diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 11da64e5..2f5548e9 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,57 +4,54 @@ project (ecs CXX)
 
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 23)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
-
-# Set up some options
+set(CMAKE_COMPILE_WARNING_AS_ERROR ON)
 set(ECS_STANDALONE_PROJECT OFF)
+
+
+# Set up some user-changeable options
 option(ECS_COMPILE_AS_MODULE "Compile 'ecs' to a module" OFF)
 option(ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS "Use contracts internally to verify state" ON)
 option(ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT "Enable expensive contracts. Should only be used for debugging" OFF)
 
+
+# Set up the project
 if (ECS_COMPILE_AS_MODULE)
 	# Module stuff (experimental)
 	include(cxx_modules_rules.cmake)
 
+	# creates module library 'ecs'
 	add_library(ecs)
 	target_compile_definitions(ecs PUBLIC ECS_USE_MODULES)
 	target_sources(ecs PUBLIC FILE_SET CXX_MODULES FILES "include/ecs/ecs.ixx")
 
-	if (ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS)
-		target_compile_definitions(ecs PUBLIC ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS)
-
-		if (ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT)
-			target_compile_definitions(ecs PUBLIC ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT)
-		endif ()
-	endif ()
+	# Set project scope
+	set(ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE PUBLIC)
+	set(ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE_PRIV PRIVATE)
 else()
-	# creates a library 'ecs' which is an interface (header files only)
+	# creates header-only library 'ecs'
 	add_library(ecs INTERFACE)
-
-	install(
-		DIRECTORY include/ecs
-		DESTINATION include
-	)
-
 	target_compile_definitions(ecs INTERFACE ECS_EXPORT=)
 
-	if (ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS)
-		target_compile_definitions(ecs INTERFACE ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS)
-
-		if (ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT)
-			target_compile_definitions(ecs INTERFACE ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT)
-		endif ()
-	endif ()
+	# Set project scope
+	set(ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE INTERFACE)
+	set(ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE_PRIV INTERFACE)
 endif()
 
+
+# Setup contract definitions
+target_compile_definitions(ecs ${ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE_PRIV}
+	ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS=$<BOOL:${ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS}>
+	ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT=$<IF:$<AND:$<BOOL:${ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS}>,$<BOOL:${ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT}>>,1,0>
+)
+
 # determine whether this is a standalone project or included by other projects
 if (CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR)
     set(ECS_STANDALONE_PROJECT ON)
 endif ()
 
+# Set compiler-specific flags
 if (MSVC)
-    target_compile_options(ecs INTERFACE
-        #/std:c++latest
-
+	target_compile_options(ecs ${ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE}
         # enable lots of warnings
         /W4
 
@@ -62,9 +59,6 @@ if (MSVC)
 		/experimental:module
 		/EHsc
 
-        # treat warnings as errors
-        /WX
-
         # -- Dump compilation info ---
         #/Bt                     # total time spent in frontend (d1) and backend (d2)
         #/d1templateStats        # show info regarding template use
@@ -87,23 +81,16 @@ if (MSVC)
 
         # Enable address sanitizer
         #/fsanitize=address
-    )
-
-    # enable profiling
-    #target_compile_options(ecs INTERFACE /Zi)
-    #target_link_options(ecs INTERFACE /PROFILE)
-
-    # Disable C++ exceptions.
-    #string(REGEX REPLACE "/EH[a-z]+" "" CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
-    #set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} /EHs-c-")
-    #add_definitions(-D_HAS_EXCEPTIONS=0)
+	)
 
-    # Disable RTTI.
-    #string(REGEX REPLACE "/GR" "" CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
-    #set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} /GR-")
+	# enable profiling for 'RelWithDebInfo' builds
+	if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL RelWithDebInfo)
+		target_compile_options(ecs ${ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE} /Zi)
+		target_link_options(ecs ${ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE} /PROFILE)
+	endif()
 else()
     # lots of warnings
-    target_compile_options(ecs INTERFACE
+    target_compile_options(ecs ${ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE}
         #-std=c++2a
         -Wall
         -Wextra
@@ -112,43 +99,40 @@ else()
         #-Wsign-conversion
         #-ftime-trace  # produce json flamegraph files. open with chrome://tracing or edge://tracing
 	)
-    target_link_options(ecs INTERFACE -pthread)
-
-    # Disable C++ exceptions.
-    # - fails to compile on gcc 10
-    if (Clang)
-        string(REGEX REPLACE "-fexceptions" "" CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
-        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -fno-exceptions")
-    endif()
-
-    # Disable RTTI.
-    # - clang's std::function::target needs rtti -_-
-    if (GNU)
-        string(REGEX REPLACE "-frtti" "" CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
-        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -fno-rtti")
-    endif()
+    target_link_options(ecs ${ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE} -pthread)
 endif()
 
-# Project headers
+
+# Project headers.
 # add include folders to the library and targets that consume it
 # the SYSTEM keyword suppresses warnings for users of the library
-if(ECS_STANDALONE_PROJECT)
-    target_include_directories(ecs INTERFACE
-        $<BUILD_INTERFACE:
-            ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
-        >
-    )
+if (ECS_COMPILE_AS_MODULE)
+	if(ECS_STANDALONE_PROJECT)
+		target_include_directories(ecs SYSTEM ${ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE}
+			$<BUILD_INTERFACE:
+				${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
+			>
+		)
+	endif()
 else()
-    target_include_directories(ecs SYSTEM INTERFACE
-        $<BUILD_INTERFACE:
-            ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
-        >
-    )
+	if(ECS_STANDALONE_PROJECT)
+		target_include_directories(ecs INTERFACE
+			$<BUILD_INTERFACE:
+				${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
+			>
+		)
+	else()
+		target_include_directories(ecs SYSTEM INTERFACE
+			$<BUILD_INTERFACE:
+				${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
+			>
+		)
+	endif()
 endif()
 
 # add tls library
 add_subdirectory ("tls")
-target_link_libraries(ecs INTERFACE tls)
+target_link_libraries(ecs ${ECS_INTERNAL_SCOPE} tls)
 
 if (ECS_STANDALONE_PROJECT)
     # Benchmark
diff --git a/include/ecs/detail/contract.h b/include/ecs/detail/contract.h
index 9f4344a7..dd491b2a 100644
--- a/include/ecs/detail/contract.h
+++ b/include/ecs/detail/contract.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ template <typename...>
 auto contract_violation_handler = ecs::detail::default_contract_violation_impl{};
 }
 
-#if defined(ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS)
+#if ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS
 
 namespace ecs::detail {
 template <typename... DummyArgs>
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ inline void do_postcondition_violation(char const* what, char const* how) {
 	} while (false)
 
 // Audit contracts. Used for expensive checks; can be disabled.
-#if defined(ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT)
+#if ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT
 #define AssertAudit(expression, message) Assert(expression, message)
 #define PreAudit(expression, message) Pre(expression, message)
 #define PostAudit(expression, message) Post(expression, message)
diff --git a/include/ecs/ecs.ixx b/include/ecs/ecs.ixx
index 9c9adf11..afe1d59a 100644
--- a/include/ecs/ecs.ixx
+++ b/include/ecs/ecs.ixx
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ template <typename...>
 auto contract_violation_handler = ecs::detail::default_contract_violation_impl{};
 }
 
-#if defined(ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS)
+#if ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS
 
 namespace ecs::detail {
 template <typename... DummyArgs>
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ inline void do_postcondition_violation(char const* what, char const* how) {
 	} while (false)
 
 // Audit contracts. Used for expensive checks; can be disabled.
-#if defined(ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT)
+#if ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT
 #define AssertAudit(expression, message) Assert(expression, message)
 #define PreAudit(expression, message) Pre(expression, message)
 #define PostAudit(expression, message) Post(expression, message)
diff --git a/include/ecs/ecs_sh.h b/include/ecs/ecs_sh.h
index b21d6db7..0fbc54c4 100644
--- a/include/ecs/ecs_sh.h
+++ b/include/ecs/ecs_sh.h
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ template <typename...>
 auto contract_violation_handler = ecs::detail::default_contract_violation_impl{};
 }
 
-#if defined(ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS)
+#if ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS
 
 namespace ecs::detail {
 template <typename... DummyArgs>
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ inline void do_postcondition_violation(char const* what, char const* how) {
 	} while (false)
 
 // Audit contracts. Used for expensive checks; can be disabled.
-#if defined(ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT)
+#if ECS_ENABLE_CONTRACTS_AUDIT
 #define AssertAudit(expression, message) Assert(expression, message)
 #define PreAudit(expression, message) Pre(expression, message)
 #define PostAudit(expression, message) Post(expression, message)