diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 2c793da..012722b 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -15,116 +15,65 @@
     locutus.url = "git+https://git.figtree.dev/alex/locutus";
   };
 
-  outputs = { self, nixpkgs, home-manager, ... }@inputs: {
+  outputs = { self, nixpkgs, home-manager, ... }@inputs:
+  let
+    # Shared Home Manager configuration function
+    mkHomeManagerConfig = { isDesktop }: {
+      home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true;
+      home-manager.useUserPackages = true;
+      home-manager.backupFileExtension = "backup";
+      home-manager.users.alex = import ./alex/home.nix;
+      home-manager.extraSpecialArgs = { inherit inputs isDesktop; };
+    };
+  in {
     nixosConfigurations = {
       case = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
         system = "x86_64-linux";
-
         specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
         modules = [
-
           ./hosts/case/configuration.nix
-
-          # enable home manager
           home-manager.nixosModules.home-manager
-          {
-            home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true;
-            home-manager.useUserPackages = true;
-
-            home-manager.users.alex = import ./alex/home.nix;
-
-            # Optionally, use home-manager.extraSpecialArgs to pass arguments to
-            # home.nix
-            home-manager.extraSpecialArgs = { inherit inputs; isDesktop=true; };
-          }
+          (mkHomeManagerConfig { isDesktop = true; })
         ];
       };
+
       count = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
         system = "x86_64-linux";
-
         specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
         modules = [
-
           ./hosts/count/configuration.nix
-
-          # enable home manager
           home-manager.nixosModules.home-manager
-          {
-            home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true;
-            home-manager.useUserPackages = true;
-
-            home-manager.users.alex = import ./alex/home.nix;
-
-            # Optionally, use home-manager.extraSpecialArgs to pass arguments to
-            # home.nix
-            home-manager.extraSpecialArgs = { inherit inputs; isDesktop=true; };
-          }
+          (mkHomeManagerConfig { isDesktop = true; })
         ];
       };
+
       armitage = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
         system = "x86_64-linux";
-
         specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
         modules = [
-
           ./hosts/armitage/configuration.nix
-
-          # enable home manager
           home-manager.nixosModules.home-manager
-          {
-            home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true;
-            home-manager.useUserPackages = true;
-
-            home-manager.users.alex = import ./alex/home.nix;
-
-            # Optionally, use home-manager.extraSpecialArgs to pass arguments to
-            # home.nix
-            home-manager.extraSpecialArgs = { inherit inputs; isDesktop=true; };
-          }
+          (mkHomeManagerConfig { isDesktop = true; })
         ];
       };
+
       alt = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
         system = "x86_64-linux";
-
         specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
         modules = [
-
           ./hosts/alt/configuration.nix
-
-          # enable home manager
           home-manager.nixosModules.home-manager
-          {
-            home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true;
-            home-manager.useUserPackages = true;
-
-            home-manager.users.alex = import ./alex/home.nix;
-
-            # Optionally, use home-manager.extraSpecialArgs to pass arguments to
-            # home.nix
-            home-manager.extraSpecialArgs = { inherit inputs; isDesktop=false; };
-          }
+          (mkHomeManagerConfig { isDesktop = false; })
         ];
       };
+
       nightcity = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
         system = "x86_64-linux";
-
         specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
         modules = [
-
           ./hosts/nightcity/configuration.nix
-
-          # enable home manager
           home-manager.nixosModules.home-manager
-          {
-            home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true;
-            home-manager.useUserPackages = true;
-
-            home-manager.users.alex = import ./alex/home.nix;
-
-            # Optionally, use home-manager.extraSpecialArgs to pass arguments to
-            # home.nix
-            home-manager.extraSpecialArgs = { inherit inputs; isDesktop=false; };
-          }
+          (mkHomeManagerConfig { isDesktop = false; })
         ];
       };
       # other hosts...