diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3171c1d..b47a6af 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.30)
 project(willow-test LANGUAGES CXX)
 
-set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER "/usr/bin/clang++")
-set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 23)
-set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
-
-add_compile_options(-g)
-add_compile_options(-Wall)
-add_compile_options(-Wextra)
-add_compile_options(-Wconversion)
-add_compile_options(-Wimplicit-fallthrough)
-
 add_subdirectory(src/willow)
+
 if(CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR)
+    message("LOCAL BUILD ONLY")
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER "/usr/bin/clang++")
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 23)
+    set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
+
+    add_compile_options(-g)
+    add_compile_options(-Wall)
+    add_compile_options(-Wextra)
+    add_compile_options(-Wconversion)
+    add_compile_options(-Wimplicit-fallthrough)
+
     add_executable(willow_test src/main.cpp)
     target_link_libraries(willow_test PRIVATE willow)
 endif()
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b0ccb14..53922d4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Currently, willow only supports CMake for distribution, although if you know
 what you're doing, feel free to clone the repo and do what you need yourself.
 
 ```cmake
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 23)
 include(FetchContent)
 fetchcontent_declare(
   willow
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ auto add(int x, int y) -> int { return x + y; }
 // it succeeded or not. Alerts print on function failure
 auto test_add(Willow::Test* test) -> int {
     if (add(3, 2) != 5) {
-        Willow::alert(test, "3 + 2 does not equal 5");
+        test->alert("3 + 2 does not equal 5");
         return 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/willow/CMakeLists.txt b/src/willow/CMakeLists.txt
index 8a45bad..df3fbe5 100644
--- a/src/willow/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/willow/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 add_library(willow STATIC)
 set_target_properties(willow PROPERTIES LINKER_LANGUAGE CXX)
-target_sources(willow
-    # PRIVATE
-        # foo.cpp
-    PUBLIC
-        reporters.h
-        test.h
-        willow.h
+target_sources(willow PUBLIC
+    reporters.h
+    test.h
+    willow.h
 )
 
 target_include_directories(willow PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/..)
diff --git a/src/willow/reporters.h b/src/willow/reporters.h
index 33616d5..7671054 100644
--- a/src/willow/reporters.h
+++ b/src/willow/reporters.h
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ namespace Willow {
 
             if (test.status == Status::Fail) {
                 results.fail++;
-                std::println("\x1b[31m\tReturn code: {}\x1b[0m", test.retcode);
                 if (test.msg.has_value()) {
                     std::println("\x1b[31m\t{}\x1b[0m", test.msg.value());
                 }
+                std::println("\x1b[31m\tReturn code: {}\x1b[0m", test.retcode);
 
             } else if (test.status == Status::Skip) {
                 results.skip++;
diff --git a/src/willow/test.h b/src/willow/test.h
index 7023e30..4af748b 100644
--- a/src/willow/test.h
+++ b/src/willow/test.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef WILLOW_TEST_H
 #define WILLOW_TEST_H
 
+#include <optional>
 #include <string>
 
 namespace Willow {
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ namespace Willow {
 
         auto operator()() -> void { retcode = fn(this); }
 
-        constexpr auto alert(std::string message) -> void { msg = message; }
+        constexpr auto alert(const std::string& message) -> void { msg = message; }
     };
 };  // namespace Willow