diff --git a/.spacemacs b/.spacemacs
index 90e3bef..74fb8a6 100644
--- a/.spacemacs
+++ b/.spacemacs
@@ -41,7 +41,10 @@ This function should only modify configuration layer settings."
      nginx
      toml
      html
-     python
+     (python :variables
+             python-backend 'lsp
+             python-lsp-server 'pyright
+             )
      javascript
      pandoc
      ;; ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -762,6 +765,42 @@ before packages are loaded."
 
   ;; / email config
 
+
+  ;; LSP config
+
+  ;; General LSP tuning - defaults
+  ;; (setq lsp-idle-delay 0.5)
+  ;; (setq lsp-log-io nil)
+  ;; (setq gc-cons-threshold 100000000)
+  ;; (setq read-process-output-max (* 1024 1024)) ;; 1MB
+
+  ;; Use flycheck for diagnostics (Spacemacs default)
+  ;; (setq lsp-diagnostics-provider :flycheck)
+
+  ;; Reduce file watcher overhead (important for Terraform repos)
+  ;; (setq lsp-file-watch-threshold 5000)
+
+  ;; for python, install ruff and pylsp:
+  ;; Python CONFIG
+  ;; brew install ruff pylsp pyright basedpyright
+  ;; 1. Use Basedpyright instead of standard Pyright
+  (setq lsp-pyright-langserver-command "basedpyright")
+
+  ;; 2. Enable Ruff support (requires ruff to be in your PATH)
+  ;; This tells lsp-mode to use the Ruff server for linting/formatting
+  (setq lsp-pylsp-plugins-ruff-enabled t)
+
+  ;; Spacemacs already uses deferred loading, but this ensures it
+  ;; (setq lsp-auto-configure t) ;; this is already default
+  ;; /Python CONFIG
+
+
+  ;; enable lsp mode for shells, needs to be deferred
+  ;; otherwise it locks up emacs startup
+  (add-hook 'sh-mode-hook #'lsp-deferred)
+
+  ;; / LSP config
+
   ;; jira config
 
   ;; (defun my-jira-bearer-token ()
@@ -1031,9 +1070,6 @@ before packages are loaded."
   (with-eval-after-load 'markdown-mode
     (define-key markdown-mode-map (kbd "C-c x") 'my/markdown-toggle-checkbox))
 
-  ;; (with-eval-after-load 'flycheck
-  ;;   (flycheck-add-next-checker 'lsp '(warning . json-jsonlint)))
-
   (setq calendar-week-start-day 1) ;; calendar start on Monday
 
   ;; org-alert configuration