diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c7a9a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Changelog
+
+## v0.2.0-alpha
+Initial "stable" release. Cerulean is currently usable and supports:
+1. local & remote deployment configuration
+2. nixos/homemanager module-level support for any number of nixpkg branches
+3. use of the [nix-systems standard](https://github.com/nix-systems/nix-systems), the introduction of the `snow/flake` standard, and the introduction of the `nixpkgs.nix` standard module.
+4. hierarchical groups for NixOS hosts via `snow.nix`
+
+This is still a alpha-build of Cerulean. Everything will break in the future as I change the internals a bunch. I'll aim to write documentation in future cause currently there's no guide.
+
+## v0.2.1-alpha
+Minor patches
+- cerulean no longer has a `inputs.nixpkgs-unstable` (the `nixpkgs.nix` is the new alternative)
+- `home-manager.nixosModules.default` and `microvm.nixosModules.microvm` are added as default modules
+- fixed `groups.all` not being added to nodes with `groups = []`
+
+## v0.2.2-alpha
+Minor patches
+- fixed `nexus.groups.all` not added to empty `nexus.nodes.*.groups` declarations
+- fixed bad propagation of inputs
+- forced system architecture to be specified per node
+- cerulean no longer depends on `nixpkgs`,  `base` package set should be set instead
+- rename `extraModules` -> `modules`
+- rename `specialArgs` -> `args`
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index a12b8c3..1dde662 100755
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+- [ ] base should automatically be set as the default (dont do anything with the default)
+- [ ] try to remove common foot guns, ie abort if the user provides the home-manager or microvm nixosModules
+      since cerulean ALREADY provides these
+
 - [ ] deploy port should default to the first port given to `services.openssh`
 
 - [ ] use the Nix module system instead of projectOnto for `cerulean.mkNexus`
@@ -23,8 +27,8 @@
 - [ ] allow multiple privesc methods, the standard is pam_ssh_agent_auth
 
 ## Low Priority
-- [ ] rename extraModules to modules?
-- [ ] rename specialArgs to args?
+- [X] rename extraModules to modules?
+- [X] rename specialArgs to args?
 
 - [ ] make an extension to the nix module system (different to mix)
       that allows transformations (ie a stop post config, ie outputs, which
@@ -40,6 +44,8 @@
 - [ ] rewrite the ceru cli in rust
 - [ ] make `ceru` do local and remote deployments
 
+- [ ] support `legacyImports` 
+
 ```nix
 # REF: foxora
 vms = {
diff --git a/cerulean/nexus/nexus.nix b/cerulean/nexus/nexus.nix
index 22424ba..5d0ca02 100644
--- a/cerulean/nexus/nexus.nix
+++ b/cerulean/nexus/nexus.nix
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 }: let
   inherit
     (builtins)
+    all
     attrNames
     concatLists
     concatStringsSep
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@
     base = null;
     modules = [];
     args = Terminal {};
+    homeManager = null;
 
     groups = Terminal {};
     nodes = Terminal {};
@@ -92,13 +94,13 @@
       Cerulean Nexus config must be provided as an attribute set, got "${typeOf nexus}" instead!
       Ensure the `nexus` declaration is an attribute set under your call to `cerulean.mkNexus`.
     ''; let
-      base = nt.projectOnto templateNexus nexus;
+      decl = nt.projectOnto templateNexus nexus;
     in
       # XXX: TODO: create a different version of nt.projectOnto that can actually
       # XXX: TODO: handle applying a transformation to the result of each datapoint
-      base
+      decl
       // {
-        groups = parseGroupDecl base.groups;
+        groups = parseGroupDecl decl.groups;
       };
 
   parseDecl = outputsBuilder: let
@@ -184,33 +186,52 @@ in {
     outputs = rec {
       nixosConfigurations = mapNodes nexus (
         {
+          base,
           lib,
           nodeName,
           node,
           ...
         }: let
-          nixosDecl = lib.nixosSystem rec {
-            system = node.system;
-            specialArgs =
-              nexus.args
-              // node.args
-              // {
-                inherit root specialArgs;
-                inherit (node) system;
-                _deploy-rs = inputs.deploy-rs;
-              };
-            modules =
-              [
-                self.nixosModules.default
-                (findImport (root + "/hosts/${nodeName}"))
+          nixosDecl = let
+            homeManager =
+              if node.homeManager != null
+              then node.homeManager
+              else nexus.homeManager;
 
-                inputs.home-manager.nixosModules.default
-                # inputs.microvm.nixosModules.microvm
-              ]
-              ++ (getGroupModules root nodeName node)
-              ++ node.modules
-              ++ nexus.modules;
-          };
+            userArgs = nexus.args // node.args;
+            ceruleanArgs = {
+              inherit root base;
+              inherit (node) system;
+              _cerulean = {
+                inherit inputs userArgs ceruleanArgs homeManager;
+                specialArgs = userArgs // ceruleanArgs;
+              };
+            };
+            specialArgs = assert (userArgs
+              |> attrNames
+              |> all (argName:
+                ! ceruleanArgs ? argName
+                || abort ''
+                  `specialArgs` are like super important to Cerulean my love... </3
+                  But `args.${argName}` is a reserved argument name :(
+                ''));
+              ceruleanArgs._cerulean.specialArgs;
+          in
+            lib.nixosSystem {
+              inherit (node) system;
+              inherit specialArgs;
+              modules =
+                [
+                  self.nixosModules.default
+                  (findImport (root + "/hosts/${nodeName}"))
+
+                  # inputs.microvm.nixosModules.microvm
+                ]
+                ++ (homeManager.nixosModules.default or [])
+                ++ (getGroupModules root nodeName node)
+                ++ node.modules
+                ++ nexus.modules;
+            };
         in
           nixosDecl
       );
diff --git a/cerulean/nexus/nodes.nix b/cerulean/nexus/nodes.nix
index a1b6117..13ced2f 100644
--- a/cerulean/nexus/nodes.nix
+++ b/cerulean/nexus/nodes.nix
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ in rec {
     modules = [];
     args = Terminal {};
 
+    homeManager = null;
+
     base = null;
 
     deploy = {
@@ -93,7 +95,7 @@ in rec {
           '';
     in
       f {
-        inherit nodeName node;
-        lib = base.lib;
+        inherit nodeName node base;
+        inherit (base) lib;
       });
 }
diff --git a/cerulean/nixos/default.nix b/cerulean/nixos/default.nix
index f15b236..ea7c359 100644
--- a/cerulean/nixos/default.nix
+++ b/cerulean/nixos/default.nix
@@ -14,19 +14,23 @@
 {
   root,
   system,
-  _deploy-rs,
+  _cerulean,
   ...
 } @ args: {
-  imports = [
-    # user configuration
-    (import (root + "/nixpkgs.nix"))
-    # options declarations
-    (import ./nixpkgs.nix (args // {contextName = "hosts";}))
+  imports =
+    [
+      # user configuration
+      (import (root + "/nixpkgs.nix"))
+      # options declarations
+      (import ./nixpkgs.nix (args // {contextName = "hosts";}))
+    ]
+    ++ (
+      if _cerulean.homeManager != null
+      then [./home-manager.nix]
+      else []
+    );
 
-    ./home-manager.nix
-  ];
-
-  environment.systemPackages = [
-    _deploy-rs.packages.${system}.default
+  environment.systemPackages = with _cerulean.inputs; [
+    deploy-rs.packages.${system}.default
   ];
 }
diff --git a/cerulean/nixos/home-manager.nix b/cerulean/nixos/home-manager.nix
index 21ee78c..1d281cb 100644
--- a/cerulean/nixos/home-manager.nix
+++ b/cerulean/nixos/home-manager.nix
@@ -13,10 +13,9 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 {
   root,
-  system,
   config,
   lib,
-  specialArgs,
+  _cerulean,
   ...
 } @ args: let
   inherit
@@ -26,25 +25,21 @@
     pathExists
     ;
 in {
-  config = {
-    home-manager = {
-      users =
-        config.users.users
-        |> attrNames
-        |> filter (x: pathExists (root + "/homes/${x}"))
-        |> (x: lib.genAttrs x (y: import (root + "/homes/${y}")));
+  home-manager = {
+    users =
+      config.users.users
+      |> attrNames
+      |> filter (x: pathExists (root + "/homes/${x}"))
+      |> (x:
+        lib.genAttrs x (y:
+          import (root + "/homes/${y}")));
 
-      extraSpecialArgs = {inherit root system;} // (specialArgs.inputs or {});
-      sharedModules = [
-        # user configuration
-        (import (root + "/nixpkgs.nix"))
-        # options declarations
-        (import ./nixpkgs.nix (args // {contextName = "homes";}))
-      ];
-
-      # disable home-manager trying anything fancy
-      # we control the pkgs now!!
-      # useGlobalPkgs = true;
-    };
+    extraSpecialArgs = _cerulean.specialArgs;
+    sharedModules = [
+      # user configuration
+      (import (root + "/nixpkgs.nix"))
+      # options declarations
+      (import ./nixpkgs.nix (args // {contextName = "homes";}))
+    ];
   };
 }
diff --git a/cerulean/nixos/nixpkgs.nix b/cerulean/nixos/nixpkgs.nix
index 65db5a5..0376f47 100644
--- a/cerulean/nixos/nixpkgs.nix
+++ b/cerulean/nixos/nixpkgs.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 {
+  base,
   lib,
   system,
   config,
@@ -26,74 +27,66 @@
   cfg = config.nixpkgs.channels;
 in {
   options.nixpkgs.channels = lib.mkOption {
-    type = lib.types.attrsOf (lib.types.attrs);
+    type = lib.types.attrs;
     default = {};
-    description = "Declare package repositories per module context (nixos, home-manager, etc)";
+    description = "Declare package repositories";
     example = {
-      "homes" = {
-        "pkgs" = {
-          source = "inputs.nixpkgs";
-          system = "x86-64-linux";
-          config = {
-            allowUnfree = true;
-            allowBroken = false;
-          };
+      "pkgs" = {
+        source = "inputs.nixpkgs";
+        system = "x86-64-linux";
+        config = {
+          allowUnfree = true;
+          allowBroken = false;
         };
-        "upkgs" = {
-          source = "inputs.nixpkgs-unstable";
-          system = "x86-64-linux";
-          config = {
-            allowUnfree = true;
-            allowBroken = false;
-          };
+      };
+      "upkgs" = {
+        source = "inputs.nixpkgs-unstable";
+        system = "x86-64-linux";
+        config = {
+          allowUnfree = false;
+          allowBroken = true;
         };
       };
     };
   };
 
   config = let
-    # TODO: use lib.types.submodule to restrict what options
-    # TODO: can be given to `nixpkgs.channels.${moduleName}.${name}`
-    decl =
-      cfg.${contextName} or cfg.default;
-
     repos =
-      decl
+      cfg
+      |> (xs: removeAttrs xs ["default"])
       |> mapAttrs (
         name: args:
           lib.mkForce (
             assert args ? source
             || abort ''
-              ${toString ./.}
-              `nixpkgs.channels.${contextName}.${name}` missing required attribute "source"
+              `nixpkgs.channels.${name}` missing required attribute "source"
             '';
-              ((removeAttrs args ["source"])
-                // {inherit system;})
-              |> import args.source
+              import args.source ({inherit system;} // (removeAttrs args ["source"]))
           )
       );
+
+    # XXX: TODO: would it work to use `base` instead of having default?
+    defaultPkgs =
+      cfg.default or (throw ''
+        Your `nixpkgs.nix` file does not declare a default package source.
+        Ensure you set `nixpkgs.channels.*.default = ...;`
+      '');
   in {
     # NOTE: _module.args is a special option that allows us to
     # NOTE: set extend specialArgs from inside the modules.
-    _module.args = repos;
+    # WARNING: pkgs is a reserved specialArg
+    _module.args = removeAttrs repos ["pkgs"];
 
-    nixpkgs = let
-      defaultPkgs =
-        decl.default or (throw ''
-          Your `nixpkgs.nix` file does not declare a default package source.
-          Ensure you set `nixpkgs.channels.*.default = ...;`
-        '');
-    in
+    nixpkgs =
       if contextName == "hosts"
       then {
-        flake.source = lib.mkOverride 200 defaultPkgs.source;
-        config = lib.mkOverride 200 defaultPkgs.config;
+        flake.source = lib.mkOverride 200 base; # DEBUG: temp while getting base to work
+        overlays = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.overlays or {});
+        config = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.config or {});
       }
       else if contextName == "homes"
       then {
-        # XXX: XXX: XXX: OH OH OH OMG, its because aurora never defines pkgs
         config = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.config or {});
-        # XXX: WARNING: TODO: modify options so overlays must always be given as the correct type
         overlays = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.overlays or []);
       }
       else {};
diff --git a/flake.lock b/flake.lock
index 0dd06b1..fc8e402 100644
--- a/flake.lock
+++ b/flake.lock
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
     "deploy-rs": {
       "inputs": {
         "flake-compat": "flake-compat",
-        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs",
+        "nixpkgs": [
+          "nixpkgs"
+        ],
         "utils": "utils"
       },
       "locked": {
@@ -58,6 +60,27 @@
         "type": "github"
       }
     },
+    "microvm": {
+      "inputs": {
+        "nixpkgs": [
+          "nixpkgs"
+        ],
+        "spectrum": "spectrum"
+      },
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1771365290,
+        "narHash": "sha256-1XJOslVyF7yzf6yd/yl1VjGLywsbtwmQh3X1LuJcLI4=",
+        "owner": "microvm-nix",
+        "repo": "microvm.nix",
+        "rev": "789c90b164b55b4379e7a94af8b9c01489024c18",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "microvm-nix",
+        "repo": "microvm.nix",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
     "nix-github-actions": {
       "inputs": {
         "nixpkgs": [
@@ -105,38 +128,6 @@
       }
     },
     "nixpkgs": {
-      "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1743014863,
-        "narHash": "sha256-jAIUqsiN2r3hCuHji80U7NNEafpIMBXiwKlSrjWMlpg=",
-        "owner": "NixOS",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "rev": "bd3bac8bfb542dbde7ffffb6987a1a1f9d41699f",
-        "type": "github"
-      },
-      "original": {
-        "owner": "NixOS",
-        "ref": "nixpkgs-unstable",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "type": "github"
-      }
-    },
-    "nixpkgs-unstable": {
-      "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1768305791,
-        "narHash": "sha256-AIdl6WAn9aymeaH/NvBj0H9qM+XuAuYbGMZaP0zcXAQ=",
-        "owner": "NixOS",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "rev": "1412caf7bf9e660f2f962917c14b1ea1c3bc695e",
-        "type": "github"
-      },
-      "original": {
-        "owner": "NixOS",
-        "ref": "nixos-unstable",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "type": "github"
-      }
-    },
-    "nixpkgs_2": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1768323494,
         "narHash": "sha256-yBXJLE6WCtrGo7LKiB6NOt6nisBEEkguC/lq/rP3zRQ=",
@@ -152,7 +143,7 @@
         "type": "github"
       }
     },
-    "nixpkgs_3": {
+    "nixpkgs_2": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1767313136,
         "narHash": "sha256-16KkgfdYqjaeRGBaYsNrhPRRENs0qzkQVUooNHtoy2w=",
@@ -171,7 +162,7 @@
     "nt": {
       "inputs": {
         "nix-unit": "nix-unit",
-        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs_3",
+        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs_2",
         "systems": "systems_2"
       },
       "locked": {
@@ -191,12 +182,28 @@
     "root": {
       "inputs": {
         "deploy-rs": "deploy-rs",
-        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs_2",
-        "nixpkgs-unstable": "nixpkgs-unstable",
+        "microvm": "microvm",
+        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs",
         "nt": "nt",
         "systems": "systems_3"
       }
     },
+    "spectrum": {
+      "flake": false,
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1759482047,
+        "narHash": "sha256-H1wiXRQHxxPyMMlP39ce3ROKCwI5/tUn36P8x6dFiiQ=",
+        "ref": "refs/heads/main",
+        "rev": "c5d5786d3dc938af0b279c542d1e43bce381b4b9",
+        "revCount": 996,
+        "type": "git",
+        "url": "https://spectrum-os.org/git/spectrum"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "type": "git",
+        "url": "https://spectrum-os.org/git/spectrum"
+      }
+    },
     "systems": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1681028828,
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 89ce6b4..c1a5498 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -23,11 +23,6 @@
 
     nt.url = "github:cry128/nt";
 
-    home-manager = {
-      url = "github:nix-community/home-manager/release-25.11";
-      inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
-    };
-
     deploy-rs = {
       url = "github:serokell/deploy-rs";
       inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";