diff --git a/bootstrap/update_package_list.sh b/bootstrap/update_package_list.sh
index 8e46d62..8d35bf0 100755
--- a/bootstrap/update_package_list.sh
+++ b/bootstrap/update_package_list.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,24 @@ pkg_all=$(pacman -Qqett | grep -v "$(pacman -Qqg base-devel)")
 pkg_repo=$(pacman -Qqn)
 pkg_aur=$(pacman -Qqm)
 
+while getopts "nvh" opt; do
+    case "$opt" in
+    n) DRYRUN=true ;;
+    v) VERBOSE=true ;;
+    h | *)
+        {
+            printf "\nUpdate the list of installed packages.\n\nWill compare packages committed to the dotfile repository\nand those currently installed (on an Arch system, using pacman).\nUpdates the list of committed packages in repository\nand prints out the differences as a diff.\n\nOptions:\n\n\t-h\tDisplay this help.\n\t-v\tShow verbose information.\n\t-n\tPrint out changes without changing anything (dry-run).\n"
+            exit 1
+        }
+        ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+print_msg() {
+    # shellcheck disable=2059
+    [ -n "$VERBOSE" ] && printf "$@"
+}
+
 # tsv file:
 # packagename, description, source, target
 # toot  a toot manager  A   D
@@ -20,9 +38,9 @@ touch "${OUTPUT}_TEMP"
 for pkg in $pkg_all; do
 
     source=""
-    if $(echo "$pkg_repo" | grep -F -q -x "$pkg"); then
+    if echo "$pkg_repo" | grep -F -q -x "$pkg"; then
         source="R"
-    elif $(echo "$pkg_aur" | grep -F -q -x "$pkg"); then
+    elif echo "$pkg_aur" | grep -F -q -x "$pkg"; then
         source="A"
     else
         echo "ERROR: The package $pkg could not be found in repositories or AUR."
@@ -39,9 +57,9 @@ for pkg in $pkg_all; do
     fi
     if [ -n "$found_line" ]; then
         target=$(echo "$found_line" | cut -f4)
-        printf "Updating pkg: %s:%s from: %s, for: %s\n" "$pkg" "$desc" "$source" "$target"
+        print_msg "Updating pkg: %s:%s from: %s, for: %s\n" "$pkg" "$desc" "$source" "$target"
     else
-        printf "Adding pkg: %s:%s from: %s, for: %s\n" "$pkg" "$desc" "$source" "$target"
+        print_msg "Adding pkg: %s:%s from: %s, for: %s\n" "$pkg" "$desc" "$source" "$target"
     fi
 
     printf "%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\n" "$pkg" "$desc" "$source" "$target" >>"${OUTPUT}_TEMP"
@@ -51,11 +69,19 @@ done
 if [ -f "$OUTPUT" ]; then
     while read -r line; do
         if ! echo "$line" | cut -f1 | xargs -I _ grep -F -q -x _ <(echo "$pkg_all"); then
-            printf "REMOVED: %s" "$line"
+            printf "REMOVED: %s\n" "$line"
         fi
-    done <<<$(tail +2 "$OUTPUT")
+    done <<<"$(tail +2 $OUTPUT)"
+fi
+
+# show file changes
+if [ -f "$OUTPUT" ] && [ -f "$OUTPUT"_TEMP ]; then
+    changes=$(diff --color=always -y --suppress-common-lines "$OUTPUT" "$OUTPUT"_TEMP | tail -n+2)
+    printf "FILE CHANGES:\n=============\n%s" "$changes"
 fi
 
 # actually write to file
-cat <(printf "Name\tDescription\tSource\tTarget\n") "${OUTPUT}_TEMP" >"$OUTPUT"
+if [ -z "$DRYRUN" ]; then
+    cat <(printf "Name\tDescription\tSource\tTarget\n") "${OUTPUT}_TEMP" >"$OUTPUT"
+fi
 rm "${OUTPUT}_TEMP"