diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index ed13e8c..ceee616 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -14,6 +14,15 @@ import (
 // writes out the cluster information it seperate files
 // to make it humanly possible to hand edit things as needed
 func (m *Repos) ConfigSave() error {
+	if os.Getenv("FORGE_HOME") == "" {
+		homeDir, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
+		fullpath := filepath.Join(homeDir, ".config/forge")
+		os.Setenv("FORGE_HOME", fullpath)
+	}
+	// try to backup the current cluster config files
+	if err := backupConfig(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	data, err := m.Marshal()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Info("proto.Marshal() failed len", len(data), err)
@@ -24,6 +33,9 @@ func (m *Repos) ConfigSave() error {
 
 	s := m.FormatTEXT()
 	configWrite("forge.text", []byte(s))
+
+	s = m.FormatJSON()
+	configWrite("forge.json", []byte(s))
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -76,9 +88,7 @@ func (m *Repos) ConfigLoad() error {
 }
 
 func loadFile(filename string) ([]byte, error) {
-	homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
-	p := filepath.Join(homeDir, ".config/forge")
-	fullname := filepath.Join(p, filename)
+	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("FORGE_HOME"), filename)
 	data, err := os.ReadFile(fullname)
 	if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		// if file does not exist, just return nil. this
@@ -94,10 +104,9 @@ func loadFile(filename string) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 func configWrite(filename string, data []byte) error {
-	homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
-	p := filepath.Join(homeDir, ".config/forge")
-	fname := filepath.Join(p, filename)
-	cfgfile, err := os.OpenFile(fname, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE, 0666)
+	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("FORGE_HOME"), filename)
+
+	cfgfile, err := os.OpenFile(fullname, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE, 0666)
 	defer cfgfile.Close()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Warn("open config file :", err)
diff --git a/configBackup.go b/configBackup.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee019ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configBackup.go
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+package forgepb
+
+// thank chatgpt for this because why. why write this if you can have it
+// kick this out in 30 seconds
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func backupConfig() error {
+	// make a new dir to backup the files
+	now := time.Now()
+	// timestamp := now.Format("2022.07.18.190545") // 50yr shout out to K&R
+	timestamp := now.Format("2006.01.02.150405") // bummer. other date doesn't work?
+	srcDir := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("FORGE_HOME"))
+	destDir := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("FORGE_HOME"), timestamp)
+
+	return backupFiles(srcDir, destDir)
+}
+
+func backupFiles(srcDir string, destDir string) error {
+	// Create the destination directory
+	err := os.MkdirAll(destDir, os.ModePerm)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to create directory: %v", err))
+	}
+
+	// Read the contents of the source directory
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(srcDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to read directory: %v", err))
+	}
+
+	// Iterate over the entries in the source directory
+	for _, entry := range entries {
+		// Skip directories and files that do not have the .test extension
+		if entry.IsDir() {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		log.Println("backing up file", entry.Name())
+		srcPath := filepath.Join(srcDir, entry.Name())
+		destPath := filepath.Join(destDir, entry.Name())
+
+		// Copy the file
+		if err := copyFile(srcPath, destPath); err != nil {
+			return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to copy file %s: %v", entry.Name(), err))
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// copyFile copies a file from src to dest
+func copyFile(src, dest string) error {
+	srcFile, err := os.Open(src)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer srcFile.Close()
+
+	destFile, err := os.Create(dest)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer destFile.Close()
+
+	// Copy the content
+	_, err = io.Copy(destFile, srcFile)
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/example/Makefile b/example/Makefile
index ba930d7..88d2439 100644
--- a/example/Makefile
+++ b/example/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 build:
 	GO111MODULE=off go build
 	./example
+	FORGE_HOME=/tmp/forge ./example
 
 goimports:
 	goimports -w *.go