diff --git a/src/keybind/keybind.zig b/src/keybind/keybind.zig
index 77773b1..2a8953a 100644
--- a/src/keybind/keybind.zig
+++ b/src/keybind/keybind.zig
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ fn get_mode_binding_set(mode_name: []const u8, insert_command: []const u8) LoadE
     return binding_set;
 }
 
-const LoadError = (error{ NotFound, NotAnObject } || std.json.ParseError(std.json.Scanner) || parse_flow.ParseError || parse_vim.ParseError || std.json.ParseFromValueError);
+pub const LoadError = (error{ NotFound, NotAnObject } || std.json.ParseError(std.json.Scanner) || parse_flow.ParseError || parse_vim.ParseError || std.json.ParseFromValueError);
 
 ///A collection of modes that represent a switchable editor emulation
 const Namespace = struct {
diff --git a/src/location_history.zig b/src/location_history.zig
index 98d5864..98c4816 100644
--- a/src/location_history.zig
+++ b/src/location_history.zig
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub const Selection = struct {
     end: Cursor = Cursor{},
 };
 
-pub fn create() !Self {
+pub fn create() error{ OutOfMemory, ThespianSpawnFailed }!Self {
     return .{ .pid = try Process.create() };
 }
 
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const Process = struct {
         selection: ?Selection = null,
     };
 
-    pub fn create() !tp.pid {
+    pub fn create() error{ OutOfMemory, ThespianSpawnFailed }!tp.pid {
         const self = try outer_a.create(Process);
         self.* = .{
             .arena = std.heap.ArenaAllocator.init(outer_a),
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 18c4ee9..65ce937 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -551,7 +551,9 @@ fn read_nested_include_files(T: type, allocator: std.mem.Allocator, conf: *T, bu
     };
 }
 
-pub fn write_config(conf: anytype, allocator: std.mem.Allocator) !void {
+pub const ConfigWriteError = error{ CreateConfigFileFailed, WriteConfigFileFailed };
+
+pub fn write_config(conf: anytype, allocator: std.mem.Allocator) (ConfigDirError || ConfigWriteError)!void {
     config_mutex.lock();
     defer config_mutex.unlock();
     _ = allocator;
@@ -560,14 +562,20 @@ pub fn write_config(conf: anytype, allocator: std.mem.Allocator) !void {
     // return write_json_file(@TypeOf(conf), conf, allocator, try get_app_config_file_name(application_name, @typeName(@TypeOf(conf))));
 }
 
-fn write_text_config_file(comptime T: type, data: T, file_name: []const u8) !void {
-    var file = try std.fs.createFileAbsolute(file_name, .{ .truncate = true });
+fn write_text_config_file(comptime T: type, data: T, file_name: []const u8) ConfigWriteError!void {
+    var file = std.fs.createFileAbsolute(file_name, .{ .truncate = true }) catch |e| {
+        std.log.err("createFileAbsolute failed with {any} for: {s}", .{ e, file_name });
+        return error.CreateConfigFileFailed;
+    };
     defer file.close();
     const writer = file.writer();
-    return write_config_to_writer(T, data, writer);
+    write_config_to_writer(T, data, writer) catch |e| {
+        std.log.err("write file failed with {any} for: {s}", .{ e, file_name });
+        return error.WriteConfigFileFailed;
+    };
 }
 
-pub fn write_config_to_writer(comptime T: type, data: T, writer: anytype) !void {
+pub fn write_config_to_writer(comptime T: type, data: T, writer: anytype) @TypeOf(writer).Error!void {
     const default: T = .{};
     inline for (@typeInfo(T).@"struct".fields) |field_info| {
         if (config_eql(
@@ -650,7 +658,15 @@ pub fn get_config_dir() ![]const u8 {
     return get_app_config_dir(application_name);
 }
 
-fn get_app_config_dir(appname: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
+pub const ConfigDirError = error{
+    NoSpaceLeft,
+    MakeConfigDirFailed,
+    MakeHomeConfigDirFailed,
+    MakeAppConfigDirFailed,
+    AppConfigDirUnavailable,
+};
+
+fn get_app_config_dir(appname: []const u8) ConfigDirError![]const u8 {
     const a = std.heap.c_allocator;
     const local = struct {
         var config_dir_buffer: [std.posix.PATH_MAX]u8 = undefined;
@@ -666,7 +682,7 @@ fn get_app_config_dir(appname: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
         const dir = try std.fmt.bufPrint(&local.config_dir_buffer, "{s}/.config", .{home});
         std.fs.makeDirAbsolute(dir) catch |e| switch (e) {
             error.PathAlreadyExists => {},
-            else => return e,
+            else => return error.MakeHomeConfigDirFailed,
         };
         break :ret try std.fmt.bufPrint(&local.config_dir_buffer, "{s}/.config/{s}", .{ home, appname });
     } else if (builtin.os.tag == .windows) ret: {
@@ -675,7 +691,7 @@ fn get_app_config_dir(appname: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
             const dir = try std.fmt.bufPrint(&local.config_dir_buffer, "{s}/{s}", .{ appdata, appname });
             std.fs.makeDirAbsolute(dir) catch |e| switch (e) {
                 error.PathAlreadyExists => {},
-                else => return e,
+                else => return error.MakeAppConfigDirFailed,
             };
             break :ret dir;
         } else return error.AppConfigDirUnavailable;
@@ -684,7 +700,7 @@ fn get_app_config_dir(appname: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
     local.config_dir = config_dir;
     std.fs.makeDirAbsolute(config_dir) catch |e| switch (e) {
         error.PathAlreadyExists => {},
-        else => return e,
+        else => return error.MakeConfigDirFailed,
     };
 
     var keybind_dir_buffer: [std.posix.PATH_MAX]u8 = undefined;
@@ -784,11 +800,11 @@ fn get_app_state_dir(appname: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
     return state_dir;
 }
 
-fn get_app_config_file_name(appname: []const u8, comptime base_name: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
+fn get_app_config_file_name(appname: []const u8, comptime base_name: []const u8) ConfigDirError![]const u8 {
     return get_app_config_dir_file_name(appname, base_name ++ ".json");
 }
 
-fn get_app_config_dir_file_name(appname: []const u8, comptime config_file_name: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
+fn get_app_config_dir_file_name(appname: []const u8, comptime config_file_name: []const u8) ConfigDirError![]const u8 {
     const local = struct {
         var config_file_buffer: [std.posix.PATH_MAX]u8 = undefined;
     };
diff --git a/src/renderer/vaxis/renderer.zig b/src/renderer/vaxis/renderer.zig
index adea572..32af142 100644
--- a/src/renderer/vaxis/renderer.zig
+++ b/src/renderer/vaxis/renderer.zig
@@ -41,7 +41,20 @@ logger: log.Logger,
 
 loop: Loop,
 
-pub fn init(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, handler_ctx: *anyopaque, no_alternate: bool, _: *const fn (ctx: *anyopaque) void) !Self {
+pub const Error = error{
+    UnexpectedRendererEvent,
+    OutOfMemory,
+    IntegerTooLarge,
+    IntegerTooSmall,
+    InvalidType,
+    TooShort,
+    Utf8CannotEncodeSurrogateHalf,
+    CodepointTooLarge,
+    TtyInitError,
+    TtyWriteError,
+} || std.Thread.SpawnError;
+
+pub fn init(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, handler_ctx: *anyopaque, no_alternate: bool, _: *const fn (ctx: *anyopaque) void) Error!Self {
     const opts: vaxis.Vaxis.Options = .{
         .kitty_keyboard_flags = .{
             .disambiguate = true,
@@ -54,7 +67,7 @@ pub fn init(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, handler_ctx: *anyopaque, no_alternate:
     };
     return .{
         .allocator = allocator,
-        .tty = try vaxis.Tty.init(),
+        .tty = vaxis.Tty.init() catch return error.TtyInitError,
         .vx = try vaxis.init(allocator, opts),
         .no_alternate = no_alternate,
         .event_buffer = std.ArrayList(u8).init(allocator),
@@ -93,19 +106,19 @@ pub fn panic(msg: []const u8, error_return_trace: ?*std.builtin.StackTrace, ret_
     return std.debug.defaultPanic(msg, ret_addr orelse @returnAddress());
 }
 
-pub fn run(self: *Self) !void {
+pub fn run(self: *Self) Error!void {
     self.vx.sgr = .legacy;
     self.vx.conpty_hacks = true;
 
     panic_cleanup = .{ .allocator = self.allocator, .tty = &self.tty, .vx = &self.vx };
-    if (!self.no_alternate) try self.vx.enterAltScreen(self.tty.anyWriter());
+    if (!self.no_alternate) self.vx.enterAltScreen(self.tty.anyWriter()) catch return error.TtyWriteError;
     if (builtin.os.tag == .windows) {
         try self.resize(.{ .rows = 25, .cols = 80, .x_pixel = 0, .y_pixel = 0 }); // dummy resize to fully init vaxis
     } else {
-        try self.sigwinch();
+        self.sigwinch() catch return error.TtyWriteError;
     }
-    try self.vx.setBracketedPaste(self.tty.anyWriter(), true);
-    try self.vx.queryTerminalSend(self.tty.anyWriter());
+    self.vx.setBracketedPaste(self.tty.anyWriter(), true) catch return error.TtyWriteError;
+    self.vx.queryTerminalSend(self.tty.anyWriter()) catch return error.TtyWriteError;
 
     self.loop = Loop.init(&self.tty, &self.vx);
     try self.loop.start();
@@ -122,8 +135,8 @@ pub fn sigwinch(self: *Self) !void {
     try self.resize(try vaxis.Tty.getWinsize(self.input_fd_blocking()));
 }
 
-fn resize(self: *Self, ws: vaxis.Winsize) !void {
-    try self.vx.resize(self.allocator, self.tty.anyWriter(), ws);
+fn resize(self: *Self, ws: vaxis.Winsize) error{ TtyWriteError, OutOfMemory }!void {
+    self.vx.resize(self.allocator, self.tty.anyWriter(), ws) catch return error.TtyWriteError;
     self.vx.queueRefresh();
     if (self.dispatch_event) |f| f(self.handler_ctx, try self.fmtmsg(.{"resize"}));
 }
@@ -147,7 +160,7 @@ pub fn input_fd_blocking(self: Self) i32 {
     return self.tty.fd;
 }
 
-pub fn process_renderer_event(self: *Self, msg: []const u8) !void {
+pub fn process_renderer_event(self: *Self, msg: []const u8) Error!void {
     var input_: []const u8 = undefined;
     var text_: []const u8 = undefined;
     if (!try cbor.match(msg, .{ "RDR", cbor.extract(&input_), cbor.extract(&text_) }))
@@ -268,7 +281,7 @@ pub fn process_renderer_event(self: *Self, msg: []const u8) !void {
         .cap_da1 => {
             self.queries_done = true;
             self.vx.enableDetectedFeatures(self.tty.anyWriter()) catch |e| self.logger.err("enable features", e);
-            try self.vx.setMouseMode(self.tty.anyWriter(), true);
+            self.vx.setMouseMode(self.tty.anyWriter(), true) catch return error.TtyWriteError;
         },
         .cap_kitty_keyboard => {
             self.logger.print("kitty keyboard capability detected", .{});
@@ -287,7 +300,7 @@ pub fn process_renderer_event(self: *Self, msg: []const u8) !void {
     }
 }
 
-fn fmtmsg(self: *Self, value: anytype) ![]const u8 {
+fn fmtmsg(self: *Self, value: anytype) std.ArrayList(u8).Writer.Error![]const u8 {
     self.event_buffer.clearRetainingCapacity();
     try cbor.writeValue(self.event_buffer.writer(), value);
     return self.event_buffer.items;
@@ -329,7 +342,7 @@ fn handle_bracketed_paste_end(self: *Self) !void {
     if (self.dispatch_event) |f| f(self.handler_ctx, try self.fmtmsg(.{ "system_clipboard", self.bracketed_paste_buffer.items }));
 }
 
-fn handle_bracketed_paste_error(self: *Self, e: anytype) !void {
+fn handle_bracketed_paste_error(self: *Self, e: Error) !void {
     self.logger.err("bracketed paste", e);
     self.bracketed_paste_buffer.clearAndFree();
     self.bracketed_paste = false;
@@ -508,7 +521,7 @@ const Loop = struct {
     }
 
     /// spawns the input thread to read input from the tty
-    pub fn start(self: *Loop) !void {
+    pub fn start(self: *Loop) std.Thread.SpawnError!void {
         if (self.thread) |_| return;
         self.thread = try std.Thread.spawn(.{}, Loop.ttyRun, .{self});
     }
diff --git a/src/renderer/win32/renderer.zig b/src/renderer/win32/renderer.zig
index 192f279..95815c4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/win32/renderer.zig
+++ b/src/renderer/win32/renderer.zig
@@ -20,6 +20,18 @@ const DropWriter = gui.DropWriter;
 pub const style = StyleBits;
 pub const styles = @import("tuirenderer").styles;
 
+pub const Error = error{
+    UnexpectedRendererEvent,
+    OutOfMemory,
+    IntegerTooLarge,
+    IntegerTooSmall,
+    InvalidType,
+    TooShort,
+    Utf8CannotEncodeSurrogateHalf,
+    CodepointTooLarge,
+    VaxisResizeError,
+} || std.Thread.SpawnError;
+
 pub const panic = messageBoxThenPanic(.{ .title = "Flow Panic" });
 
 threadlocal var thread_is_panicing = false;
@@ -80,7 +92,7 @@ pub fn init(
     handler_ctx: *anyopaque,
     no_alternate: bool,
     dispatch_initialized: *const fn (ctx: *anyopaque) void,
-) !Self {
+) Error!Self {
     std.debug.assert(!global.init_called);
     global.init_called = true;
 
@@ -116,16 +128,16 @@ pub fn deinit(self: *Self) void {
     self.title_buf.deinit();
 }
 
-pub fn run(self: *Self) !void {
+pub fn run(self: *Self) Error!void {
     if (self.thread) |_| return;
 
     // dummy resize to fully init vaxis
     const drop_writer = DropWriter{};
-    try self.vx.resize(
+    self.vx.resize(
         self.allocator,
         drop_writer.writer().any(),
         .{ .rows = 25, .cols = 80, .x_pixel = 0, .y_pixel = 0 },
-    );
+    ) catch return error.VaxisResizeError;
 
     self.thread = try gui.start();
 }
@@ -164,7 +176,7 @@ pub fn stdplane(self: *Self) Plane {
     return plane;
 }
 
-pub fn process_renderer_event(self: *Self, msg: []const u8) !void {
+pub fn process_renderer_event(self: *Self, msg: []const u8) Error!void {
     const Input = struct {
         kind: u8,
         codepoint: u21,
diff --git a/src/tui/WidgetList.zig b/src/tui/WidgetList.zig
index c7c1e47..98808a9 100644
--- a/src/tui/WidgetList.zig
+++ b/src/tui/WidgetList.zig
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ on_render: *const fn (ctx: ?*anyopaque, theme: *const Widget.Theme) void = on_re
 after_render: *const fn (ctx: ?*anyopaque, theme: *const Widget.Theme) void = on_render_default,
 on_resize: *const fn (ctx: ?*anyopaque, self: *Self, pos_: Widget.Box) void = on_resize_default,
 
-pub fn createH(allocator: Allocator, parent: Plane, name: [:0]const u8, layout_: Layout) !*Self {
+pub fn createH(allocator: Allocator, parent: Plane, name: [:0]const u8, layout_: Layout) error{OutOfMemory}!*Self {
     const self: *Self = try allocator.create(Self);
     self.* = try init(allocator, parent, name, .horizontal, layout_, Box{});
     self.plane.hide();
diff --git a/src/tui/mainview.zig b/src/tui/mainview.zig
index 7db301e..0a5bb94 100644
--- a/src/tui/mainview.zig
+++ b/src/tui/mainview.zig
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ const FileListType = enum {
     find_in_files,
 };
 
-pub fn create(allocator: std.mem.Allocator) !Widget {
+pub const CreateError = error{ OutOfMemory, ThespianSpawnFailed };
+
+pub fn create(allocator: std.mem.Allocator) CreateError!Widget {
     const self = try allocator.create(Self);
     self.* = .{
         .allocator = allocator,
diff --git a/src/tui/status/bar.zig b/src/tui/status/bar.zig
index d7b891d..98d4c25 100644
--- a/src/tui/status/bar.zig
+++ b/src/tui/status/bar.zig
@@ -8,13 +8,17 @@ const Plane = @import("renderer").Plane;
 
 pub const Style = enum { none, grip };
 
-pub fn create(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, parent: Plane, config: []const u8, style: Style, event_handler: ?EventHandler) !Widget {
+pub fn create(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, parent: Plane, config: []const u8, style: Style, event_handler: ?EventHandler) error{OutOfMemory}!Widget {
     var w = try WidgetList.createH(allocator, parent, "statusbar", .{ .static = 1 });
     if (style == .grip) w.after_render = render_grip;
     w.ctx = w;
     var it = std.mem.splitScalar(u8, config, ' ');
-    while (it.next()) |widget_name|
-        try w.add(try status_widget.create(widget_name, allocator, w.plane, event_handler) orelse continue);
+    while (it.next()) |widget_name| {
+        try w.add(status_widget.create(widget_name, allocator, w.plane, event_handler) catch |e| switch (e) {
+            error.OutOfMemory => return error.OutOfMemory,
+            error.WidgetInitFailed => null,
+        } orelse continue);
+    }
     return w.widget();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tui/status/clock.zig b/src/tui/status/clock.zig
index 4ef96b6..f1d6d38 100644
--- a/src/tui/status/clock.zig
+++ b/src/tui/status/clock.zig
@@ -19,14 +19,20 @@ tz: zeit.timezone.TimeZone,
 const Self = @This();
 
 pub fn create(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, parent: Plane, event_handler: ?EventHandler) @import("widget.zig").CreateError!Widget {
-    var env = std.process.getEnvMap(allocator) catch |e| return tp.exit_error(e, @errorReturnTrace());
+    var env = std.process.getEnvMap(allocator) catch |e| {
+        std.log.err("clock: std.process.getEnvMap failed with {any}", .{e});
+        return error.WidgetInitFailed;
+    };
     defer env.deinit();
     const self: *Self = try allocator.create(Self);
     self.* = .{
         .allocator = allocator,
         .plane = try Plane.init(&(Widget.Box{}).opts(@typeName(Self)), parent),
         .on_event = event_handler,
-        .tz = zeit.local(allocator, &env) catch |e| return tp.exit_error(e, @errorReturnTrace()),
+        .tz = zeit.local(allocator, &env) catch |e| {
+            std.log.err("clock: zeit.local failed with {any}", .{e});
+            return error.WidgetInitFailed;
+        },
     };
     try tui.message_filters().add(MessageFilter.bind(self, receive_tick));
     self.update_tick_timer(.init);
diff --git a/src/tui/status/minilog.zig b/src/tui/status/minilog.zig
index 340c241..676103c 100644
--- a/src/tui/status/minilog.zig
+++ b/src/tui/status/minilog.zig
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ pub fn create(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, parent: Plane, event_handler: ?Event
     };
     logview.init(allocator);
     try tui.message_filters().add(MessageFilter.bind(self, receive_log));
-    try log.subscribe();
+    log.subscribe() catch return error.WidgetInitFailed;
     return Widget.to(self);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tui/status/widget.zig b/src/tui/status/widget.zig
index f0e1c02..4b87b06 100644
--- a/src/tui/status/widget.zig
+++ b/src/tui/status/widget.zig
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ const widgets = std.static_string_map.StaticStringMap(CreateFunction).initCompti
     .{ "keybind", @import("keybindstate.zig").create },
     .{ "tabs", @import("tabs.zig").create },
 });
-pub const CreateError = error{ OutOfMemory, Exit };
+pub const CreateError = error{ OutOfMemory, WidgetInitFailed };
 pub const CreateFunction = *const fn (allocator: std.mem.Allocator, parent: Plane, event_handler: ?EventHandler) CreateError!Widget;
 
 pub fn create(name: []const u8, allocator: std.mem.Allocator, parent: Plane, event_handler: ?EventHandler) CreateError!?Widget {
diff --git a/src/tui/tui.zig b/src/tui/tui.zig
index 51386b3..5e047ab 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui.zig
+++ b/src/tui/tui.zig
@@ -84,11 +84,24 @@ fn start(args: StartArgs) tp.result {
     tp.receive(&self.receiver);
 }
 
-fn init(allocator: Allocator) !*Self {
+const InitError = error{
+    OutOfMemory,
+    UnknownTheme,
+    ThespianMetronomeInitFailed,
+    ThespianMetronomeStartFailed,
+    ThespianTimeoutInitFailed,
+    ThespianSignalInitFailed,
+    ThespianSpawnFailed,
+} || renderer.Error ||
+    root.ConfigDirError ||
+    root.ConfigWriteError ||
+    keybind.LoadError;
+
+fn init(allocator: Allocator) InitError!*Self {
     var conf, const conf_bufs = root.read_config(@import("config"), allocator);
     defer root.free_config(allocator, conf_bufs);
 
-    const theme_ = get_theme_by_name(conf.theme) orelse get_theme_by_name("dark_modern") orelse return tp.exit("unknown theme");
+    const theme_ = get_theme_by_name(conf.theme) orelse get_theme_by_name("dark_modern") orelse return error.UnknownTheme;
     conf.theme = theme_.name;
     conf.whitespace_mode = try allocator.dupe(u8, conf.whitespace_mode);
     conf.input_mode = try allocator.dupe(u8, conf.input_mode);
@@ -161,7 +174,7 @@ fn init(allocator: Allocator) !*Self {
     return self;
 }
 
-fn init_input_namespace(self: *Self) !void {
+fn init_input_namespace(self: *Self) InitError!void {
     var mode_parts = std.mem.splitScalar(u8, self.config_.input_mode, '/');
     const namespace_name = mode_parts.first();
     keybind.set_namespace(namespace_name) catch {
@@ -172,7 +185,7 @@ fn init_input_namespace(self: *Self) !void {
     };
 }
 
-fn init_delayed(self: *Self) !void {
+fn init_delayed(self: *Self) command.Result {
     self.delayed_init_done = true;
     if (self.input_mode_) |_| {} else {
         if (self.delayed_init_input_mode) |delayed_init_input_mode| {
@@ -218,9 +231,9 @@ fn deinit(self: *Self) void {
     self.allocator.destroy(self);
 }
 
-fn listen_sigwinch(self: *Self) tp.result {
+fn listen_sigwinch(self: *Self) error{ThespianSignalInitFailed}!void {
     if (self.sigwinch_signal) |old| old.deinit();
-    self.sigwinch_signal = tp.signal.init(std.posix.SIG.WINCH, tp.message.fmt(.{"sigwinch"})) catch |e| return tp.exit_error(e, @errorReturnTrace());
+    self.sigwinch_signal = try tp.signal.init(std.posix.SIG.WINCH, tp.message.fmt(.{"sigwinch"}));
 }
 
 fn update_mouse_idle_timer(self: *Self) void {
@@ -465,7 +478,7 @@ fn active_event_handler(self: *Self) ?EventHandler {
     return mode.event_handler orelse mode.input_handler;
 }
 
-fn dispatch_flush_input_event(self: *Self) !void {
+fn dispatch_flush_input_event(self: *Self) error{ Exit, NoSpaceLeft }!void {
     var buf: [32]u8 = undefined;
     const mode = self.input_mode_ orelse return;
     try mode.input_handler.send(tp.self_pid(), try tp.message.fmtbuf(&buf, .{"F"}));
@@ -627,7 +640,7 @@ pub fn refresh_hover() void {
     _ = self.update_hover(self.last_hover_y, self.last_hover_x) catch {};
 }
 
-pub fn save_config() !void {
+pub fn save_config() (root.ConfigDirError || root.ConfigWriteError)!void {
     const self = current();
     try root.write_config(self.config_, self.allocator);
 }