diff --git a/template-js/package.json b/template-js/package.json
index 4446ee8..b93100e 100644
--- a/template-js/package.json
+++ b/template-js/package.json
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
 	"version": "1.0.0",
 	"private": true,
 	"description": "",
-	"main": "src/index.js",
+	"main": "dist/index.js",
 	"scripts": {
 	    "start": "node .",
-            "commands:publish": "sern commands publish"
+            "commands:publish": "sern commands publish",
+            "build": "sern build"
 	},
 	"keywords": [
             "javascript",
diff --git a/template-js/src/config.js b/template-js/src/config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31bdebe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template-js/src/config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+//CONFIG FILE: export only data here and do not cause side effects. Feel free to add your own configuration to this file.
+
+//commands directory. REQUIRED
+export const commands = './dist/commands'
+// events directory. 
+export const events = './dist/events'
+
+// schedule tasks and declare them here
+export const tasks = './dist/tasks'
+
+// defaultPrefix: if omitted, sern will disable all text/prefix commands
+export const defaultPrefix = '?'
+
diff --git a/template-js/src/index.js b/template-js/src/index.js
index b9cf272..db04931 100644
--- a/template-js/src/index.js
+++ b/template-js/src/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /// <reference path="dependencies.d.ts" />
 import 'dotenv/config'
+import * as config from './config.js'
 import { Client, GatewayIntentBits } from 'discord.js';
 import { Sern, makeDependencies } from '@sern/handler';
 import {  Publisher } from '@sern/publisher'
@@ -21,14 +22,11 @@ const client = new Client({
  */
 await makeDependencies(({ add }) => {
     add('@sern/client', client);
+    
     add('publisher', new Publisher());
 });
 
 //View docs for all options
-Sern.init({
-    defaultPrefix: '!', // removing defaultPrefix will shut down text commands
-    commands: 'src/commands',
-    // events: 'src/events', //(optional)
-});
+Sern.init(config);
 
 client.login();
diff --git a/template-ts/src/config.ts b/template-ts/src/config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31bdebe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template-ts/src/config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+//CONFIG FILE: export only data here and do not cause side effects. Feel free to add your own configuration to this file.
+
+//commands directory. REQUIRED
+export const commands = './dist/commands'
+// events directory. 
+export const events = './dist/events'
+
+// schedule tasks and declare them here
+export const tasks = './dist/tasks'
+
+// defaultPrefix: if omitted, sern will disable all text/prefix commands
+export const defaultPrefix = '?'
+
diff --git a/template-ts/src/index.ts b/template-ts/src/index.ts
index 5b0d9f3..67b47e7 100644
--- a/template-ts/src/index.ts
+++ b/template-ts/src/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import 'dotenv/config'
+import * as config from './config.js'
 import { Client, GatewayIntentBits } from 'discord.js';
 import { Sern, makeDependencies } from '@sern/handler';
 import { Publisher } from '@sern/publisher'
@@ -24,10 +25,6 @@ await makeDependencies(({ add }) => {
 });
 
 //View docs for all options
-Sern.init({
-    defaultPrefix: '!', // removing defaultPrefix will shut down text commands
-    commands: 'dist/commands',
- // events: 'dist/events', //(optional)
-});
+Sern.init(config);
 
 await client.login()