diff --git a/.envrc b/.envrc
deleted file mode 100644
index 81c38a4..0000000
--- a/.envrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-# ~/.direnvrc
-
-# Clear existing aliases when entering a directory
-
-export tmpdir="$(mktemp -d -t dots-alias-direnv.XXXXXX)"
-rm -rf "/tmp/dots-alias-direnv.*"
-
-export_alias() {
-  # Create a new alias
-  local name=$1
-  shift
-
-  local alias_dir="$tmpdir/.envrc-aliases"
-  local alias_file="$alias_dir/$name"
-  local oldpath="$PATH"
-
-  # If this is the first time we're calling export_alias, add to PATH once
-  if ! [[ ":$PATH:" == *":$alias_dir:"* ]]; then
-    mkdir -p "$alias_dir"
-    PATH_add "$alias_dir"
-  fi
-
-  # Write the alias file
-  cat <<EOT >$alias_file
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-PATH="$oldpath"
-$@
-EOT
-  chmod +x "$alias_file"
-}
-
-export_alias flakeup 'nix flake update && git commit flake.lock -m "nix: update flake sources to $(nix flake metadata --json | jq '.locks.nodes.nixpkgs.locked.rev' --raw-output | cut -c1-7)" && FLAKE=$PWD nh os switch'
diff --git a/conf.sh b/conf.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..eef24f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#! /bin/sh
+# basic scripts in for managing dotfiles and minor system tasks
+
+update_packages() {
+  echo "updating packages"
+
+  # brew
+  if [ -f /opt/homebrew/bin/brew ]; then
+    echo "homebrew detected, updating..."
+    /opt/homebrew/bin/brew update
+  fi
+
+  # pkg (termux)
+  if which pkg > /dev/null; then
+    echo "pkg detected, updating..."
+    pkg update
+    pkg upgrade
+  fi
+
+  # nix flake
+  if which nix > /dev/null; then
+    echo "nix detected, updating..."
+    nix flake update
+    git commit flake.lock -m "nix: update flake sources to $(nix flake metadata --json | jq '.locks.nodes.nixpkgs.locked.rev' --raw-output | cut -c1-7)"
+
+    # rebuild and switch for nix and darwin systems
+    if which nixos-rebuild > /dev/null; then
+      echo "detected nixos system, rebuilding..."
+      sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .
+    elif which darwin-rebuild > /dev/null; then
+      echo "detected darwin system, rebuilding..."
+      darwin-rebuild switch --flake .
+    else
+      echo "didn't detect a nixos or darwin system, continuing..."
+    fi
+  fi
+}
+
+HELPTEXT="$0
+
+usage:
+update      update packages on your system"
+
+if [ "$1" = "update" ]; then
+  update_packages
+else
+  echo "$HELPTEXT"
+fi