diff --git a/generate.py b/generate.py
index a7cd4e2..fa6aef4 100755
--- a/generate.py
+++ b/generate.py
@@ -4,7 +4,14 @@ import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 import jinja2
 
-py_script_names = ["help", "ansi", "info", "print-ansi", "vars", "confirm"]
+py_script_names = [
+    "help",
+    "info",
+    "print-ansi",
+    "vars",
+    "confirm",
+    "utils",
+]
 
 
 def get_jinja_env():
diff --git a/src/config.mk b/src/config.mk
index a0c1fa9..c2efd45 100644
--- a/src/config.mk
+++ b/src/config.mk
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ ACCENT_STYLE ?= b_yellow
 PARAMS_STYLE ?= $(ACCENT_STYLE)
 GOAL_STYLE ?= $(ACCENT_STYLE)
 MSG_STYLE ?= faint
-DIVIDER_STYLE ?= default
 DIVIDER ?= ─
+DIVIDER_STYLE ?= default
 HELP_SEP ?= │
 # python f-string literals
 EPILOG ?=
-USAGE ?={ansi.$(HEADER_STYLE)}usage{ansi.end}:\n  make <recipe>\n
+USAGE ?={ansi.header}usage{ansi.end}:\n  make <recipe>\n
 INHERIT_SHELL ?=
diff --git a/src/confirm.py b/src/confirm.py
index bc78e16..deac724 100644
--- a/src/confirm.py
+++ b/src/confirm.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 import sys
 
-##- '$(ansi_py)' -##
+##- '$(utils_py)' -##
 
 
 def confirm():
diff --git a/src/help.py b/src/help.py
index bf5e44d..b10c6e4 100644
--- a/src/help.py
+++ b/src/help.py
@@ -9,7 +9,13 @@ import subprocess
 import sys
 from textwrap import wrap
 
-##- '$(ansi_py)' -##
+##- '$(utils_py)' -##
+###-
+# this is just to trick the LSP during development
+from utils import ansi, cfg
+
+# -###
+
 
 MaxLens = namedtuple("MaxLens", "goal msg")
 
@@ -32,12 +38,12 @@ def parseargs(argstring):
 
 
 def divider(len):
-    return ansi.style(f"  {'$(DIVIDER)'*len}", "$(DIVIDER_STYLE)")
+    return ansi.style(f"  {cfg.div*len}", "div_style")
 
 
 def gen_makefile():
     makefile = ""
-    for file in os.getenv("MAKEFILE_LIST").split():
+    for file in os.getenv("MAKEFILE_LIST", "").split():
         with open(file, "r") as f:
             makefile += f.read() + "\n\n"
     return makefile
@@ -71,7 +77,7 @@ def recipe_help_header(goal):
             item[0].get("msgargs", ""),
         )
     else:
-        return f"  {ansi.style(goal,'$(GOAL_STYLE)')}"
+        return f"  {ansi.style(goal,'goal')}"
 
 
 def get_goal_deps(goal="task.mk"):
@@ -82,7 +88,7 @@ def get_goal_deps(goal="task.mk"):
         match = dep_pattern.search(line)
         if match and match.groups()[0]:
             return wrap(
-                f"{ansi.style('deps','default')}: {ansi.style(match.groups()[0].strip(),'$(MSG_STYLE)')}",
+                f"{ansi.style('deps','default')}: {ansi.style(match.groups()[0].strip(),'msg')}",
                 initial_indent="  ",
                 subsequent_indent="  ",
             )
@@ -116,8 +122,8 @@ def parse_goal(file, goal):
 
 def fmt_goal(goal, msg, max_goal_len, argstr):
     args = parseargs(argstr)
-    goal_style = args.goal_style.strip() if args.goal_style else "$(GOAL_STYLE)"
-    msg_style = args.msg_style.strip() if args.msg_style else "$(MSG_STYLE)"
+    goal_style = args.goal_style.strip() if args.goal_style else "goal"
+    msg_style = args.msg_style.strip() if args.msg_style else "msg"
     return (
         ansi.style(f"  {goal:>{max_goal_len}}", goal_style)
         + f" $(HELP_SEP) "
@@ -128,20 +134,20 @@ def fmt_goal(goal, msg, max_goal_len, argstr):
 def fmt_rawmsg(msg, argstr, maxlens):
     args = parseargs(argstr)
     lines = []
-    msg_style = args.msg_style.strip() if args.msg_style else "$(MSG_STYLE)"
+    msg_style = args.msg_style.strip() if args.msg_style else "msg"
     if not os.getenv("SHOW_HIDDEN") and args.hidden:
         return []
     if msg:
         if args.align == "sep":
             lines.append(
-                f"{' '*(maxlens.goal+len('$(HELP_SEP)')+4)}{ansi.style(msg,msg_style)}"
+                f"{' '*(maxlens.goal+len(cfg.sep)+4)}{ansi.style(msg,msg_style)}"
             )
         elif args.align == "center":
             lines.append(f"  {ansi.style(msg.center(sum(maxlens)),msg_style)}")
         else:
             lines.append(f"  {ansi.style(msg,msg_style)}")
     if args.divider:
-        lines.append(divider(len("$(HELP_SEP)") + sum(maxlens) + 2))
+        lines.append(divider(len(cfg.sep) + sum(maxlens) + 2))
     if args.whitespace:
         lines.append("\n")
 
@@ -149,7 +155,7 @@ def fmt_rawmsg(msg, argstr, maxlens):
 
 
 def print_help():
-    lines = [f"""$(USAGE)"""]
+    lines = [cfg.usage]
 
     items = list(parse_help(gen_makefile()))
     maxlens = MaxLens(
@@ -164,12 +170,12 @@ def print_help():
             )
         if "rawmsg" in item:
             lines.extend(fmt_rawmsg(item["rawmsg"], item.get("rawargs", ""), maxlens))
-    lines.append(f"""$(EPILOG)""")
+    lines.append(cfg.epilog)
     print("\n".join(lines))
 
 
 def print_arg_help(help_args):
-    print(f"{ansi.style('task.mk recipe help','$(HEADER_STYLE)')}\n")
+    print(f"{ansi.style('task.mk recipe help','header')}\n")
     for arg in help_args.split():
         print("\n".join(parse_goal(gen_makefile(), arg)))
 
diff --git a/src/info.py b/src/info.py
index dbbf480..55307a0 100644
--- a/src/info.py
+++ b/src/info.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #% extends "py-script.mk" %#
 #% block name %#info#% endblock %#
 #% block script %#
-##- '$(ansi_py)' -##
+##- '$(utils_py)' -##
 
 print(f"""$(2)""")
 #% endblock %#
diff --git a/src/print-ansi.py b/src/print-ansi.py
index 39a9825..00019ff 100644
--- a/src/print-ansi.py
+++ b/src/print-ansi.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #% extends "py-script.mk" %#
 #% block name %#print_ansi#% endblock %#
 #% block script %#
-##- '$(ansi_py)' -##
+##- '$(utils_py)' -##
 sep = f"$(HELP_SEP)"
 codes_names = {getattr(ansi, attr): attr for attr in ansi.__dict__}
 for code in sorted(codes_names.keys(), key=lambda item: (len(item), item)):
diff --git a/src/ansi.py b/src/utils.py
similarity index 77%
rename from src/ansi.py
rename to src/utils.py
index a92e87a..417e279 100644
--- a/src/ansi.py
+++ b/src/utils.py
@@ -1,8 +1,24 @@
 #% extends "py-script.mk" %#
-#% block name %#ansi#% endblock %#
+#% block name %#utils#% endblock %#
 #% block script %#
 import os
 import sys
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Config:
+    header: str
+    accent: str
+    params: str
+    goal: str
+    msg: str
+    div: str
+    div_style: str
+    sep: str
+    epilog: str
+    usage: str
+
 
 color2byte = dict(
     black=0,
@@ -77,6 +93,15 @@ class Ansi:
 
         return code + end
 
+    def add_cfg(self, cfg):
+        cfg_attrs = {
+            attr: getattr(cfg, attr)
+            for attr in cfg.__dict__
+            if attr not in ["div", "sep", "epilog", "usage"]
+        }
+        for name, cfg_attr in cfg_attrs.items():
+            self.setcode(name, getattr(ansi, cfg_attr))
+
     def style(self, text, style):
         if style not in self.__dict__:
             print(f"unknown style: {style}")
@@ -86,4 +111,18 @@ class Ansi:
 
 
 a = ansi = Ansi()
+
+cfg = Config(
+    "$(HEADER_STYLE)",
+    "$(ACCENT_STYLE)",
+    "$(PARAMS_STYLE)",
+    "$(GOAL_STYLE)",
+    "$(MSG_STYLE)",
+    "$(DIVIDER)",
+    "$(DIVIDER_STYLE)",
+    "$(HELP_SEP)",
+    f"""$(EPILOG)""",
+    f"""$(USAGE)""",
+)
+ansi.add_cfg(cfg)
 #% endblock %#
diff --git a/src/vars.py b/src/vars.py
index 9585981..608c8b9 100644
--- a/src/vars.py
+++ b/src/vars.py
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@
 #% block script %#
 import os
 
-##- '$(ansi_py)' -##
+##- '$(utils_py)' -##
 
 vars = "$2".split()
 length = max((len(v) for v in vars))
 
-print(f"{ansi.$(HEADER_STYLE)}vars:{ansi.end}\n")
+print(f"{ansi.header}vars{ansi.end}:\n")
 
 for v in vars:
-    print(f"  {ansi.b_magenta}{v:<{length}}{ansi.end} = {os.getenv(v)}")
+    print(f"  {ansi.params}{v:<{length}}{ansi.end} = {os.getenv(v)}")
 
 print()
 #% endblock %#