diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 788f8ba..f5da074 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ package main
 var argv args
 
 type args struct {
-	Repo string `arg:"positional"                     help:"gopath (otherwise uses "pwd")"`
+	Recursive bool `arg:"--recursive"  default:"false"   help:"clean every repo found in go/src or go.work"`
+	Auto      bool `arg:"--auto"                         help:"don't approve via STDIN"`
 }
 
 func (args) Version() string {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 8e5d501..8b3c85e 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/gitpb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
@@ -21,46 +26,153 @@ func main() {
 	log.Info("go-clean version", VERSION, "built on", BUILDTIME)
 	pp = arg.MustParse(&argv)
 
-	// for very new users or users unfamilar with the command line, this may help them
-	if argv.Repo == "help" || argv.Repo == "?" {
-		pp.WriteHelp(os.Stdout)
-		os.Exit(0)
-	}
-	if argv.Repo == "version" {
-		log.Info(argv.Version())
-		os.Exit(0)
-	}
-
 	// load the ~/.config/forge/ config
 	// this lets you configure repos you have read/write access too
 	forge = forgepb.Init()
+	// rescan just in case (?) todo: decide what forge should default too
+	forge.ScanGoSrc()
 
-	check = forge.Repos.FindByGoPath(argv.Repo)
+	// figure out what directory we are running in
+	check = findPwdRepo()
 	if check == nil {
-		log.Info("need to go-clone", argv.Repo)
-		return
+		log.Info("this directory isn't in a golang project (not in ~/go/src nor a go.work file)")
+		os.Exit(-1)
 	}
-	log.Info("already have", argv.Repo)
+	log.Info("starting go-clean for", check.GoPath)
+	log.Info("go src dir is set to", forge.GetGoSrc())
 
-	log.Info("go src dir", forge.GetGoSrc())
-	// re-create go.sum and go.mod
-	check.RedoGoMod()
-	deps := check.GoDeps.SortByGoPath()
-	for deps.Scan() {
-		depRepo := deps.Next()
-		log.Info("check has dep:", depRepo.GoPath)
+	if argv.Recursive {
+		if forge.IsGoWork() {
+			var warning []string
+			warning = append(warning, "go-clean --recursive may not work unless you are in ~/go/src")
+			warning = append(warning, "you can continue anyway, but it hasn't been tested as much.")
+			simpleStdin(true, warning)
+		}
+		var warning []string
+		warning = append(warning, "go-clean will recreate go.mod and go.sum")
+		warning = append(warning, "because you have selected --recursive")
+		warning = append(warning, "this will redo _every_ repo. This is probably fine.")
+		warning = append(warning, fmt.Sprintf("You have %d total repositories in %s", forge.Repos.Len(), forge.GetGoSrc()))
+		warning = append(warning, "")
+		warning = append(warning, "However, this will also do:")
+		warning = append(warning, "")
+		warning = append(warning, "rm -rf ~/go/pkg/")
+		warning = append(warning, "rm -rf ~/.config/go-build/")
+		warning = append(warning, "")
+		warning = append(warning, "Which is also probably fine, but will clear all your build cache and go mod cache")
+		warning = append(warning, "")
+		simpleStdin(false, warning)
+		purgeGoCaches()
+	} else {
+		simpleStdin(true, []string{"go-clean will recreate go.mod and go.sum"})
 	}
-	okExit("skipping build of " + argv.Repo)
+
+	// re-create go.sum and go.mod
+	if _, err := check.RedoGoMod(); err != nil {
+		badExit(err)
+	}
+
+	/*
+		// re-process go deps
+		deps := check.GoDeps.SortByGoPath()
+		for deps.Scan() {
+			depRepo := deps.Next()
+			log.Info("check has dep:", depRepo.GoPath)
+		}
+	*/
+	// check go.sum file
+	if forge.FinalGoDepsCheckOk(check) {
+		log.Info("forge.FinalGoDepsCheck() worked :", check.GoPath)
+		okExit(check.GoPath + " go.sum seems clean")
+	}
+	log.Info("forge.FinalGoDepsCheck() failed. boo. :", check.GoPath)
+	badExit(errors.New(check.GoPath + " go.sum is not perfect"))
+}
+
+func findPwdRepo() *gitpb.Repo {
+	var check *gitpb.Repo
+	// attempt to use the working directory
+	// this is probably what happens most of the time
+	pwd, _ := os.Getwd()
+	if strings.HasPrefix(pwd, forge.GetGoSrc()) {
+		gopath := strings.TrimPrefix(pwd, forge.GetGoSrc())
+		gopath = strings.Trim(gopath, "/")
+		log.Info("findRepo() trying gopath", gopath)
+		check = forge.Repos.FindByGoPath(gopath)
+		if check != nil {
+			log.Info("findRepo() worked", check.GoPath)
+			return check
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func okExit(thing string) {
 	log.Info(thing, "ok")
-	log.Info("Finished clone on", check.GetGoPath(), "ok")
+	log.Info("Finished go-clean on", check.GetGoPath(), "ok")
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
 
 func badExit(err error) {
-	log.Info("Total repositories:", forge.Repos.Len())
 	log.Info("Finished go-clean with error", err, forge.GetGoSrc())
 	os.Exit(-1)
 }
+
+func purgeGoCaches() {
+	homedir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		badExit(err)
+	}
+	pkgdir := filepath.Join(homedir, "go/pkg")
+	var cmd []string
+	cmd = []string{"chmod", "700", "-R", pkgdir}
+	runStrict("", cmd)
+	cmd = []string{"rm", "-rf", pkgdir}
+	runStrict("", cmd)
+	builddir := filepath.Join(homedir, ".cache/go-build")
+	cmd = []string{"rm", "-rf", builddir}
+	runStrict("", cmd)
+
+	// this can't have really happened
+	// echo this still failed in:
+	// echo "Linux hpdev2.grid.wit.com 6.9.8-rt-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_RT Debian 6.9.8-1 (2024-07-07) x86_64 GNU/Linux"
+	// echo and I had to drop the caches after building go install binaries quickly and running them
+	// echo "as an os.Exec() between binaries"
+	// echo sysctl -w vm.drop_caches=3
+}
+
+func runStrict(wd string, cmd []string) {
+	var err error
+	if wd != "" {
+		if err = os.Chdir(wd); err != nil {
+			log.Info("cd", "wd", "failed", err)
+			badExit(err)
+		}
+	}
+	log.Info(wd, "running:", wd, cmd)
+	// result := shell.Run(cmd)
+	result := shell.RunRealtime(cmd)
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		log.Info("cmd failed", wd, cmd, err)
+		for i, line := range result.Stdout {
+			log.Info("STDOUT:", i, line)
+		}
+		for i, line := range result.Stderr {
+			log.Info("STDERR:", i, line)
+		}
+		badExit(err)
+	}
+	if result.Exit != 0 {
+		log.Info("cmd failed", wd, cmd, err)
+		for i, line := range result.Stdout {
+			log.Info("STDOUT:", i, line)
+		}
+		for i, line := range result.Stderr {
+			log.Info("STDERR:", i, line)
+		}
+		badExit(errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("cmd failed with %d", result.Exit)))
+	}
+	for i, line := range result.Stdout {
+		log.Info(i, line)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/stdin.go b/stdin.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9093246
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stdin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+func showOptions(b bool, s []string) {
+	fmt.Println("")
+	for _, line := range s {
+		fmt.Println(line)
+	}
+	fmt.Println("")
+	if b {
+		fmt.Println("Enter (Y/n)")
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println("Enter (y/N)")
+	}
+}
+
+// if b == true, default is to continue with 'Y'
+func simpleStdin(b bool, s []string) {
+	if argv.Auto {
+		return
+	}
+	err := errors.New("user cancelled via stdin")
+	showOptions(b, s)
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		s := scanner.Text()
+		s = strings.TrimSpace(s)
+		// s = strings.Lower(s)
+		switch s {
+		case "y":
+			log.Info("got y")
+			return
+		case "n":
+			log.Info("got n")
+			badExit(err)
+		case "":
+			if b {
+				return
+			} else {
+				badExit(err)
+			}
+		default:
+			badExit(err)
+		}
+	}
+}