diff --git a/_scripts/colors.sh b/_scripts/colors.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c1c381
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_scripts/colors.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+function P () {
+  tput "$@" 2>/dev/null
+}
+
+_normal_="$(P sgr0)"
+
+_bold_="$(P bold)"
+_uline_="$(P smul)"
+
+COLORS_ARRAY=( black red green yellow blue magenta cyan white unused default )
+
+for i in "${!COLORS_ARRAY[@]}"; do
+  eval "_fg_${COLORS_ARRAY[$i]}_=\"$(P setaf "$i")\""
+  eval "_bg_${COLORS_ARRAY[$i]}_=\"$(P setab "$i")\""
+done
diff --git a/_scripts/generate-and-verify.sh b/_scripts/generate-and-verify.sh
index 0e25f49..011c886 100755
--- a/_scripts/generate-and-verify.sh
+++ b/_scripts/generate-and-verify.sh
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+# shellcheck disable=SC2154 source=/dev/null
+
 set -Eumo pipefail
 
+SELF_DIR="$(cd -P -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd -P)"
+source "$SELF_DIR/colors.sh"
+
 SOURCE_FILE="$1"
 TARGET_FILE="$2"
 
 ENV_VARS="$(cut -d= -f1 .env | awk '{print "$" $0}')"
 
-echo -n "[~] Generating '$TARGET_FILE': "
+echo -n "[*] Generating '$TARGET_FILE': "
 
 if [ -e "$TARGET_FILE" ] && [ ! -f "$TARGET_FILE" ] ; then
   echo "CANNOT OVERWRITE!"
@@ -17,8 +22,8 @@ fi
 env -i - $(paste .env) \
     envsubst "$ENV_VARS"\
         < "$SOURCE_FILE" \
-        > "$TARGET_FILE"
-[ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
+        > "$TARGET_FILE" \
+  || exit 1
 
 SRC_VARS=$(envsubst -v "$(cat "$SOURCE_FILE")" | paste -sd '|')
 
@@ -30,4 +35,4 @@ if grep -qE "$SRC_VARS" "$TARGET_FILE" ; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-echo VERIFIED
+echo "${_fg_green_}VERIFIED${_normal_}"
diff --git a/_scripts/test_comp.sh b/_scripts/test_comp.sh
index 2769609..b653387 100755
--- a/_scripts/test_comp.sh
+++ b/_scripts/test_comp.sh
@@ -1,88 +1,91 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+#shellcheck disable=SC2086,SC2154 source=/dev/null
 
 set -Eumo pipefail
 
 SELF_DIR="$(cd -P -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd -P)"
 cd "$SELF_DIR/.."
 
-TEST_COMP_TMP_PATH=/tmp/__test_comp_intermediate_storage_dir__
-
-rm -rf "$TEST_COMP_TMP_PATH"
-mkdir -p "$TEST_COMP_TMP_PATH"
+DEBUG="${DEBUG:-}"
 
+source _scripts/colors.sh
 source <( grep -P "^EXIT_CODE_[A-Z_]+=.+" ./comp )
 
-# __test_comp <description> <arguments> <input> <validaty_check> <error_msg> <debug?>
-function __test_comp () {
-  local DEBUG="${6:-}"
+FINAL_EXIT_CODE=0
+
+TEST_COMP_TMP_PATH=/tmp/__test_comp_intermediate_storage_dir__
+rm -rf "$TEST_COMP_TMP_PATH"
+mkdir -p "$TEST_COMP_TMP_PATH"
 
-  echo "[>] Test '$1': "
+# SETUP <test description> <comp arguments> <stdin content>
+function SETUP () {
+  echo -e "\n${_fg_white_}${_bg_black_}${_bold_}[#]${_normal_} Test $1: "
 
   local io_path_prefix="$TEST_COMP_TMP_PATH/$1"
-  local err_path="$io_path_prefix.err"
-  local out_path="$io_path_prefix.out"
+  COMP_ERR_PATH="$io_path_prefix.err"
+  COMP_OUT_PATH="$io_path_prefix.out"
 
   if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then
-    echo "cmd: ./comp $2"
-    echo "in: $3"
+    echo "COMMAND: ./comp $2"
+    echo "INPUT: $3"
   fi
-  echo "$3" | ./comp $2 >"$out_path" 2>"$err_path"
-  local exit_code=$?
+  
+  echo "$3" | ./comp $2 >"$COMP_OUT_PATH" 2>"$COMP_ERR_PATH"
+  COMP_EXIT_CODE=$?
   if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then
-    echo "\$err_path contents:"
-    cat "$err_path"
-    echo "\$out_path contents:"
-    cat "$out_path"
-    echo "exit_code: $exit_code"
-    echo -e "condition:\n    $4"
+    echo "\$COMP_ERR_PATH contents:"
+    cat "$COMP_ERR_PATH"
+    echo "\$COMP_OUT_PATH contents:"
+    cat "$COMP_OUT_PATH"
+    echo "COMP_EXIT_CODE: $COMP_EXIT_CODE"
   fi
+}
+
+function CHECK {
+  [ -z "$DEBUG" ] || echo "CHECK: $1"
 
-  eval -- $4 \
-    && echo "[+] SUCCESS!" \
-    || echo "[-] FAILURE [$5]"
-  echo
+  if eval -- $1 ; then
+    echo "    ${_fg_green_}+${_normal_} $2: ${_fg_green_}SUCCESS${_normal_}"
+  else
+    echo "    ${_fg_red_}${_bold_}-${_normal_} $2: ${_fg_red_}${_bold_}FAILURE${_normal_}"
+    FINAL_EXIT_CODE=1
+  fi
 }
 
-DEBUG_ALL="${DEBUG:-}"
-
-__test_comp \
-  "Usage on invocation without args" \
-  "" \
-  "" \
-  $'[ $exit_code -eq $EXIT_CODE_USAGE_ERROR ]' \
-  "Expected EXIT_CODE_USAGE_ERROR" \
-  "$DEBUG_ALL"
-
-__test_comp \
-  "Error on status of non-existent composition" \
-  "status unknown_comp" \
-  "" \
-  $'[ $exit_code -eq $EXIT_CODE_COMPOSITION_NOT_FOUND ]
-      &&
-    grep -sq "is not a base directory" "$err_path"' \
-  "Expected EXIT_CODE_COMPOSITION_NOT_FOUND and helpful error message" \
-  "$DEBUG_ALL"
-
-__test_comp \
-  "Confirmation before deleting data (deny)" \
-  "clean tang" \
-  "n" \
-  $'[ $exit_code -eq 0 ] 
-      &&
-    grep -sq "Remove \'tang/data\' (y/N)?" "$out_path"
-      &&
-    grep -vsq "removed \'.env\'" "$out_path"' \
-  "Expected EXIT_CODE = 0, confirmation prompt, and data preserved" \
-  "$DEBUG_ALL"
-
-__test_comp \
-  "Confirmation before deleting data (allow)" \
-  "clean tang" \
-  "y" \
-  $'[ $exit_code -eq 0 ] 
-      &&
-    grep -sq "Remove \'tang/data\' (y/N)?" "$out_path"
-      &&
-    grep -sq "removed \'.env\'" "$out_path"' \
-  "Expected EXIT_CODE = 0, confirmation prompt, and data deleted" \
-  "$DEBUG_ALL"
+./comp status tang &> /dev/null
+
+SETUP "invocation without args" \
+      "" \
+      ""
+CHECK $'[ $COMP_EXIT_CODE -eq $EXIT_CODE_USAGE_ERROR ]' \
+      "Expected EXIT_CODE_USAGE_ERROR"
+
+SETUP "status of non-existent composition" \
+      "status unknown_comp" \
+      ""
+CHECK $'[ $COMP_EXIT_CODE -eq $EXIT_CODE_COMPOSITION_NOT_FOUND ]'\
+      "Expected EXIT_CODE_COMPOSITION_NOT_FOUND"
+CHECK $'grep -sq "is not a base directory" "$COMP_ERR_PATH"' \
+      "Expected a helpful error message"
+
+SETUP "deny deleting data" \
+      "clean tang" \
+      "n"
+CHECK $'[ $COMP_EXIT_CODE -eq 0 ]' \
+      "Expected EXIT_CODE = 0"
+CHECK $'grep -sq "Remove \'tang/data\' (y/N)?" "$COMP_OUT_PATH"' \
+      "Expected confirmation prompt before deletion"
+CHECK $'[ -f tang/.env ]' \
+      "Expected data is not deleted"
+
+SETUP "allow deleting data" \
+      "clean tang" \
+      "y"
+CHECK $'[ $COMP_EXIT_CODE -eq 0 ]' \
+      "Expected EXIT_CODE = 0"
+CHECK $'grep -sq "Remove \'tang/data\' (y/N)?" "$COMP_OUT_PATH"' \
+      "Expected confirmation prompt before deletion"
+CHECK $'! [ -f tang/.env ]' \
+      "Expected data is deleted"
+
+exit "$FINAL_EXIT_CODE"
diff --git a/comp b/comp
index 6b75f41..ae101c7 100755
--- a/comp
+++ b/comp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# shellcheck disable=SC2034,SC2317 source=/dev/null
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016,SC2034,SC2068,SC2154,SC2317 source=/dev/null
 
 set -Eumo pipefail
 
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ OPTION_PORTS=""
 
 : "${COMP_INTERNAL_CALL:=}"
 
+source "$SCRIPTS_DIR/colors.sh"
+
 # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #     HELPER ROUTINES     # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
 
 __append_env_from () {
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ __do_prereqs () {
 
   local verb="$1"
   local ensure_running="${2:-no}"
-  while IFS= read -rd '' prereq_comp_dir ; do
+  while IFS= read -r prereq_comp_dir ; do
     if [ "$verb" = "status" ] ; then
       if ! __CALL_SELF__ status -F "$prereq_comp_dir" ; then
         [ "$ensure_running" = "yes" ] || return 1
@@ -89,11 +91,11 @@ __do_prereqs () {
     else
       __CALL_SELF__ "$verb" -F "$prereq_comp_dir" || return 1
     fi
-  done < <(cat "$PREREQS_FILENAME" "$PREREQS_OVERRIDE_FILENAME")
+  done < <(cat "$PREREQS_FILENAME" "$PREREQS_OVERRIDE_FILENAME" 2>/dev/null)
 }
 
 __error () {
-  echo "[X] ERROR: $1" >&2
+  echo "${_fg_red_}${_bold_}[X] ERROR${_normal_}: $1" >&2
 }
 
 __gen_env () {
@@ -123,18 +125,17 @@ __gen_env () {
 
 __gen_templates () {
   find ./extra -name '*.template.*' 2>/dev/null | grep -q . || return 0
-  echo "[*] Verifying templated files ..."
-
-  find ./extra -name '*.template.*' -print0 | \
-    while IFS= read -rd '' template_file ; do
-      local generated_file="./generated${template_file#./extra}"
-      mkdir -p "$(dirname "$generated_file")"
-      generated_file="${generated_file/.template/}"
-      if [ ! -f "$generated_file" ] || [ "$FLAG_SKIP_REGENERATE" != "yes" ] ; then
-        "$SCRIPTS_DIR/generate-and-verify.sh" "$template_file" "$generated_file" \
-          || return 1
-      fi
-    done
+  echo "[~] Verifying templated files ..."
+
+  while IFS= read -r template_file ; do
+    local generated_file="./generated${template_file#./extra}"
+    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$generated_file")"
+    generated_file="${generated_file/.template/}"
+    if [ ! -f "$generated_file" ] || [ "$FLAG_SKIP_REGENERATE" != "yes" ] ; then
+      "$SCRIPTS_DIR/generate-and-verify.sh" "$template_file" "$generated_file" \
+        || return 1
+    fi
+  done < <(find ./extra -name '*.template.*')
 }
 
 __maybe_fail_fast () {
@@ -176,20 +177,20 @@ __read_option () {
 }
 
 __run_hooks () {
-  ls "docker-compose.$1.$2_hook*.sh" &> /dev/null || return 0
+  local stage="$1.$2"
+  ls docker-compose."$stage"_hook*.sh &> /dev/null || return 0
   echo "[*] Running '$2' hooks for '$1' ..."
 
-  if ! ( set -a && source .env && "./docker-compose.$1.$2_hook.sh" ) ; then
-    __error "HOOK 'docker-compose.$1.$2_hook.sh' FAILED!" ; return 1
+  if ! ( set -a && source .env && ./docker-compose."$stage"_hook.sh ) ; then
+    __error "HOOK 'docker-compose.${stage}_hook.sh' FAILED!" ; return 1
   fi
 
   if [ "$FLAG_SKIP_OVERRIDES" != "yes" ] ; then
-    find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "docker-compose.$1.$2_hook.override*.sh" -print0 | \
-      while IFS= read -r -d '' hook_file ; do
-        if ! ( set -a && source .env && "$hook_file" ) ; then
-          __error "HOOK '${hook_file#./}' FAILED!" ; return 1
-        fi
-      done
+    while IFS= read -r hook_file ; do
+      if ! ( set -a && source .env && "$hook_file" ) ; then
+        __error "HOOK '${hook_file#./}' FAILED!" ; return 1
+      fi
+    done < <(find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "docker-compose.${stage}_hook.override*.sh")
   fi
 }
 
@@ -221,7 +222,7 @@ __will_invoke_compose () {
 do_validate () {
   [ "$1" = "shallow" ] || __do_prereqs validate || return 1
 
-  printf '[v] Validating service:'
+  printf '[~] Validating service:'
   for svc in $("$YQ_CMD" -M '.services | keys | .[]' docker-compose.yml) ; do
     local attrs=( $("$YQ_CMD" -M ".services.\"$svc\" | keys | .[]" docker-compose.yml) )
     echo -n " $svc"
@@ -252,20 +253,18 @@ do_overrides () {
   __do_prereqs overrides || return 1
 
   local any_override=''
-  find .. -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname '*override*' -print0 | \
-    while IFS= read -rd '' ofile ; do
-      any_override='YES'
-      printf '[G] ' ; realpath -s --relative-to="$(pwd)/.." "$ofile"
-    done
-  [ -z "$any_override" ] && echo '[>] No global override files.'
+  while IFS= read -r ofile ; do
+    any_override='YES'
+    printf '[G] ' ; realpath -s --relative-to="$(pwd)/.." "$ofile"
+  done < <(find .. -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname '*override*')
+  [ -n "$any_override" ] || echo '[>] No global override files.'
 
   any_override=''
-  find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname '*override*' -print0 | \
-    while IFS= read -rd '' ofile ; do
-      any_override='YES'
-      printf '[L] ' ; realpath -s --relative-to="$(pwd)/.." "$ofile"
-    done
-  [ -z "$any_override" ] && echo '[>] No local override files.'
+  while IFS= read -r ofile ; do
+    any_override='YES'
+    printf '[L] ' ; realpath -s --relative-to="$(pwd)/.." "$ofile"
+  done < <(find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname '*override*')
+  [ -n "$any_override" ] || echo '[>] No local override files.'
 }
 
 do_pull () {
@@ -289,7 +288,7 @@ do_status () {
 
 do_up () {
   __do_prereqs status "yes" || return 1
-  $DOCKER_COMPOSE_CMD "${COMPOSE_FILES[@]/#/-f }" up -d
+  $DOCKER_COMPOSE_CMD ${COMPOSE_FILES[@]/#/-f } up -d
 }
 
 # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #     OPTIONS PARSING     # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
@@ -474,9 +473,9 @@ perform () {
   local SIMPLE_VERB="$1"
   for comp in "${COMPOSITIONS[@]}" ; do
     comp="${comp%/}"
-    echo -ne "\n[+] Executing '$SIMPLE_VERB' on "
+    echo -ne "\n${_fg_white_}${_bg_black_}${_bold_}[${SIMPLE_VERB:0:1}]${_normal_} Executing ${_bold_}$SIMPLE_VERB${_normal_} on "
     [ -z "$COMP_INTERNAL_CALL" ] || printf 'pre-req '
-    echo "'$comp' ... "
+    echo "${_bold_}$comp${_normal_} ... "
     if ! { [ "$comp" = "$(basename "$comp")" ] && [ -d "$SELF_DIR/$comp" ]; } ; then
       __error "'$comp' is not a base directory at '$SELF_DIR'!"
       __maybe_fail_fast $EXIT_CODE_COMPOSITION_NOT_FOUND || continue