diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e6392ba..fc00c23 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ $ cat package.json | jq .engines
   "node": "^20"
 }
 
-$ dev
+$ dev .
 activated `~/my-project` (+node^20)
 
 $ node --version && which node
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ Shellcode works _as well_ and is your preference. It has notable caveats with
 regard to use in tools like editors. It also requires you to add shellcode to
 your `shell.rc` files and thus is more intrusive (depending on your outlook).
 
+A great advantage of the shellcode is not needing to install tools you may never
+need again when exploring new open source projects.
+
 ```sh
 pkgx dev integrate
 ```
@@ -103,7 +106,7 @@ more shells.
 > If you like, preview the shellcode: `pkgx dev --shellcode`. This command only
 > outputs shellcode, it doesn’t modify any files or do anything else either.
 
-## Usage
+### Usage
 
 ```sh
 $ cd my-project
@@ -130,15 +133,20 @@ command not found: node
 
 > [!TIP]
 >
-> ### Try Before You `vi`
+> #### Try Before You `vi`
 >
 > Modifying your `shell.rc` can be… _intimidating_. If you just want to
 > temporarily try `dev` out before you `:wq`—we got you:
 >
 > ```sh
 > $ cd my-project
-> $ eval "$(pkgx dev)"
+> $ eval "$(pkgx dev .)"
 > +deno^2
+> $ deno --version
+> deno 2.1.1
+>
+> $ dev off
+> # ^^ or close your terminal
 > ```
 >
 > The devenv will only exist for the duration of your shell session.
@@ -208,18 +216,16 @@ You can add your own environment variables if you like:
 
 > [!NOTE]
 >
-> The environment variable's value is sanitized, so expressions like
-> `MY_VAR: $(sudo rm -rf --no-preserve-root /)` will throw an error.
+> - Adding environment variables only works via the `shellcode` route.
+> - The environment variable's value is sanitized, so expressions like
+>   `MY_VAR: $(sudo rm -rf --no-preserve-root /)` will throw an error.
+> - We recommend `direnv` instead of this route.
 
 ## `dev` & Editors
 
-Most editors if opened via the Terminal will inherit that Terminal’s
-environment. We recommend Visual Studio Code, `dev && code .` works great.
-
-> [!WARNING]
->
-> Unfortunately, this usually means you _must_ open your editor via your
-> terminal.
+The sure fire way for things to work in editors is to use the `dev`/`pkgm`
+combo. Having said this most editors if opened via the Terminal will inherit
+that Terminal’s environment.
 
 ## GitHub Actions
 
@@ -227,8 +233,8 @@ environment. We recommend Visual Studio Code, `dev && code .` works great.
 - uses: pkgxdev/dev@v1
 ```
 
-Installs needed packages (via `pkgx`) and sets up the environment the same as
-`dev` does in your terminal.
+Our action installs needed packages (via `pkgx`) and sets up the environment the
+same as `dev` does in your terminal.
 
 ## Contributing
 
diff --git a/app.ts b/app.ts
index 4ff1e7c..d09a546 100755
--- a/app.ts
+++ b/app.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@
 //TODO if you step into dev-dir/subdir and type `dev` does it find the root properly?
 //TODO dev off uses PWD which may not be correct if in subdir (obv)
 
-import { Path } from "libpkgx";
+import { Path, utils } from "libpkgx";
 import shellcode, { datadir } from "./src/shellcode().ts";
 import app_version from "./src/app-version.ts";
 import integrate from "./src/integrate.ts";
 import { parseArgs } from "jsr:@std/cli@^1/parse-args";
 import dump from "./src/dump.ts";
 import sniff from "./src/sniff.ts";
+import { walk } from "jsr:@std/fs@1/walk";
 
 const parsedArgs = parseArgs(Deno.args, {
   alias: {
@@ -28,10 +29,13 @@ const parsedArgs = parseArgs(Deno.args, {
 });
 
 if (parsedArgs.help) {
-  const status = await new Deno.Command("pkgx", {
-    args: ["--quiet", "gh", "repo", "view", "pkgxdev/dev"],
+  const { code } = await new Deno.Command("pkgx", {
+    args: [
+      "glow",
+      "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pkgxdev/dev/refs/heads/main/README.md",
+    ],
   }).spawn().status;
-  Deno.exit(status.code);
+  Deno.exit(code);
 } else if (parsedArgs.shellcode) {
   console.log(shellcode());
 } else if (parsedArgs.version) {
@@ -40,20 +44,23 @@ if (parsedArgs.help) {
   const subcommand = parsedArgs._[0];
   const dryrun = parsedArgs["dry-run"] as boolean;
   const quiet = parsedArgs["quiet"] != undefined;
+
   switch (subcommand) {
     case "integrate":
       await integrate("install", { dryrun });
       break;
+
     case "deintegrate":
       await integrate("uninstall", { dryrun });
       break;
+
     case "status":
       {
         const cwd = Path.cwd();
         if (
           datadir().join(cwd.string.slice(1), "dev.pkgx.activated").isFile()
         ) {
-          //FIXME probably slower than necessary
+          //FIXME probably slower than ideal
           const { pkgs } = await sniff(cwd);
           Deno.exit(pkgs.length == 0 ? 1 : 0);
         } else {
@@ -61,9 +68,82 @@ if (parsedArgs.help) {
         }
       }
       break;
+
+    case "ls":
+      for await (
+        const entry of walk(datadir().string, { includeDirs: false })
+      ) {
+        if (entry.name === "dev.pkgx.activated") {
+          const partial_path = new Path(entry.path).parent().relative({
+            to: datadir(),
+          });
+          console.log(`/${partial_path}`);
+        }
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case undefined:
+      {
+        const cwd = Path.cwd();
+        const { pkgs } = await sniff(cwd);
+        if (
+          datadir().join(cwd.string.slice(1), "dev.pkgx.activated").isFile()
+        ) {
+          console.log(
+            "%cactive",
+            "color: green",
+            pkgs.map(utils.pkg.str).join(" "),
+          );
+        } else if (pkgs.length > 0) {
+          console.log(
+            "%cinactive",
+            "color: red",
+            pkgs.map(utils.pkg.str).join(" "),
+          );
+        } else {
+          console.log("%cno keyfiles found", "color: red");
+        }
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case "off": {
+      let dir = Path.cwd();
+      while (dir.string != "/") {
+        const f = datadir().join(dir.string.slice(1), "dev.pkgx.activated")
+          .isFile();
+        if (f) {
+          f.rm();
+          console.log("%cdeactivated", "color: green", dir.string);
+          Deno.exit(0);
+        }
+        dir = dir.parent();
+      }
+      console.error("%cno devenv found", "color: red");
+      Deno.exit(1);
+      break;
+    }
+
     default: {
-      const cwd = Path.cwd().join(subcommand as string);
-      await dump(cwd, { dryrun, quiet });
+      if (Deno.stdout.isTerminal()) {
+        const cwd = Path.cwd().join(subcommand as string);
+        const { pkgs } = await sniff(cwd);
+        if (pkgs.length > 0) {
+          datadir().join(cwd.string.slice(1)).mkdir("p").join(
+            "dev.pkgx.activated",
+          ).touch();
+          console.log(
+            "%cactived",
+            "color: green",
+            pkgs.map(utils.pkg.str).join(" "),
+          );
+        } else {
+          console.error("%cno keyfiles found", "color: red");
+          Deno.exit(1);
+        }
+      } else {
+        const cwd = Path.cwd().join(subcommand as string);
+        await dump(cwd, { dryrun, quiet });
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/shellcode().ts b/src/shellcode().ts
index 3293bd9..0fb82e0 100644
--- a/src/shellcode().ts
+++ b/src/shellcode().ts
@@ -27,7 +27,14 @@ dev() {
   case "$1" in
   off)
     if type -f _pkgx_dev_try_bye >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      rm "${datadir()}$PWD/dev.pkgx.activated"
+      dir="$PWD"
+      while [ "$dir" != / -a "$dir" != . ]; do
+        if [ -f "${datadir()}/$dir/dev.pkgx.activated" ]; then
+          rm "${datadir()}/$dir/dev.pkgx.activated"
+          break
+        fi
+        dir="$(dirname "$dir")"
+      done
       PWD=/ _pkgx_dev_try_bye
     else
       echo "no devenv" >&2