diff --git a/src/actions/setupActions.ts b/src/actions/setupActions.ts
index dbca1aad..4a5c20de 100644
--- a/src/actions/setupActions.ts
+++ b/src/actions/setupActions.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ const commandErrorMessageFilter: ErrorMessageFilter = {
 	}
 }
 
-const runCommands = async (commands: string[], language: string) => {
+
+// TODO: pass command and command name down for filtering. Eg. JAVASCRIPT, 'npm install'
+const runCommands = async (commands: string[], language: string = 'JAVASCRIPT') => {
 	for (const command of commands) {
 		const {stdout, stderr} = await node.exec(command)
 		if (stderr) {
@@ -43,13 +45,28 @@ const setupActions = async (workspaceRoot: vscode.WorkspaceFolder, {commands, co
 	}
 
 	// run command
-
+	await runCommands(commands)
 
 	// open files
 	for (const filePath of files) {
 		console.log(`OPEN_FILE ${filePath}`)
 		try {
-			const absoluteFilePath = join(workspaceRoot.uri.path, filePath)
+			// TODO: figure out why this does not work
+			// 	try {
+			// 		const absoluteFilePath = join(workspaceRoot.uri.path, filePath)
+			// 		const doc = await vscode.workspace.openTextDocument(absoluteFilePath)
+			// 		await vscode.window.showTextDocument(doc, vscode.ViewColumn.One)
+			// 		// there are times when initialization leave the panel behind any files opened
+			// 		// ensure the panel is redrawn on the right side first
+			// 		// webview.createOrShow(vscode.ViewColumn.Two)
+			// 	} catch (error) {
+			// 		console.log(`Failed to open file ${filePath}`, error)
+			// 	}
+			const wr = vscode.workspace.rootPath
+			if (!wr) {
+				throw new Error('No workspace root path')
+			}
+			const absoluteFilePath = join(wr, filePath)
 			const doc = await vscode.workspace.openTextDocument(absoluteFilePath)
 			await vscode.window.showTextDocument(doc, vscode.ViewColumn.One)
 			// there are times when initialization leave the panel behind any files opened
@@ -61,4 +78,6 @@ const setupActions = async (workspaceRoot: vscode.WorkspaceFolder, {commands, co
 	}
 }
 
-export default setupActions
\ No newline at end of file
+export default setupActions
+
+
diff --git a/src/services/git/gitAction.ts b/src/services/git/gitAction.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f6bd6ce9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/git/gitAction.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import node from '../node'
+
+interface GitAction {
+	command: string
+	onError?(stderr: string): any
+	onSuccess?(stdout: string): any
+}
+
+// handle common node.exec logic
+export const gitAction = async ({command, onError, onSuccess}: GitAction) => {
+	const {stdout, stderr} = await node.exec(command)
+	if (onError && stderr) {
+		return onError(stderr)
+	} else if (onSuccess && stdout) {
+		return onSuccess(stdout)
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file