diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d2bcad3..278be16 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,37 +1,36 @@
-### mfunc
-#### a function wrapper plugin for ZSH
+# mfunc
 
-Allows you to define persistent functions on-the-fly, without the need to add
-them to your config files. Your functions are permanently available until you
-delete them.
+A function wrapper plugin for ZSH.
+
+Define, view, edit and delete persistent functions on-the-fly, without extra steps. They are permanently available until you delete them.
 
 The plugin defines 3 functions:
 
 | `Command`               | Action
-|-------------------------|----------------------------------------
+|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------
 | `mfunc name [name] ...` | create new function(s) interactively
 | `rfunc name [name] ...` | delete existing user-defined function(s)
-| `lfunc`                 | list all user-defined functions
+| `lfunc [-h\|v]`         | list all user-defined functions
 
-functions are stored as plain text in $ZSH/functions/ and made available via
+Functions are stored as plain text in `$MFUNDCIR` and made available via
 the autoload builtin (i.e. they are only loaded into memory when called for the
 first time).
 
-#### Installation
+## Installation
 
-######a) As an oh-my-zsh plugin
+### a) As an oh-my-zsh plugin
 1. Run:
-`cd $ZSH/custom && git clone https://github.com/hlohm/mfunc.git plugins/mfunc`
+`cd $ZSH/custom && git clone https://github.com/amogus07/mfunc.git plugins/mfunc`
 
 2. Add `mfunc` to your plugins in your `.zshrc`. The relevant line should
 look something like this:
 `plugins=(git mfunc)`
 
-######b) using antigen
+### b) using antigen
 1. Add this line where you load your antigen bundles in your `.zshrc`:
 
-`antigen bundle hlohm/mfunc`
-######c) with vanilla ZSH
+`antigen bundle amogus07/mfunc`
+### c) with vanilla ZSH
 1. `git clone` this repo to a location of your choice
 
 2. add a line `source /location/of/your/choice/mfunc.plugin.zsh` to your .zshrc
@@ -39,8 +38,20 @@ look something like this:
 Upon its first run the plugin will notify you that it created the directory in
 which it stores your functions.
 
-#### Disclaimer
+## Configuration
+
+| Environment Variable | Default                                  | Description
+|----------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------
+| `$MFUNCDIR`          | `${ZDOTDIR/functions:-$HOME/.functions}` | functions storage
+
+## Optional dependencies
+
+| Dependency                          | Description
+|-------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------
+| [highlight](https://repology.org/project/highlight) | enables syntax highlighting for `lfunc -v`
+
+## Disclaimer
 
 This is an early version covering only the most basic functionality. There are
-no safeguards whatsover, so use at you own risk. Things like tab completion, 
+no safeguards whatsover, so use at you own risk. Things like tab completion,
 input sanitization and the like are on the TODO list.
diff --git a/functions/_lf_help b/functions/_lf_help
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95929ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/_lf_help
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+echo """\
+Part of the mfunc zsh plugin
+Lists all the functions in $MFUNCDIR
+
+Usage: $0 [-v|h]
+Options:
+ -v   Enable verbose mode (print the content of each function)
+ -h   Print this help message\
+ """
diff --git a/functions/_lf_verbose b/functions/_lf_verbose
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..415ff14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/_lf_verbose
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Ensure MFUNCDIR is set
+if ! [[ -v MFUNCDIR ]]
+then
+    if [[ -v ZDOTDIR ]]
+    then
+        MFUNCDIR="${ZDOTDIR}/functions"
+    else
+        MFUNCDIR="${HOME}/.functions"
+    fi
+fi
+
+# get a list of functions managed by mfunc
+local functions_array=( "$MFUNCDIR"/* )
+
+# strip the paths
+local functions="${functions_array[@]:t}"
+
+(
+    # load functions
+    autoload +X "${(z)functions[@]}"
+
+    if ((${+commands[highlight]}))
+    then
+        highlight -S zsh -i <(where "${(z)functions[@]}")
+    else
+        where "${(z)functions[@]}"
+        echo "Hint: install 'highlight' to enable syntax highlighting" >&2
+    fi
+)
diff --git a/functions/_mf_define b/functions/_mf_define
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..42b32e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/_mf_define
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+if [[ $EDITOR == *vim ]]; then
+    local ftopts="-c 'set ft=zsh'"
+elif [[ $EDITOR == *micro ]]; then
+    local ftopts="-filetype=zsh"
+fi
+
+eval "$EDITOR" "$ftopts" "${MFUNCDIR}/$1"
+
+if ! [[ -f "${MFUNCDIR}/$1" ]]; then
+    echo "aborting..."
+    return 1
+else
+    [[ ${functions[${1}]} ]] && unfunction "$1" # just in case
+    autoload "$1"
+fi
+
+if "$edit"; then
+    echo "updated function '${1}'"
+else
+    echo "new function '${1}' created in $MFUNCDIR"
+fi
diff --git a/functions/lfunc b/functions/lfunc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9dbd71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/lfunc
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# TODO: specific functions, wildcards
+if getopts "hv" opt; then
+    shift $((OPTIND - 1))
+    case ${opt} in
+    h)
+        _lf_help
+        return
+        ;;
+    v)
+        _lf_verbose
+        return
+        ;;
+    esac
+fi
+
+command ls "$MFUNCDIR"
diff --git a/functions/mfunc b/functions/mfunc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b242d53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/mfunc
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# berate user if no arguments given
+# TODO: interactive mode
+(($# == 0)) && {
+    echo "usage: mfunc [function name]"
+    return 1
+}
+
+for i; do
+    # TODO: input sanitization
+    local edit=false
+    if [[ -e $MFUNCDIR/$i ]]; then
+        if ! read -rq "choice?function $i already exists, press Y/y to edit with $EDITOR or any other key to abort: "; then
+            echo
+            return
+        fi
+        echo
+        unfunction "$i" # forget the old version first
+        edit=true
+    fi
+
+    _mf_define "$i" || return
+done
+
+echo -n "function"
+(($# == 1)) &&
+    echo -n " is" || echo -n "s are"
+echo " now available"
diff --git a/functions/rfunc b/functions/rfunc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52f6105
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functions/rfunc
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# demand argument
+# TODO: interactive mode
+if (($# == 0)); then
+    echo "please name at least one function to delete"
+    return 1
+fi
+
+# TODO: autocompletion/wildcards
+local count
+typeset -i count=0
+for i; do
+    if ! [[ -f "$MFUNCDIR/$i" ]]; then
+        echo "function $i not found"
+        return 2
+    fi
+
+    autoload +X "$i"
+    rm -iv "$MFUNCDIR/$i"
+    [[ -f $MFUNCDIR/$i ]] || count+=1
+done
+
+((count == 0)) &&
+    return
+
+echo -n "function"
+if ((count == 1)); then
+    echo -n " is"
+else
+    echo -n "s are"
+fi
+echo " still available until next login and can be viewed with the 'where' builtin"
diff --git a/mfunc.plugin.zsh b/mfunc.plugin.zsh
index b441876..5826672 100755
--- a/mfunc.plugin.zsh
+++ b/mfunc.plugin.zsh
@@ -6,130 +6,31 @@
 # github.com/hlohm
 ##################
 
-
-#
-# init
-######
-
 # this is where our functions live
-fdir=$HOME/.functions
-
-# check if functions directory exists, create if it doesn't
-if [[ ! -d $fdir/ ]]; then
-    mkdir $fdir/
-    echo "mfunc init: functions directory created in $fdir"
-fi
-
-# check if fpath contains our fdir, add it if it doesn't
-if (( ! ${fpath[(I)$fdir]} )); then
-    fpath=($fdir $fpath)
-fi
-
-# autoload any functions in functions directory
-if [[ -e $fdir/* ]]; then
-   autoload $(ls $fdir/)
-fi
-
-#
-#functions
-##########
-
-# helpers
-_mf_yesorno()
-{
-    # variables
-    local question="${1}"
-    local prompt="${question} "
-    local yes_RETVAL="0"
-    local no_RETVAL="3"
-    local RETVAL=""
-    local answer=""
-
-    # read-eval loop
-    while true ; do
-        printf $prompt
-        read -r answer
-
-        case ${answer:=${default}} in
-            Y|y|YES|yes|Yes )
-                RETVAL=${yes_RETVAL} && \
-                    break
-                ;;
-            N|n|NO|no|No )
-                RETVAL=${no_RETVAL} && \
-                    break
-                ;;
-            * )
-                echo "Please provide a valid answer (y or n)"
-                ;;
-        esac
-    done
-
-    return ${RETVAL}
-}
-
-function _mf_define() {
-            touch $fdir/$i
-            chmod +x $fdir/$i
-            echo "enter function '$i' and finish with CTRL-D"
-            cat >$HOME/.functions/$i
-            echo "new function '$i' created in $fdir"
-            autoload $(ls $fdir/)
-            echo "function is now available"
-}
-
-# make function(s)
-function mfunc() {
-
-    # berate user if no arguments given
-    # TODO: interactive mode
-    if (($# == 0))
+if ! [[ -v MFUNCDIR ]]
+then
+    if [[ -v ZDOTDIR ]]
     then
-        echo "usage: mfunc [function name]"
+        MFUNCDIR="${ZDOTDIR}/functions"
     else
-        for i do;
-        # TODO: input sanitization
-            if [[ -e $fdir/$i ]]
-            then
-                if _mf_yesorno "function $i already exists, overwrite? (Y/n)"
-                then
-                    unfunction $1   # forget the old version first
-                    _mf_define $i
-                else
-                    echo "aborted"
-               fi
-            else
-                _mf_define $i
-            fi
-        done
+        MFUNCDIR="${HOME}/.functions"
     fi
-}
+fi
 
-# remove function(s)
-function rfunc() {
+# check if functions directory exists, create if it doesn't
+if ! [[ -d "${MFUNCDIR}/" ]]
+then
+    mkdir -p "${MFUNCDIR}/"
+    echo "mfunc init: functions directory created in $MFUNCDIR"
+fi
 
-    # demand argument
-    # TODO: interactive mode
-    if (($# == 0)) ; then
-        echo "please name at least one function to delete";
-    fi
+# check if fpath contains MFUNC_FUNCTIONS_D, add it if it doesn't
+MFUNC_FUNCTIONS_D="${0:h}/functions"
+(( ${fpath[(I)$MFUNC_FUNCTIONS_D]} )) || fpath=($MFUNC_FUNCTIONS_D "${fpath[@]}")
 
-    # TODO: autocompletion/wildcards
-    for i; do
-        if [ -e $fdir/$i ]; then
-            rm $fdir/$i
-            echo "function $i removed"
-        else
-            echo "function $i not found"
-        fi
-    done
-    echo "functions might still be available until next login"
-}
+# check if fpath contains our MFUNCDIR, add it if it doesn't
+(( ${fpath[(I)$MFUNCDIR]} )) || fpath=($MFUNCDIR "${fpath[@]}")
 
-# list functions
-function lfunc() {
-    # TODO: specific functions, wildcards, names only OR name + definition
-    for f in $(ls $fdir); do
-        echo $f "() {"; cat $fdir/$f; echo "}\n"
-    done
-}
+# autoload functions
+files=($MFUNC_FUNCTIONS_D/* $MFUNCDIR/*)
+autoload ${(z)files[@]:t}