diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71c9880
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*.o
+*.elf
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index c5ab1b6..1f81cfc 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -1,16 +1,40 @@
 # Compiler and assembler
-CC = riscv64-linux-gnu-gcc
-AS = riscv64-linux-gnu-as
-LD = riscv64-linux-gnu-ld
+CROSS=riscv64-linux-gnu
+CC = 		${CROSS}-gcc
+AS = 		${CROSS}-as
+LD = 		${CROSS}-ld
+OBJDUMP = 	${CROSS}-objdump
+SIZE = 		${CROSS}-size
 
-# Flags for compiler and assembler
-CFLAGS = -static -nostartfiles -nostdlib
-ASFLAGS =
+# Specify the target binary (call it whatever)
+TARGET = bin.elf
 
 # QEMU command and flags
 QEMU = qemu-riscv64-static
 QEMU_FLAGS =
 
+# Flags for compiler and assembler
+CFLAGS += -static#				# Use static linking
+CFLAGS += -nostartfiles# 		# Do not use standard startup files
+CFLAGS += -nostdlib#			# Do not use standard libraries
+CFLAGS += -fno-builtin#			# Do not use built-in functions
+CFLAGS += -fno-common#			# Do not use common sections
+CFLAGS += -march=rv64i			# Use RV64I ISA, i.e., integer only
+CFLAGS += -mabi=lp64			# Use LP64 ABI, i.e., 64-bit longs and pointers, 32-bit ints
+CFLAGS += -Os#					# Optimize for size
+
+# Use GC=0 to disable garbage collection
+ifneq ($(GC), 0)
+	CFLAGS += -ffreestanding
+	CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections
+	CFLAGS += -Wl,--gc-sections
+endif
+
+# Debugging flags, passed as 'make DEBUG=1 <target>'
+ifeq ($(DEBUG), 1)
+	CFLAGS += -g -O0
+endif
+
 # Assembly source files
 AS_SRCS := $(wildcard *.s)
 
@@ -19,17 +43,34 @@ OBJS := $(AS_SRCS:.s=.o)
 
 # Default target
 all: $(OBJS)
-	$(LD) -o program $(OBJS)	
-# $(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o program $(OBJS)
+	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $(TARGET) $(OBJS) 
+	@echo "LD $(OBJS)"
 
 # Compile assembly sources
 %.o: %.s
-	$(AS) $(ASFLAGS) -o $@ $<
+	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
+	@echo "CC $<"
 
-# Run the program in QEMU
+# Run the binary in QEMU
 run: all
-	$(QEMU) $(QEMU_FLAGS) ./program
+	$(QEMU) $(QEMU_FLAGS) ./$(TARGET)
+
+# View the text section of the binary
+inspect: all
+	$(OBJDUMP) -d $(TARGET)
+
+# View the disassembly
+raw: all
+	$(OBJDUMP) -D $(TARGET)
+
+# View the data section
+data: all
+	$(OBJDUMP) -s $(TARGET) --section=.data
+
+# Check the size of the compiled binary
+size: all
+	$(SIZE) $(TARGET)
 
 # Clean up
 clean:
-	rm -f program $(OBJS)
+	rm -f $(TARGET) $(OBJS)