diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..35019eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+# Skynet
+
+This is teh core config for teh skynet cluster which uses [NixOS][1].
+
+## Dev 
+### Prep 
+
+1. Install [Nix][2]
+2. Enable [Flakes][3]
+
+The system ye use does nto matter much, I (@silver) use nix in wsl and it works grand.
+
+### Shell
+
+Now ye got nix installed and flakes enabled run ``nix develop`` in the root folder (same place this readme is).  
+The dev dependencies you need to work with the project will be automatically installed.  
+The specific config for this can be found [here][4].
+
+Specifically it installs [Colmena][5] and [Agenix][6].  
+Colmena is a build and deployment tool, Agenix is for secret management.
+
+All following commands are inside the shell.
+### Colmena
+
+#### Building
+
+To build all nodes (servers) run:
+```shell
+colmena build
+```
+
+To build a specific one
+```shell
+colmena build --on skynet
+```
+
+To build a group (for example the dns servers)
+```shell
+colmena build --on @active-dns
+```
+
+#### Deploy
+Deploying is putting (apply-ing) the config tat was built onto the server, there is no need to build first, it will automatically do so.
+
+While the ***recommended way of deploying is using the CI/CD process*** there are times when you will have to manually deploy the config.  
+One such case is the ``@active-gitlab`` group if either Gitlab or Gitlab-runner got updated.  
+Another is if ye have fecked up DNS.
+
+```shell
+colmena apply --on @active-gitlab
+```
+
+The CI/CD pipeline has a manual job that can be triggered to update ``@active-gitlab`` if you know it wont cause issues.
+
+### Agenix
+
+Agenix is for storing secrets in an encrypted manner using ssh keys.
+
+All these commands require you to be in the secrets folder ``cd secrets``
+
+#### Prep
+1. Go to yer .ssh folder and see if you have a ``id_ed25519`` key ([tutorial][7])
+2. Make a pull request to add (``id_ed25519.pub``) to the [secrets config][8].
+3. An existing admin will pull, run ``agenix --rekey`` and commit changes.
+4. Once committed and pushed up and merged in, you will be able to edit secrets.
+
+``id_ed25519`` is preferred due to its neatness and security (Yes @silver is pedantic.)
+
+#### Editing
+When editing a terminal editor will open (nano).  
+You must use teh path defined in the ``secrets.nix`` file.
+
+````shell
+agenix -e stream_ulfm.age
+agenix -e ldap/self_service.age
+agenix -e gitlab/runners/runner01.age
+````
+
+### Updating inputs
+Occasionally you will want to update the inputs for the project.  
+It is best to do this every few months or so, there is always a risk of things changing so a small pain often is better than a nightmare if left longer.  
+As seen in [this merge request][9] the layout of one config changed which had to be fixed.  
+
+We should be updating ``nixpkgs`` at least once a semester, ideally to teh next NixOS release so we cna show ITD our servers are patched and up to date.
+
+```shell
+nix flake lock --update-input nixpkgs
+```
+
+
+
+
+
+[1]: https://nixos.org/explore
+[2]: https://nixos.org/download
+[3]: https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes
+[4]: https://gitlab.skynet.ie/compsoc1/skynet/nixos/-/blob/main/flake.nix#L33
+[5]: https://github.com/zhaofengli/colmena
+[6]: https://github.com/ryantm/agenix
+[7]: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/ssh.html#see-if-you-have-an-existing-ssh-key-pair
+[8]: https://gitlab.skynet.ie/compsoc1/skynet/nixos/-/blob/main/secrets/secrets.nix#L2
+[9]: https://gitlab.skynet.ie/compsoc1/skynet/nixos/-/merge_requests/4
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dev.nix b/dev.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index 759a79c..0000000
--- a/dev.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-# run with: nix-shell dev.nix
-# has everything installed for dev
-
-{ pkgs ? import <nixpkgs> {} }:
-with pkgs;
-let
-imports =
-    let agenixCommit = "42d371d861a227149dc9a7e03350c9ab8b8ddd68";
-    in
-    {
-      agenix = import
-        (builtins.fetchTarball {
-          url = "https://github.com/ryantm/agenix/archive/${agenixCommit}.tar.gz";
-          sha256 = "14sszf5s85i4jd3lc8c167fbxvpj13da45wl1j7wpd20n0fic5c1";
-        })
-        { inherit pkgs; };
-    };
-in mkShell {
-    # nativeBuildInputs is usually what you want -- tools you need to run
-    nativeBuildInputs = [
-        pkgs.buildPackages.git
-        pkgs.buildPackages.colmena
-        pkgs.buildPackages.nmap
-    ];
-
-    buildInputs = [ imports.agenix.agenix ];
-
-    shellHook = ''export EDITOR="${pkgs.nano}/bin/nano --nonewlines"'';
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index b0233fe..2236dc8 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -23,11 +23,24 @@
     skynet_website_2016.url = "gitlab:compsoc1%2Fskynet%2Fwebsite/2016?host=gitlab.skynet.ie";
   };
 
-  outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... } @inputs: {
-    # https://github.com/zhaofengli/colmena
-    # colmena apply --on agentjones
-    # colmena apply --on @dns
-    # nix flake lock --update-input skynet_ldap_backend
+  nixConfig.bash-prompt-suffix = "[Skynet Dev] ";
+
+  outputs = { self, nixpkgs, agenix,  ... } @inputs:
+    let
+      pkgs = nixpkgs.legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.pkgs;
+    in {
+
+    devShells.x86_64-linux.default = pkgs.mkShell {
+      name = "Skynet build env";
+      nativeBuildInputs = [
+          pkgs.buildPackages.git
+          pkgs.buildPackages.colmena
+          pkgs.buildPackages.nmap
+      ];
+      buildInputs = [ agenix.packages.x86_64-linux.default ];
+      shellHook = ''export EDITOR="${pkgs.nano}/bin/nano --nonewlines"'';
+    };
+
     colmena = {
       meta = {
         nixpkgs = import nixpkgs {