diff --git a/.idea/ctestState.xml b/.idea/ctestState.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1bbf61b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/ctestState.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<project version="4">
+  <component name="CidrCTestProjectState">
+    <ctestState>
+      <lineNumber testId="path:CMakeLists.txt test:tyche_as_test" value="108" />
+      <lineNumber testId="path:CMakeLists.txt test:tyche_bytecode_test" value="100" />
+      <lineNumber testId="path:CMakeLists.txt test:tyche_vm_test" value="104" />
+    </ctestState>
+  </component>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 718a11b..4460ae5 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -66,26 +66,26 @@ add_library(lib${PROJECT_NAME} SHARED
         src/bytecode/bytecode.hh
         src/bytecode/bytecodeprototype.hh
         src/bytecode/constant.hh
-        src/vm/code.cc
-        src/vm/code.hh
-        src/vm/instruction.hh
-        src/vm/instruction.cc
-        src/vm/value.cc
-        src/vm/value.hh
-        src/vm/stack.cc
-        src/vm/stack.hh
-        src/vm/vm_exceptions.hh
-        src/vm/vm.cc
-        src/vm/vm.hh
-        src/vm/expr.cc
-        src/vm/expr.hh
-        src/vm/location.hh
+        src/bytecode/bc_exceptions.hh
         src/assembler/lexer.cc
         src/assembler/lexer.hh
         src/assembler/assembler.cc
         src/assembler/assembler.hh
         src/assembler/as_exceptions.hh
-        src/bytecode/bc_exceptions.hh
+        src/instructions/instruction.hh
+        src/instructions/instruction.cc
+        #src/vm/code.cc
+        #src/vm/code.hh
+        #src/vm/value.cc
+        #src/vm/value.hh
+        #src/vm/stack.cc
+        #src/vm/stack.hh
+        #src/vm/vm_exceptions.hh
+        #src/vm/vm.cc
+        #src/vm/vm.hh
+        #src/vm/expr.cc
+        #src/vm/expr.hh
+        #src/vm/location.hh
 )
 
 target_compile_options(lib${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ${warnings})
diff --git a/src/assembler/assembler.cc b/src/assembler/assembler.cc
index babf196..f2df9a1 100644
--- a/src/assembler/assembler.cc
+++ b/src/assembler/assembler.cc
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "as_exceptions.hh"
 #include "../bytecode/bytecode.hh"
-#include "../vm/instruction.hh"
+#include "../instructions/instruction.hh"
 
 using namespace std::string_literals;
 
@@ -61,16 +61,16 @@ ByteArray Assembler::assemble()
                 tt = lexer_.ingest();
             }
 
-            auto oinst = vm::translate_instruction(instruction, oper);
+            auto oinst = translate_instruction(instruction, oper);
             if (!oinst)
                 throw AssemblyError("Invalid or misused instruction '" + instruction + "'", tt.line, tt.column);
 
             bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_byte((uint8_t) *oinst);
-            switch (vm::instruction_operand_type(*oinst)) {
-                case vm::OperandType::Int8:  bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int8((int8_t) *oper); break;
-                case vm::OperandType::Int16: bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int16((int16_t) *oper); break;
-                case vm::OperandType::Int32: bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int32(*oper); break;
-                case vm::OperandType::NoOperand: default: break;
+            switch (instruction_operand_type(*oinst)) {
+                case OperandType::Int8:  bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int8((int8_t) *oper); break;
+                case OperandType::Int16: bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int16((int16_t) *oper); break;
+                case OperandType::Int32: bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int32(*oper); break;
+                case OperandType::NoOperand: default: break;
             }
 
             if (tt.type != TokenType::Enter)
diff --git a/src/assembler/lexer.cc b/src/assembler/lexer.cc
index ab10cf2..b470ae0 100644
--- a/src/assembler/lexer.cc
+++ b/src/assembler/lexer.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #include "lexer.hh"
 
+#include <iostream>
+using namespace std::string_literals;
+
 #include "as_exceptions.hh"
 
 namespace tyche::as {
@@ -119,4 +122,21 @@ void Lexer::ingest_next_token()
     current_token_ = { .type = type, .token = value, .line = current_line, .column = pos_ - current_line_pos };
 }
 
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, Token const& t)
+{
+    switch (t.type) {
+        case TokenType::BOF:         os << "BOF"s; break;
+        case TokenType::Directive:   os << "Directive ("s << std::get<std::string>(t.token) << ")"s;
+        case TokenType::Instruction: os << "Instruction ("s << std::get<std::string>(t.token) << ")"s;
+        case TokenType::Integer:     os << "Integer ("s << std::to_string(std::get<int>(t.token)) << ")"s;
+        case TokenType::Float:       os << "Float ("s << std::to_string(std::get<float>(t.token)) << ")"s;
+        case TokenType::String:      os << "String ("s << std::get<std::string>(t.token) << ")"s;
+        case TokenType::Enter:       os << "Enter"s;
+        case TokenType::Colon:       os << "Colon"s;
+        case TokenType::EOF_:        os << "EOF"s;
+        default:                     os << "???"s;
+    }
+    return os;
+}
+
 } // tyche
diff --git a/src/assembler/lexer.hh b/src/assembler/lexer.hh
index eab14aa..c63c175 100644
--- a/src/assembler/lexer.hh
+++ b/src/assembler/lexer.hh
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ enum class TokenType {
 
 using TokenValue = std::variant<std::monostate, int, float, std::string>;
 
+
 struct Token {
     TokenType   type;
     TokenValue  token = std::monostate();
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ struct Token {
 
     friend bool operator==(Token const& lhs, Token const& rhs) { return std::tie(lhs.type, lhs.token) == std::tie(rhs.type, rhs.token); }
 };
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, Token const& t);
 
 std::string token_type_name(TokenType type);
 
diff --git a/src/assembler/tests.cc b/src/assembler/tests.cc
index d897b8a..328c731 100644
--- a/src/assembler/tests.cc
+++ b/src/assembler/tests.cc
@@ -3,12 +3,11 @@
 
 #include "../bytecode/bytecodeprototype.hh"
 #include "../bytecode/bytecode.hh"
-#include "../vm/instruction.hh"
+#include "../instructions/instruction.hh"
 
 using namespace tyche;
 using namespace tyche::as;
 using namespace tyche::bc;
-using namespace tyche::vm;
 
 TEST(Lexer, Lexer)
 {
diff --git a/src/bytecode/bytecode.cc b/src/bytecode/bytecode.cc
index 996ba2e..b8554d1 100644
--- a/src/bytecode/bytecode.cc
+++ b/src/bytecode/bytecode.cc
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ ConstantValue Bytecode::get_constant(uint32_t idx) const
         case CONST_TYPE_FLOAT:
             return byte_array_.get_float(cache_.constants_start_addr + constant_idx + 1);
         case CONST_TYPE_STRING:
-            return byte_array_.get_string(cache_.constants_start_addr + constant_idx + 1).first;
+            return byte_array_.get_string_ptr(cache_.constants_start_addr + constant_idx + 1).first;
         default:
             throw BytecodeParsingError("Invalid bytecode format (invalid constant type)");
     }
diff --git a/src/bytecode/bytecode.hh b/src/bytecode/bytecode.hh
index cc6ec04..5835ab8 100644
--- a/src/bytecode/bytecode.hh
+++ b/src/bytecode/bytecode.hh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include "../common/bytearray.hh"
 #include "bytecodeprototype.hh"
+#include "constant.hh"
 
 namespace tyche::bc {
 
diff --git a/src/bytecode/bytecodeprototype.hh b/src/bytecode/bytecodeprototype.hh
index 5a1bb58..908bb2f 100644
--- a/src/bytecode/bytecodeprototype.hh
+++ b/src/bytecode/bytecodeprototype.hh
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <variant>
 #include <vector>
-#include "constant.hh"
 #include "../common/bytearray.hh"
 
 namespace tyche::bc {
@@ -19,6 +18,7 @@ struct BytecodePrototype {
         Function(uint16_t n_pars_, uint16_t n_locals_) : n_pars(n_pars_), n_locals(n_locals_), code(ByteArray {}) {}
     };
 
+    using ConstantValue = std::variant<float, std::string>;
     std::vector<ConstantValue> constants {};
     std::vector<Function> functions {};
 
diff --git a/src/bytecode/constant.hh b/src/bytecode/constant.hh
index 968c8e4..3965aa1 100644
--- a/src/bytecode/constant.hh
+++ b/src/bytecode/constant.hh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 namespace tyche::bc {
 
-using ConstantValue = std::variant<float, std::string>;
+using ConstantValue = std::variant<float, const char*>;
 
 enum ConstantType : uint8_t { CONST_TYPE_FLOAT = 1, CONST_TYPE_STRING = 2 };
 
diff --git a/src/bytecode/tests.cc b/src/bytecode/tests.cc
index 049332f..fa02e34 100644
--- a/src/bytecode/tests.cc
+++ b/src/bytecode/tests.cc
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ TEST(ByteArray, ByteArray)
     ba.set_float(1, -3.14); ASSERT_FLOAT_EQ(ba.get_float(1), -3.14);
     ba.set_float(1, -5000300.1324); ASSERT_FLOAT_EQ(ba.get_float(1), -5000300.1324);
 
-    ba.set_string(1, "Hello world!"); ASSERT_EQ(ba.get_string(1), std::make_pair("Hello world!", 13));
+    ba.set_string(1, "Hello world!");
+    auto str = ba.get_string_ptr(1);
+    EXPECT_STREQ(str.first, "Hello world!");
+    ASSERT_EQ(str.second, 13);
 
 #undef TESTX
 }
@@ -145,7 +148,7 @@ TEST(Bytecode, Parsing)
     ASSERT_EQ(bc.get_function_sz(1), 1);
 
     ASSERT_FLOAT_EQ(std::get<float>(bc.get_constant(0)), 3.14f);
-    ASSERT_EQ(std::get<std::string>(bc.get_constant(1)), "HELLO");
+    EXPECT_STREQ(std::get<const char*>(bc.get_constant(1)), "HELLO");
 
     Bytecode::FunctionDef f1 = bc.get_function_def(0);
     ASSERT_EQ(f1.n_params, 0);
diff --git a/src/common/bytearray.cc b/src/common/bytearray.cc
index 39a4194..cb3e973 100644
--- a/src/common/bytearray.cc
+++ b/src/common/bytearray.cc
@@ -117,12 +117,9 @@ float ByteArray::get_float(uint32_t addr) const
     return value;
 }
 
-std::pair<std::string, size_t> ByteArray::get_string(uint32_t addr) const
+std::pair<const char*, size_t> ByteArray::get_string_ptr(uint32_t addr) const
 {
-    std::string data;
-    while (char c = (char) get_byte(addr++))
-        data += c;
-    return { data, data.size() + 1 };
+    return { (const char *) &data_.at(addr), strlen((const char *) &data_.at(addr)) + 1 };
 }
 
 void ByteArray::append_bytearray(ByteArray const& bytearray)
diff --git a/src/common/bytearray.hh b/src/common/bytearray.hh
index c20a011..d3ed12f 100644
--- a/src/common/bytearray.hh
+++ b/src/common/bytearray.hh
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public:
     [[nodiscard]] int16_t                        get_int16(uint32_t addr) const;
     [[nodiscard]] int32_t                        get_int32(uint32_t addr) const;
     [[nodiscard]] float                          get_float(uint32_t addr) const;
-    [[nodiscard]] std::pair<std::string, size_t> get_string(uint32_t addr) const;
+    [[nodiscard]] std::pair<const char*, size_t> get_string_ptr(uint32_t addr) const;
 
     [[nodiscard]] std::vector<uint8_t> const& data() const { return data_; }
     [[nodiscard]] size_t size() const { return data_.size(); }
diff --git a/src/vm/instruction.cc b/src/instructions/instruction.cc
similarity index 99%
rename from src/vm/instruction.cc
rename to src/instructions/instruction.cc
index b246919..07d9c4f 100644
--- a/src/vm/instruction.cc
+++ b/src/instructions/instruction.cc
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #include <limits>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
-namespace tyche::vm {
+namespace tyche {
 
 const std::unordered_map<std::string, Instruction> instruction_names = {
     { "pushi", Instruction::PushInt8 },
diff --git a/src/vm/instruction.hh b/src/instructions/instruction.hh
similarity index 99%
rename from src/vm/instruction.hh
rename to src/instructions/instruction.hh
index f53bc2e..4d6a970 100644
--- a/src/vm/instruction.hh
+++ b/src/instructions/instruction.hh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "../bytecode/bytecode.hh"
 
-namespace tyche::vm {
+namespace tyche {
 
 constexpr uint8_t OPCODE_NEXT_SIZE = 0x20;
 
diff --git a/src/vm/code.cc b/src/vm/code.cc
index 96a2e11..75a98d3 100644
--- a/src/vm/code.cc
+++ b/src/vm/code.cc
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include "code.hh"
 #include "../common/overloaded.hh"
-#include "instruction.hh"
+#include "../instructions/instruction.hh"
 
 namespace tyche::vm {
 
diff --git a/src/vm/code.hh b/src/vm/code.hh
index e4c9b87..6296018 100644
--- a/src/vm/code.hh
+++ b/src/vm/code.hh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef TYCHE_CODE_HH
 #define TYCHE_CODE_HH
 
-#include "instruction.hh"
+#include "../instructions/instruction.hh"
 #include "location.hh"
 #include "value.hh"
 #include "../bytecode/bytecode.hh"