diff --git a/build/phing/build.xml b/build/phing/build.xml
index 044739c70..0caadcf8c 100644
--- a/build/phing/build.xml
+++ b/build/phing/build.xml
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
   <target name="self-test" description="Runs tests against acquia/blt proper.">
     <phingcall target="configure" />
     <phingcall target="create" />
-    <phingcall target="setup:build:all" />
+    <phingcall target="setup:build" />
     <phingcall target="setup:drupal:install" />
     <phingcall target="setup:git-hooks" />
     <phingcall target="setup:behat" />
diff --git a/template/build/core/phing/build.xml b/template/build/core/phing/build.xml
index 8f7df1ad9..27ba83241 100644
--- a/template/build/core/phing/build.xml
+++ b/template/build/core/phing/build.xml
@@ -57,4 +57,25 @@
     <exec dir="${repo.root}" command="./blt.sh -q -l" passthru="true"/>
   </target>
 
+  <target name="target-hook:invoke" description="Executes a command defined in the target-hooks array.">
+    <fail unless="hook-name"/>
+    <if>
+      <isset property="target-hooks.${hook-name}.command"/>
+      <then>
+        <if>
+          <available file="${target-hooks.${hook-name}.dir}" type="dir" property="dirExists" />
+          <then>
+            <exec dir="${target-hooks.${hook-name}.dir}" command="${target-hooks.${hook-name}.command}" logoutput="true" checkreturn="true" />
+          </then>
+          <else>
+            <fail>The directory ${target-hooks.${hook-name}.dir} does not exist. Will not run command for ${hook-name}.</fail>
+          </else>
+        </if>
+      </then>
+      <else>
+        <echo>No commands are defined for ${hook-name}. Skipping.</echo>
+      </else>
+    </if>
+  </target>
+
 </project>
diff --git a/template/build/core/phing/tasks/deploy.xml b/template/build/core/phing/tasks/deploy.xml
index 13e0615a3..473f28ff2 100644
--- a/template/build/core/phing/tasks/deploy.xml
+++ b/template/build/core/phing/tasks/deploy.xml
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@
 
     <!-- Build artifact and commit locally. -->
     <phingcall target="deploy:build"/>
+
+    <!--Allow custom commands to be run before commit.-->
+    <phingcall target="target-hook:invoke">
+      <property name="hook-name" value="post-deploy-build"/>
+    </phingcall>
+
+    <!--Commit artifact. -->
     <phingcall target="deploy:commit"/>
 
     <!-- Push up changes to remotes if this is not a dry run.-->
@@ -63,7 +70,7 @@
   </target>
 
   <target name="deploy:build" description="Generates a deploy-ready build in deploy.dir."
-          depends="frontend:build, deploy:copy, deploy:composer:install, deploy:profile:make, deploy:sanitize">
+          depends="frontend:build, deploy:copy, deploy:composer:install, deploy:sanitize">
     <!-- If we are using ACSF, run the ACSF Deploy command. -->
     <if>
       <equals arg1="${hosting}" arg2="acsf"/>
@@ -90,21 +97,6 @@
     <exec dir="${deploy.dir}" command="export COMPOSER_EXIT_ON_PATCH_FAILURE=1; composer install --no-dev --prefer-dist --no-interaction" passthru="true" logoutput="true" checkreturn="true"/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="deploy:profile:make" description="Build a subsidiary makefile shipped with profile.">
-    <if>
-      <equals arg1="${project.profile.contrib}" arg2="true"/>
-      <then>
-        <echo message="Building make file for ${project.profile.name}"/>
-        <property name="profile.dir" value="${deploy.dir}/docroot/profiles/contrib/${project.profile.name}"/>
-        <drush command="make" assume="yes" verbose="TRUE">
-          <param>"${profile.dir}/drupal-org.make"</param>
-          <param>"${profile.dir}"</param>
-          <option name="no-core"></option>
-        </drush>
-      </then>
-    </if>
-  </target>
-
   <target name="deploy:copy" description="Copy required files from /docroot/sites to /deploy/docroot/sites.">
     <!-- Make sites/default writable so that we can copy files. -->
     <!-- @todo Support multisite. -->
diff --git a/template/build/core/phing/tasks/frontend.xml b/template/build/core/phing/tasks/frontend.xml
index 70f356932..664755958 100644
--- a/template/build/core/phing/tasks/frontend.xml
+++ b/template/build/core/phing/tasks/frontend.xml
@@ -1,53 +1,9 @@
 <project name="frontend" default="frontend:install">
 
-  <target name="frontend:build" depends="frontend:install" description="Uses gulp to build front end dependencies for all themes.">
-    <if>
-      <isset property="project.themes"/>
-      <then>
-        <foreach list="${project.themes}" param="frontend.theme" target="frontend:build:run"/>
-      </then>
-    </if>
+  <target name="frontend:build" description="Uses gulp to build front end dependencies for all themes.">
+    <phingcall target="target-hook:invoke">
+      <property name="hook-name" value="frontend-build"/>
+    </phingcall>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="frontend:build:run" depends="frontend:install" description="Uses gulp to build front end dependencies for a theme.">
-    <if>
-      <!-- We assume that if the theme name is not thunder, then a subtheme of thunder is being used. -->
-      <not><equals arg1="${frontend.theme}" arg2="thunder" /></not>
-      <then>
-        <exec dir="${docroot}/themes/custom/${frontend.theme}" command="npm run build" logoutput="true" checkreturn="true" />
-      </then>
-    </if>
-
-    <property name="project.frontend.nvmrc.file" value="${docroot}/themes/custom/${frontend.theme}/.nvmrc" />
-    <if>
-      <available file="${project.frontend.nvmrc.file}" />
-      <then>
-        <copy file="${project.frontend.nvmrc.file}" todir="${repo.root}" />
-      </then>
-    </if>
-  </target>
-
-  <target name="frontend:install" description="Installs front end dependencies for themes.">
-    <!-- Enable support for multiple themes (Base + Subtheme or multisite deployments) -->
-    <if>
-      <isset property="project.themes" />
-      <then>
-        <foreach list="${project.themes}" param="frontend.theme" target="frontend:install:run"/>
-      </then>
-      <else>
-        <!-- Skip and tell user no themes were found -->
-        <echo message="No Themes were found, skipping frontend:install."/>
-      </else>
-    </if>
-  </target>
-
-  <target name="frontend:install:run" description="Installs front end dependencies for a theme.">
-    <if>
-      <!-- We assume that if the theme name is not thunder, then a subtheme of thunder is being used. -->
-      <not><equals arg1="${frontend.theme}" arg2="thunder" /></not>
-      <then>
-        <exec dir="${docroot}/themes/custom/${frontend.theme}" command="npm run install-tools" logoutput="true" checkreturn="true" />
-      </then>
-    </if>
-  </target>
 </project>
diff --git a/template/build/core/phing/tasks/local-sync.xml b/template/build/core/phing/tasks/local-sync.xml
index 71b25a5f0..c2eebd8c9 100644
--- a/template/build/core/phing/tasks/local-sync.xml
+++ b/template/build/core/phing/tasks/local-sync.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     </phingcall>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="local:refresh" description="Refreshes local environment from upstream testing database." depends="setup:build:all, local:sync, local:update"/>
+  <target name="local:refresh" description="Refreshes local environment from upstream testing database." depends="setup:build, local:sync, local:update"/>
 
   <target name="local:setup" description="Install dependencies, builds docroot, installs Drupal; uses local drush alias.">
     <phingcall target="setup">
diff --git a/template/build/core/phing/tasks/setup.xml b/template/build/core/phing/tasks/setup.xml
index f23d4220c..e8a9d0712 100644
--- a/template/build/core/phing/tasks/setup.xml
+++ b/template/build/core/phing/tasks/setup.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <project name="setup" default="setup">
 
   <target name="setup" description="Install dependencies, builds docroot, installs Drupal."
-          depends="setup:build:all, setup:drupal:install, blt:alias">
+          depends="setup:build, setup:drupal:install, blt:alias">
     <echo>For a full list of available Phing targets, run:</echo>
     <echo>./blt.sh -l</echo>
     <echo></echo>
@@ -16,23 +16,13 @@
   </target>
 
   <!-- This is run when a project is cloned to a new environment. -->
-  <target name="setup:build:all" description="Generates all required files for a full build. E.g., (re)builds docroot, etc."
-          depends="setup:git-hooks, setup:drupal:settings, setup:behat, setup:composer:install, setup:build:profile, frontend:build">
-  </target>
+  <target name="setup:build" description="Generates all required files for a full build. E.g., (re)builds docroot, etc."
+          depends="setup:git-hooks, setup:drupal:settings, setup:behat, setup:composer:install, frontend:build">
+
+    <phingcall target="target-hook:invoke">
+      <property name="hook-name" value="post-setup-build"/>
+    </phingcall>
 
-  <target name="setup:build:profile" description="Build a subsidiary makefile shipped with profile">
-    <if>
-      <equals arg1="${project.profile.contrib}" arg2="true"/>
-      <then>
-        <echo message="Building make file for ${project.profile.name}"/>
-        <property name="profile.dir" value="${docroot}/profiles/contrib/${project.profile.name}"/>
-        <drush command="make" assume="yes" verbose="TRUE">
-          <option name="no-core"></option>
-          <param>"${profile.dir}/drupal-org.make"</param>
-          <param>${profile.dir}</param>
-        </drush>
-      </then>
-    </if>
   </target>
 
   <target name="setup:clean" description="Removes .gitignored files and directories.">
diff --git a/template/project.yml b/template/project.yml
index 304871a90..e2089150e 100644
--- a/template/project.yml
+++ b/template/project.yml
@@ -40,6 +40,25 @@ drush:
     # The default drush alias to be used when no environment is specified.
   default_alias: ${drush.aliases.local}
 
+# Custom tasks that are triggered at pre-defined times in the build process.
+# The tasks hook into BLT's existing Phing targets. Available hooks keys are:
+# frontend-build, post-deploy-build, and post-setup-build.
+target-hooks:
+  # Executed when front end assets should be generated.
+  frontend-build:
+    # E.g., ${docroot}/sites/all/themes/custom/mytheme.
+    dir: ${docroot}
+    # E.g., `npm install` or `bower install`.
+    command: echo 'No frontend build configured.'
+  # Executed after deployment artifact is created.
+  post-deploy-build:
+    dir: ${deploy.dir}/docroot/profiles/contrib/lightning
+    command: npm install && bower install
+  # Executed after setup:build is run.
+  post-setup-build:
+    dir: ${docroot}/profiles/contrib/lightning
+    command: npm install && bower install
+
 # Hosting environment flags.
 # Examples: acsf (Acquia Cloud Site Factory), ac (Acquia Cloud)
 # hosting: "acsf"
diff --git a/template/readme/deploy.md b/template/readme/deploy.md
index 3f48dabb9..25a2924fd 100644
--- a/template/readme/deploy.md
+++ b/template/readme/deploy.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ In order to create the build artifact in `/deploy`, simply run
 ./blt.sh deploy:build
 ```
 
-This task is analogous to `setup:build:all` but with a few critical differences:
+This task is analogous to `setup:build` but with a few critical differences:
 * The docroot is created at `/deploy/docroot`.
 * Only production required to the docroot
 * (planned) CSS / JS are compiled in production mode (compressed / minified)
diff --git a/template/readme/onboarding.md b/template/readme/onboarding.md
index 9a11ff031..9de5e7a2e 100644
--- a/template/readme/onboarding.md
+++ b/template/readme/onboarding.md
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ If you need to make requests via a proxy server, please [configure git to use a
    drupal.
 1. Create and edit your local drush alias file. Copy `drush/site-aliases/example.local.aliases.drushrc.php` to `drush/site-aliases/local.aliases.drushrc.php`. Edit the new alias file with your local path.
 
-After this initial setup, you should only need to run `./blt.sh setup:build:all` when composer.json is updated, and `./blt.sh local:drupal:install` when you need to reinstall the site.
+After this initial setup, you should only need to run `./blt.sh setup:build` when composer.json is updated, and `./blt.sh local:drupal:install` when you need to reinstall the site.
 
 For a full list of available project tasks, run `./blt.sh -l`. See [Project Tasks](project-tasks.md) for more information.
 
diff --git a/template/readme/project-tasks.md b/template/readme/project-tasks.md
index c4dbb74e5..f6a113ad6 100644
--- a/template/readme/project-tasks.md
+++ b/template/readme/project-tasks.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Pre-requisites to installation:
 
 1. Ensure that `docroot/sites/default/settings/local.settings.php` exists by executing `./blt.sh setup:drupal:settings`.
 1. Verify that correct local database credentials are set in `local.settings.php`.
-1. Ensure that project dependencies have already been built via `./blt.sh setup:build:all`
+1. Ensure that project dependencies have already been built via `./blt.sh setup:build`
 
 To re-install Drupal, execute: `./blt.sh setup:drupal:install`. Note that this will drop the existing database tables and install Drupal from scratch!
 
@@ -62,22 +62,41 @@ Please see [Deploy](deploy.md) for a detailed description of how to deploy to Ac
 
 Please see [tests/README.md](../tests/README.md) for information on running tests.
 
-To execute PHP codesniffer and PHP lint against the project codebase, run: `./blt.sh validate:all`
+To execute PHP codesniffer and PHP lint against the project codebase, run:
+
+```
+./blt.sh validate:all
+```
 
 ## <a name="frontend"></a>Build front end assets
 
 Ideally, you will be using a theme that uses SASS/SCSS, a styleguide, and other tools that require compilation. Like dependencies, the compiled assets should not be directly committed to the project repository. Instead, they should be built during the creation of a production-ready build artifact.
 
-BLT only natively supports the [Acquia PS Thunder](https://github.com/acquia-pso/thunder) base theme.
+BLT allows you to define a custom command that will be run to compile your project's frontend assets. You can specify the command in your project's `project.yml` file under the `target-hooks.frontend-build` key:
+
+```
+target-hooks:
+  frontend-build:
+    # The directory in which the command will be executed.
+    dir: ${docroot}
+    command: npm install.
+```
 
-To install Thunder's dependencies:
+If you need to run more than one command, you may use this feature to call a custom script:
 
-1. See [Acquia PS Thunder](https://github.com/acquia-pso/thunder) for system requirements.
-1. Execute `/.blt.sh frontend:install`.
+```
+target-hooks:
+  frontend-build:
+    # The directory in which the command will be executed.
+    dir: ${repo.root}
+    command: ./scripts/custom/my-script.sh
+```
 
-To build Thunder's assets, execute:
+This command will be executed when dependencies are built in a local or CI environment, and when a deployment artifact is generated. You may execute the command directly by calling the `frontend:build` target:
 
-`/.blt.sh frontend:build`.
+```
+./blt.sh frontend:build
+```
 
 ## <a name="local-tasks"></a>Updating you local environment
 
@@ -87,14 +106,20 @@ The project is configured to update the local environment with a local drush ali
 
 This all in one command will make sure your local is in sync with the remote site.
 
-`./blt.sh local:refresh`
+```
+./blt.sh local:refresh
+```
 
 ### Sync: Copy the database from the remote site
 
-`./blt.sh local:sync`
+```
+./blt.sh local:sync
+```
 
 ### Update: Run update tasks locally
 
-`./blt.sh local:update`
+```
+./blt.sh local:update
+```
 
 These tasks can be seen in `build/core/phing/tasks/local-sync.xml`. An additional script can be added at `/hooks/dev/post-db-copy/dev-mode.sh` which would run at the end of this task.