diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 2d66fad..0ad9afd 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 {
   "cSpell.words": [
     "alacritty",
+    "betterdiscordctl",
     "btop",
     "davinci",
+    "dconf",
     "deno",
     "developomp",
     "flatpak",
diff --git a/src/setup/__init__.py b/src/setup/__init__.py
index 1954864..e96309d 100644
--- a/src/setup/__init__.py
+++ b/src/setup/__init__.py
@@ -38,70 +38,6 @@ setup_cpu_undervolting() {
 	sudo systemctl enable intel-undervolt
 }
 
-setup_discord() {
-	# assumes that plugins are located in ~/.config/BetterDiscord/plugins
-
-	# betterdiscordctl-git: BetterDiscord installer
-
-	package_install \
-		discord \
-		betterdiscordctl-git
-
-	install ./home/pomp/.config/autostart/discord.desktop ~/.config/autostart/
-
-	BD_PLUGINS=(
-		134 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/Avatar%20Hover
-		60  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/BadgesEverywhere
-		119 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/BetterCodeblocks
-		62  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/BetterNsfwTag
-		63  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/BetterSearchPage
-		228 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CallTimeCounter
-		64  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CharCounter
-		67  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CompleteTimestamps
-		176 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/Copier
-		68  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CopyRawMessage
-		69  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CreationDate
-		186 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/DoNotTrack
-		132 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/EmoteReplacer
-		245 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/FreeEmojis
-		81  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/GoogleTranslateOption
-		284 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/GrammarCorrect
-		220 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/GuildProfile
-		83  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ImageUtilities
-		295 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/InvisibleTyping
-		84  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/JoinedAtDate
-		85  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/LastMessageDate
-		287 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/Link-Profile-Picture
-		11  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/MemberCount
-		29  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/PermissionsViewer
-		158 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/PlatformIndicators
-		93  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/QuickMention
-		94  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ReadAllNotificationsButton
-		179 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/RedditMentions
-		97  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/RevealAllSpoilersOption
-		98  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/SendLargeMessages
-		159 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ShowAllActivities
-		291 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ShowConnections
-		103 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ShowHiddenChannels
-		104 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/SpellCheck
-		162 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/StaffTag
-		8   # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/SuppressReplyMentions
-		253 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/Typing%20Users%20Avatars
-		196 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/TypingIndicator
-		293 # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/UserDetails
-	)
-
-	log "installing betterdiscord plugins"
-
-	for id in "${BD_PLUGINS[@]}"; do
-		BD_PLUGIN_URL="https://betterdiscord.app/Download?id=$id"
-		log "installing $BD_PLUGIN_URL"
-		wget --content-disposition --no-clobber -P ~/.config/BetterDiscord/plugins "$BD_PLUGIN_URL"
-	done
-
-	POST_INSTALL+=("discord: run betterdiscordctl install")
-}
-
 setup_docker() {
 	package_install docker
 
@@ -308,51 +244,6 @@ setup_gnome_apps() {
 		sushi
 }
 
-setup_gnome_extensions() {
-	log "installing gnome extensions"
-
-	# chrome-gnome-shell                     GNOME shell integration for Chrome
-	# gnome-shell-extension-installer        Installation of gnome extensions from command line
-	# gnome-shell-extension-pop-shell-git    for window tiling
-	package_install \
-		chrome-gnome-shell \
-		gnome-shell-extension-installer \
-		gnome-shell-extension-pop-shell-git
-
-	load_dconf "extension-pop-shell.conf"
-
-	extensions=(
-		36,"extension-lockkeys.conf"                     # lock-keys
-		906,"extension-sound-output-device-chooser.conf" # sound-output-device-chooser
-		1460,"extension-vitals.conf"                     # vitals
-		2741,""                                          # remove-alttab-delay-v2
-		2890,"extension-trayIconsReloaded.conf"          # tray-icons-reloaded
-		3193,"extension-blur-my-shell.conf"              # blur-my-shell
-		4000,"extension-barbar.conf"                     # babar
-		4158,""                                          # gnome-40-ui-improvements
-	)
-
-	for i in "${extensions[@]}"; do
-		IFS=","
-		set -- $i
-
-		# $1: extension id
-		# $2: extension dconf
-
-		log "installing: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/$1"
-		gnome-shell-extension-installer $1 --yes --update
-
-		if [ ! -z $2 ]; then
-			load_dconf $2
-		fi
-	done
-
-	# enable extensions
-	load_dconf "extensions.conf"
-
-	gnome-shell-extension-installer --restart-shell
-}
-
 setup_grub() {
 	sudo sed -i '/GRUB_TIMEOUT=/c\GRUB_TIMEOUT=1' /etc/default/grub
 	sudo sed -i '/GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=/c\GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden' /etc/default/grub
diff --git a/src/setup/discord.py b/src/setup/discord.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8162ae3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/setup/discord.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+from ..util import flatpak_install, pamac_install, smart_copy
+from ..constants import tmp_dir
+from .. import log
+from os import system
+
+name = "Discord"
+
+PLUGINS = (
+    134,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/Avatar%20Hover
+    60,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/BadgesEverywhere
+    119,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/BetterCodeblocks
+    62,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/BetterNsfwTag
+    63,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/BetterSearchPage
+    228,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CallTimeCounter
+    64,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CharCounter
+    67,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CompleteTimestamps
+    176,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/Copier
+    68,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CopyRawMessage
+    69,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/CreationDate
+    186,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/DoNotTrack
+    132,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/EmoteReplacer
+    245,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/FreeEmojis
+    81,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/GoogleTranslateOption
+    284,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/GrammarCorrect
+    220,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/GuildProfile
+    83,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ImageUtilities
+    295,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/InvisibleTyping
+    84,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/JoinedAtDate
+    85,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/LastMessageDate
+    287,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/Link-Profile-Picture
+    11,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/MemberCount
+    29,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/PermissionsViewer
+    158,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/PlatformIndicators
+    93,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/QuickMention
+    94,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ReadAllNotificationsButton
+    179,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/RedditMentions
+    97,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/RevealAllSpoilersOption
+    98,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/SendLargeMessages
+    159,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ShowAllActivities
+    291,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ShowConnections
+    103,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/ShowHiddenChannels
+    104,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/SpellCheck
+    162,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/StaffTag
+    8,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/SuppressReplyMentions
+    253,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/Typing%20Users%20Avatars
+    196,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/TypingIndicator
+    293,  # https://betterdiscord.app/plugin/UserDetails
+)
+
+
+def setup():
+    """Discord and better discord"""
+
+    flatpak_install("com.discordapp.Discord")
+    pamac_install("betterdiscordctl-git")
+
+    smart_copy(
+        f"{tmp_dir}/home/pomp/.config/autostart/discord.desktop",
+        "~/.config/autostart/discord.desktop",
+    )
+
+    for id in PLUGINS:
+        url = f"https://betterdiscord.app/Download?id={id}"
+        log.log(f"installing {url}")
+
+        # assumes that plugins is located in "~/.var/app/com.discordapp.Discord/config/BetterDiscord/plugins" because I'm using flatpak
+        system(
+            f'wget --content-disposition --no-clobber -P ~/.var/app/com.discordapp.Discord/config/BetterDiscord/plugins "{url}"'
+        )
+
+    system("betterdiscordctl -i flatpak install")
diff --git a/src/setup/gnome_extensions.py b/src/setup/gnome_extensions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7dbb4b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/setup/gnome_extensions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+from ..util import pamac_install, load_dconf
+from .. import log
+
+name = "Gnome extensions"
+
+EXTENSIONS = (
+    (36, "extension-lockkeys.conf"),  # lock-keys
+    (906, "extension-sound-output-device-chooser.conf"),  # sound-output-device-chooser
+    (1460, "extension-vitals.conf"),  # vitals
+    (2741, ""),  # remove-alttab-delay-v2
+    (2890, "extension-trayIconsReloaded.conf"),  # tray-icons-reloaded
+    (3193, "extension-blur-my-shell.conf"),  # blur-my-shell
+    (4000, "extension-barbar.conf"),  # babar
+    (4158, ""),  # gnome-40-ui-improvements
+)
+
+
+def setup():
+    """
+    Extensions for the GNOME Desktop environment
+
+    Intentionally left out chrome-gnome-shell because I won't be using browsers to install GNOME extensions.
+
+        gnome-shell-extension-installer: gnome extension installer CLI
+    gnome-shell-extension-pop-shell-git: window tiling extension
+    """
+
+    pamac_install(
+        ["gnome-shell-extension-installer", "gnome-shell-extension-pop-shell-git"]
+    )
+
+    load_dconf("extension-pop-shell.conf")
+
+    for (extension, dconf_file) in EXTENSIONS:
+        log.log("installing: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/$1")
+        system(f"gnome-shell-extension-installer {extension} --yes --update")
+
+        if dconf_file:  # if dconf_file is not empty
+            load_dconf(dconf_file)
+
+    # enable extensions
+    load_dconf("extensions.conf")
+    system("gnome-shell-extension-installer --restart-shell")
diff --git a/src/util.py b/src/util.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba6a2ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+from os import system, makedirs
+from shutil import copy
+from .constants import tmp_dir
+
+# todo: remove all uses of AUR (use pacman instead of pamac)
+def pamac_install(packages: str | list[str]) -> None:
+    """
+        Download package from the arch repository and AUR.
+
+    arguments:
+        packages: space-separated list of packages.
+    """
+
+    if type(packages) == str:
+        system(f"pamac install --no-confirm {packages}")
+    elif type(packages) == list[str]:
+        packages = packages.join(" ")
+        system(f"pamac install --no-confirm {packages}")
+
+
+def flatpak_install(packages: str) -> None:
+    """
+    Download packages from flathub.
+
+    arguments:
+        packages: space-separated list of packages.
+    """
+
+    system(f"flatpak install -y {packages}")
+
+
+def smart_mkdir(path: str):
+    """
+    Recursively create directories if it doesn't exist already.
+    """
+    try:
+        makedirs(path)
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+
+
+def smart_copy(src: str, dst: str):
+    """
+    Copies src to dst.
+    Errors if parent directory/directories of dst does not exist.
+
+    arguments:
+        src: A path-like object or string pointing to a file.
+        dst: A path-like object or string pointing to a file or a directory.
+    """
+
+    copy(src, dst)
+
+
+def load_dconf(file_name: str):
+    """Loads dconf configuration"""
+
+    system(f'dconf load / < "{tmp_dir}/dconf/{file_name}"')
+
+
+"""
+def setup_essentials():
+    setup_fstab
+    sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel wget
+    dconf
+
+    # install pamac if it does not exist
+    if ! command -v pamac &>/dev/null; then
+        log "pamac was not installed already. Installing now..."
+        setup_pamac
+    fi
+
+    # install dialog if it's not installed already
+    if ! command -v dialog &>/dev/null; then
+        log "dialog was not installed already. Installing now..."
+        package_install dialog
+    fi
+
+def backup():
+	TIMESTAMP=$(date +%s)
+	# backup dconf configuration
+	dconf dump / >"$SCRIPT_DIR/dconf$TIMESTAMP.conf"
+
+	# make a home directory backup
+	rsync -a --info=progress2 --perms /home/pomp "$DATA_PATH/backup$TIMESTAMP"
+
+	# create timeshift backup
+	if ! command -v timeshift &>/dev/null; then
+		error "failed to create timeshift backup. Timeshift command not found."
+	else
+		sudo timeshift --create --comments "auto created by developomp setup script ($TIMESTAMP)"
+	fi
+"""