diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a2af26e..89f7948 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ edition = "2024"
 name = "frontend"
 path = "src/frontend.rs"
 
+[[bin]]
+name = "test_render"
+path = "src/test-render.rs"
+
 [dependencies]
 git2 = { version = "0.20.2", default-features = false }
 serde = { version = "1.0.219", default-features = false, features = ["derive"] }
diff --git a/assets/templates/repo/base.html b/assets/templates/repo/base.html
index 8463e84..54797e7 100644
--- a/assets/templates/repo/base.html
+++ b/assets/templates/repo/base.html
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 	<meta content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" name="viewport">
 	<meta charset="UTF-8">
 	<link rel="stylesheet" href="res/style.css">
-	<link rel="stylesheet" href="res/martian.css">
+	<link rel="stylesheet" href="res/mint.css">
 	<script>
 	/*    
 	@licstart  The following is the entire license notice for the 
@@ -78,14 +78,13 @@
 		</div>
 		
 		<div class=buttonListWrap>
-			<ul class=buttonList>
-				<li><a href="./">code</a></li>
-				<li><a href="./commits">commits</a></li>
-				<li><a href="./tags">tags</a></li>
-				<li><a href="./tickets">issues {{ ticket_count }}</a></li>
-				<li><a href="/">releases</a></li>
-				<li><a href="/">settings</a></li>
-			</ul>
+			<div class="tabList end"><span>code</span>
+				<a href="./commits">history</a>
+				<a href="./tags">tags</a>
+				<a href="./tickets">tickets {{ ticket_count }}</a></li>
+				<a href="./releases">releases</a>
+				<a href="./settings">settings</a>
+			</div>
 		</div>
 	</nav>
 </div>
diff --git a/assets/templates/repo/code.html b/assets/templates/repo/code.html
index e3aa9f4..c2b44c4 100644
--- a/assets/templates/repo/code.html
+++ b/assets/templates/repo/code.html
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 			<tr>
 				<td><a class={{ entry.class }} href="/">{{ entry.path }}</a></td>
 				<td><a class=commit href="./commit/{{ entry.last_commit }}">
-					{{ entry.last_commit_short }}
+					{{ entry.last_commit_message }}
 				</a></td>
 				<td><time datetime="{{ entry.last_commit_time }}">
 					{{ entry.last_commit_time | date(format="%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")}}
diff --git a/src/git.rs b/src/git.rs
index b3dda57..88d9729 100644
--- a/src/git.rs
+++ b/src/git.rs
@@ -49,15 +49,77 @@ use std::{
 	path::PathBuf,
 };
 
-use git2::{ Branch, Commit, Repository, Sort, TreeEntry };
+use git2::{ Branch, Commit, FileMode, Repository, Sort, TreeEntry };
+use tera::Context;
+
+/* TODO: implement From<T> for Context where T: all Git* types */
+
+pub enum GitEntryKind {
+	Directory,
+	File,
+	Link,
+}
+
+impl ToString for GitEntryKind {
+	fn to_string(&self) -> String {
+		match self {
+			GitEntryKind::Directory => "directory".to_owned(),
+			GitEntryKind::File => "file".to_owned(),
+			GitEntryKind::Link => "link".to_owned(),
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+pub struct GitEntry {
+	pub entries: Vec<GitEntry>,
+	pub kind: GitEntryKind,
+	pub path: String,
+}
+
+impl GitEntry {
+	fn new(entries: Vec<GitEntry>, kind: GitEntryKind, path: String) -> Self {
+		GitEntry { entries, kind, path }
+	}
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<TreeEntry<'_>> for GitEntry {
+	type Error = std::string::FromUtf8Error;
+
+	fn try_from(entry: TreeEntry) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+		let entries = Vec::new();
+		let path = String::from_utf8(entry.name_bytes().to_vec())?;
+		let kind = match entry.filemode() {
+			m if m == <i32>::from(FileMode::Blob) => GitEntryKind::File,
+			m if m == <i32>::from(FileMode::BlobExecutable) => GitEntryKind::File,
+			m if m == <i32>::from(FileMode::BlobGroupWritable) => unreachable!(),
+			m if m == <i32>::from(FileMode::Link) => GitEntryKind::File,
+			m if m == <i32>::from(FileMode::Tree) => GitEntryKind::Directory,
+			m if m == <i32>::from(FileMode::Commit) => GitEntryKind::File,
+			m if m == <i32>::from(FileMode::Unreadable) => todo!(),
+			_ => GitEntryKind::Directory,
+		};
+
+		Ok(Self::new(entries, kind, path))
+	}
+}
 
 pub struct GitCommit {
-	author: (Option<String>, Option<String>), // name, e-mail
-	entries: Vec<GitEntry>,
-	hash: String,
-	message: Option<String>,
-	short_hash: Option<String>,
-	time: i64, // seconds since Unix epoch
+	pub author: (Option<String>, Option<String>), // name, e-mail
+	pub entries: Vec<GitEntry>,
+	pub hash: String,
+	pub message: Option<String>,
+	pub short_hash: Option<String>,
+	pub time: i64, // seconds since Unix epoch
+}
+
+impl From<GitCommit> for Context {
+	fn from(value: GitCommit) -> Self {
+		let mut ctx = Context::new();
+
+		todo!("proc_macro for populating");
+
+		ctx
+	}
 }
 
 impl TryFrom<Commit<'_>> for GitCommit {
@@ -83,28 +145,9 @@ impl TryFrom<Commit<'_>> for GitCommit {
 	}
 }
 
-pub struct GitEntry {
-	path: String,
-}
-
-impl GitEntry {
-	fn new(path: String) -> Self {
-		GitEntry { path }
-	}
-}
-
-impl TryFrom<TreeEntry<'_>> for GitEntry {
-	type Error = std::string::FromUtf8Error;
-
-	fn try_from(entry: TreeEntry) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
-		let path = String::from_utf8(entry.name_bytes().to_vec())?;
-		Ok(Self { path })
-	}
-}
-
 pub struct GitBranch {
-	commits: Vec<GitCommit>,
-	name: String,
+	pub commits: Vec<GitCommit>,
+	pub name: String,
 }
 
 struct GitBranchWrapper<'a> {
@@ -124,7 +167,7 @@ impl TryFrom<GitBranchWrapper<'_>> for GitBranch {
 	fn try_from(branch: GitBranchWrapper) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
 		let name = String::from_utf8(branch.branch.name_bytes()?.to_vec())?;
 		let repo = branch.repo;
-		let branch_oid = branch.branch.get().target().unwrap();
+		let branch_oid = branch.branch.get().resolve()?.target().unwrap();
 
 		let mut revwalk = repo.revwalk()?;
 		revwalk.set_sorting(Sort::TOPOLOGICAL | Sort::TIME)?;
@@ -142,13 +185,15 @@ impl TryFrom<GitBranchWrapper<'_>> for GitBranch {
 }
 
 pub struct GitRepo {
-	branches: Vec<GitBranch>,
-	name: String,
-	owner: String,
+	pub branches: Vec<GitBranch>,
+	pub name: String,
+	pub owner: String,
 }
 
 impl GitRepo {
-	fn open(path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn Error>> {
+	pub fn open(
+		path: PathBuf, prefix: Option<String>
+	) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn Error>> {
 		let repo = Repository::open(path.clone())?;
 
 		let branches = repo
@@ -169,8 +214,10 @@ impl GitRepo {
 		*/
 
 		let full_path = path.clone().as_path().canonicalize()?;
-
-		let relative_path = full_path.strip_prefix("/var/mintee/repos")?;
+		let relative_path = match prefix {
+			Some(p) => full_path.strip_prefix(p)?.canonicalize()?,
+			None => full_path,
+		};
 
 		let owner = String::from_utf8(
 			relative_path
@@ -194,7 +241,7 @@ impl GitRepo {
 		Ok(GitRepo { branches, name, owner })
 	}
 
-	fn get_remote_repo() { // for AP repos
+	pub fn get_remote_repo() { // for AP repos
 		todo!();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/render.rs b/src/render.rs
index a549667..58bba25 100644
--- a/src/render.rs
+++ b/src/render.rs
@@ -16,56 +16,50 @@
  *
  * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
  * along with Mintee. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
- *
- * This file incorporates work covered by the following copyright and
- * permission notice:
  */
 
-use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::{
+	error::Error,
+	fmt::{ self, Display, Formatter },
+	path::Path,
+};
 
-use git2::Repository;
 use tera::{ Context, Tera };
 
-trait ToContext {
-	fn to_context(self) -> Result<Context, git2::Error>;
+#[non_exhaustive]
+pub enum PageKind {
+	Code,
+	Dashboard,
+	Tickets,
+	User,
 }
 
-// TODO: move this data into backend.rs
-impl ToContext for Repository {
-	fn to_context(self) -> Result<Context, git2::Error> {
-		let repo = self.commondir();
-		let _index = self.index()?;
-		let head = self.head()?;
-		let branch = if head.is_branch() {
-			head.shorthand().unwrap()
-		} else { "detached" };
-		let head_commit = head.peel_to_commit()?;
-		let entries = get_entries(&self)?;
-		let committer = head_commit.committer().name().unwrap().to_owned();
-		let _author = head_commit.author().name().unwrap().to_owned();
+impl PageKind {
+	pub fn render_page(&self, ctx: Context) -> Result<String, Box<dyn Error>> {
+		let page_dir = self.to_string();
+		let template = String::from_utf8(Path::new(&page_dir)
+			.to_path_buf()
+			.as_mut_os_string()
+			.as_encoded_bytes()
+			.to_vec()
+		)?;
 
-		let mut ctx = Context::new();
-
-		// stub until we have database
-		ctx.insert("user", "anon");
-		ctx.insert("site", "TiB.");
-		ctx.insert("notif_count", "");
-		ctx.insert("ticket_count", "(47)");
-		ctx.insert("owner", &committer);
-		ctx.insert("repo", repo);
-		ctx.insert("branch", &branch);
-		ctx.insert("directory", repo);
-		ctx.insert("entries", &entries);
-		ctx.insert("readme_content", "this is a readme");
-
-		Ok(ctx)
+		let tera = Tera::new(&page_dir)?;
+		Ok(tera.render(&template, &ctx)?)
 	}
 }
 
-fn render_path(path: PathBuf) -> tera::Result<String> {
-	let tera = Tera::new("./assets/templates/repo/*")?;
-	let repo = Repository::discover(path).unwrap();
-	let context = repo.to_context().unwrap();
+impl Display for PageKind {
+	fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result<(), fmt::Error> {
+		use PageKind::*;
 
-	tera.render("code.html", &context)
+		let path = match self {
+			Code => "repo/code.html",
+			Dashboard => "dashboard.html",
+			Tickets => "repo/tickets.html",
+			User => "user.html",
+		};
+
+		write!(f, "./assets/templates/{}", path)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/test-render.rs b/src/test-render.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..84b7cb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test-render.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/* see render.rs for licensing information */
+
+use std::{
+	env::{ args, current_dir },
+	error::Error,
+};
+
+use serde::Serialize;
+use tera::{ Context, Tera };
+
+#[path="git.rs"]
+mod git;
+
+use git::GitRepo;
+
+#[derive(Serialize)]
+struct SampleEntry {
+	class: String,
+	last_commit_message: String,
+	last_commit: String,
+	last_commit_time: i64,
+	path: String,
+}
+
+impl From<GitRepo> for Context {
+	fn from(repo: GitRepo) -> Self {
+		let mut ctx = Context::new();
+
+		let directory = format!("{}/{}", repo.owner, repo.name);
+
+		let main_branch = repo.branches
+			.iter()
+			.find(|b| b.name == "main")
+			.unwrap();
+
+		let latest_commit = &main_branch.commits[0];
+		let hash = latest_commit.hash.clone();
+
+		let mut entries = Vec::new();
+
+		for e in latest_commit.entries.iter() {
+			let entry = SampleEntry {
+				class: e.kind.to_string(),
+				last_commit: hash.clone(),
+				last_commit_message: latest_commit.message.clone().unwrap(),
+				last_commit_time: latest_commit.time,
+				path: e.path.clone(),
+			};
+
+			entries.push(entry);
+		}
+
+		/* stubs til we have a real database */
+		ctx.insert("user", "anon");
+		ctx.insert("site", "TiB.");
+		ctx.insert("notif_count", "");
+		ctx.insert("ticket_count", "(47)");
+
+		ctx.insert("readme_content", "this is a readme");
+		
+		ctx.insert("owner", &repo.owner);
+		ctx.insert("branch", &main_branch.name);
+		ctx.insert("repo", &repo.name);
+		ctx.insert("directory", &directory);
+		ctx.insert("entries", &entries);
+
+		ctx
+	}
+}
+
+fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
+	if let Some(templates) = args().collect::<Vec<_>>().get(1) {
+		let tera = Tera::new(templates.as_str())?;
+		let ctx = Context::from(
+			GitRepo::open(current_dir()?.to_path_buf(), None)?
+		);
+
+		println!("{}", tera.render("code.html", &ctx)?);
+
+		Ok(())
+	} else {
+		eprintln!("Usage: {} template_glob", args().collect::<Vec<_>>()[0]);
+		std::process::exit(64);
+	}
+}