diff --git a/src/phare/phare.cpp b/src/phare/phare.cpp
index 4267c2cfe..2cdf4adef 100644
--- a/src/phare/phare.cpp
+++ b/src/phare/phare.cpp
@@ -5,11 +5,9 @@
 #include "amr/wrappers/hierarchy.hpp"
 #include "initializer/python_data_provider.hpp"
 
-#include "core/logger.hpp"
-
-#include <algorithm>
-#include <csignal>
 #include <atomic>
+#include <csignal>
+#include <algorithm>
 
 namespace
 {
@@ -21,10 +19,26 @@ void signal_handler(int signal)
     gSignalStatus = signal;
 }
 
-std::unique_ptr<PHARE::initializer::DataProvider> fromCommandLine(int argc, char** argv)
+namespace PHARE
 {
-    using dataProvider [[maybe_unused]] = std::unique_ptr<PHARE::initializer::DataProvider>;
 
+std::unique_ptr<PHARE::ISimulator> getSimulator(std::shared_ptr<PHARE::amr::Hierarchy>& hierarchy)
+{
+    PHARE::initializer::PHAREDict const& theDict
+        = PHARE::initializer::PHAREDictHandler::INSTANCE().dict();
+    auto dim           = theDict["simulation"]["dimension"].template to<int>();
+    auto interpOrder   = theDict["simulation"]["interp_order"].template to<int>();
+    auto nbRefinedPart = theDict["simulation"]["refined_particle_nbr"].template to<int>();
+
+    return core::makeAtRuntime<SimulatorMaker>(dim, interpOrder, nbRefinedPart,
+                                               SimulatorMaker{hierarchy});
+}
+
+} // namespace PHARE
+
+
+std::unique_ptr<PHARE::initializer::DataProvider> fromCommandLine(int argc, char** argv)
+{
     switch (argc)
     {
         case 1: return nullptr;
@@ -45,10 +59,12 @@ std::unique_ptr<PHARE::initializer::DataProvider> fromCommandLine(int argc, char
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
-    if (std::signal(SIGINT, signal_handler) == SIG_ERR) {
+    if (std::signal(SIGINT, signal_handler) == SIG_ERR)
+    {
         throw std::runtime_error("PHARE Error: Failed to register SIGINT signal handler");
     }
-    if (std::signal(SIGABRT, signal_handler) == SIG_ERR) {
+    if (std::signal(SIGABRT, signal_handler) == SIG_ERR)
+    {
         throw std::runtime_error("PHARE Error: Failed to register SIGABRT signal handler");
     }
 
diff --git a/src/simulator/CMakeLists.txt b/src/simulator/CMakeLists.txt
index 8e57e57a3..8831fcde3 100644
--- a/src/simulator/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/simulator/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,16 +3,13 @@ project(phare_simulator)
 
 set( SOURCES_INC
     simulator.hpp
-    simulator.cpp
     phare_types.hpp
    )
 
-add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} ${SOURCES_INC} )
-target_compile_options(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ${PHARE_WERROR_FLAGS} -DPHARE_HAS_HIGHFIVE=${PHARE_HAS_HIGHFIVE})
-set_property(TARGET ${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTY INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION ${PHARE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION})
-target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PUBLIC
+add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} INTERFACE)
+
+target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} INTERFACE
   phare_initializer
   phare_amr # for mpicc
   phare_diagnostic
 )
-set_property(TARGET ${PROJECT_NAME} APPEND_STRING PROPERTY LINK_FLAGS " ${PHARE_LINK_FLAGS}")
diff --git a/src/simulator/simulator.cpp b/src/simulator/simulator.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index b93a6005d..000000000
--- a/src/simulator/simulator.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-#include "simulator.hpp"
-
-
-namespace PHARE
-{
-std::unique_ptr<PHARE::ISimulator> getSimulator(std::shared_ptr<PHARE::amr::Hierarchy>& hierarchy)
-{
-    PHARE::initializer::PHAREDict const& theDict
-        = PHARE::initializer::PHAREDictHandler::INSTANCE().dict();
-    auto dim           = theDict["simulation"]["dimension"].template to<int>();
-    auto interpOrder   = theDict["simulation"]["interp_order"].template to<int>();
-    auto nbRefinedPart = theDict["simulation"]["refined_particle_nbr"].template to<int>();
-
-    return core::makeAtRuntime<SimulatorMaker>(dim, interpOrder, nbRefinedPart,
-                                               SimulatorMaker{hierarchy});
-}
-} /* namespace PHARE */
diff --git a/src/simulator/simulator.hpp b/src/simulator/simulator.hpp
index 81cc00c8e..a438d5838 100644
--- a/src/simulator/simulator.hpp
+++ b/src/simulator/simulator.hpp
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ void Simulator<_dimension, _interp_order, _nbRefinedPart>::initialize()
         else
             throw std::runtime_error("Error - Simulator has no integrator");
     }
-    catch (const std::runtime_error& e)
+    catch (std::runtime_error const& e)
     {
         std::cerr << "EXCEPTION CAUGHT: " << e.what() << std::endl;
         std::rethrow_exception(std::current_exception());
@@ -483,9 +483,6 @@ struct SimulatorMaker
 };
 
 
-std::unique_ptr<PHARE::ISimulator> getSimulator(std::shared_ptr<PHARE::amr::Hierarchy>& hierarchy);
-
-
 template<std::size_t dim, std::size_t interp, size_t nbRefinedPart>
 std::unique_ptr<Simulator<dim, interp, nbRefinedPart>>
 makeSimulator(std::shared_ptr<amr::Hierarchy> const& hierarchy)