diff --git a/src/cfg/opt.c b/src/cfg/opt.c
index 6de694e..256e2eb 100644
--- a/src/cfg/opt.c
+++ b/src/cfg/opt.c
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ void print_help(void) {
         "    --verbose        print logs with level information or higher",
         "    --debug          print debug logs (if not disabled at compile time)",
         "    --version        print the version",
-        "    --help           print this hel dialog",
+        "    --list-targets   print a list of all available targets supported"
+        "    --help           print this help dialog"
     };
 
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < sizeof(lines) / sizeof(const char *); i++) {
diff --git a/src/codegen/backend.c b/src/codegen/backend.c
index 8e6f5ca..9258284 100644
--- a/src/codegen/backend.c
+++ b/src/codegen/backend.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ BackendError set_backend(const codegen_init init_func, const codegen_deinit dein
     return new_backend_error(Success);
 }
 
-BackendError generate_code(const Module* root, void** output) {
+BackendError generate_code(const Module* root, const TargetConfig* target) {
     DEBUG("generating code with backend: %s", CodegenBackend.name);
 
     if (CodegenBackend.codegen_func == NULL) {
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ BackendError generate_code(const Module* root, void** output) {
         return new_backend_error(NoBackend);
     }
 
-    BackendError code = CodegenBackend.codegen_func(root, output);
+    BackendError code = CodegenBackend.codegen_func(root, target);
     if (code.kind) {
         ERROR("code generation of backend: %s failed with code: %ld", CodegenBackend.name, code);
         return code;
diff --git a/src/codegen/backend.h b/src/codegen/backend.h
index ad3613d..f25e69d 100644
--- a/src/codegen/backend.h
+++ b/src/codegen/backend.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include <set/types.h>
 #include <ast/ast.h>
+#include <cfg/opt.h>
 
 typedef struct BackendImplError_t {
     // faulty AST node
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ typedef struct BackendError_t {
  * @brief Function called by the compiler backend to generate an intermediate format
  *        from AST. Returns a custom container for its intermediate language.
  */
-typedef BackendError (*codegen)(const Module*, void**);
+typedef BackendError (*codegen)(const Module*, const TargetConfig* target);
 
 /**
  * @brief Initialize the code generation backend.
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ BackendError deinit_backend(void);
  * @return BackendError 
  */
 [[nodiscard]]
-BackendError generate_code(const Module* root, void** code);
+BackendError generate_code(const Module* root, const TargetConfig* target);
 
 /**
  * @brief Create a new backend error
diff --git a/src/compiler.c b/src/compiler.c
index 709592e..a11d556 100644
--- a/src/compiler.c
+++ b/src/compiler.c
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 #include <io/files.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <cfg/opt.h>
+#include <codegen/backend.h>
+#include <llvm/backend.h>
 
 extern void yyrestart(FILE *);
 
@@ -125,6 +127,25 @@ static void print_ast_to_file(const AST_NODE_PTR ast, const TargetConfig *target
     free((void *) path);
 }
 
+static void run_backend_codegen(const Module* module, const TargetConfig* target) {
+    DEBUG("initializing LLVM codegen backend...");
+    llvm_backend_init();
+
+    DEBUG("initiializing backend for codegen...");
+    BackendError err = init_backend();
+    if (err.kind != Success) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    DEBUG("generating code...");
+    err = generate_code(module, target);
+    if (err.kind != Success) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    err = deinit_backend();
+}
+
 /**
  * @brief Build the given target
  * @param unit
@@ -142,7 +163,9 @@ static void build_target(ModuleFileStack *unit, const TargetConfig *target) {
             print_ast_to_file(ast, target);
 
             // TODO: parse AST to semantic values
-            // TODO: backend codegen
+            Module* module = NULL;
+
+            run_backend_codegen(module, target);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/llvm/backend.c b/src/llvm/backend.c
index 6bd5997..e2b2646 100644
--- a/src/llvm/backend.c
+++ b/src/llvm/backend.c
@@ -34,7 +34,35 @@ Target create_native_target() {
     return target;
 }
 
-Target create_target_from_config() { PANIC("NOT IMPLEMENTED"); }
+LLVMCodeGenOptLevel llvm_opt_from_int(int level) {
+    switch (level) {
+        case 1:
+            return LLVMCodeGenLevelLess;
+        case 2:
+            return LLVMCodeGenLevelDefault;
+        case 3:
+            return LLVMCodeGenLevelAggressive;
+        default:
+            break;
+    }
+    PANIC("invalid code generation optimization level: %d", level);
+}
+
+Target create_target_from_config(const TargetConfig* config) {
+    DEBUG("Building target from configuration");
+
+    Target target = create_native_target();
+
+    target.name.str = config->name;
+    target.name.allocation = NONE;  // freed later by compiler
+
+    target.opt = llvm_opt_from_int(config->optimization_level);
+
+    INFO("Configured target: %s/%d: (%s) on %s { %s }", target.name, target.opt,
+         target.triple, target.cpu, target.features);
+
+    return target;
+}
 
 static void delete_string(String string) {
     DEBUG("deleting string...");
@@ -59,8 +87,9 @@ void delete_target(Target target) {
 
 typedef enum LLVMBackendError_t { UnresolvedImport } LLVMBackendError;
 
-static BackendError llvm_backend_codegen(const Module* unit, void** output) {
-    return parse_module(unit, output);
+static BackendError llvm_backend_codegen(const Module* unit,
+                                         const TargetConfig* target) {
+    return parse_module(unit, target);
 }
 
 static BackendError llvm_backend_codegen_init(void) {
diff --git a/src/llvm/backend.h b/src/llvm/backend.h
index 4625aa7..59c2bd1 100644
--- a/src/llvm/backend.h
+++ b/src/llvm/backend.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ typedef struct Target_t {
 
 Target create_native_target();
 
-Target create_target_from_config();
+Target create_target_from_config(const TargetConfig* config);
 
 void delete_target(Target target);
 
diff --git a/src/llvm/expr.c b/src/llvm/expr.c
index c43c72c..e95ffa9 100644
--- a/src/llvm/expr.c
+++ b/src/llvm/expr.c
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ BackendError impl_expr(LLVMBackendCompileUnit *unit, LLVMLocalScope *scope,
 
     switch (expr->kind) {
         case ExpressionKindConstant:
-            err = get_type_value(unit, scope->func_scope->global_scope,
+            err = get_const_type_value(unit, scope->func_scope->global_scope,
                                  &expr->impl.constant, llvm_result);
             break;
         case ExpressionKindTransmute:
diff --git a/src/llvm/func.c b/src/llvm/func.c
index dc6c8da..fc21f27 100644
--- a/src/llvm/func.c
+++ b/src/llvm/func.c
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
 #include <codegen/backend.h>
 #include <llvm-c/Core.h>
 #include <llvm-c/Types.h>
+#include <llvm/func.h>
 #include <llvm/parser.h>
 #include <llvm/types.h>
 #include <set/types.h>
 #include <sys/log.h>
-#include <llvm/func.h>
 
 LLVMLocalScope* new_local_scope(LLVMLocalScope* parent) {
     LLVMLocalScope* scope = malloc(sizeof(LLVMLocalScope));
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ void delete_local_scope(LLVMLocalScope* scope) {
     free(scope);
 }
 
-static LLVMValueRef get_parameter(const LLVMFuncScope* scope, const char* name) {
+static LLVMValueRef get_parameter(const LLVMFuncScope* scope,
+                                  const char* name) {
     if (g_hash_table_contains(scope->params, name)) {
         return g_hash_table_lookup(scope->params, name);
     }
@@ -108,7 +109,8 @@ BackendError impl_func_decl(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
     return err;
 }
 
-BackendError impl_func(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, LLVMGlobalScope* global_scope,
+BackendError impl_func(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
+                       LLVMGlobalScope* global_scope,
                        FunctionDefinition* fundef, const char* name) {
     BackendError err = SUCCESS;
 
@@ -125,18 +127,20 @@ BackendError impl_func(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, LLVMGlobalScope* global_sco
         func_scope->params = g_hash_table_new(g_str_hash, g_str_equal);
 
         // store function type in global scope
-        g_hash_table_insert(global_scope->functions, (gpointer) name, llvm_func);
+        g_hash_table_insert(global_scope->functions, (gpointer)name, llvm_func);
 
         // create function body builder
-        LLVMBasicBlockRef body = LLVMAppendBasicBlockInContext(unit->context, llvm_func, "entry");
+        LLVMBasicBlockRef body =
+            LLVMAppendBasicBlockInContext(unit->context, llvm_func, "entry");
         LLVMBuilderRef builder = LLVMCreateBuilderInContext(unit->context);
         LLVMPositionBuilderAtEnd(builder, body);
 
         // create value references for parameter
         const size_t params = fundef->parameter->len;
         for (size_t i = 0; i < params; i++) {
-            const Paramer* param = ((Paramer*) fundef->parameter) + i;
-            g_hash_table_insert(func_scope->params, (gpointer) param->name, LLVMGetParam(llvm_func, i));
+            const Paramer* param = ((Paramer*)fundef->parameter) + i;
+            g_hash_table_insert(func_scope->params, (gpointer)param->name,
+                                LLVMGetParam(llvm_func, i));
         }
 
         // TODO: parse function body
@@ -149,3 +153,29 @@ BackendError impl_func(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, LLVMGlobalScope* global_sco
 
     return err;
 }
+
+BackendError impl_functions(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
+                            LLVMGlobalScope* scope, GHashTable* functions) {
+    DEBUG("implementing functions...");
+    GHashTableIter iterator;
+    g_hash_table_iter_init(&iterator, functions);
+
+    gpointer key = NULL;
+    gpointer val = NULL;
+
+    BackendError err = SUCCESS;
+
+    size_t variable_count = 0;
+    while (g_hash_table_iter_next(&iterator, &key, &val) != FALSE) {
+        err =
+            impl_func(unit, scope, (FunctionDefinition*)val, (const char*)key);
+
+        if (err.kind != Success) {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        variable_count++;
+    }
+
+    return err;
+}
diff --git a/src/llvm/func.h b/src/llvm/func.h
index e93eca4..acae8a6 100644
--- a/src/llvm/func.h
+++ b/src/llvm/func.h
@@ -28,4 +28,8 @@ void delete_local_scope(LLVMLocalScope*);
 
 LLVMValueRef get_variable(const LLVMLocalScope* scope, const char* name);
 
+BackendError impl_functions(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
+                                   LLVMGlobalScope* scope,
+                                   GHashTable* variables);
+
 #endif // LLVM_BACKEND_FUNC_H_
diff --git a/src/llvm/parser.c b/src/llvm/parser.c
index 4d00ac0..3a9bfa9 100644
--- a/src/llvm/parser.c
+++ b/src/llvm/parser.c
@@ -8,15 +8,15 @@
 #include <llvm/parser.h>
 #include <llvm/types.h>
 #include <llvm/variables.h>
+#include <llvm/func.h>
 #include <set/types.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <sys/log.h>
 
-#define EXPORT_IR 1
-
-BackendError export_IR(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target) {
+BackendError export_IR(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target,
+                       const TargetConfig* config) {
     DEBUG("exporting module to LLVM-IR...");
 
     BackendError err = SUCCESS;
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ BackendError export_IR(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target) {
     char* ir = LLVMPrintModuleToString(unit->module);
 
     // construct file name
-    char* filename = alloca(strlen(target->name.str) + 4);
-    sprintf(filename, "%s.ll", target->name.str);
+    const char* filename =
+        make_file_path(target->name.str, ".ll", 1, config->archive_directory);
 
     INFO("Writing LLVM-IR to %s", filename);
 
@@ -49,13 +49,52 @@ BackendError export_IR(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target) {
 
     INFO("%ld bytes written to %s", bytes, filename);
 
+    free((char*)filename);
+
     // clean up LLVM-IR string
     LLVMDisposeMessage(ir);
 
     return err;
 }
 
-BackendError export_object(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target) {
+BackendError emit_module_to_file(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
+                                 LLVMTargetMachineRef target_machine,
+                                 LLVMCodeGenFileType file_type, char* error,
+                                 const TargetConfig* config) {
+    BackendError err = SUCCESS;
+    DEBUG("Generating code...");
+
+    const char* filename;
+    switch (file_type) {
+        case LLVMAssemblyFile:
+            filename = make_file_path(config->name, ".s", 1,
+                                      config->archive_directory);
+            break;
+        case LLVMObjectFile:
+            filename = make_file_path(config->name, ".o", 1,
+                                      config->archive_directory);
+            break;
+        default:
+            return new_backend_impl_error(Implementation, NULL,
+                                          "invalid codegen file");
+    }
+
+    if (LLVMTargetMachineEmitToFile(target_machine, unit->module, filename,
+                                    file_type, &error) != 0) {
+        ERROR("failed to emit code: %s", error);
+        err =
+            new_backend_impl_error(Implementation, NULL, "failed to emit code");
+        LLVMDisposeMessage(error);
+    }
+
+    free((void*)filename);
+
+    return err;
+}
+
+BackendError export_object(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target,
+                           const TargetConfig* config) {
+    BackendError err = SUCCESS;
     DEBUG("exporting object file...");
 
     INFO("Using target (%s): %s with features: %s", target->name.str,
@@ -72,8 +111,8 @@ BackendError export_object(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target) {
     if (LLVMGetTargetFromTriple(target->triple.str, &llvm_target, &error) !=
         0) {
         ERROR("failed to create target machine: %s", error);
-        BackendError err = new_backend_impl_error(
-            Implementation, NULL, "unable to create target machine");
+        err = new_backend_impl_error(Implementation, NULL,
+                                     "unable to create target machine");
         LLVMDisposeMessage(error);
         return err;
     }
@@ -83,19 +122,19 @@ BackendError export_object(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target) {
         llvm_target, target->triple.str, target->cpu.str, target->features.str,
         target->opt, target->reloc, target->model);
 
-    LLVMCodeGenFileType file_type = LLVMObjectFile;
+    if (config->print_asm) {
+        err = emit_module_to_file(unit, target_machine, LLVMAssemblyFile, error,
+                                  config);
+    }
 
-    DEBUG("Generating code...");
-    if (LLVMTargetMachineEmitToFile(target_machine, unit->module, "output",
-                                    file_type, &error) != 0) {
-        ERROR("failed to emit code: %s", error);
-        BackendError err =
-            new_backend_impl_error(Implementation, NULL, "failed to emit code");
-        LLVMDisposeMessage(error);
+    if (err.kind != Success) {
         return err;
     }
 
-    return SUCCESS;
+    err = emit_module_to_file(unit, target_machine, LLVMObjectFile, error,
+                              config);
+
+    return err;
 }
 
 void list_available_targets() {
@@ -120,23 +159,25 @@ void list_available_targets() {
     LLVMDisposeMessage(default_triple);
 }
 
-BackendError export_module(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target) {
+BackendError export_module(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, const Target* target,
+                           const TargetConfig* config) {
     DEBUG("exporting module...");
 
     BackendError err = SUCCESS;
 
-    export_object(unit, target);
+    export_object(unit, target, config);
 
-    if (EXPORT_IR) {
-        export_IR(unit, target);
-    } else {
-        DEBUG("not exporting LLVM-IR");
+    if (config->print_ir) {
+        export_IR(unit, target, config);
     }
 
     return err;
 }
 
-static BackendError build_module(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, LLVMGlobalScope* global_scope, const Module* module) {
+static BackendError build_module(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
+                                 LLVMGlobalScope* global_scope,
+                                 const Module* module) {
+    DEBUG("building module...");
     BackendError err = SUCCESS;
 
     err = impl_types(unit, global_scope, module->types);
@@ -156,10 +197,13 @@ static BackendError build_module(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit, LLVMGlobalScope*
         return err;
     }
 
+    // TODO: implement functions
+    err = impl_functions(unit, global_scope, module->functions);
+
     return err;
 }
 
-BackendError parse_module(const Module* module, void**) {
+BackendError parse_module(const Module* module, const TargetConfig* config) {
     DEBUG("generating code for module %p", module);
     if (module == NULL) {
         ERROR("no module for codegen");
@@ -171,20 +215,19 @@ BackendError parse_module(const Module* module, void**) {
     // we start with a LLVM module
     DEBUG("creating LLVM context and module");
     unit->context = LLVMContextCreate();
-    unit->module = LLVMModuleCreateWithNameInContext("gemstone application",
-                                                     unit->context);
+    unit->module =
+        LLVMModuleCreateWithNameInContext(config->name, unit->context);
 
-    LLVMGlobalScope* global_scope = new_global_scope();
-
-    BackendError err = new_backend_error(Success);
+    LLVMGlobalScope* global_scope = new_global_scope(module);
 
     DEBUG("generating code...");
 
-    err = build_module(unit, global_scope, module);
+    BackendError err = build_module(unit, global_scope, module);
     if (err.kind == Success) {
-        Target target = create_native_target();
+        INFO("Module build successfully...");
+        Target target = create_target_from_config(config);
 
-        export_module(unit, &target);
+        export_module(unit, &target, config);
 
         delete_target(target);
     }
@@ -199,10 +242,11 @@ BackendError parse_module(const Module* module, void**) {
     return err;
 }
 
-LLVMGlobalScope* new_global_scope() {
+LLVMGlobalScope* new_global_scope(const Module* module) {
     DEBUG("creating global scope...");
     LLVMGlobalScope* scope = malloc(sizeof(LLVMGlobalScope));
 
+    scope->module = (Module*) module;
     scope->functions = g_hash_table_new(g_str_hash, g_str_equal);
     scope->variables = g_hash_table_new(g_str_hash, g_str_equal);
     scope->types = g_hash_table_new(g_str_hash, g_str_equal);
diff --git a/src/llvm/parser.h b/src/llvm/parser.h
index f045f43..4b740ce 100644
--- a/src/llvm/parser.h
+++ b/src/llvm/parser.h
@@ -18,12 +18,16 @@ typedef struct LLVMGlobalScope_t {
     GHashTable* variables;
     // of type LLVMTypeRef
     GHashTable* functions;
+    // module definition
+    Module* module;
 } LLVMGlobalScope;
 
-LLVMGlobalScope* new_global_scope();
+LLVMGlobalScope* new_global_scope(const Module* module);
+
+void list_available_targets();
 
 void delete_global_scope(LLVMGlobalScope* scope);
 
-BackendError parse_module(const Module* module, void**);
+BackendError parse_module(const Module* module, const TargetConfig* config);
 
 #endif // LLVM_BACKEND_PARSE_H_
diff --git a/src/llvm/stmt.c b/src/llvm/stmt.c
index 9d23c07..c712ae5 100644
--- a/src/llvm/stmt.c
+++ b/src/llvm/stmt.c
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ BackendError impl_func_call(LLVMBackendCompileUnit *unit,
             break;
         }
 
+        Paramer* parameter = (Paramer*) call->function->parameter->data + i;
+        // TODO: create a pointer to LLVMValueRef in case parameter is `out`
+
         g_array_append_vals(arguments, &llvm_arg, 1);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/llvm/types.h b/src/llvm/types.h
index edd8b66..405aa91 100644
--- a/src/llvm/types.h
+++ b/src/llvm/types.h
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ BackendError get_type_default_value(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
                                     LLVMGlobalScope* scope, Type* gemstone_type,
                                     LLVMValueRef* llvm_value);
 
-BackendError get_type_value(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
-                                    LLVMGlobalScope* scope, TypeValue* gemstone_value,
-                                    LLVMValueRef* llvm_value);
+BackendError get_const_type_value(LLVMBackendCompileUnit* unit,
+                                  LLVMGlobalScope* scope,
+                                  TypeValue* gemstone_value,
+                                  LLVMValueRef* llvm_value);
 
 #endif  // LLVM_BACKEND_TYPES_H_
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 3ad368c..b69b613 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <lex/util.h>
 #include <cfg/opt.h>
 #include <compiler.h>
+#include <llvm/parser.h>
 
 /**
  * @brief Log a debug message to inform about beginning exit procedures
@@ -55,6 +56,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         exit(0);
     }
 
+    if (is_option_set("list-targets")) {
+        list_available_targets();
+        exit(0);
+    }
+
     run_compiler();
 
     return 0;