diff --git a/src/cdebug.c b/src/cdebug.c
index 43d082c..594383f 100644
--- a/src/cdebug.c
+++ b/src/cdebug.c
@@ -9,53 +9,53 @@ void printIndent(int indent)
         printf("\t");
 }
 
-int simpleInstruction(const char *name, int offset)
+static int simpleInstruction(const char *name, int offset)
 {
     printf("%s", name);
     return offset + 1; // consume opcode
 }
 
-int u8OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
+static int u8OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
 {
     printf("%-16s [%03d]", name, readu8Chunk(chunk, offset + 1));
     return offset + 2;
 }
 
-int u16OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
+static int u16OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
 {
     printf("%-16s [%05d]", name, readu16Chunk(chunk, offset + 1));
     return offset + 1 + (sizeof(uint16_t) / sizeof(INSTRUCTION));
 }
 
-int JumpInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset, int dir)
+static int JumpInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset, int dir)
 {
     int jmp = ((int)readu16Chunk(chunk, offset + 1)) * dir;
     printf("%-16s [%05d] - jumps to %04d", name, jmp, offset + 3 + jmp);
     return offset + 1 + (sizeof(uint16_t) / sizeof(INSTRUCTION));
 }
 
-int u8u8OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
+static int u8u8OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
 {
     printf("%-16s [%03d] [%03d]", name, readu8Chunk(chunk, offset + 1),
            readu8Chunk(chunk, offset + 2));
     return offset + 3; // op + u8 + u8
 }
 
-int u8u16OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
+static int u8u16OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
 {
     printf("%-16s [%03d] [%05d]", name, readu8Chunk(chunk, offset + 1),
            readu16Chunk(chunk, offset + 2));
     return offset + 4; // op + u8 + u16
 }
 
-int u8u8u16OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
+static int u8u8u16OperandInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
 {
     printf("%-16s [%03d] [%03d] [%05d]", name, readu8Chunk(chunk, offset + 1),
            readu8Chunk(chunk, offset + 2), readu16Chunk(chunk, offset + 3));
     return offset + 5; // op + u8 + u8 + u16
 }
 
-int constInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
+static int constInstruction(const char *name, CChunk *chunk, int offset)
 {
     int index = readu16Chunk(chunk, offset + 1);
     printf("%-16s [%05d] - ", name, index);
diff --git a/src/clex.c b/src/clex.c
index 6682295..fbf0b3d 100644
--- a/src/clex.c
+++ b/src/clex.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ static bool match(CLexState *state, char expected)
     return true;
 }
 
-char peek(CLexState *state)
+static char peek(CLexState *state)
 {
     return *state->currentChar;
 }
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ static char peekNext(CLexState *state)
     return state->currentChar[1];
 }
 
-char next(CLexState *state)
+static char next(CLexState *state)
 {
     if (isEnd(state))
         return '\0'; // return a null terminator
@@ -171,12 +171,12 @@ char next(CLexState *state)
     return state->currentChar[-1];
 }
 
-bool isHex(char c)
+static bool isHex(char c)
 {
     return isNumerical(c) || ('A' <= c && 'F' >= c) || ('a' <= c && 'f' >= c);
 }
 
-CTokenType identifierType(CLexState *state)
+static CTokenType identifierType(CLexState *state)
 {
     int length = state->currentChar - state->startChar;
 
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ CTokenType identifierType(CLexState *state)
     return TOKEN_IDENTIFIER;
 }
 
-void skipWhitespace(CLexState *state)
+static void skipWhitespace(CLexState *state)
 {
     while (true) {
         char c = peek(state);
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ void skipWhitespace(CLexState *state)
     }
 }
 
-CToken parseString(CLexState *state)
+static CToken parseString(CLexState *state)
 {
     makeBuffer(state); // buffer mode
     while (peek(state) != '"' && !isEnd(state)) {
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ CToken parseString(CLexState *state)
     return makeToken(state, TOKEN_STRING);
 }
 
-CToken parseNumber(CLexState *state)
+static CToken parseNumber(CLexState *state)
 {
     switch (peek(state)) {
     case 'x': // hexadecimal number
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ CToken parseNumber(CLexState *state)
     return makeToken(state, TOKEN_NUMBER);
 }
 
-CToken parseIdentifier(CLexState *state)
+static CToken parseIdentifier(CLexState *state)
 {
     // read literal
     while ((isAlpha(peek(state)) || isNumerical(peek(state))) && !isEnd(state))
diff --git a/src/clex.h b/src/clex.h
index c8677ef..dab608e 100644
--- a/src/clex.h
+++ b/src/clex.h
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ typedef struct
     char *currentChar;
     char *startChar;
     char *buffer; // if non-NULL & bufCount > 0, token->start & token->length will be set to buffer
-                  // & bufCount respectively
+                  // & bufCount respectively. used exclusively for string literals
     size_t bufCount;
     size_t bufCap;
     int line;     // current line
diff --git a/src/cmem.c b/src/cmem.c
index e6828f8..4e039c7 100644
--- a/src/cmem.c
+++ b/src/cmem.c
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ COSMO_API bool cosmoM_checkGarbage(CState *state, size_t needed)
     return false;
 }
 
-void markObject(CState *state, CObj *obj);
-void markValue(CState *state, CValue val);
+static void markObject(CState *state, CObj *obj);
+static void markValue(CState *state, CValue val);
 
-void markTable(CState *state, CTable *tbl)
+static void markTable(CState *state, CTable *tbl)
 {
     if (tbl->table == NULL) // table is still being initialized
         return;
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void markTable(CState *state, CTable *tbl)
 }
 
 // frees white members from the table
-void tableRemoveWhite(CState *state, CTable *tbl)
+static void tableRemoveWhite(CState *state, CTable *tbl)
 {
     if (tbl->table == NULL) // table is still being initialized
         return;
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ void tableRemoveWhite(CState *state, CTable *tbl)
     cosmoT_checkShrink(state, tbl); // recovers the memory we're no longer using
 }
 
-void markArray(CState *state, CValueArray *array)
+static void markArray(CState *state, CValueArray *array)
 {
     for (size_t i = 0; i < array->count; i++) {
         markValue(state, array->values[i]);
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ void markArray(CState *state, CValueArray *array)
 
 // mark all references associated with the object
 // black = keep, white = discard
-void blackenObject(CState *state, CObj *obj)
+static void blackenObject(CState *state, CObj *obj)
 {
     markObject(state, (CObj *)obj->proto);
     switch (obj->type) {
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ void blackenObject(CState *state, CObj *obj)
     }
 }
 
-void markObject(CState *state, CObj *obj)
+static void markObject(CState *state, CObj *obj)
 {
     if (obj == NULL || obj->isMarked) // skip if NULL or already marked
         return;
@@ -185,14 +185,14 @@ void markObject(CState *state, CObj *obj)
     state->grayStack.array[state->grayStack.count++] = obj;
 }
 
-void markValue(CState *state, CValue val)
+static void markValue(CState *state, CValue val)
 {
     if (IS_REF(val))
         markObject(state, cosmoV_readRef(val));
 }
 
 // trace our gray references
-void traceGrays(CState *state)
+static void traceGrays(CState *state)
 {
     while (state->grayStack.count > 0) {
         CObj *obj = state->grayStack.array[--state->grayStack.count];
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ void traceGrays(CState *state)
     }
 }
 
-void sweep(CState *state)
+static void sweep(CState *state)
 {
     CObj *prev = NULL;
     CObj *object = state->objects;
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ void sweep(CState *state)
     }
 }
 
-void markUserRoots(CState *state)
+static void markUserRoots(CState *state)
 {
     CObj *root = state->userRoots;
 
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ void markUserRoots(CState *state)
     }
 }
 
-void markRoots(CState *state)
+static void markRoots(CState *state)
 {
     // mark all values on the stack
     for (StkPtr value = state->stack; value < state->top; value++) {
diff --git a/src/cmem.h b/src/cmem.h
index a55f25c..4725114 100644
--- a/src/cmem.h
+++ b/src/cmem.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ COSMO_API void cosmoM_collectGarbage(CState *state);
 COSMO_API void cosmoM_updateThreshhold(CState *state);
 
 // lets the VM know you are holding a reference to a CObj and to not free it
+// NOTE: prefer to use the stack when possible
 COSMO_API void cosmoM_addRoot(CState *state, CObj *newRoot);
 
 // lets the VM know this root is no longer held in a reference and is able to be freed
diff --git a/src/ctable.c b/src/ctable.c
index 2251e58..f9008bb 100644
--- a/src/ctable.c
+++ b/src/ctable.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #define MIN_TABLE_CAPACITY ARRAY_START
 
 // bit-twiddling hacks, gets the next power of 2
-unsigned int nextPow2(unsigned int x)
+static unsigned int nextPow2(unsigned int x)
 {
     if (x <= ARRAY_START - 1)
         return ARRAY_START; // sanity check
@@ -46,13 +46,14 @@ void cosmoT_initTable(CState *state, CTable *tbl, int startCap)
 
 void cosmoT_addTable(CState *state, CTable *from, CTable *to)
 {
+    CTableEntry *entry;
     int cap = from->capacityMask + 1;
+
     for (int i = 0; i < cap; i++) {
-        CTableEntry *entry = &from->table[i];
+        entry = &from->table[i];
 
         if (!(IS_NIL(entry->key))) {
-            CValue *newVal = cosmoT_insert(state, to, entry->key);
-            *newVal = entry->val;
+            *cosmoT_insert(state, to, entry->key) = entry->val;
         }
     }
 }
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ void cosmoT_clearTable(CState *state, CTable *tbl)
     cosmoM_freearray(state, CTableEntry, tbl->table, (tbl->capacityMask + 1));
 }
 
-uint32_t getObjectHash(CObj *obj)
+static uint32_t getObjectHash(CObj *obj)
 {
     switch (obj->type) {
     case COBJ_STRING:
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ uint32_t getObjectHash(CObj *obj)
     }
 }
 
-uint32_t getValueHash(CValue *val)
+static uint32_t getValueHash(CValue *val)
 {
     switch (GET_TYPE(*val)) {
     case COSMO_TREF: