diff --git a/siteupdate.py b/siteupdate.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3314e92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/siteupdate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import sys
+import argparse
+import subprocess
+import os
+from glob import glob
+
+def site_update(args):
+    print('update site')
+    if not os.path.isdir(args.src):
+        print(f'directory {args.src} does not exist', file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    p = subprocess.run(['git', 'fetch', 'origin'], cwd=args.src)
+    if p.returncode != 0:
+        return 1
+    p = subprocess.run(['git', 'status'], cwd=args.src, capture_output=True)
+    if p.returncode != 0:
+        return 1
+    if 'behind' in str(p.stdout):
+        p = subprocess.run(['git', 'merge', 'origin/master'], cwd=args.src)
+        if p.returncode != 0:
+            return 1
+        if args.b:
+            if args.dest is None:
+                print('need --dest argument for -b', file=sys.stderr)
+                return 1
+            site_build(args)
+    else:
+        print('up to date')
+
+
+    return 0
+
+def site_build(args):
+    if not os.path.isdir(args.src):
+        print(f'directory {args.src} does not exist', file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    if not os.path.isdir(args.dest):
+        try:
+            os.mkdir(args.dest)
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(e, file=sys.stderr)
+            return 1
+    print('building site')
+    p = subprocess.run('hugo', cwd=args.src)
+    if p.returncode != 0:
+        return 1
+    new_files = glob('public/*', root_dir=args.src)
+    p = subprocess.run(['which', 'rsync'], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    if p.returncode == 0:
+        print('copying new files')
+        p = subprocess.run(['rsync', '-r', *new_files, args.dest], cwd=args.src)
+        if p.returncode != 0:
+            return 1
+    else:
+        print('rsync not found, using basic rm and cp')
+        old_files = glob('*', root_dir=args.dest)
+        print('cleaning up old files')
+        p = subprocess.run(['rm','-rf', *old_files], cwd=args.dest)
+        if p.returncode != 0:
+            return 1
+        print('copying new files')
+        p = subprocess.run(['cp', '-r', *new_files, args.dest], cwd=args.src)
+        if p.returncode != 0:
+            return 1
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(help='sub-command help')
+
+    parser_update = subparsers.add_parser('update', help='update help')
+    parser_update.set_defaults(func=site_update)
+
+    parser_build = subparsers.add_parser('build', help='build help')
+    parser_build.set_defaults(func=site_build)
+
+    parser_update.add_argument('--src', required=True)
+    parser_update.add_argument('--dest', required=False)
+    parser_update.add_argument('-b', action='store_true', required=False)
+    parser_build.add_argument('--src', required=True)
+    parser_build.add_argument('--dest', required=True)
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    rc = args.func(args)
+    exit(rc)