diff --git a/.configure.sh b/.configure.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..605f854
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.configure.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+echo "### ownDynDNS configuration script"
+
+# set variables
+scriptversion="1.0"
+
+defaultenvfile=".env.dist"
+
+dir=$(pwd)
+while [ ! -f $dir/$defaultenvfile ]
+do
+  echo "current directory does not contain ${defaultenvfile} !"
+  read -p "enter directory where ownDynDNS is located: " dir
+done
+
+# source .env.dist
+source $dir/$defaultenvfile
+
+envfile="${dir}/.env"
+
+log1="$logFile"
+log2="/var/log/dnsupdater/log.json"
+
+
+### main script
+#echo "found ${defaultenvfile}. using current directory"
+
+read -p "enter a custom username for dns updates [random]: " user
+user=${user:-$(tr -dc A-Za-z0-9 </dev/urandom | head -c 16)}
+#echo "using username: ${user}"
+
+read -s -p "enter a custom password for dns updates [random]: " pass
+pass=${pass:-$(tr -dc A-Za-z0-9 </dev/urandom | head -c 16)}
+echo ""
+#echo "using password: ${pass}"
+
+read -s -p "enter your netcup DNS API Key: " apikey
+echo ""
+#echo "using api key: ${apikey}"
+
+read -s -p "enter your netcup API Password: " apipass
+echo ""
+#echo "using api password: ${apipass}"
+
+read -p "enter your netcup customer ID: " custid
+#echo "using customer id: ${custid}"
+
+read -p "do you wish to enable debugging? [y/N]: " debug
+if [[ ${debug,,::1} == "y" ]]
+then
+  #echo "enabling debugging"
+  debug="true"
+else
+  #echo "disabling debugging"
+  debug="false"
+fi
+
+read -p "do you want to enable logging? [Y/n]: " log
+if [[ ${log,,::1} != "n" ]]
+then
+  #echo "enabling logging"
+  log="true"
+else
+  #echo "disabling logging"
+  log="false"
+fi
+
+echo "the logfile is created in this directory by default."
+echo "your ip history is thereby publically available."
+echo "select where the logfile should be created if enabled:"
+echo "[1] default: ${log1}"
+echo "[2] private: ${log2}"
+echo "[3] custom location"
+
+read -p "select from the choices above [1]: " choice
+case $choice in
+  2)
+    logfile=${log2}
+    ;;
+  3)
+    read -p "enter logfile location: " logfile
+    logfile={logfile:-$log1}
+    ;;
+  *)
+    logfile=${log1}
+    ;;
+esac
+
+mkdir -p $(dirname $logfile) && touch $logfile || echo "### could not create logfile!"
+#echo "logfile will be created at: ${logfile}"
+
+### create the .env file
+if [ -f $envfile ]
+then
+  echo "${envfile} already exists!"
+  read -p "overwrite? [y/N]: " overwrite
+  if [[ ! ${overwrite,,::1} == y ]]
+  then
+    echo "script cancelled. exiting"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
+#echo "creating .env file"
+touch $envfile
+echo "# file created at $(date)" >$envfile
+echo "# by configuration script version ${scriptversion}" >> $envfile
+echo "username=\"${user}\"" >> $envfile
+echo "password=\"${pass}\"" >> $envfile
+echo "apiKey=\"${apikey}\"" >> $envfile
+echo "apiPassword=\"${apipass}\"" >> $envfile
+echo "customerId=\"${custid}\"" >> $envfile
+echo "debug=\"${debug}\"" >> $envfile
+echo "log=\"${log}\"" >> $envfile
+echo "logfile=\"${logfile}\"" >> $envfile
+
+echo "created .env file at: ${envfile}"