diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71dd4f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package main
+
+type Config struct {
+	OS         []string `json:"os"`
+	Arch       []string `json:"arch"`
+	NoCompress bool     `json:"no_compress"`
+	NumThreads int      `json:"num_threads"`
+}
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index 7fb493d..b130d2b 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -16,43 +16,59 @@ func Init() {
 
 	ModulePath, err = filepath.Abs(flag.Arg(0))
 	if err != nil {
-		ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "determining module path failed")
+		if !*Silent {
+			ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "determining module path failed")
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	*OutputDir, err = filepath.Abs(*OutputDir)
 	if err != nil {
-		ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "determining output path failed")
+		if !*Silent {
+			ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "determining output path failed")
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	if _, err := exec.LookPath("go"); err != nil {
-		ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "go not found in PATH. compilation not possible")
+		if !*Silent {
+			ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "go not found in PATH. compilation not possible")
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	if err := FillCompileConfigs(); err != nil {
-		ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, fmt.Errorf("target architectures could not be determined: %w", err))
+		if !*Silent {
+			ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, fmt.Errorf("target architectures could not be determined: %w", err))
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(ModulePath, "go.mod")); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
-		ColorError.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "no Go module found at '%s'\n", ModulePath)
+		if !*Silent {
+			ColorError.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "no Go module found at '%s'\n", ModulePath)
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	if err := DetermineProjectName(); err != nil {
-		ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, fmt.Errorf("project name could not be determined: %w", err))
+		if !*Silent {
+			ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, fmt.Errorf("project name could not be determined: %w", err))
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(*OutputDir, 0744); err != nil {
-		ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, fmt.Errorf("output folder '%s' could not be made: %w", *OutputDir, err))
+		if !*Silent {
+			ColorError.Fprintln(os.Stderr, fmt.Errorf("output folder '%s' could not be made: %w", *OutputDir, err))
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	if err := CheckDirWritable(*OutputDir); err != nil {
-		ColorError.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "output folder '%s' has insufficient permissions\n", *OutputDir)
+		if !*Silent {
+			ColorError.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "output folder '%s' has insufficient permissions\n", *OutputDir)
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}