diff --git a/lib/api.js b/lib/api.js
index 0e8bc4f..be466ed 100644
--- a/lib/api.js
+++ b/lib/api.js
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 import axios from 'axios'
 
-export default {
-  uploadImage
-}
+const gistClient = axios.create({
+  baseURL: 'https://api.github.com',
+  timeout: 5000,
+  headers: {
+    Accept: 'application/vnd.github.v3+json',
+    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+  }
+});
 
 async function uploadImage (encodedImage) {
    // upload image
@@ -28,4 +33,19 @@ async function uploadImage (encodedImage) {
     console.log('bummer man')
     console.log(e)
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+const getGist = (id) => {
+  const uid = id.split('/').pop()
+  return gistClient.get(`/gists/${uid}`)
+    .then(res => res.data)
+    .then(gist => gist.files)
+    .then(files => files[Object.keys(files)[0]])
+    .then(file => file.content)
+}
+
+
+export default {
+  uploadImage,
+  getGist
+}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7f4fa3d..60d0486 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
   "license": "MIT",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "node server.js",
-    "next": "next"
+    "build": "next build",
+    "start": "next start"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "axios": "^0.16.2",
diff --git a/pages/index.js b/pages/index.js
index 8e7c03d..3a90997 100644
--- a/pages/index.js
+++ b/pages/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import React from 'react'
 import Axios from 'axios'
 
 import CodeImage from '../components/codeImage'
-import api from '../api'
+import api from '../lib/api'
 
 const code = `
 const pluckDeep = key => obj => key.split('.').reduce((accum, key) => accum[key], obj)
@@ -17,22 +17,34 @@ const unfold = (f, seed) => {
   return go(f, seed, [])
 }`
 
-export default (props) => {
-  return (
-    <div>
-      <style jsx>{`
-        div {
-          display: flex;
-          flex-direction: column;
-          justify-content: center;
-          align-items: center;
-        }
-      `}
-      </style>
-      <h1> Welcome to Code Image</h1>
-      <CodeImage>
-        {code}
-      </CodeImage>
-    </div>
-  )
+export default class extends React.Component {
+  /* pathname, asPath, err, req, res */
+  static async getInitialProps ({ asPath }) {
+    try {
+      const content = await api.getGist(asPath)
+      return { content }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.log(e)
+      return {}
+    }
+  }
+  render () {
+    return (
+      <div>
+        <style jsx>{`
+          div {
+            display: flex;
+            flex-direction: column;
+            justify-content: center;
+            align-items: center;
+          }
+        `}
+        </style>
+        <h1>Welcome to Code Image</h1>
+        <CodeImage>
+          {this.props.content || code}
+        </CodeImage>
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
 }
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 51e8cae..134f1d9 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -22,17 +22,15 @@ app.prepare()
   server.use(morgan('tiny'))
 
   // if root, render webpage from next
-  server.get('/', (req, res) => {
-    return app.render(req, res, '/', req.query)
-  })
+  server.get('*', (req, res) => 
+    app.render(req, res, '/', req.query))
+
+  // otherwise, try and get gist
+  server.get('*', handle)
 
   // api endpoints
   server.post('/upload', bodyParser.json(), wrap(require('./handlers/upload')))
 
-  // otherwise, try and get gist
-  server.get('*', (req, res) => {
-    return handle(req, res)
-  })
 
   server.listen(3000, (err) => {
     if (err) throw err