diff --git a/modules/default.nix b/modules/default.nix
index eecd825..a7c1dc4 100644
--- a/modules/default.nix
+++ b/modules/default.nix
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 {
-  imports = [./theme];
+  imports = [
+    ./systemVars.nix
+    ./homeVars.nix
+    ./theme
+  ];
 }
diff --git a/modules/homeVars.nix b/modules/homeVars.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b2688c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/homeVars.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+{
+  config,
+  lib,
+  options,
+  ...
+}: let
+  inherit (lib) mkIf mkOption;
+  inherit (lib.types) str;
+in {
+  options.local.homeVars = {
+    fullName = mkOption {
+      type = str;
+      description = "your full name (used for git commits and user description)";
+      default = null;
+    };
+    email = mkOption {
+      type = str;
+      description = "your email (used for git commits)";
+      default = null;
+    };
+  };
+
+  config.assertions = mkIf (!config.local.systemVars.isServer) [
+    {
+      assertion = options.local.homeVars.fullName.isDefined;
+    }
+    {
+      assertion = options.local.homeVars.email.isDefined;
+    }
+  ];
+}
diff --git a/modules/systemVars.nix b/modules/systemVars.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb8d169
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/systemVars.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+{
+  lib,
+  options,
+  ...
+}: let
+  inherit (lib) mkOption;
+  inherit (lib.types) bool str;
+in {
+  options.local.systemVars = {
+    hostName = mkOption {
+      type = str;
+      description = "hostname for the current host";
+      default = null;
+    };
+    username = mkOption {
+      type = str;
+      description = "username for the home directory";
+      default = null;
+    };
+    isServer = mkOption {
+      type = bool;
+      description = "whether or not this host is a server";
+      default = false;
+    };
+  };
+
+  config.assertions = [
+    {
+      assertion = options.local.systemVars.hostName.isDefined;
+    }
+    {
+      assertion = options.local.systemVars.username.isDefined;
+    }
+  ];
+}