diff --git a/build.go b/build.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e046e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package forgepb
+
+// for golang repos, this is an attempt to build the package
+// there might be some 'standard' ways to implement a build
+// that make sense.
+
+//  Additions to 'go build' that are attempted here:
+//
+// * detect packages that are plugins
+// * autogen packages that have .proto protobuf files
+// * define some 'standard' ldflags
+//
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"time"
+
+	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/gitpb"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+func (f *Forge) Build(repo *gitpb.Repo, userFlags []string) error {
+	// always assume all sources have been downloaded
+	// todo: detect when in ~/go/src vs go.work mode
+	os.Setenv("GO111MODULE", "off")
+
+	// get the version
+	version := repo.GetCurrentBranchVersion()
+
+	loop := repo.Tags.SortByRefname()
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		t := loop.Next()
+		log.Info("Build() tag:", t.Refname)
+	}
+
+	if repo.GoDeps == nil {
+		repo.RedoGoMod()
+	}
+	if repo.GoDeps.Len() == 0 {
+		log.Info("redo go.mod", repo.GetGoPath())
+		repo.RedoGoMod()
+		f.Repos.ConfigSave()
+	}
+	loop1 := repo.GoDeps.SortByGoPath()
+	for loop1.Scan() {
+		t := loop1.Next()
+		log.Info("Build() dep:", t.GetGoPath(), t.GetVersion())
+	}
+	log.Info("Build() dep len:", repo.GoDeps.Len())
+	os.Exit(-1)
+
+	if repo.CheckDirty() {
+		version = version + "-dirty"
+	}
+	cmd := []string{"go", "build", "-v"}
+
+	// set standard ldflag options
+	now := time.Now()
+	datestamp := now.UTC().Format("2006/01/02_1504_UTC")
+	log.Info("datestamp =", datestamp)
+	// add some standard golang flags
+	ldflags := "-X main.VERSION=" + version + " "
+	ldflags += "-X main.BUILDTIME=" + datestamp + " "
+	ldflags += "-X main.GUIVERSION=" + version + "" // todo: git this from the filesystem
+	cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", ldflags)
+
+	// add any flags from the command line
+	// this might not actually work
+	// todo: test this
+	for _, flag := range userFlags {
+		cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", "-X "+flag)
+	}
+
+	if r := repo.Run(cmd); r.Error == nil {
+		log.Warn("go build worked")
+		return nil
+	} else {
+		return errors.New("go build failed: " + fmt.Sprint(r.Error))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 04e1b05..80e3e83 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import (
 
 // write to ~/.config/forge/ unless ENV{FORGE_HOME} is set
 func (f *Forge) ConfigSave() error {
+	// f.Config.Lock()
+	// defer f.Config.UnLock()
 	if os.Getenv("FORGE_HOME") == "" {
 		homeDir, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
 		fullpath := filepath.Join(homeDir, ".config/forge")
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ func (f *Forge) ConfigSave() error {
 		log.Info("proto.Marshal() failed len", len(data), err)
 		return err
 	}
-	log.Info("proto.Marshal() worked len", len(data))
+	log.Info("forgepb.ConfigSave() proto.Marshal() worked len", len(data))
 	configWrite("forge.pb", data)
 
 	s := f.Config.FormatTEXT()
@@ -35,6 +37,10 @@ func (f *Forge) ConfigSave() error {
 
 	s = f.Config.FormatJSON()
 	configWrite("forge.json", []byte(s))
+
+	if f.Repos != nil {
+		f.Repos.ConfigSave()
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index 120d57a..b8b8498 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ func Init() *Forge {
 	}
 
 	f.Repos = new(gitpb.Repos)
+	f.Repos.ConfigLoad()
 	f.Machine = new(zoopb.Machine)
 
 	if err := f.Machine.ConfigLoad(); err != nil {
diff --git a/repoNew.go b/repoNew.go
index 71d7776..605c74b 100644
--- a/repoNew.go
+++ b/repoNew.go
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ func (f *Forge) NewGoPath(gopath string) (*gitpb.Repo, error) {
 	} else {
 		newr.SetUserBranchName(uname + "FIXME")
 	}
+	f.Repos.ConfigSave()
+	panic("forgepb got here")
 
-	return newr, err
+	// return newr, err
 }