diff --git a/forge.nimble b/forge.nimble
index 82b02e9..9d71d39 100644
--- a/forge.nimble
+++ b/forge.nimble
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ binDir        = "bin"
 
 
 requires "nim >= 2.0.0"
-requires "https://github.com/daylinmorgan/hwylterm#dfd9a7d"
+requires "https://github.com/daylinmorgan/hwylterm#cddbf5e"
diff --git a/nimble.lock b/nimble.lock
index 799b40c..ad00244 100644
--- a/nimble.lock
+++ b/nimble.lock
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@
   "packages": {
     "hwylterm": {
       "version": "0.1.0",
-      "vcsRevision": "dfd9a7d98d345510c9d248670b7e80f7501d1a5a",
+      "vcsRevision": "cddbf5ee1ec0fe4c965fd7ba80b4c9617296a7ef",
       "url": "https://github.com/daylinmorgan/hwylterm",
       "downloadMethod": "git",
       "dependencies": [],
       "checksums": {
-        "sha1": "7ed514f09d1f74f725c866ddb3cfba19cc8b3e42"
+        "sha1": "33c4fc8877299d8fcac1a74e81a1a561c6886496"
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/src/forge.nim b/src/forge.nim
index 58aa4f3..5ce7f7a 100644
--- a/src/forge.nim
+++ b/src/forge.nim
@@ -58,14 +58,6 @@ proc release(
     noConfig: bool = false,
     verbose: bool = false,
 ) =
-  ## generate release assets for n>=1 targets
-  ##
-  ## format argument:
-  ##  format is a template string used for each target directory
-  ##  available fields are name, version, target
-  ##  default: ${name}-v${verison}-${target}
-  ##
-  ## if name or version are not specified they will be inferred from the local .nimble file
   zigExists()
 
   let cfg =
@@ -119,17 +111,22 @@ proc release(
           termErrQuit &"exited with code {errCode} see above for error"
 
 when isMainModule:
-  # import cligen
-  # TODO: swap for hwylterm/hwylcli
   import hwylterm/hwylcli
-  # hwylCli(clCfg)
-
-  # let clUse* = $bb("$command $args\n${doc}[bold]Options[/]:\n$options")
-  const vsn = staticExec "git describe --tags --always HEAD"
+  const vsn{.strDefine.} = staticExec "git describe --tags --always HEAD"
 
   hwylCli:
     name "forge"
+    ... "cross-compile nim binaries with [b yellow]zig[/]"
     V vsn
+    flags:
+      [shared]
+      `dry-run`:
+        T bool
+        ? "show command instead of executing"
+        - n
+      nimble:
+        T bool
+        ? "use nimble as base command for compiling"
     subcommands:
       --- targets
       ... "show available targets"
@@ -138,13 +135,7 @@ when isMainModule:
       --- cc
       ...  "compile with zig cc"
       flags:
-        `dry-run`:
-          T bool
-          ? "show command instead of executing"
-          - n
-        nimble:
-          T bool
-          ? "use nimble as base command for compiling"
+        ^[shared]
         target:
           ? "target triple"
           - t
@@ -163,6 +154,7 @@ when isMainModule:
       if name or version are not specified they will be inferred from the local .nimble file
       """
       flags:
+        ^[shared]
         verbose:
           T bool
           ? "enable verbose"
@@ -176,15 +168,8 @@ when isMainModule:
           T seq[string]
           ? "set bin, may be repeated"
           * @[]
-        `dry-run`:
-          T bool
-          ? "show command instead of executing"
-          - n
         format:
           ? "set format, see help above"
-        nimble:
-          T bool
-          ? "use nimble as base command for compiling"
         `config-file`:
           ? "path to config"
           * ".forge.cfg"
@@ -203,33 +188,17 @@ when isMainModule:
           * ""
       run:
         release(
-            target,# seq[string] = @[],
-            bin, # seq[string] = @[],
-            args,# seq[string],
-            outdir,# string = "dist",
-            format,# string = "",
-            name,# string = "",
-            version,# string = "",
-            `dry-run`,# bool = false,
-            nimble,# bool = false,
-            `config-file`,# string = ".forge.cfg",
-            `no-config`,# bool = false,
-            verbose,# bool = false,
+            target,
+            bin,
+            args,
+            outdir,
+            format,
+            name,
+            version,
+            `dry-run`,
+            nimble,
+            `config-file`,
+            `no-config`,
+            verbose,
         )
 
-
-  #   [
-  #     release,
-  #     usage = clUse,
-  #     help = {
-  #       "target": "set target, may be repeated",
-  #       "bin": "set bin, may be repeated",
-  #       "dryrun": "show command instead of executing",
-  #       "format": "set format, see help above",
-  #       "nimble": "use nimble as base command for compiling",
-  #       "config-file": "path to config",
-  #       "no-config": "ignore config file",
-  #     },
-  #     short = {"verbose": 'V'},
-  #   ],
-  # )