)]
+    struct CustomArgs {
+        #[arg(short, long, default_value = "0")]
+        field: u32,
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_run_with_custom_args() {
+        let result = run_with_custom_args(|_, _, _: Option<CustomArgs>| Ok(()));
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_cli_invocation_with_custom_args() {
+        // Note this target is defined in the bin section of Cargo.toml
+        // and the entry point is in tests/bin/runner_test_custom_args
+        Command::cargo_bin("runner_test_custom_args")
+            .unwrap()
+            .args(["--field", "42"])
+            .assert()
+            .success()
+            .stdout("42\n");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_run_with_args() {
+        let result = run_with_args(|_, _, _| Ok(()));
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_run_with_random_seed() {
+        let test_args = BaseArgs {
+            random_seed: 42,
+            config: String::new(),
+            output_dir: String::new(),
+        };
+
+        // Use a comparison context to verify the random seed was set
+        let mut compare_ctx = Context::new();
+        compare_ctx.init_random(42);
+        define_rng!(TestRng);
+        let result = run_with_args_internal(test_args, None, |ctx, _, _: Option<()>| {
+            assert_eq!(
+                ctx.sample_range(TestRng, 0..100),
+                compare_ctx.sample_range(TestRng, 0..100)
+            );
+            Ok(())
+        });
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    pub struct RunnerPropertyType {
+        field_int: u32,
+    }
+    define_global_property!(RunnerProperty, RunnerPropertyType);
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_run_with_config_path() {
+        let test_args = BaseArgs {
+            random_seed: 42,
+            config: "tests/data/global_properties_runner.json".to_string(),
+            output_dir: String::new(),
+        };
+        let result = run_with_args_internal(test_args, None, |ctx, _, _: Option<()>| {
+            let p3 = ctx.get_global_property_value(RunnerProperty).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(p3.field_int, 0);
+            Ok(())
+        });
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_run_with_output_dir() {
+        let test_args = BaseArgs {
+            random_seed: 42,
+            config: String::new(),
+            output_dir: "data".to_string(),
+        };
+        let result = run_with_args_internal(test_args, None, |ctx, _, _: Option<()>| {
+            let output_dir = &ctx.report_options().directory;
+            assert_eq!(output_dir, &PathBuf::from("data"));
+            Ok(())
+        });
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_run_with_custom() {
+        let test_args = BaseArgs {
+            random_seed: 42,
+            config: String::new(),
+            output_dir: String::new(),
+        };
+        let custom = CustomArgs { field: 42 };
+        let result = run_with_args_internal(test_args, Some(custom), |_, _, c| {
+            assert_eq!(c.unwrap().field, 42);
+            Ok(())
+        });
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/bin/runner_test_custom_args.rs b/tests/bin/runner_test_custom_args.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2870bd6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bin/runner_test_custom_args.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+use clap::Args;
+use ixa::runner::run_with_custom_args;
+
+#[derive(Args, Debug)]
+struct Extra {
+    #[arg(short, long)]
+    field: u32,
+}
+
+fn main() {
+    run_with_custom_args(|_context, _args, extra: Option<Extra>| {
+        if let Some(extra) = extra {
+            println!("{}", extra.field);
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    })
+    .unwrap();
+}
diff --git a/tests/data/global_properties_runner.json b/tests/data/global_properties_runner.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7974088f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/global_properties_runner.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "ixa.RunnerProperty": {
+    "field_int": 0
+  }
+}