diff --git a/bash_setup.sh b/bash_setup.sh
index 90e0a60..318e8c8 100644
--- a/bash_setup.sh
+++ b/bash_setup.sh
@@ -14,5 +14,5 @@ pop() {
 }
 
 stack() {
-	echo "$(navigate ${arg_pid} show $*)"
+	echo "$(navigate ${arg_pid} stack $@)"
 }
diff --git a/src/arguments.rs b/src/arguments.rs
index a4287f8..6ff282a 100644
--- a/src/arguments.rs
+++ b/src/arguments.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use clap::{Parser, Args, Subcommand};
-use std::path::PathBuf;
+use clap::{Args, Parser, Subcommand};
+use std::{path::PathBuf};
 
 
 /// implements stack for cd wrapper script
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ pub struct Arguments {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Subcommand)]
+#[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
 pub enum Action {
     /// navigate to path and add current path to the stack
     push(PushArgs),
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ pub enum Action {
     pop(PopArgs),
 
     /// show stack
-    show(ShowArgs),
+    stack(StackArgs),
 
     /// navigate to bookmark and add current path to the stack
     bookmark(BookmarkArgs),
@@ -45,19 +46,36 @@ pub struct PopArgs {
     /// show stack
     #[arg(short, long)]
     pub show_stack: Option<bool>,
+
+    /// pop multiple entries and navigate to last retrieved path
+    pub num_entries: Option<usize>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Args)]
-pub struct ShowArgs {
+pub struct StackArgs {
     /// hide entry numbers
-    #[arg(short='n', long)]
+    #[arg(short = 'n', long)]
     pub hide_numbers: Option<bool>,
 
     /// show n entries
-    #[arg(short, long="lines")]
+    #[arg(short, long = "lines")]
     pub lines: Option<u32>,
+
+    /// stack subcommand
+    #[command(subcommand)]
+    pub stack_action: Option<StackAction>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Subcommand)]
+#[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
+pub enum StackAction {
+    /// clear stack
+    clear(ClearArgs),
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Args)]
+pub struct ClearArgs {}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Args)]
 pub struct BookmarkArgs {
     /// show stack
@@ -65,4 +83,4 @@ pub struct BookmarkArgs {
     pub show_stack: Option<bool>,
 
     pub mark: String,
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2163c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+//! handle the config file and bookmarks stored
+//! in said config file
+
+use std::fs;
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::{Error, ErrorKind, Result};
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::str::FromStr;
+use sysinfo::{Pid, System};
+
+const config_dir_path: &str = "~/.config/navigate/";
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct Config {
+    pub bookmarks: Vec<PathBuf>,
+}
+
+impl Config {
+    /// generates and populates a new instance of Config
+    pub fn new() -> Result<Self> {
+        let mut config = Config {
+            bookmarks: Vec::<PathBuf>::new(),
+        };
+
+        // stack.build_stack()?;
+        if !config.bookmarks[0].is_dir() {
+            config.bookmarks.remove(0);
+        };
+
+        Ok(config)
+    }
+
+    pub fn build_config(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        let config_dir = match PathBuf::from_str(config_dir_path) {
+            Ok(result) => result,
+            Err(_) => return Err(Error::other("failed to create path object for config file")),
+        };
+
+        let mut bookmark_file = config_dir.clone();
+        bookmark_file.push("bookmarks.conf");
+
+        if !bookmark_file.is_file() {
+            _ = File::create(bookmark_file.clone())?;
+        }
+        
+        let mut bookmarks = fs::read_to_string(bookmark_file.clone())?;
+        // TODO: parse bookmarks
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 8fda1c9..38030a1 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,48 +1,66 @@
 mod arguments;
+mod config;
 mod stack;
 
-use std::io::{Result, Error, ErrorKind};
-use std::path::PathBuf;
-use std::env::current_dir;
-use clap::{FromArgMatches, Parser};
 use arguments::*;
+use clap::{Parser};
 use stack::Stack;
-
+use std::env::current_dir;
+use std::io::{Error, Result};
 
 fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let args = Arguments::parse();
-    let mut stack = Stack::new(args.pid).expect("failed to build stack");
+    let mut stack = match Stack::new(args.pid) {
+        Ok(stack) => stack,
+        Err(_) => return Err(Error::other("-- failed to build stack")),
+    };
 
-    return match args.action {
+    match args.action {
         Action::push(push_args) => handle_push(&push_args, &mut stack),
         Action::pop(pop_args) => handle_pop(&pop_args, &mut stack),
-        Action::show(show_args) => handle_show(&show_args, &mut stack),
+        Action::stack(stack_args) => handle_stack(&stack_args, &mut stack),
         Action::bookmark(bookmark_args) => handle_bookmark(&bookmark_args, &mut stack),
-        _ => Err(Error::new(ErrorKind::Other, "unknown subcommand")),
-    };
+    }
 }
 
-pub fn handle_push (args: &PushArgs, stack: &mut Stack) -> Result<()> { // TODO: handle arguments
+pub fn handle_push(args: &PushArgs, stack: &mut Stack) -> Result<()> {
+    // TODO: handle arguments
+    if !args.path.is_dir() {
+        return Err(Error::other("-- invalid path argument"));
+    }
     let current_path = current_dir()?;
     stack.push_entry(&current_path)?;
     println!("{}", args.path.to_str().unwrap());
-    return Ok(());
+    Ok(())
 }
 
-pub fn handle_pop (args: &PopArgs, stack: &mut Stack) -> Result<()> { // TODO: handle arguments
+pub fn handle_pop(args: &PopArgs, stack: &mut Stack) -> Result<()> {
+    // TODO: handle arguments
     let path = stack.pop_entry()?;
     println!("{}", path.to_str().unwrap());
-    return Ok(());
+    Ok(())
 }
 
-pub fn handle_show (args: &ShowArgs, stack: &mut Stack) -> Result<()> { // TODO: handle arguments
-    let output = stack.get_stack()?;
-    for item in output {
-        println!("{}", item.to_str().unwrap());
+pub fn handle_stack(args: &StackArgs, stack: &mut Stack) -> Result<()> {
+    // TODO: handle arguments
+    if args.stack_action.is_some() {
+        match args.stack_action.clone().unwrap() {
+            StackAction::clear(_) => return stack.clear_stack(),
+        }
     }
-    return Ok(());
+    // retrieve stack
+    let output = stack.get_stack()?;
+    if output.is_empty() {
+        return Err(Error::other("-- the stack is empty"));
+    }
+    // print stack to standard output
+    for (n, item) in output.iter().rev().enumerate() {
+        println!("{} {}", n, item.to_str().unwrap());
+    }
+    Ok(())
 }
 
-pub fn handle_bookmark (args: &BookmarkArgs, stack: &mut Stack) -> Result<()> { // TODO: handle arguments
-    return Ok(());
+pub fn handle_bookmark(args: &BookmarkArgs, stack: &mut Stack) -> Result<()> {
+    // TODO: handle arguments
+    Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/stack.rs b/src/stack.rs
index a380b27..0f6fadf 100644
--- a/src/stack.rs
+++ b/src/stack.rs
@@ -1,119 +1,130 @@
-
 use std::fs;
 use std::fs::File;
-use std::path::{PathBuf};
+use std::io::{Error, ErrorKind, Result};
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::str::FromStr;
-use std::io::{Result, Error, ErrorKind};
-use sysinfo::{System, Pid};
-
+use sysinfo::{Pid, System};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
-pub struct Stack
-{
+pub struct Stack {
     pid: u32,
     path: PathBuf,
     stack: Vec<PathBuf>,
 }
 
-impl Stack
-{
-
+impl Stack {
     pub fn new(process_id: u32) -> Result<Self> {
-        let mut stack: Stack = Stack{
-            pid : process_id,
-            path : PathBuf::new(),
-            stack : Vec::<PathBuf>::new(),
+        let mut stack: Stack = Stack {
+            pid: process_id,
+            path: PathBuf::new(),
+            stack: Vec::<PathBuf>::new(),
         };
 
-        _ = stack.build_stack()?;
+        // remove first entry if it is empty, because after
+        // creation of the stack there seems to be an empty
+        // cell in the vector
+        stack.build_stack()?;
+        if !stack.stack[0].is_dir() {
+            stack.stack.remove(0);
+        }
 
-        return Ok(stack);
+        Ok(stack)
     }
 
-    /**
-     * return stack
-     */
+    // return stack
     pub fn get_stack(&mut self) -> Result<&Vec<PathBuf>> {
-        return Ok(&self.stack);
+        Ok(&self.stack)
     }
 
-    /**
-     * push entry to stack
-     * returns updated stack
-     */
-    pub fn push_entry(&mut self, path: &PathBuf) -> Result<&Vec<PathBuf>> {
+    /// clear stack by deleting the associated stack file
+    pub fn clear_stack(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        fs::remove_file(self.path.clone())
+    }
+
+    /// push entry to stack
+    /// returns updated stack
+    pub fn push_entry(&mut self, path: &Path) -> Result<&Vec<PathBuf>> {
         let abs_path = path.canonicalize()?;
         self.stack.push(abs_path);
         self.write_stack_file()?;
-        return Ok(&self.stack);
+        Ok(&self.stack)
     }
 
-    /**
-     * pop entry from stack
-     * return poppe entry
-     */
+    /// pop entry from stack
+    /// return popped entry
     pub fn pop_entry(&mut self) -> Result<PathBuf> {
         let entry = self.stack.pop();
         self.write_stack_file()?;
 
-        return match entry {
+        match entry {
             Some(entry) => Ok(entry),
-            None => Err(Error::new(ErrorKind::Other, "pop failed to retrieve item from stack")),
+            None => Err(Error::new(
+                ErrorKind::Other,
+                "pop failed to retrieve item from stack",
+            )),
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * get entry by number
-     * return nth last entry
-     */
-    pub fn get_entry_by_number(&mut self, entry_number: u32) -> Result<&PathBuf> {
-        if entry_number > (self.stack.len() as u32 - 1) {
-            return Err(Error::new(ErrorKind::Other, "requested entry number is out of bounds"));
-        }
+    /// get entry by number without removing it from the stack
+    /// return nth last entry
+    pub fn get_entry_by_number(&mut self, entry_number: usize) -> Result<&PathBuf> {
         // index from the end of the vector as new entries are appended at the end of the list
-        return Ok(&self.stack[self.stack.len() - (entry_number as usize)]);
+        match self.stack.get(
+            self.stack
+                .len()
+                .checked_sub(entry_number)
+                .expect("requested entry number is out of bounds"),
+        ) {
+            Some(item) => Ok(item),
+            None => Err(Error::new(
+                ErrorKind::Other,
+                "failed to retrieve stack entry by number",
+            )),
+        }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * clean up dead stack files, parse and build stack
-     */
-    fn build_stack(&mut self) -> Result< Vec<PathBuf> > {
-        let stack_dir: PathBuf = PathBuf::from_str("/tmp/navigation/").expect("failed to create path object of '/tmp/navigation'");
+    /// clean up dead stack files, parse and build stack
+    fn build_stack(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        let stack_dir: PathBuf = PathBuf::from_str("/tmp/navigation/")
+            .expect("failed to create path object of '/tmp/navigation'");
         let mut sys = System::new_all();
         sys.refresh_all();
         let procs = sys.processes();
-    
+
         if stack_dir.is_dir() {
             // clean up stack files of expired processes
             let members = fs::read_dir(stack_dir.clone())?;
             for entry in members {
                 let entry = entry?;
-                let process_id = Pid::from_str(entry.file_name().to_str().expect("failed to convert file name to str"));
+                let process_id = Pid::from_str(
+                    entry
+                        .file_name()
+                        .to_str()
+                        .expect("failed to convert file name to str"),
+                );
                 if !procs.contains_key(&process_id.expect("failed to convert filename to pid")) {
                     fs::remove_file(entry.path()).expect("failed to remove orphaned file");
                 }
             }
         } else {
             // create temporary directory to store the stack
-            let _ = fs::create_dir(stack_dir.clone())?;
+            fs::create_dir(stack_dir.clone())?;
         }
-    
+
         self.path = stack_dir.clone();
         self.path.push(PathBuf::from(&self.pid.to_string()));
         if self.path.is_file() {
             // read and parse stack file
-            _ = self.read_stack_file(&self.path.clone())?;
+            self.read_stack_file(&self.path.clone())?;
         } else {
             // create stack file and store current path
-            _ = File::create(self.path.clone())?;
+            File::create(self.path.clone())?;
         }
-    
-        return Ok(vec![stack_dir]);
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 
-    /**
-     * parse stack file
-     */
+    /// parse stack file
     fn read_stack_file(&mut self, stack_file_path: &PathBuf) -> Result<()> {
         let stack = fs::read_to_string(stack_file_path)?;
         let stack = stack.split("\n");
@@ -121,21 +132,21 @@ impl Stack
             self.stack.push(PathBuf::from(entry));
         }
 
-        return Ok(());
+        Ok(())
     }
 
-    /**
-     * write stack current stack to file to save it for next execution
-     */
+    /// write stack current stack to file to save it for next execution
     fn write_stack_file(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         let mut output = Vec::<&str>::new();
         for entry in &self.stack {
-            output.push(entry.to_str().expect("failed to convert stack entry to string"));
+            output.push(
+                entry
+                    .to_str()
+                    .expect("failed to convert stack entry to string"),
+            );
         }
         fs::write(self.path.clone(), output.join("\n"))?;
 
-        return Ok(())
+        Ok(())
     }
-
 } // end `impl database`
-
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e4006b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# todos for 'navigation'
+
+- [ ] replace `expect` statements in 'stack.rs' with actual error handling
+- [ ] pop several entries at a time
+- [ ] dedup stack option
+- [x] drop stack
+- [ ] config file
+- [ ] bookmarks