diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8a832d3..ba71b9b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,42 +1,40 @@
-#Makefile for yab2cpp
-#by Samuel D. Crow
+CC := clang++
+CFLAGS := -Wall
+CFLAGS += -std=c++11
+CFLAGS += -O0
+LFLAGS := 
 
-#presently architecture-neutral
+ODIR := build
 
-CC=g++
-LD=g++
+YABCODESTRUCTURES_SOURCE_DEPS := yabCodeStructures.cpp yab2cpp.h yab2cpp.cpp
+YAB2CPP_SOURCE_DEPS := yab2cpp.cpp yab2cpp.h
+YABDATASTRUCTURES_SOURCE_DEPS := yabDataStructures.cpp yab2cpp.h yab2cpp.cpp
+YABFUNCTIONS_SOURCE_DEPS := yabFunctions.cpp yab2cpp.h yab2cpp.cpp
 
-#release build
-#FLAGS=-c -Os -std=c++11
-#LDFLAGS=LDFLAGS=-std=c++11
+all: binaries
 
-#debug build
-FLAGS=-c -g -Og -std=c++11
-LDFLAGS=-std=c++11
+$(ODIR):
+	@mkdir $(ODIR)
 
-AR=ar r
+binaries: bin_yab2cpp 
 
-default: yab2cpp
+YAB2CPP_OBJECT_DEPS := $(ODIR)/yab2cpp.o $(ODIR)/yabCodeStructures.o $(ODIR)/yabDataStructures.o $(ODIR)/yabFunctions.o
 
-yabDataStructures.o: yabDataStructures.cpp yab2cpp.h
-	$(CC) $(FLAGS) -o yabDataStructures.o yabDataStructures.cpp
+bin_yab2cpp: $(ODIR) $(YAB2CPP_OBJECT_DEPS)
+	clang++ -v -o yab2cpp $(ODIR)/yabCodeStructures.o $(ODIR)/yabFunctions.o $(ODIR)/yabDataStructures.o $(ODIR)/yab2cpp.o
 
-yabCodeStructures.o: yabCodeStructures.cpp yab2cpp.h
-	$(CC) $(FLAGS) -o yabCodeStructures.o yabCodeStructures.cpp
+$(ODIR)/yabCodeStructures.o: $(ODIR) $(YABCODESTRUCTURES_SOURCE_DEPS)
+	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) yabCodeStructures.cpp -o $(ODIR)/yabCodeStructures.o
 
-yabFunctions.o: yabFunctions.cpp yab2cpp.h
-	$(CC) $(FLAGS) -o yabFunctions.o yabFunctions.cpp
+$(ODIR)/yab2cpp.o: $(ODIR) $(YAB2CPP_SOURCE_DEPS)
+	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) yab2cpp.cpp -o $(ODIR)/yab2cpp.o
 
-yab2cpp.o: yab2cpp.cpp yab2cpp.h
-	$(CC) $(FLAGS) -o yab2cpp.o yab2cpp.cpp
+$(ODIR)/yabDataStructures.o: $(ODIR) $(YABDATASTRUCTURES_SOURCE_DEPS)
+	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) yabDataStructures.cpp -o $(ODIR)/yabDataStructures.o
 
-#BASIC_framework.a: yabDataStructures.o yabCodeStructures.o yabFunctions.o
-#	$(AR) BASIC_framework.a yabDataStructures.o yabCodeStructures.o yabFunctions.o
-
-#yab2cpp: BASIC_framework.a yab2cpp.o
-yab2cpp: yab2cpp.o yabCodeStructures.o yabDataStructures.o yabFunctions.o
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o yab2cpp yab2cpp.o yabCodeStructures.o yabDataStructures.o yabFunctions.o
-#BASIC_framework.a
+$(ODIR)/yabFunctions.o: $(ODIR) $(YABFUNCTIONS_SOURCE_DEPS)
+	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) yabFunctions.cpp -o $(ODIR)/yabFunctions.o
 
+.PHONY: clean
 clean:
-	rm -f *.o yab2cpp BASIC_framework.a
+	rm -rf build/* yab2cpp 
diff --git a/yab2cpp.cpp b/yab2cpp.cpp
index cf83516..5009831 100644
--- a/yab2cpp.cpp
+++ b/yab2cpp.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ ofstream logfile;
 ofstream varNames;
 
 /* private prototypes */
-void helpText(string);
+void helpText(const string);
 void setup();
 void compile();
 void shutDown();
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 }
 
 /* print the help text to stdout */
-void helpText(string &commandname)
+void helpText(const string commandname)
 {
 	cout << commandname << "[-d|D|V|v|G] < filename.mb\n" <<
 		"Compiles filename.mb by default unless a flag is specified.\n" <<
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ void setUp()
 	}
 }
 
-void error(enum COMPILE_ERRORS e)
+[[noreturn]] void error(enum COMPILE_ERRORS e)
 {
 	errorLevel=e;
 	exit(1);
diff --git a/yab2cpp.h b/yab2cpp.h
index 34a9be4..86b790a 100644
--- a/yab2cpp.h
+++ b/yab2cpp.h
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ enum OPERATORS
 };
 
 /* global prototype */
-void error(enum COMPILE_ERRORS err);
+[[noreturn]] void error(enum COMPILE_ERRORS err);
 void logger(string s);
 
 /* internal states used by the parser */
diff --git a/yabCodeStructures.cpp b/yabCodeStructures.cpp
index eeb77d6..b7c4e36 100644
--- a/yabCodeStructures.cpp
+++ b/yabCodeStructures.cpp
@@ -50,11 +50,7 @@ void label::generateJumpTo()
 /* pass this as second parameter to generateOnNTo or generateOnNSub */
 unsigned int label::generateOnNSkip(list<shared_ptr<label> >&dest)
 {
-	if (dest.size()<2)
-	{
-		errorLevel=E_BAD_SYNTAX;
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if (dest.size()<2)error(E_BAD_SYNTAX);
 	auto iter=dest.begin();
 	consts_h << "j" << this->getID() << "[]={" << *iter;
 	++iter;
@@ -130,12 +126,8 @@ void ifStatement::alternative(shared_ptr<expression>e)
 
 void ifStatement::close()
 {
-	if(this->chain)
-	{
-		/* elsif ended without else in between */
-		errorLevel=E_BAD_SYNTAX;
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	/* elsif ended without else in between */
+	if(this->chain)error(E_BAD_SYNTAX);
 	this->done->generate();
 }
 
diff --git a/yabFunctions.cpp b/yabFunctions.cpp
index 356adc8..e154b22 100644
--- a/yabFunctions.cpp
+++ b/yabFunctions.cpp
@@ -125,8 +125,7 @@ void fn::generateReturn()
 			fn::callStack.pop_back();
 			break;
 		default:
-			errorLevel=E_TYPE_MISMATCH;
-			exit(1);
+			error(E_TYPE_MISMATCH);
 	}
 }