diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index b7555940..31657a6e 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1302,6 +1302,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "log",
  "pulldown-cmark 0.10.3",
  "regex",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
  "tempfile",
  "toml",
 ]
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a8c4331c..3428025c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ log = "0.4.27"
 mdbook-core = { path = "crates/mdbook-core" }
 pulldown-cmark = { version = "0.10.3", default-features = false, features = ["html"] } # Do not update, part of the public api.
 regex = "1.11.1"
+serde = { version = "1.0.219", features = ["derive"] }
+serde_json = "1.0.140"
 tempfile = "3.20.0"
 toml = "0.5.11" # Do not update, see https://github.com/rust-lang/mdBook/issues/2037
 
@@ -61,8 +63,8 @@ memchr = "2.5.0"
 opener = "0.8.1"
 pulldown-cmark.workspace = true
 regex.workspace = true
-serde = { version = "1.0.163", features = ["derive"] }
-serde_json = "1.0.96"
+serde.workspace = true
+serde_json.workspace = true
 sha2 = "0.10.8"
 shlex = "1.3.0"
 tempfile.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/mdbook-core/Cargo.toml b/crates/mdbook-core/Cargo.toml
index a92a899a..80e9fcb0 100644
--- a/crates/mdbook-core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/mdbook-core/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ anyhow.workspace = true
 log.workspace = true
 pulldown-cmark.workspace = true
 regex.workspace = true
+serde.workspace = true
+serde_json.workspace = true
 toml.workspace = true
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/crates/mdbook-core/src/config.rs b/crates/mdbook-core/src/config.rs
index 4f91ceae..9ab564c2 100644
--- a/crates/mdbook-core/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/mdbook-core/src/config.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 //! # use anyhow::Result;
 //! use std::path::PathBuf;
 //! use std::str::FromStr;
-//! use mdbook::Config;
+//! use mdbook_core::config::Config;
 //! use toml::Value;
 //!
 //! # fn run() -> Result<()> {
@@ -47,11 +47,10 @@
 //! # run().unwrap()
 //! ```
 
-use crate::utils::{self, toml_ext::TomlExt};
+use crate::utils::log_backtrace;
+use crate::utils::toml_ext::TomlExt;
 use anyhow::{Context, Error, Result, bail};
 use log::{debug, trace, warn};
-use mdbook_core::utils::log_backtrace;
-use mdbook_core::utils::toml_ext::TomlExt;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::env;
@@ -814,7 +813,7 @@ impl<'de, T> Updateable<'de> for T where T: Serialize + Deserialize<'de> {}
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
-    use mdbook_core::utils::fs::get_404_output_file;
+    use crate::utils::fs::get_404_output_file;
     use serde_json::json;
 
     const COMPLEX_CONFIG: &str = r#"
diff --git a/crates/mdbook-core/src/lib.rs b/crates/mdbook-core/src/lib.rs
index 347d6668..36878aaf 100644
--- a/crates/mdbook-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/mdbook-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@
 /// compatibility checks.
 pub const MDBOOK_VERSION: &str = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
 
+pub mod config;
+pub mod utils;
+
 /// The error types used in mdbook.
 pub mod errors {
     pub use anyhow::{Error, Result};
 }
-pub mod utils;
diff --git a/src/book/book.rs b/src/book/book.rs
index 4e902664..1242c625 100644
--- a/src/book/book.rs
+++ b/src/book/book.rs
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ use std::io::{Read, Write};
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use super::summary::{Link, SectionNumber, Summary, SummaryItem, parse_summary};
-use crate::config::BuildConfig;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use log::debug;
+use mdbook_core::config::BuildConfig;
 use mdbook_core::utils::bracket_escape;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
diff --git a/src/book/init.rs b/src/book/init.rs
index 07e8a43b..13e0d687 100644
--- a/src/book/init.rs
+++ b/src/book/init.rs
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ use std::io::Write;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use super::MDBook;
-use crate::config::Config;
 use crate::theme;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use log::{debug, error, info, trace};
+use mdbook_core::config::Config;
 use mdbook_core::utils::fs::write_file;
 
 /// A helper for setting up a new book and its directory structure.
diff --git a/src/book/mod.rs b/src/book/mod.rs
index 6d9cc670..d3433b4e 100644
--- a/src/book/mod.rs
+++ b/src/book/mod.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ pub use self::summary::{Link, SectionNumber, Summary, SummaryItem, parse_summary
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Error, Result, bail};
 use log::{debug, error, info, log_enabled, trace, warn};
+use mdbook_core::config::{Config, RustEdition};
+use mdbook_core::utils;
 use std::ffi::OsString;
 use std::io::{IsTerminal, Write};
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
@@ -27,9 +29,6 @@ use crate::preprocess::{
     CmdPreprocessor, IndexPreprocessor, LinkPreprocessor, Preprocessor, PreprocessorContext,
 };
 use crate::renderer::{CmdRenderer, HtmlHandlebars, MarkdownRenderer, RenderContext, Renderer};
-use mdbook_core::utils;
-
-use crate::config::{Config, RustEdition};
 
 /// The object used to manage and build a book.
 pub struct MDBook {
diff --git a/src/cmd/init.rs b/src/cmd/init.rs
index ddfeaad4..386ea4aa 100644
--- a/src/cmd/init.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/init.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use crate::get_book_dir;
 use anyhow::Result;
 use clap::{ArgMatches, Command as ClapCommand, arg};
 use mdbook::MDBook;
-use mdbook::config;
+use mdbook_core::config;
 use std::io;
 use std::io::Write;
 use std::process::Command;
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index d0b1af8b..76c744f0 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 //!
 //! ```rust,no_run
 //! use mdbook::MDBook;
-//! use mdbook::config::Config;
+//! use mdbook_core::config::Config;
 //!
 //! let root_dir = "/path/to/book/root";
 //!
@@ -78,10 +78,9 @@
 //! [user guide]: https://rust-lang.github.io/mdBook/
 //! [`RenderContext`]: renderer::RenderContext
 //! [relevant chapter]: https://rust-lang.github.io/mdBook/for_developers/backends.html
-//! [`Config`]: config::Config
+//! [`Config`]: mdbook_core::config::Config
 
 pub mod book;
-pub mod config;
 pub mod preprocess;
 pub mod renderer;
 #[path = "front-end/mod.rs"]
@@ -89,6 +88,6 @@ pub mod theme;
 
 pub use crate::book::BookItem;
 pub use crate::book::MDBook;
-pub use crate::config::Config;
 pub use crate::renderer::Renderer;
 pub use mdbook_core::MDBOOK_VERSION;
+pub use mdbook_core::config::Config;
diff --git a/src/preprocess/mod.rs b/src/preprocess/mod.rs
index 98daf94e..1134ad4d 100644
--- a/src/preprocess/mod.rs
+++ b/src/preprocess/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 //! Book preprocessing.
 
+use crate::book::Book;
+use anyhow::Result;
+use mdbook_core::config::Config;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
 pub use self::cmd::CmdPreprocessor;
 pub use self::index::IndexPreprocessor;
 pub use self::links::LinkPreprocessor;
@@ -8,15 +16,6 @@ mod cmd;
 mod index;
 mod links;
 
-use crate::book::Book;
-use crate::config::Config;
-use anyhow::Result;
-
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use std::cell::RefCell;
-use std::collections::HashMap;
-use std::path::PathBuf;
-
 /// Extra information for a `Preprocessor` to give them more context when
 /// processing a book.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
diff --git a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
index dd90de55..e601c82b 100644
--- a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 use crate::book::{Book, BookItem};
-use crate::config::{BookConfig, Code, Config, HtmlConfig, Playground, RustEdition};
 use crate::renderer::html_handlebars::StaticFiles;
 use crate::renderer::html_handlebars::helpers;
 use crate::renderer::{RenderContext, Renderer};
 use crate::theme::{self, Theme};
-use mdbook_core::utils;
-use mdbook_core::utils::fs::get_404_output_file;
 
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
@@ -17,6 +14,9 @@ use std::sync::LazyLock;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
 use handlebars::Handlebars;
 use log::{debug, info, trace, warn};
+use mdbook_core::config::{BookConfig, Code, Config, HtmlConfig, Playground, RustEdition};
+use mdbook_core::utils;
+use mdbook_core::utils::fs::get_404_output_file;
 use regex::{Captures, Regex};
 use serde_json::json;
 
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ impl Renderer for HtmlHandlebars {
         // Render search index
         #[cfg(feature = "search")]
         {
-            let default = crate::config::Search::default();
+            let default = mdbook_core::config::Search::default();
             let search = html_config.search.as_ref().unwrap_or(&default);
             if search.enable {
                 super::search::create_files(&search, &mut static_files, &book)?;
@@ -1008,9 +1008,8 @@ fn collect_redirects_for_path(
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-    use crate::config::TextDirection;
-
     use super::*;
+    use mdbook_core::config::TextDirection;
     use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/search.rs b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/search.rs
index ba9cd274..054e16d9 100644
--- a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/search.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/search.rs
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ use std::sync::LazyLock;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
 use elasticlunr::{Index, IndexBuilder};
 use log::{debug, warn};
+use mdbook_core::config::{Search, SearchChapterSettings};
 use mdbook_core::utils;
 use pulldown_cmark::*;
 use serde::Serialize;
 
 use crate::book::{Book, BookItem, Chapter};
-use crate::config::{Search, SearchChapterSettings};
 use crate::renderer::html_handlebars::StaticFiles;
 use crate::theme::searcher;
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/static_files.rs b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/static_files.rs
index ffd07687..de03585e 100644
--- a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/static_files.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/static_files.rs
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use log::{debug, warn};
+use mdbook_core::config::HtmlConfig;
 use mdbook_core::utils;
 
-use crate::config::HtmlConfig;
 use crate::renderer::html_handlebars::helpers::resources::ResourceHelper;
 use crate::theme::{self, Theme, playground_editor};
 
@@ -300,8 +300,8 @@ impl StaticFiles {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
-    use crate::config::HtmlConfig;
     use crate::theme::Theme;
+    use mdbook_core::config::HtmlConfig;
     use mdbook_core::utils::fs::write_file;
     use tempfile::TempDir;
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/mod.rs b/src/renderer/mod.rs
index b06983d2..ce4bc025 100644
--- a/src/renderer/mod.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/mod.rs
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
 //! [RenderContext]: struct.RenderContext.html
 
 use crate::book::Book;
-use crate::config::Config;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
 use log::{error, info, trace, warn};
+use mdbook_core::config::Config;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use shlex::Shlex;
 use std::collections::HashMap;