diff --git a/src/docbuild/cli/defaults.py b/src/docbuild/cli/defaults.py
index e37e003f..e849c876 100644
--- a/src/docbuild/cli/defaults.py
+++ b/src/docbuild/cli/defaults.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 DEFAULT_APP_CONFIG = {
     "debug": False,
     "role": "production",
+    "max_workers": "half",
     "paths": {
         "config_dir": "/etc/docbuild",
         "repo_dir": "/data/docserv/repos/permanent-full/",
diff --git a/src/docbuild/models/config/app.py b/src/docbuild/models/config/app.py
index d44f0a96..8025c877 100644
--- a/src/docbuild/models/config/app.py
+++ b/src/docbuild/models/config/app.py
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 
 from collections.abc import Sequence  # Added Sequence for internal use
 from copy import deepcopy
+import os
 from typing import Any, Literal, Self
 
-from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field, model_validator
+from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field, field_validator, model_validator
 
 from docbuild.config.app import (
     CircularReferenceError,
@@ -188,8 +189,46 @@ class AppConfig(BaseModel):
         description="Configuration for the application's logging system.",
     )
 
+    # Added max_workers with support for ints and descriptive strings
+    max_workers: int | str = Field(
+        default="half",
+        description="Max concurrent workers. Supports integers or 'all', 'all2'/'half'.",
+    )
+
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="allow")
 
+    @field_validator("max_workers")
+    @classmethod
+    def _resolve_worker_count(cls, v: int | str) -> int:
+        """Resolve keywords 'all', 'half', 'all2' into concrete integers."""
+        cpu_count = os.cpu_count() or 1
+
+        keyword_map = {
+            "all": lambda cpu: cpu,
+            "half": lambda cpu: max(1, cpu // 2),
+            "all2": lambda cpu: max(1, cpu // 2),
+        }
+
+        if isinstance(v, str):
+            val = v.lower()
+            if val in keyword_map:
+                # Return immediately once resolved
+                return keyword_map[val](cpu_count)
+
+            if val.isdigit():
+                v = int(val)
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Invalid max_workers value: '{v}'. "
+                    "Use an integer, 'all', or 'half'/'all2'."
+                )
+
+        # At this point, v is guaranteed to be an int
+        if v < 1:
+            raise ValueError("max_workers must be at least 1")
+
+        return v
+
     @model_validator(mode="before")
     @classmethod
     def _resolve_placeholders(cls, data: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
diff --git a/tests/models/test_config_workers.py b/tests/models/test_config_workers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ba7febf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/models/test_config_workers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from docbuild.models.config import app
+from docbuild.models.config.app import AppConfig
+
+
+# os.cpu_count() returns None if the count is indeterminate.
+@pytest.fixture(params=[1, 2, 8, None])
+def mock_cpu_count(request):
+    """Mock os.cpu_count in app module to ensure deterministic tests."""
+    cpu_count = request.param
+    with patch.object(app, "os") as mock_os:
+        mock_os.cpu_count.return_value = cpu_count
+        yield cpu_count
+
+# Separate test cases for better clarity
+def test_max_workers_resolution_all(mock_cpu_count):
+    """Verify 'all' keyword resolves to the full CPU count (min 1)."""
+    expected = mock_cpu_count or 1
+    conf = AppConfig(max_workers="all")
+    assert conf.max_workers == expected
+
+def test_max_workers_resolution_half(mock_cpu_count):
+    """Verify 'half' and 'all2' resolve to 50% CPU count (min 1)."""
+    cpu = mock_cpu_count or 1
+    expected_half = max(1, cpu // 2)
+
+    assert AppConfig(max_workers="half").max_workers == expected_half
+    assert AppConfig(max_workers="all2").max_workers == expected_half
+
+def test_max_workers_resolution_explicit_values():
+    """Verify that specific integers/strings override CPU-based logic.
+    We don't need the fixture here because these values are
+    independent of the host hardware.
+    """
+    assert AppConfig(max_workers=4).max_workers == 4
+    assert AppConfig(max_workers="8").max_workers == 8
+
+def test_max_workers_validation_errors():
+    """Verify error handling for invalid inputs."""
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="at least 1"):
+        AppConfig(max_workers=0)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Invalid max_workers"):
+        AppConfig(max_workers="infinite")