diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a1d614e..0dfb491 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ mirror:
 snyk:
   stage: security
   script:
+    - npmci npm prepare
     - npmci command npm install -g snyk
     - npmci command npm install --ignore-scripts
     - npmci command snyk test
@@ -33,24 +34,39 @@ snyk:
   - docker
   - notpriv
 
+sast:
+  stage: security
+  image: registry.gitlab.com/hosttoday/ht-docker-dbase:npmci
+  variables:
+    DOCKER_DRIVER: overlay2
+  allow_failure: true
+  services:
+    - docker:stable-dind
+  script:
+    - npmci npm prepare
+    - npmci npm install
+    - npmci command npm run build
+    - export SP_VERSION=$(echo "$CI_SERVER_VERSION" | sed 's/^\([0-9]*\)\.\([0-9]*\).*/\1-\2-stable/')
+    - docker run
+        --env SAST_CONFIDENCE_LEVEL="${SAST_CONFIDENCE_LEVEL:-3}"
+        --volume "$PWD:/code"
+        --volume /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+        "registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/security-products/sast:$SP_VERSION" /app/bin/run /code
+  artifacts:
+    reports:
+      sast: gl-sast-report.json
+  tags:
+  - docker
+  - priv
+
 # ====================
 # test stage
 # ====================
-testLEGACY:
-  stage: test
-  script:
-  - npmci node install legacy
-  - npmci npm install
-  - npmci npm test
-  coverage: /\d+.?\d+?\%\s*coverage/
-  tags:
-  - docker
-  - notpriv
-  allow_failure: true
 
 testLTS:
   stage: test
   script:
+  - npmci npm prepare
   - npmci node install lts
   - npmci npm install
   - npmci npm test
@@ -62,6 +78,7 @@ testLTS:
 testSTABLE:
   stage: test
   script:
+  - npmci npm prepare
   - npmci node install stable
   - npmci npm install
   - npmci npm test
@@ -118,6 +135,7 @@ pages:
   stage: metadata
   script:
     - npmci command npm install -g typedoc typescript
+    - npmci npm prepare
     - npmci npm install
     - npmci command typedoc --module "commonjs" --target "ES2016" --out public/ ts/
   tags:
@@ -130,13 +148,3 @@ pages:
     paths:
     - public
   allow_failure: true
-
-windowsCompatibility:
-  image: stefanscherer/node-windows:10-build-tools
-  stage: metadata
-  script:
-  - npm install & npm test
-  coverage: /\d+.?\d+?\%\s*coverage/
-  tags:
-  - windows
-  allow_failure: true
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index f29235c..a63a840 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "name": "qenv",
+  "name": "@pushrocks/qenv",
   "version": "2.0.2",
   "lockfileVersion": 1,
   "requires": true,
@@ -157,19 +157,17 @@
       }
     },
     "@pushrocks/smartlog": {
-      "version": "2.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@pushrocks/smartlog/-/smartlog-2.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-GtsDTGIUF3VuWPyF8FV5dF31ZCEIcaJ56ZlvJsWxjnyJq57X25mk5/K0QAaRE9IIeHg6fORcukFomb5C+AOQrg==",
-      "dev": true,
+      "version": "2.0.9",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/@pushrocks%2fsmartlog/-/smartlog-2.0.9.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-F2u3O8OOQ7QXgg9o0lI7HnqEhSQZo2A8u0EuNbQH+Kj2oL62xDwjAg6KkINwH7ObSWpaldZ+I28prG0JxaRzvg==",
       "requires": {
-        "@pushrocks/smartlog-interfaces": "^1.0.9"
+        "@pushrocks/smartlog-interfaces": "^2.0.2"
       }
     },
     "@pushrocks/smartlog-interfaces": {
-      "version": "1.0.9",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@pushrocks/smartlog-interfaces/-/smartlog-interfaces-1.0.9.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-0qwpomrRN0kFjmhR9m1iHYXoISoNuXtRP0Wr+JtkYyURLwKHMaW8Xoznf8MzXJptRfqufJi3Fxh5HodpPrIZUA==",
-      "dev": true
+      "version": "2.0.5",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/@pushrocks%2fsmartlog-interfaces/-/smartlog-interfaces-2.0.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-eLNlRpDwy3E+6v/B6fo/NiAo+UxBO3SxKgIIsgUGbWfVpsyUi0PG2xfVCdhJlhL1AsRRvKglfHSOB8qKE+XCLw=="
     },
     "@pushrocks/smartpath": {
       "version": "4.0.1",
@@ -286,6 +284,18 @@
       "integrity": "sha1-kQ3lDvzHwJ49gvL4er1rcAwYgYo=",
       "dev": true
     },
+    "ansi-regex": {
+      "version": "2.1.1",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/ansi-regex/-/ansi-regex-2.1.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-w7M6te42DYbg5ijwRorn7yfWVN8=",
+      "dev": true
+    },
+    "ansi-styles": {
+      "version": "2.2.1",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/ansi-styles/-/ansi-styles-2.2.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-tDLdM1i2NM914eRmQ2gkBTPB3b4=",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "argparse": {
       "version": "1.0.10",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/argparse/-/argparse-1.0.10.tgz",
@@ -311,6 +321,32 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/asynckit/-/asynckit-0.4.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-x57Zf380y48robyXkLzDZkdLS3k="
     },
+    "babel-code-frame": {
+      "version": "6.26.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/babel-code-frame/-/babel-code-frame-6.26.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-Y/1D99weO7fONZR9uP42mj9Yx0s=",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "chalk": "^1.1.3",
+        "esutils": "^2.0.2",
+        "js-tokens": "^3.0.2"
+      },
+      "dependencies": {
+        "chalk": {
+          "version": "1.1.3",
+          "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/chalk/-/chalk-1.1.3.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha1-qBFcVeSnAv5NFQq9OHKCKn4J/Jg=",
+          "dev": true,
+          "requires": {
+            "ansi-styles": "^2.2.1",
+            "escape-string-regexp": "^1.0.2",
+            "has-ansi": "^2.0.0",
+            "strip-ansi": "^3.0.0",
+            "supports-color": "^2.0.0"
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "balanced-match": {
       "version": "1.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/balanced-match/-/balanced-match-1.0.0.tgz",
@@ -337,6 +373,12 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-MQcXEUbCKtEo7bhqEs6560Hyd4XaovZlO/k9V3hjVUF/zwW7KBVdSK4gIt/bzwS9MbR5qob+F5jusZsb0YQK2A==",
       "dev": true
     },
+    "builtin-modules": {
+      "version": "1.1.1",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/builtin-modules/-/builtin-modules-1.1.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-Jw8HbFpywC9bZaR9+Uxf46J4iS8=",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "chai": {
       "version": "4.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chai/-/chai-4.1.2.tgz",
@@ -366,6 +408,37 @@
       "integrity": "sha1-NZFAwFHTak5LGl/GuRAVL0OKjUk=",
       "dev": true
     },
+    "chalk": {
+      "version": "2.4.2",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/chalk/-/chalk-2.4.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Mti+f9lpJNcwF4tWV8/OrTTtF1gZi+f8FqlyAdouralcFWFQWF2+NgCHShjkCb+IFBLq9buZwE1xckQU4peSuQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "ansi-styles": "^3.2.1",
+        "escape-string-regexp": "^1.0.5",
+        "supports-color": "^5.3.0"
+      },
+      "dependencies": {
+        "ansi-styles": {
+          "version": "3.2.1",
+          "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/ansi-styles/-/ansi-styles-3.2.1.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-VT0ZI6kZRdTh8YyJw3SMbYm/u+NqfsAxEpWO0Pf9sq8/e94WxxOpPKx9FR1FlyCtOVDNOQ+8ntlqFxiRc+r5qA==",
+          "dev": true,
+          "requires": {
+            "color-convert": "^1.9.0"
+          }
+        },
+        "supports-color": {
+          "version": "5.5.0",
+          "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/supports-color/-/supports-color-5.5.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-QjVjwdXIt408MIiAqCX4oUKsgU2EqAGzs2Ppkm4aQYbjm+ZEWEcW4SfFNTr4uMNZma0ey4f5lgLrkB0aX0QMow==",
+          "dev": true,
+          "requires": {
+            "has-flag": "^3.0.0"
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "check-error": {
       "version": "1.0.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/check-error/-/check-error-1.0.2.tgz",
@@ -397,6 +470,21 @@
         "readable-stream": "^2.3.5"
       }
     },
+    "color-convert": {
+      "version": "1.9.3",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/color-convert/-/color-convert-1.9.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-QfAUtd+vFdAtFQcC8CCyYt1fYWxSqAiK2cSD6zDB8N3cpsEBAvRxp9zOGg6G/SHHJYAT88/az/IuDGALsNVbGg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "color-name": "1.1.3"
+      }
+    },
+    "color-name": {
+      "version": "1.1.3",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/color-name/-/color-name-1.1.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-p9BVi9icQveV3UIyj3QIMcpTvCU=",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "combined-stream": {
       "version": "1.0.6",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/combined-stream/-/combined-stream-1.0.6.tgz",
@@ -405,6 +493,12 @@
         "delayed-stream": "~1.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "commander": {
+      "version": "2.19.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/commander/-/commander-2.19.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-6tvAOO+D6OENvRAh524Dh9jcfKTYDQAqvqezbCW82xj5X0pSrcpxtvRKHLG0yBY6SD7PSDrJaj+0AiOcKVd1Xg==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "concat-map": {
       "version": "0.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/concat-map/-/concat-map-0.0.1.tgz",
@@ -452,6 +546,12 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/esprima/-/esprima-4.0.1.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-eGuFFw7Upda+g4p+QHvnW0RyTX/SVeJBDM/gCtMARO0cLuT2HcEKnTPvhjV6aGeqrCB/sbNop0Kszm0jsaWU4A=="
     },
+    "esutils": {
+      "version": "2.0.2",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/esutils/-/esutils-2.0.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-Cr9PHKpbyx96nYrMbepPqqBLrJs=",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "figures": {
       "version": "2.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/figures/-/figures-2.0.0.tgz",
@@ -518,6 +618,21 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/graceful-fs/-/graceful-fs-4.1.11.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-Dovf5NHduIVNZOBOp8AOKgJuVlg="
     },
+    "has-ansi": {
+      "version": "2.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/has-ansi/-/has-ansi-2.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-NPUEnOHs3ysGSa8+8k5F7TVBbZE=",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "ansi-regex": "^2.0.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "has-flag": {
+      "version": "3.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/has-flag/-/has-flag-3.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-tdRU3CGZriJWmfNGfloH87lVuv0=",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "inflight": {
       "version": "1.0.6",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/inflight/-/inflight-1.0.6.tgz",
@@ -548,6 +663,12 @@
       "integrity": "sha1-6PvzdNxVb/iUehDcsFctYz8s+hA=",
       "dev": true
     },
+    "js-tokens": {
+      "version": "3.0.2",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/js-tokens/-/js-tokens-3.0.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-mGbfOVECEw449/mWvOtlRDIJwls=",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "js-yaml": {
       "version": "3.12.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/js-yaml/-/js-yaml-3.12.0.tgz",
@@ -653,6 +774,12 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/path-is-absolute/-/path-is-absolute-1.0.1.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-F0uSaHNVNP+8es5r9TpanhtcX18="
     },
+    "path-parse": {
+      "version": "1.0.6",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/path-parse/-/path-parse-1.0.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-GSmOT2EbHrINBf9SR7CDELwlJ8AENk3Qn7OikK4nFYAu3Ote2+JYNVvkpAEQm3/TLNEJFD/xZJjzyxg3KBWOzw==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "pathval": {
       "version": "1.1.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/pathval/-/pathval-1.1.0.tgz",
@@ -699,11 +826,26 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/replace-ext/-/replace-ext-1.0.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-3mMSg3P8v3w8z6TeWkgMRaZ5WOs="
     },
+    "resolve": {
+      "version": "1.9.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/resolve/-/resolve-1.9.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-TZNye00tI67lwYvzxCxHGjwTNlUV70io54/Ed4j6PscB8xVfuBJpRenI/o6dVk0cY0PYTY27AgCoGGxRnYuItQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "path-parse": "^1.0.6"
+      }
+    },
     "safe-buffer": {
       "version": "5.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/safe-buffer/-/safe-buffer-5.1.2.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-Gd2UZBJDkXlY7GbJxfsE8/nvKkUEU1G38c1siN6QP6a9PT9MmHB8GnpscSmMJSoF8LOIrt8ud/wPtojys4G6+g=="
     },
+    "semver": {
+      "version": "5.6.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/semver/-/semver-5.6.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-RS9R6R35NYgQn++fkDWaOmqGoj4Ek9gGs+DPxNUZKuwE183xjJroKvyo1IzVFeXvUrvmALy6FWD5xrdJT25gMg==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "smartchai": {
       "version": "2.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/smartchai/-/smartchai-2.0.1.tgz",
@@ -747,6 +889,15 @@
         "safe-buffer": "~5.1.0"
       }
     },
+    "strip-ansi": {
+      "version": "3.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/strip-ansi/-/strip-ansi-3.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-ajhfuIU9lS1f8F0Oiq+UJ43GPc8=",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "ansi-regex": "^2.0.0"
+      }
+    },
     "strip-bom": {
       "version": "2.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/strip-bom/-/strip-bom-2.0.0.tgz",
@@ -772,6 +923,12 @@
         "strip-bom": "^2.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "supports-color": {
+      "version": "2.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/supports-color/-/supports-color-2.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-U10EXOa2Nj+kARcIRimZXp3zJMc=",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "ts-node": {
       "version": "7.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ts-node/-/ts-node-7.0.1.tgz",
@@ -788,6 +945,47 @@
         "yn": "^2.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "tslib": {
+      "version": "1.9.3",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/tslib/-/tslib-1.9.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-4krF8scpejhaOgqzBEcGM7yDIEfi0/8+8zDRZhNZZ2kjmHJ4hv3zCbQWxoJGz1iw5U0Jl0nma13xzHXcncMavQ==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
+    "tslint": {
+      "version": "5.12.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/tslint/-/tslint-5.12.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-CKEcH1MHUBhoV43SA/Jmy1l24HJJgI0eyLbBNSRyFlsQvb9v6Zdq+Nz2vEOH00nC5SUx4SneJ59PZUS/ARcokQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "babel-code-frame": "^6.22.0",
+        "builtin-modules": "^1.1.1",
+        "chalk": "^2.3.0",
+        "commander": "^2.12.1",
+        "diff": "^3.2.0",
+        "glob": "^7.1.1",
+        "js-yaml": "^3.7.0",
+        "minimatch": "^3.0.4",
+        "resolve": "^1.3.2",
+        "semver": "^5.3.0",
+        "tslib": "^1.8.0",
+        "tsutils": "^2.27.2"
+      }
+    },
+    "tslint-config-prettier": {
+      "version": "1.17.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/tslint-config-prettier/-/tslint-config-prettier-1.17.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-NKWNkThwqE4Snn4Cm6SZB7lV5RMDDFsBwz6fWUkTxOKGjMx8ycOHnjIbhn7dZd5XmssW3CwqUjlANR6EhP9YQw==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
+    "tsutils": {
+      "version": "2.29.0",
+      "resolved": "https://verdaccio.lossless.one/tsutils/-/tsutils-2.29.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-g5JVHCIJwzfISaXpXE1qvNalca5Jwob6FjI4AoPlqMusJ6ftFE7IkkFoMhVLRgK+4Kx3gkzb8UZK5t5yTTvEmA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "tslib": "^1.8.1"
+      }
+    },
     "type-detect": {
       "version": "4.0.8",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/type-detect/-/type-detect-4.0.8.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ecc5cc8..feccd06 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -29,9 +29,12 @@
     "@gitzone/tsrun": "^1.1.12",
     "@gitzone/tstest": "^1.0.13",
     "@pushrocks/tapbundle": "^3.0.5",
-    "@types/node": "^10.5.8"
+    "@types/node": "^10.5.8",
+    "tslint": "^5.12.0",
+    "tslint-config-prettier": "^1.17.0"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@pushrocks/smartfile": "^6.0.6"
+    "@pushrocks/smartfile": "^6.0.6",
+    "@pushrocks/smartlog": "^2.0.9"
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/assets/qenv.yml b/test/assets/qenv.yml
index 66f816f..404f0e1 100644
--- a/test/assets/qenv.yml
+++ b/test/assets/qenv.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-vars:
+required:
   - key1
   - key2
   - key3
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ts/qenv.classes.qenv.ts b/ts/qenv.classes.qenv.ts
index 6be1586..8a0148f 100644
--- a/ts/qenv.classes.qenv.ts
+++ b/ts/qenv.classes.qenv.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import * as plugins from './qenv.plugins';
-import * as helpers from './qenv.helpers';
 
 export interface IKeyValueObject {
   key: string;
@@ -7,21 +6,32 @@ export interface IKeyValueObject {
 }
 
 export class Qenv {
-  requiredEnvVars: string[] = [];
-  availableEnvVars: string[] = [];
-  missingEnvVars: string[] = [];
-  keyValueObjectArray: IKeyValueObject[] = [];
-  constructor(basePathArg = process.cwd(), envYmlPathArg, failOnMissing = true) {
-    basePathArg = plugins.path.resolve(basePathArg);
-    envYmlPathArg = plugins.path.resolve(envYmlPathArg);
-    helpers.getRequiredEnvVars(basePathArg, this.requiredEnvVars);
-    helpers.getAvailableEnvVars(
-      this.requiredEnvVars,
-      envYmlPathArg,
-      this.availableEnvVars,
-      this.keyValueObjectArray
-    );
-    this.missingEnvVars = helpers.getMissingEnvVars(this.requiredEnvVars, this.availableEnvVars);
+  public requiredEnvVars: string[] = [];
+  public availableEnvVars: string[] = [];
+  public missingEnvVars: string[] = [];
+  public keyValueObjectArray: IKeyValueObject[] = [];
+  public logger: plugins.smartlog.Smartlog;
+
+  // filePaths
+  public qenvFilePathAbsolute: string;
+  public envFilePathAbsolute: string;
+
+  constructor(
+    qenvFileBasePathArg = process.cwd(),
+    envFileBasePathArg,
+    failOnMissing = true,
+    loggerArg: plugins.smartlog.Smartlog = plugins.smartlog.defaultLogger
+  ) {
+    this.logger = loggerArg;
+
+    // lets make sure paths are absolute
+    this.qenvFilePathAbsolute = plugins.path.join(plugins.path.resolve(qenvFileBasePathArg), 'qenv.yml');
+    this.envFilePathAbsolute = plugins.path.join(plugins.path.resolve(envFileBasePathArg), 'env.yml');
+
+    this.getRequiredEnvVars();
+    this.getAvailableEnvVars();
+
+    this.missingEnvVars = this.getMissingEnvVars();
 
     // handle missing variables
     if (this.missingEnvVars.length > 0) {
@@ -36,7 +46,101 @@ export class Qenv {
     }
   }
 
-  getEnvVar(envVarName): string {
+  public getEnvVar(envVarName): string {
     return process.env[envVarName];
   }
+
+  public getEnvVarOnDemand(requiredEnvVar: string): string {
+    // lets determine the actual env yml
+    let envYml;
+    try {
+      envYml = plugins.smartfile.fs.toObjectSync(this.envFilePathAbsolute);
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.log("env file couldn't be found at " + this.envFilePathAbsolute);
+      envYml = {};
+    }
+    let envVar: string;
+      let envFileVar: string;
+      let dockerSecret: string;
+
+      // env var check
+      if (process.env[requiredEnvVar]) {
+        this.availableEnvVars.push(requiredEnvVar);
+        envVar = process.env[requiredEnvVar];
+      }
+
+      // env file check
+      if (envYml.hasOwnProperty(requiredEnvVar)) {
+        envFileVar = envYml[requiredEnvVar];
+        this.availableEnvVars.push(requiredEnvVar);
+      }
+      if (
+        plugins.smartfile.fs.isDirectory('/run') &&
+        plugins.smartfile.fs.isDirectory('/run/secrets') &&
+        plugins.smartfile.fs.fileExists(`/run/secrets/${requiredEnvVar}`)
+      ) {
+        dockerSecret = plugins.smartfile.fs.toStringSync(`/run/secrets/${requiredEnvVar}`);
+      }
+
+      if ((envVar && envFileVar) || (envVar && dockerSecret) || (envFileVar && dockerSecret)) {
+        this.logger.log(
+          'warn',
+          `found multiple candidates for ${requiredEnvVar} Choosing in the order of envVar, envFileVar, dockerSecret`
+        );
+      }
+
+      let chosenVar: string = null;
+      if (envVar) {
+        chosenVar = envVar;
+      } else if (envFileVar) {
+        chosenVar = envFileVar;
+      } else if (dockerSecret) {
+        chosenVar = dockerSecret;
+      }
+      return chosenVar;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * gets the required env values
+   */
+  private getRequiredEnvVars = () => {
+    const qenvFile = plugins.smartfile.fs.toObjectSync(this.qenvFilePathAbsolute);
+    if (!qenvFile.required) {
+      this.logger.log('warn', `env File does not contain a 'required' Array!`);
+    }
+    for (const keyArg of Reflect.ownKeys(qenvFile.required)) {
+      this.requiredEnvVars.push(qenvFile.required[keyArg]);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * gets the available env vars
+   */
+  private getAvailableEnvVars = () => {
+
+    for (const requiredEnvVar of this.requiredEnvVars) {
+      const chosenVar = this.getEnvVarOnDemand(requiredEnvVar);
+      if (chosenVar) {
+        this.availableEnvVars.push(requiredEnvVar);
+        process.env[requiredEnvVar] = chosenVar;
+        this.keyValueObjectArray.push({
+          key: requiredEnvVar,
+          value: chosenVar
+        });
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * gets missing env vars
+   */
+  private getMissingEnvVars = (): string[] => {
+    const missingEnvVars: string[] = [];
+    for (const envVar of this.requiredEnvVars) {
+      if (!this.availableEnvVars.includes(envVar)) {
+        missingEnvVars.push(envVar);
+      }
+    }
+    return missingEnvVars;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/ts/qenv.helpers.ts b/ts/qenv.helpers.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index e472478..0000000
--- a/ts/qenv.helpers.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-import * as plugins from './qenv.plugins';
-import { IKeyValueObject } from './qenv.classes.qenv';
-
-export let getRequiredEnvVars = (pathArg: string, requiredEnvVarsArray: string[]) => {
-  let qenvFilePath = plugins.path.join(pathArg, 'qenv.yml');
-  let qenvFile = plugins.smartfile.fs.toObjectSync(qenvFilePath);
-  for (let keyArg in qenvFile.vars) {
-    requiredEnvVarsArray.push(qenvFile.vars[keyArg]);
-  }
-};
-
-export let getAvailableEnvVars = (
-  requiredEnvVarsArg: string[],
-  envYmlPathArg: string,
-  availableEnvVarsArray: string[],
-  keyValueObjectArrayArg: IKeyValueObject[]
-) => {
-  envYmlPathArg = plugins.path.join(envYmlPathArg, 'env.yml');
-  let envYml;
-  try {
-    envYml = plugins.smartfile.fs.toObjectSync(envYmlPathArg);
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.log("env file couldn't be found at " + envYmlPathArg);
-    envYml = {};
-  }
-  for (let requiredEnvVar of requiredEnvVarsArg) {
-    if (process.env[requiredEnvVar]) {
-      availableEnvVarsArray.push(requiredEnvVar);
-      keyValueObjectArrayArg.push({
-        key: requiredEnvVar,
-        value: process.env[requiredEnvVar]
-      });
-    } else if (envYml.hasOwnProperty(requiredEnvVar)) {
-      process.env[requiredEnvVar] = envYml[requiredEnvVar];
-      availableEnvVarsArray.push(requiredEnvVar);
-      keyValueObjectArrayArg.push({
-        key: requiredEnvVar,
-        value: process.env[requiredEnvVar]
-      });
-    }
-  }
-};
-
-export let getMissingEnvVars = (
-  requiredEnvVarsArray: string[],
-  availableEnvVarsArray: string[]
-): string[] => {
-  const missingEnvVars: string[] = [];
-  for (const envVar of requiredEnvVarsArray) {
-    if (!availableEnvVarsArray.includes(envVar)) {
-      missingEnvVars.push(envVar);
-    }
-  }
-  return missingEnvVars;
-};
diff --git a/ts/qenv.plugins.ts b/ts/qenv.plugins.ts
index e7cb633..ed0cc96 100644
--- a/ts/qenv.plugins.ts
+++ b/ts/qenv.plugins.ts
@@ -1,2 +1,16 @@
-export import path = require('path');
-export import smartfile = require('@pushrocks/smartfile');
+// native
+import * as path from 'path';
+
+export {
+  path
+}
+
+// @pushrocks scope
+import * as smartfile from '@pushrocks/smartfile';
+import * as smartlog from '@pushrocks/smartlog';
+
+export {
+  smartfile,
+  smartlog
+}
+
diff --git a/tslint.json b/tslint.json
index 45052ad..d4ea2e9 100644
--- a/tslint.json
+++ b/tslint.json
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
 {
-    "extends": "tslint-config-standard"
+  "extends": ["tslint:latest", "tslint-config-prettier"],
+  "rules": {
+    "semicolon": [true, "always"],
+    "no-console": false,
+    "ordered-imports": false,
+    "object-literal-sort-keys": false,
+    "member-ordering": {
+      "options":{
+        "order": [
+          "static-method"
+        ]
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "defaultSeverity": "warning"
 }