{
  inputs = {
    disko.url = "github:nix-community/disko";
    nixos-hardware.url = "github:NixOS/nixos-hardware/master";
    nixpkgs.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
    home-manager = {
      url = "github:nix-community/home-manager/master";
      inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
    };
    wayland-pipewire-idle-inhibit = {
      url = "github:rafaelrc7/wayland-pipewire-idle-inhibit";
      inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
    };
  };

  outputs = inputs@{
    self,
      nixpkgs,
      nix,
      disko,
      nixos-hardware,
      home-manager,
      wayland-pipewire-idle-inhibit,
      ...
  }:
    let
      inputs = { inherit disko home-manager nixpkgs nixos-hardware wayland-pipewire-idle-inhibit; };

      genPkgs = system: import nixpkgs { inherit system; config.allowUnfree = true; };

      # creates a nixos system config
      nixosSystem = system: hostname: username:
        let
          pkgs = genPkgs system;
        in
          nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
            inherit system;
            specialArgs = {
              inherit pkgs;
              # lets us use these things in modules
              customArgs = { inherit system hostname username pkgs; };
            };
            modules = [
              #disko.nixosModules.disko
              ./hosts/${hostname}
              home-manager.nixosModules.home-manager {
                networking.hostName = hostname;
                home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true;
                home-manager.useUserPackages = true;
                #home-manager.users.${username} = { imports = [ ./home/${username}.nix ]; };
              }
            ];
          };
    in {
      nixosConfigurations = {
        # clients
        ace = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "ace" "don";
        dragon = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "dragon" "don";
        eve = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "eve" "don";
        loki = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "loki" "don";
        pocket2 = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "pocket2" "don";
        smaug = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "smaug" "don";
        #t2 = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "t2" "don";

        # servers
        display = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "display" "don";
        harper2 = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "harper2" "don";
        harper = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "harper" "don";
        nuwww = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "nuwww" "don";
        pihole = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "pihole" "don";
        www2 = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "www2" "don";

        # test system
        # use this for a blank ISO + disko to work
        nixos = nixosSystem "x86_64-linux" "nixos" "don";
      };
    };
}