diff --git a/cuddle_cli/src/actions/shell.rs b/cuddle_cli/src/actions/shell.rs
index 36ed98a..add8292 100644
--- a/cuddle_cli/src/actions/shell.rs
+++ b/cuddle_cli/src/actions/shell.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-use std::{
-    io::{BufRead, BufReader},
-    process::{Command, Stdio},
-};
+use std::process::Command;
 
+use crate::cli::CuddleVariable;
+
+#[allow(dead_code)]
 pub struct ShellAction {
     path: String,
     name: String,
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ impl ShellAction {
         Self { path, name }
     }
 
-    pub fn execute(self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    pub fn execute(self, variables: Vec<CuddleVariable>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         log::debug!("executing shell action: {}", self.path.clone());
 
         log::info!(
@@ -28,18 +28,12 @@ Starting running shell action: {}
 
         let mut process = Command::new(self.path)
             .current_dir(".")
-            //.stdout(Stdio::piped())
-            //.stderr(Stdio::piped())
-            .spawn()?;
+            .envs(variables.iter().map(|v| {
+                log::trace!("{:?}", v);
 
-        //{
-        //    let stdout = process.stdout.as_mut().unwrap();
-        //    let stdout_reader = BufReader::new(stdout);
-        //    let mut stdout_lines = stdout_reader.lines();
-        //    while let Some(Ok(line)) = stdout_lines.next() {
-        //        log::info!("{}", line);
-        //    }
-        //}
+                (v.name.to_uppercase(), v.value.clone())
+            }))
+            .spawn()?;
 
         process.wait()?;
 
diff --git a/cuddle_cli/src/cli.rs b/cuddle_cli/src/cli.rs
index e1ebc9a..644c7b6 100644
--- a/cuddle_cli/src/cli.rs
+++ b/cuddle_cli/src/cli.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 use std::{
+    env::current_dir,
     path::PathBuf,
     sync::{Arc, Mutex},
 };
 
 use anyhow::anyhow;
 use clap::Command;
+use git2::Repository;
 
-use crate::{actions, context::CuddleContext, model::CuddleScript};
+use crate::{
+    actions,
+    context::{CuddleContext, CuddleTreeType},
+    model::CuddleScript,
+};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 #[allow(dead_code)]
@@ -21,7 +27,7 @@ impl CuddleAction {
         Self { script, path, name }
     }
 
-    pub fn execute(self) {
+    pub fn execute(self, variables: Vec<CuddleVariable>) {
         match self.script {
             CuddleScript::Shell(_s) => {
                 match actions::shell::ShellAction::new(
@@ -34,7 +40,7 @@ impl CuddleAction {
                         self.name
                     ),
                 )
-                .execute()
+                .execute(variables)
                 {
                     Ok(()) => {}
                     Err(e) => {
@@ -47,26 +53,112 @@ impl CuddleAction {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+pub struct CuddleVariable {
+    pub name: String,
+    pub value: String,
+}
+
+impl CuddleVariable {
+    pub fn new(name: String, value: String) -> Self {
+        Self { name, value }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+struct GitCommit {
+    commit_sha: String,
+}
+
+impl GitCommit {
+    fn new() -> anyhow::Result<GitCommit> {
+        let repo = Repository::open(current_dir().expect("having current_dir available")).map_err(
+            |e| {
+                log::debug!("{}", e);
+                anyhow::anyhow!("could not open repository")
+            },
+        )?;
+        let head_ref = repo
+            .head()
+            .map_err(|e| {
+                log::warn!("{}", e);
+                anyhow::anyhow!("could not get HEAD")
+            })?
+            .target()
+            .ok_or(anyhow::anyhow!(
+                "could not extract head -> target to commit_sha"
+            ))?;
+
+        Ok(Self {
+            commit_sha: head_ref.to_string(),
+        })
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct CuddleCli<'a> {
     scripts: Vec<CuddleAction>,
+    variables: Vec<CuddleVariable>,
     context: Arc<Mutex<Vec<CuddleContext>>>,
     command: Option<Command<'a>>,
+    tmp_dir: Option<PathBuf>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> CuddleCli<'a> {
     pub fn new(context: Arc<Mutex<Vec<CuddleContext>>>) -> anyhow::Result<CuddleCli<'a>> {
         let mut cli = CuddleCli {
             scripts: vec![],
+            variables: vec![],
             context: context.clone(),
             command: None,
+            tmp_dir: None,
         };
 
-        cli = cli.process_scripts().build_cli();
+        cli = cli
+            .process_variables()
+            .process_scripts()
+            .process_templates()?
+            .build_cli();
 
         Ok(cli)
     }
 
+    fn process_variables(mut self) -> Self {
+        if let Ok(context_iter) = self.context.clone().lock() {
+            for ctx in context_iter.iter() {
+                if let Some(variables) = ctx.plan.vars.clone() {
+                    for (name, var) in variables {
+                        self.variables.push(CuddleVariable::new(name, var))
+                    }
+                }
+                if let CuddleTreeType::Root = ctx.node_type {
+                    let mut temp_path = ctx.path.clone();
+                    temp_path.push(".cuddle/tmp/");
+
+                    self.variables.push(CuddleVariable::new(
+                        "tmp".into(),
+                        temp_path.clone().to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+                    ));
+
+                    self.tmp_dir = Some(temp_path);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        match GitCommit::new() {
+            Ok(commit) => self.variables.push(CuddleVariable::new(
+                "commit_sha".into(),
+                commit.commit_sha.clone(),
+            )),
+            Err(e) => {
+                log::debug!("{}", e);
+            }
+        }
+
+        self
+    }
+
     fn process_scripts(mut self) -> Self {
         if let Ok(context_iter) = self.context.clone().lock() {
             for ctx in context_iter.iter() {
@@ -82,25 +174,70 @@ impl<'a> CuddleCli<'a> {
         self
     }
 
+    fn process_templates(self) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        if let None = self.tmp_dir {
+            log::debug!("cannot process template as bare bones cli");
+            return Ok(self);
+        }
+
+        // Make sure tmp_dir exists and clean it up first
+        let tmp_dir = self
+            .tmp_dir
+            .clone()
+            .ok_or(anyhow::anyhow!("tmp_dir does not exist aborting"))?;
+        if tmp_dir.exists() && tmp_dir.ends_with("tmp") {
+            std::fs::remove_dir_all(tmp_dir.clone())?;
+        }
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(tmp_dir.clone())?;
+        // Handle all templating with variables and such.
+        // TODO: use actual templating engine, for new we just copy templates to the final folder
+
+        if let Ok(context_iter) = self.context.clone().lock() {
+            for ctx in context_iter.iter() {
+                let mut template_path = ctx.path.clone();
+                template_path.push("templates");
+
+                log::trace!("template path: {}", template_path.clone().to_string_lossy());
+
+                if !template_path.exists() {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                for file in std::fs::read_dir(template_path)?.into_iter() {
+                    let f = file?;
+                    let mut dest_file = tmp_dir.clone();
+                    dest_file.push(f.file_name());
+
+                    std::fs::copy(f.path(), dest_file)?;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        Ok(self)
+    }
+
     fn build_cli(mut self) -> Self {
         let mut root_cmd = Command::new("cuddle")
             .version("1.0")
             .author("kjuulh <contact@kasperhermansen.com>")
             .about("cuddle is your domain specific organization tool. It enabled widespread sharing through repositories, as well as collaborating while maintaining speed and integrity")
+            .subcommand_required(true)
             .propagate_version(true);
 
-        let mut execute_cmd = Command::new("x").about("x is your entry into your domains scripts, scripts inherited from parents will also be present here");
+        if self.scripts.len() > 0 {
+            let mut execute_cmd = Command::new("x").about("x is your entry into your domains scripts, scripts inherited from parents will also be present here").subcommand_required(true);
 
-        for script in self.scripts.iter() {
-            let action_cmd = Command::new(script.name.clone());
+            for script in self.scripts.iter() {
+                let action_cmd = Command::new(script.name.clone());
 
-            // TODO: Some way to add an about for clap, requires conversion from String -> &str
+                // TODO: Some way to add an about for clap, requires conversion from String -> &str
 
-            execute_cmd = execute_cmd.subcommand(action_cmd);
+                execute_cmd = execute_cmd.subcommand(action_cmd);
+            }
+
+            root_cmd = root_cmd.subcommand(execute_cmd);
         }
 
-        root_cmd = root_cmd.subcommand(execute_cmd);
-
         self.command = Some(root_cmd);
 
         self
@@ -119,7 +256,7 @@ impl<'a> CuddleCli<'a> {
                             log::trace!(action=name; "running action");
                             match self.scripts.iter().find(|ele| ele.name == name) {
                                 Some(script) => {
-                                    script.clone().execute();
+                                    script.clone().execute(self.variables.clone());
                                     Ok(())
                                 }
                                 _ => (Err(anyhow!("could not find a match"))),
diff --git a/cuddle_cli/src/context.rs b/cuddle_cli/src/context.rs
index 27015eb..11be2b3 100644
--- a/cuddle_cli/src/context.rs
+++ b/cuddle_cli/src/context.rs
@@ -12,10 +12,17 @@ use crate::{
     model::{CuddleBase, CuddlePlan},
 };
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
+pub enum CuddleTreeType {
+    Root,
+    Leaf,
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct CuddleContext {
     pub plan: CuddlePlan,
     pub path: PathBuf,
+    pub node_type: CuddleTreeType,
 }
 
 pub fn extract_cuddle(config: CuddleConfig) -> anyhow::Result<Arc<Mutex<Vec<CuddleContext>>>> {
@@ -41,6 +48,7 @@ pub fn extract_cuddle(config: CuddleConfig) -> anyhow::Result<Arc<Mutex<Vec<Cudd
     context.lock().unwrap().push(CuddleContext {
         plan: cuddle_plan.clone(),
         path: current_dir()?,
+        node_type: CuddleTreeType::Root,
     });
 
     // pull parent plan and execute recursive descent
@@ -131,6 +139,7 @@ fn recurse_parent(path: PathBuf, context: Arc<Mutex<Vec<CuddleContext>>>) -> any
         ctxs.push(CuddleContext {
             plan: cuddle_plan.clone(),
             path: path.clone(),
+            node_type: CuddleTreeType::Leaf,
         });
     } else {
         return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Could not acquire lock, aborting"));
diff --git a/cuddle_cli/src/main.rs b/cuddle_cli/src/main.rs
index e59074f..6f0d9ef 100644
--- a/cuddle_cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/cuddle_cli/src/main.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+use std::{
+    env::current_dir,
+    sync::{Arc, Mutex},
+};
+
 use config::CuddleConfig;
 
 mod actions;
@@ -11,8 +16,16 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 
     let config = CuddleConfig::from_env()?;
 
-    let context = context::extract_cuddle(config.clone())?;
-    _ = cli::CuddleCli::new(context)?.execute()?;
+    match git2::Repository::open(current_dir()?) {
+        Ok(_) => {
+            let context = context::extract_cuddle(config.clone())?;
+            _ = cli::CuddleCli::new(context)?.execute()?;
+        }
+        Err(_) => {
+            // Only build bare bones cli
+            _ = cli::CuddleCli::new(Arc::new(Mutex::new(vec![])))?.execute()?;
+        }
+    }
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/cuddle_cli/src/model.rs b/cuddle_cli/src/model.rs
index 020d8a4..49c7fa0 100644
--- a/cuddle_cli/src/model.rs
+++ b/cuddle_cli/src/model.rs
@@ -30,5 +30,6 @@ pub enum CuddleScript {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Deserialize)]
 pub struct CuddlePlan {
     pub base: CuddleBase,
+    pub vars: Option<HashMap<String, String>>,
     pub scripts: Option<HashMap<String, CuddleScript>>,
 }
diff --git a/schemas/base.json b/schemas/base.json
index 7f84ceb..b865d2f 100644
--- a/schemas/base.json
+++ b/schemas/base.json
@@ -59,14 +59,7 @@
               "title": "your collection of variables to be available to cuddle",
               "patternProperties": {
                 "^.*$": {
-                  "anyOf": [
-                    {
-                      "type": "string"
-                    },
-                    {
-                      "type": "object"
-                    }
-                  ]
+                  "type": "string"
                 }
               },
               "additionalProperties": false