diff --git a/.stow-local-ignore b/.stow-local-ignore
index b43bf86..7b667ff 100644
--- a/.stow-local-ignore
+++ b/.stow-local-ignore
@@ -1 +1,5 @@
 README.md
+.gitmodules
+.git
+.gitignore
+Makefile
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2459e37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+STOW_TARGET := $(HOME)
+
+.PHONY: check-stow
+check-stow:
+	@command -v stow >/dev/null 2>&1 && { \
+		echo "✅ stow already installed"; \
+		exit 0; \
+	}; \
+	OS="$$(uname -s)"; \
+	@echo "📦 stow not found. Detected OS: $$OS"; \
+	case "$$OS" in \
+		Linux) \
+			if [ -f /etc/arch-release ]; then \
+				echo "-> Installing via pacman"; \
+				sudo pacman -S --needed stow; \
+			elif [ -f /etc/debian_version ]; then \
+				echo "-> Installing via apt"; \
+				sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y stow; \
+			else \
+				echo "❌ Unsupported Linux distro"; \
+				exit 1; \
+			fi \
+			;; \
+		Darwin) \
+			@echo "-> Installing via Homebrew"; \
+			@command -v brew >/dev/null 2>&1 || { \
+				echo "❌ Homebrew not installed"; \
+				exit 1; \
+			}; \
+			@brew install stow \
+			;; \
+		*) \
+			@echo "❌ Unsupported OS: $$OS"; \
+			exit 1; \
+			;; \
+	esac
+
+.PHONY: pull-updates
+pull-updates:
+	@echo "Pulling all recent updates"
+	@git pull
+	@git submodule update --recursive --remote
+
+.PHONY: link
+link: check-stow
+	@echo "Linking dotfiles to machine"
+	@for pkg in *; do \
+		[ -d "$$pkg" ] || continue; \
+		echo "📦 stowing $$pkg"; \
+		stow -R "$$pkg" -t "$(STOW_TARGET)"; \
+	done