diff --git a/src/builtins/mod.rs b/src/builtins/mod.rs
index f5bee3a..c5abd79 100644
--- a/src/builtins/mod.rs
+++ b/src/builtins/mod.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
-use self::namespace::{GlobalNamespace, TypeDef};
-
-pub mod namespace;
+use crate::namespace::{typedef::TypeDef, GlobalNamespace};
 
 pub fn initialise_globals() -> GlobalNamespace {
-    let mut ns = GlobalNamespace::init();
+    let ns = GlobalNamespace::init();
 
     let numeric = ns.register_trait("Numeric").unwrap();
 
diff --git a/src/builtins/namespace.rs b/src/builtins/namespace.rs
index d420de2..8b13789 100644
--- a/src/builtins/namespace.rs
+++ b/src/builtins/namespace.rs
@@ -1,299 +1 @@
-use std::{
-    cell::RefCell,
-    collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
-    rc::Rc,
-};
 
-pub struct GlobalNamespace {
-    // types
-    // constants
-    // groups (maybe global data namespace that has groups as subset?)
-    types: RefCell<Vec<InternalType>>,
-    traits: RefCell<Vec<InternalTrait>>,
-    type_namespace: RefCell<HashMap<String, TypeNamespaceId>>,
-    commands: RefCell<Vec<InternalCommand>>,
-    data_namespace: RefCell<HashMap<String, DataNamespaceId>>,
-}
-
-enum TypeNamespaceId {
-    Types(usize),
-    Traits(usize),
-}
-
-enum DataNamespaceId {
-    Commands(usize),
-    Globals(usize),
-}
-
-impl GlobalNamespace {
-    pub fn init() -> Self {
-        Self {
-            types: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
-            traits: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
-            type_namespace: RefCell::new(HashMap::new()),
-            commands: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
-            data_namespace: RefCell::new(HashMap::new()),
-        }
-    }
-    pub fn register_type(&self, name: &str) -> Result<Type, TypeRegistrationError> {
-        if self.type_namespace.borrow().contains_key(name) {
-            Err(TypeRegistrationError::NameAlreadyExists)
-        } else {
-            self.types.borrow_mut().push(InternalType {
-                traits: RefCell::new(HashSet::new()),
-                name: name.to_owned(),
-            });
-            let id = self.types.borrow().len() - 1;
-            let _ = self
-                .type_namespace
-                .borrow_mut()
-                .insert(name.to_owned(), TypeNamespaceId::Types(id));
-            Ok(Type {
-                id,
-                namespace: self,
-            })
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn register_trait(&self, name: &str) -> Result<Trait, TypeRegistrationError> {
-        if self.type_namespace.borrow().contains_key(name) {
-            Err(TypeRegistrationError::NameAlreadyExists)
-        } else {
-            self.traits.borrow_mut().push(InternalTrait {
-                types: RefCell::new(HashSet::new()),
-                name: name.to_owned(),
-            });
-            let id = self.traits.borrow().len() - 1;
-            let _ = self
-                .type_namespace
-                .borrow_mut()
-                .insert(name.to_owned(), TypeNamespaceId::Traits(id));
-            Ok(Trait {
-                id,
-                namespace: &*self,
-            })
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn register_command(
-        &self,
-        name: &str,
-        input: Option<TypeDef>,
-        output: Option<TypeDef>,
-    ) -> Result<Command, TypeRegistrationError> {
-        if self.data_namespace.borrow().contains_key(name) {
-            Err(TypeRegistrationError::NameAlreadyExists)
-        } else {
-            self.commands.borrow_mut().push(InternalCommand {
-                name: name.to_owned(),
-                input: input.map(|def| def.into()),
-                output: output.map(|def| def.into()),
-            });
-            let id = self.traits.borrow().len() - 1;
-            let _ = self
-                .data_namespace
-                .borrow_mut()
-                .insert(name.to_owned(), DataNamespaceId::Commands(id));
-            Ok(Command {
-                id,
-                namespace: self,
-            })
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_type(&self, id: usize) -> Option<Type> {
-        if self.types.borrow().len() > id {
-            Some(Type {
-                id,
-                namespace: self,
-            })
-        } else {
-            None
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_trait(&self, id: usize) -> Option<Trait> {
-        if self.traits.borrow().len() > id {
-            Some(Trait {
-                id,
-                namespace: self,
-            })
-        } else {
-            None
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_command(&self, id: usize) -> Option<Command> {
-        if self.commands.borrow().len() > id {
-            Some(Command {
-                id,
-                namespace: self,
-            })
-        } else {
-            None
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_type_by_name(&self, name: &str) -> Option<Type> {
-        if let Some(TypeNamespaceId::Types(id)) = self.type_namespace.borrow().get(name) {
-            Some(Type {
-                id: *id,
-                namespace: self,
-            })
-        } else {
-            None
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_trait_by_name(&self, name: &str) -> Option<Trait> {
-        if let Some(TypeNamespaceId::Traits(id)) = self.type_namespace.borrow().get(name) {
-            Some(Trait {
-                id: *id,
-                namespace: self,
-            })
-        } else {
-            None
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_command_by_name(&self, name: &str) -> Option<Command> {
-        if let Some(DataNamespaceId::Commands(id)) = self.data_namespace.borrow().get(name) {
-            Some(Command {
-                id: *id,
-                namespace: self,
-            })
-        } else {
-            None
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-pub enum TypeRegistrationError {
-    NameAlreadyExists,
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
-pub struct Type<'a> {
-    id: usize,
-    namespace: &'a GlobalNamespace,
-}
-
-impl<'a> Type<'a> {
-    pub fn add_trait(&self, to_add: &'a Trait) {
-        let internal_self = &self.namespace.types.borrow()[self.id];
-
-        internal_self.traits.borrow_mut().insert(to_add.id);
-        self.namespace.traits.borrow_mut()[to_add.id]
-            .types
-            .borrow_mut()
-            .insert(self.id);
-    }
-
-    pub fn has_trait(&self, to_check: &'a Trait) -> bool {
-        self.namespace.types.borrow()[self.id]
-            .traits
-            .borrow()
-            .contains(&to_check.id)
-    }
-}
-
-struct InternalType {
-    traits: RefCell<HashSet<usize>>,
-    name: String,
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
-pub struct Trait<'a> {
-    id: usize,
-    namespace: &'a GlobalNamespace,
-}
-
-struct InternalTrait {
-    // make resolution easier
-    types: RefCell<HashSet<usize>>,
-    name: String,
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
-pub struct Command<'a> {
-    id: usize,
-    namespace: &'a GlobalNamespace,
-}
-
-impl<'a> Command<'a> {
-    pub fn get_input_types(&self) -> Option<TypeDef<'a>> {
-        self.namespace.commands.borrow()[self.id]
-            .input
-            .as_ref()
-            .map(|def| TypeDef::from_internal(self.namespace, def))
-    }
-    pub fn get_output_types(&self) -> Option<TypeDef> {
-        self.namespace.commands.borrow()[self.id]
-            .output
-            .as_ref()
-            .map(|def| TypeDef::from_internal(self.namespace, def))
-    }
-}
-
-struct InternalCommand {
-    name: String,
-    // gosh this is hacky
-    input: Option<InternalTypeDef>,
-    output: Option<InternalTypeDef>,
-}
-
-/// the thing used for type annotations etc
-/// stores type ids
-pub enum TypeDef<'a> {
-    /// T
-    Type(Type<'a>),
-    Trait(Trait<'a>),
-    /// [ T ]
-    List(Vec<TypeDef<'a>>),
-    /// { name: T } or in group declarations [ name: T ]
-    Record(Vec<(String, TypeDef<'a>)>),
-}
-
-impl<'a> TypeDef<'a> {
-    fn from_internal(ns: &'a GlobalNamespace, def: &InternalTypeDef) -> TypeDef<'a> {
-        match def {
-            InternalTypeDef::Single(id) => match id {
-                // safe to unwrap because this is only used with internal representations
-                TypeNamespaceId::Types(id) => TypeDef::Type(ns.get_type(*id).unwrap()),
-                TypeNamespaceId::Traits(id) => TypeDef::Trait(ns.get_trait(*id).unwrap()),
-            },
-            InternalTypeDef::List(list) => TypeDef::List(
-                list.into_iter()
-                    .map(|def| Self::from_internal(ns, def))
-                    .collect(),
-            ),
-            InternalTypeDef::Record(rec) => TypeDef::Record(
-                rec.into_iter()
-                    .map(|(name, def)| (name.clone(), Self::from_internal(ns, def)))
-                    .collect(),
-            ),
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-enum InternalTypeDef {
-    Single(TypeNamespaceId),
-    List(Vec<InternalTypeDef>),
-    Record(Vec<(String, InternalTypeDef)>),
-}
-
-impl From<TypeDef<'_>> for InternalTypeDef {
-    fn from(value: TypeDef) -> Self {
-        match value {
-            TypeDef::Type(val) => Self::Single(TypeNamespaceId::Types(val.id)),
-            TypeDef::Trait(val) => Self::Single(TypeNamespaceId::Traits(val.id)),
-            TypeDef::List(list) => Self::List(list.into_iter().map(|def| def.into()).collect()),
-            TypeDef::Record(rec) => Self::Record(
-                rec.into_iter()
-                    .map(|(name, typ)| (name, typ.into()))
-                    .collect(),
-            ),
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index cd023da..59fa176 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 mod builtins;
 mod lexer;
+mod namespace;
 mod syntax;
 
 fn main() {}
diff --git a/src/namespace/command.rs b/src/namespace/command.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d835fd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/namespace/command.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+use super::typedef::{InternalTypeDef, TypeDef};
+
+use super::GlobalNamespace;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct Command<'a> {
+    pub(super) id: usize,
+    pub(super) namespace: &'a GlobalNamespace,
+}
+
+impl<'a> Command<'a> {
+    pub fn get_input_types(&self) -> Option<TypeDef<'a>> {
+        self.namespace.commands.borrow()[self.id]
+            .input
+            .as_ref()
+            .map(|def| TypeDef::from_internal(self.namespace, def))
+    }
+    pub fn get_output_types(&self) -> Option<TypeDef> {
+        self.namespace.commands.borrow()[self.id]
+            .output
+            .as_ref()
+            .map(|def| TypeDef::from_internal(self.namespace, def))
+    }
+}
+
+pub(super) struct InternalCommand {
+    pub(super) name: String,
+    // gosh this is hacky
+    pub(super) input: Option<InternalTypeDef>,
+    pub(super) output: Option<InternalTypeDef>,
+}
diff --git a/src/namespace/mod.rs b/src/namespace/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3edce2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/namespace/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+use std::{
+    cell::RefCell,
+    collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
+};
+
+use self::{
+    command::{Command, InternalCommand},
+    r#trait::{InternalTrait, Trait},
+    r#type::InternalType,
+    typedef::TypeDef,
+};
+
+mod command;
+mod r#trait;
+mod r#type;
+pub mod typedef;
+
+pub struct GlobalNamespace {
+    types: RefCell<Vec<InternalType>>,
+    traits: RefCell<Vec<InternalTrait>>,
+    type_namespace: RefCell<HashMap<String, TypeNamespaceId>>,
+    commands: RefCell<Vec<InternalCommand>>,
+    data_namespace: RefCell<HashMap<String, DataNamespaceId>>,
+}
+
+enum TypeNamespaceId {
+    Types(usize),
+    Traits(usize),
+}
+
+enum DataNamespaceId {
+    Commands(usize),
+    Globals(usize),
+}
+
+impl GlobalNamespace {
+    pub fn init() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            types: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
+            traits: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
+            type_namespace: RefCell::new(HashMap::new()),
+            commands: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
+            data_namespace: RefCell::new(HashMap::new()),
+        }
+    }
+    pub fn register_type(&self, name: &str) -> Result<r#type::Type, NsRegistrationError> {
+        if self.type_namespace.borrow().contains_key(name) {
+            Err(NsRegistrationError::NameAlreadyExists)
+        } else {
+            self.types.borrow_mut().push(InternalType {
+                traits: RefCell::new(HashSet::new()),
+                name: name.to_owned(),
+            });
+            let id = self.types.borrow().len() - 1;
+            let _ = self
+                .type_namespace
+                .borrow_mut()
+                .insert(name.to_owned(), TypeNamespaceId::Types(id));
+            Ok(r#type::Type {
+                id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn register_trait(&self, name: &str) -> Result<Trait, NsRegistrationError> {
+        if self.type_namespace.borrow().contains_key(name) {
+            Err(NsRegistrationError::NameAlreadyExists)
+        } else {
+            self.traits.borrow_mut().push(InternalTrait {
+                types: RefCell::new(HashSet::new()),
+                name: name.to_owned(),
+            });
+            let id = self.traits.borrow().len() - 1;
+            let _ = self
+                .type_namespace
+                .borrow_mut()
+                .insert(name.to_owned(), TypeNamespaceId::Traits(id));
+            Ok(Trait {
+                id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn register_command(
+        &self,
+        name: &str,
+        input: Option<TypeDef>,
+        output: Option<TypeDef>,
+    ) -> Result<Command, NsRegistrationError> {
+        if self.data_namespace.borrow().contains_key(name) {
+            Err(NsRegistrationError::NameAlreadyExists)
+        } else {
+            self.commands.borrow_mut().push(InternalCommand {
+                name: name.to_owned(),
+                input: input.map(|def| def.into()),
+                output: output.map(|def| def.into()),
+            });
+            let id = self.traits.borrow().len() - 1;
+            let _ = self
+                .data_namespace
+                .borrow_mut()
+                .insert(name.to_owned(), DataNamespaceId::Commands(id));
+            Ok(Command {
+                id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_type(&self, id: usize) -> Option<r#type::Type> {
+        if self.types.borrow().len() > id {
+            Some(r#type::Type {
+                id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_trait(&self, id: usize) -> Option<Trait> {
+        if self.traits.borrow().len() > id {
+            Some(Trait {
+                id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_command(&self, id: usize) -> Option<Command> {
+        if self.commands.borrow().len() > id {
+            Some(Command {
+                id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_type_by_name(&self, name: &str) -> Option<r#type::Type> {
+        if let Some(TypeNamespaceId::Types(id)) = self.type_namespace.borrow().get(name) {
+            Some(r#type::Type {
+                id: *id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_trait_by_name(&self, name: &str) -> Option<Trait> {
+        if let Some(TypeNamespaceId::Traits(id)) = self.type_namespace.borrow().get(name) {
+            Some(Trait {
+                id: *id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_command_by_name(&self, name: &str) -> Option<Command> {
+        if let Some(DataNamespaceId::Commands(id)) = self.data_namespace.borrow().get(name) {
+            Some(Command {
+                id: *id,
+                namespace: self,
+            })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum NsRegistrationError {
+    NameAlreadyExists,
+}
diff --git a/src/namespace/trait.rs b/src/namespace/trait.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47b8921
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/namespace/trait.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+use std::collections::HashSet;
+
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+
+use super::GlobalNamespace;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct Trait<'a> {
+    pub(super) id: usize,
+    pub(super) namespace: &'a GlobalNamespace,
+}
+
+pub(super) struct InternalTrait {
+    // make resolution easier
+    pub(super) types: RefCell<HashSet<usize>>,
+    pub(super) name: String,
+}
diff --git a/src/namespace/type.rs b/src/namespace/type.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52df2de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/namespace/type.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+use std::collections::HashSet;
+
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+
+use super::Trait;
+
+use super::GlobalNamespace;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct Type<'a> {
+    pub(super) id: usize,
+    pub(super) namespace: &'a GlobalNamespace,
+}
+
+impl<'a> Type<'a> {
+    pub fn add_trait(&self, to_add: &'a Trait) {
+        let internal_self = &self.namespace.types.borrow()[self.id];
+
+        internal_self.traits.borrow_mut().insert(to_add.id);
+        self.namespace.traits.borrow_mut()[to_add.id]
+            .types
+            .borrow_mut()
+            .insert(self.id);
+    }
+
+    pub fn has_trait(&self, to_check: &'a Trait) -> bool {
+        self.namespace.types.borrow()[self.id]
+            .traits
+            .borrow()
+            .contains(&to_check.id)
+    }
+}
+
+pub(super) struct InternalType {
+    pub(super) traits: RefCell<HashSet<usize>>,
+    pub(super) name: String,
+}
diff --git a/src/namespace/typedef.rs b/src/namespace/typedef.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81c9332
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/namespace/typedef.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+use super::TypeNamespaceId;
+
+use super::GlobalNamespace;
+
+use super::r#trait::Trait;
+use super::r#type::Type;
+
+pub enum TypeDef<'a> {
+    Type(Type<'a>),
+    Trait(Trait<'a>),
+    List(Vec<TypeDef<'a>>),
+    Record(Vec<(String, TypeDef<'a>)>),
+}
+
+impl<'a> TypeDef<'a> {
+    pub(super) fn from_internal(ns: &'a GlobalNamespace, def: &InternalTypeDef) -> TypeDef<'a> {
+        match def {
+            InternalTypeDef::Single(id) => match id {
+                // safe to unwrap because this is only used with internal representations
+                TypeNamespaceId::Types(id) => TypeDef::Type(ns.get_type(*id).unwrap()),
+                TypeNamespaceId::Traits(id) => TypeDef::Trait(ns.get_trait(*id).unwrap()),
+            },
+            InternalTypeDef::List(list) => TypeDef::List(
+                list.into_iter()
+                    .map(|def| Self::from_internal(ns, def))
+                    .collect(),
+            ),
+            InternalTypeDef::Record(rec) => TypeDef::Record(
+                rec.into_iter()
+                    .map(|(name, def)| (name.clone(), Self::from_internal(ns, def)))
+                    .collect(),
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub(super) enum InternalTypeDef {
+    Single(TypeNamespaceId),
+    List(Vec<InternalTypeDef>),
+    Record(Vec<(String, InternalTypeDef)>),
+}
+
+impl From<TypeDef<'_>> for InternalTypeDef {
+    fn from(value: TypeDef) -> Self {
+        match value {
+            TypeDef::Type(val) => Self::Single(TypeNamespaceId::Types(val.id)),
+            TypeDef::Trait(val) => Self::Single(TypeNamespaceId::Traits(val.id)),
+            TypeDef::List(list) => Self::List(list.into_iter().map(|def| def.into()).collect()),
+            TypeDef::Record(rec) => Self::Record(
+                rec.into_iter()
+                    .map(|(name, typ)| (name, typ.into()))
+                    .collect(),
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/syntax/mod.rs b/src/syntax/mod.rs
index 1d188bd..8a22b69 100644
--- a/src/syntax/mod.rs
+++ b/src/syntax/mod.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ use logos::Span;
 
 use crate::lexer::Token;
 
-use self::error::SyntaxError;
-
 pub mod check;
 mod error;