diff --git a/src/compiler.c b/src/compiler.c
index 8610b8c..a5132f4 100644
--- a/src/compiler.c
+++ b/src/compiler.c
@@ -5,71 +5,51 @@
 
 Code *demo_add_compile() {
   Code *code = (Code *)malloc(sizeof(Code));
-  Word memory[MEMORY_SIZE] = {0}; /* Memory array */
+  Value memory[MEMORY_SIZE] = {0}; /* Memory array */
   code->memory = memory;
   code->size = MEMORY_SIZE;
+  code->current.pc = 1;
 
-  int i = 1;
+  uint32_t i = 1;
   memory[0].c[0] = 0;
   memory[0].c[1] = 'z';
   memory[0].c[2] = 'r';
   memory[0].c[3] = 'e';
-  memory[i++].u = OP_ADD_REAL;
-  memory[i++].u = 102;
-  memory[i++].u = 103;
-  memory[i++].u = 103;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_SUB_UINT;
-  memory[i++].u = 100;
-  memory[i++].u = 101;
-  memory[i++].u = 100;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_JGT_UINT;
-  memory[i++].u = 100;
-  memory[i++].u = 99;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_REAL_TO_STRING;
-  memory[i++].u = 103;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_LOADU, 0, 0, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = 0;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_LOADU, 1, 0, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = 5;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_LOADU, 2, 0, 0);
   memory[i++].u = 1;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_LOADF, 3, 0, 0);
+  memory[i++].f = 5.0f;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_LOADF, 4, 0, 0);
+  memory[i++].f = 5.0f;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_LOADU, 5, 0, 0);
   memory[i++].u = 200;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_PRINT_STRING;
-  memory[i++].u = 201;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_REAL_TO_UINT;
-  memory[i++].u = 103;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = 103;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_UINT_TO_STRING;
-  memory[i++].u = 103;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = 104;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_PRINT_STRING;
-  memory[i++].u = 105;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_READ_STRING;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = 109;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_PRINT_STRING;
-  memory[i++].u = 110;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = 1;
-  memory[i++].u = OP_HALT;
-  memory[i++].u = 0;
-  memory[i++].u = 0;
-  memory[i++].u = 0;
-  memory[99].u = 0;
-  memory[100].u = 5;
-  memory[101].u = 1;
-  memory[102].f = 5.0f;
-  memory[103].f = 5.0f;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_LOADU, 6, 0, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = 250;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_LOADU, 7, 0, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = 252;
+  uint32_t jmp = i;
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_ADD_REAL, 4, 4, 3);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_SUB_UINT, 1, 1, 2);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_JGT_UINT, jmp, 1, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_REAL_TO_STRING, 5, 4, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_PRINT_STRING, 0, 5, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_REAL_TO_UINT, 1, 4, 4);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_UINT_TO_STRING, 6, 1, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_PRINT_STRING, 0, 6, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_READ_STRING, 7, 0, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_PRINT_STRING, 0, 7, 0);
+  memory[i++].u = OP(OP_HALT, 0, 0, 0);
 
   return code;
 }
 
 Code *compile(char *buffer) {
   Code *code = (Code *)malloc(sizeof(Code));
-  Word memory[MEMORY_SIZE] = {0}; /* Memory array */
+  Value memory[MEMORY_SIZE] = {0}; /* Memory array */
   code->memory = memory;
   code->size = MEMORY_SIZE;
 
diff --git a/src/compiler.h b/src/compiler.h
index 68e36a4..967c2fb 100644
--- a/src/compiler.h
+++ b/src/compiler.h
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
 
 typedef struct Code Code;
 struct Code {
-  Word *memory; 
+  Value *memory; 
+  VMFrame current;
   uint32_t size;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/debug.c b/src/debug.c
index 0c6010c..43d3008 100644
--- a/src/debug.c
+++ b/src/debug.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include "debug.h"
 
-int core_dump(Word *memory, uint32_t memory_size) {
+int core_dump(Value *memory, uint32_t memory_size) {
   FILE *file = fopen("memory_dump.bin", "wb");
   if (!file) {
     perror("Failed to open file");
diff --git a/src/debug.h b/src/debug.h
index d33a20c..aa4290e 100644
--- a/src/debug.h
+++ b/src/debug.h
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 
 #include "vm.h"
 
-int core_dump(Word *memory, uint32_t memory_size);
+int core_dump(Value *memory, uint32_t memory_size);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/hashmap.h b/src/hashmap.h
index 66248ac..543b338 100644
--- a/src/hashmap.h
+++ b/src/hashmap.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ unsigned int hash_##StructType(char *s) { \
   return hashval % HASHSIZE; \
 } \
 \
-StructType *lookup_##StructType(StructType **map, char *s) { \
+StructType *get_##StructType(StructType **map, char *s) { \
   StructType *np; \
   for (np = map[hash_##StructType(s)]; np != NULL; np = np->next) \
     if (strcmp(s, np->keyword) == 0) \
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ StructType *lookup_##StructType(StructType **map, char *s) { \
 StructType *put_##StructType(StructType **map, char *keyword, TokenType token) { \
   StructType *np; \
   unsigned int hashval; \
-  if ((np = lookup_##StructType(map, keyword)) == NULL) { \
+  if ((np = get_##StructType(map, keyword)) == NULL) { \
     np = (StructType *)malloc(sizeof(*np)); \
     if (np == NULL || (np->keyword = strdup(keyword)) == NULL) \
       return NULL; \
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 97af7e5..4360675 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ uint32_t pc = 1; /* Program counter */
 Code *code;
 
 void mainloop() {
-  pc = step_vm(code->memory, code->size, pc);
+  pc = step_vm(&code->current, code->memory);
   if (pc == 0) {
 #ifdef __EMSCRIPTEN__
     emscripten_cancel_main_loop(); /* this should "kill" the app. */
diff --git a/src/opcodes.h b/src/opcodes.h
index 84962c7..e56206c 100644
--- a/src/opcodes.h
+++ b/src/opcodes.h
@@ -6,12 +6,25 @@
 typedef union {
   int32_t i;  /* Integers */
   float f;    /* Float */
-  uint32_t u; /* Unsigned integers */
+  uint32_t u; /* Unsigned integers, also used for pointer address */
   char c[4];  /* 4 Byte char array for string packing */
-} Word;
+} Value;
+
+#define MAX_REGS 255
+
+typedef struct {
+  Value registers[MAX_REGS]; /* R0-R255 */
+  uint32_t pc;               /* Program counter */
+} VMFrame;
 
 typedef enum {
   OP_HALT,           /* terminate execution */
+  OP_LOADI,          /* loads an int from memory */
+  OP_LOADU,          /* loads a uint from memory */
+  OP_LOADF,          /* loads a float from memory */
+  OP_STOREI,         /* stores a int to memory */
+  OP_STOREU,         /* stores a uint to memory */
+  OP_STOREF,         /* stores a float to memory */
   OP_ADD_INT,        /* dest = src1 + src2  */
   OP_SUB_INT,        /* dest = src1 - src2  */
   OP_MUL_INT,        /* dest = src1 * src2  */
@@ -53,4 +66,7 @@ typedef enum {
   OP_CMP_STRING,     /* dest = (str == src2) as bool */
 } Opcode;
 
+/* defines a uint32 opcode */
+#define OP(opcode, a, b, c) ((opcode << 24) | (a << 16) | (b << 8) | c)
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/parser.c b/src/parser.c
index da1eea6..217baf5 100644
--- a/src/parser.c
+++ b/src/parser.c
@@ -50,14 +50,6 @@ void initTokenMap() {
   put_TokenMap(tokenMap, "sll", TOKEN_SHIFTLEFT);
 }
 
-TokenType get_Token(char *s) {
-  TokenMap *np;
-  for (np = tokenMap[hash_TokenMap(s)]; np != NULL; np = np->next)
-    if (strcmp(s, np->keyword) == 0)
-      return np->token;
-  return TOKEN_IDENTIFIER;
-}
-
 typedef struct Tokenizer Tokenizer;
 struct Tokenizer {
   char *start;
@@ -144,9 +136,17 @@ static char *currentTokenToS() {
   return str;
 }
 
+TokenType getToken(char *s) {
+  TokenMap *np;
+  for (np = tokenMap[hash_TokenMap(s)]; np != NULL; np = np->next)
+    if (strcmp(s, np->keyword) == 0)
+      return np->token;
+  return TOKEN_IDENTIFIER;
+}
+
 static TokenType identifierType() {
   char *check = currentTokenToS();
-  TokenType t = get_Token(check);
+  TokenType t = getToken(check);
   free(check);
   return t;
 }
diff --git a/src/vm.c b/src/vm.c
index 49713da..4bbf238 100644
--- a/src/vm.c
+++ b/src/vm.c
@@ -2,52 +2,67 @@
 
 #define COMPARE_AND_JUMP(type, accessor, op)                                   \
   do {                                                                         \
-    type value = memory[src1_addr].accessor;                                   \
-    type value2 = memory[src2_addr].accessor;                                  \
-    uint32_t jump_target = dest_addr;                                          \
-    pc = (value op value2) ? jump_target : pc;                                 \
-    return pc;                                                                 \
+    type value = frame->registers[src1].accessor;                              \
+    type value2 = frame->registers[src2].accessor;                             \
+    frame->pc = (value op value2) ? dest : frame->pc;                          \
+    return frame->pc;                                                          \
   } while (0)
 
 #define MATH_OP(accessor, op)                                                  \
   do {                                                                         \
-    memory[dest_addr].accessor =                                               \
-        memory[src1_addr].accessor op memory[src2_addr].accessor;              \
-    return pc;                                                                 \
+    frame->registers[dest].accessor =                                          \
+        frame->registers[src1].accessor op frame->registers[src2].accessor;    \
+    return frame->pc;                                                          \
   } while (0)
 
 /**
  * String copy in data memory.
  */
-void mem_strcpy(Word *memory, const char *str, uint32_t length,
-                uint32_t dest_addr) {
-  memory[dest_addr].u = length;
-  uint32_t buffer_addr = dest_addr + 1;
+void mem_strcpy(Value *memory, const char *str, uint32_t length,
+                uint32_t dest) {
+  memory[dest].u = length;
+  uint32_t buffer = dest + 1;
   uint32_t i;
   for (i = 0; i < length; i++) {
-    memory[buffer_addr + (i / 4)].c[i % 4] = str[i];
+    memory[buffer + (i / 4)].c[i % 4] = str[i];
   }
 }
 
 /**
  * Step to the next opcode in the vm.
  */
-uint32_t step_vm(Word *memory, uint32_t memory_size, uint32_t pc) {
-  Opcode opcode = memory[pc].u;
-  uint32_t src1_addr = memory[pc + 1].u;
-  uint32_t src2_addr = memory[pc + 2].u;
-  uint32_t dest_addr = memory[pc + 3].u;
-  pc += 4; /* Advance to next instruction */
+uint32_t step_vm(VMFrame *frame, Value *memory) {
+  uint32_t instruction = memory[frame->pc].u;
 
-  if (src1_addr >= memory_size || src2_addr >= memory_size ||
-      dest_addr >= memory_size) {
-    printf("Invalid memory address!\n");
-    return 0;
-  }
+  /* Extract 8-bit register indices from 32-bit instruction */
+  uint8_t opcode = (instruction >> 24) & 0xFF;
+  uint8_t dest = (instruction >> 16) & 0xFF;
+  uint8_t src1 = (instruction >> 8) & 0xFF;
+  uint8_t src2 = instruction & 0xFF;
+  /* Advance to next instruction */
+  frame->pc++;
 
   switch (opcode) {
   case OP_HALT:
     return 0;
+  case OP_LOADI:
+    frame->registers[dest].i = memory[frame->pc++].i;
+    return frame->pc;
+  case OP_LOADU:
+    frame->registers[dest].u = memory[frame->pc++].u;
+    return frame->pc;
+  case OP_LOADF:
+    frame->registers[dest].f = memory[frame->pc++].f;
+    return frame->pc;
+  case OP_STOREI:
+    memory[frame->pc++].i = frame->registers[src1].i;
+    return frame->pc;
+  case OP_STOREU:
+    memory[frame->pc++].u = frame->registers[src1].u;
+    return frame->pc;
+  case OP_STOREF:
+    memory[frame->pc++].f = frame->registers[src1].f;
+    return frame->pc;
   case OP_ADD_INT:
     MATH_OP(i, +);
   case OP_SUB_INT:
@@ -73,27 +88,23 @@ uint32_t step_vm(Word *memory, uint32_t memory_size, uint32_t pc) {
   case OP_DIV_REAL:
     MATH_OP(f, /);
   case OP_REAL_TO_INT:
-    memory[dest_addr].i = (int32_t)(memory[src1_addr].f);
-    return pc;
-
+    frame->registers[dest].i = (int32_t)(frame->registers[src1].f);
+    return frame->pc;
   case OP_INT_TO_REAL:
-    memory[dest_addr].f = (float)(memory[src1_addr].i);
-    return pc;
-
+    frame->registers[dest].f = (float)(frame->registers[src1].i);
+    return frame->pc;
   case OP_REAL_TO_UINT:
-    memory[dest_addr].u = (uint32_t)(memory[src1_addr].f);
-    return pc;
-
+    frame->registers[dest].u = (uint32_t)(frame->registers[src1].f);
+    return frame->pc;
   case OP_UINT_TO_REAL:
-    memory[dest_addr].f = (float)(memory[src1_addr].u);
-    return pc;
-
+    frame->registers[dest].f = (float)(frame->registers[src1].u);
+    return frame->pc;
   case OP_MOV:
-    memory[dest_addr] = memory[src1_addr];
-    return pc;
+    frame->registers[dest] = frame->registers[src1];
+    return frame->pc;
   case OP_JMP:
-    pc = src1_addr; /* Jump to address */
-    return pc;
+    frame->pc = frame->registers[src1].u; /* Jump to address */
+    return frame->pc;
   case OP_JEQ_UINT: {
     COMPARE_AND_JUMP(uint32_t, u, ==);
   }
@@ -140,59 +151,64 @@ uint32_t step_vm(Word *memory, uint32_t memory_size, uint32_t pc) {
     COMPARE_AND_JUMP(int32_t, u, <=);
   }
   case OP_INT_TO_STRING: {
-    int32_t a = (int32_t)memory[src1_addr].i;
+    int32_t a = (int32_t)frame->registers[src1].i;
+    uint32_t str_dest = (uint32_t)frame->registers[dest].u;
     char buffer[32];
     int len = sprintf(buffer, "%d", a);
-    mem_strcpy(memory, buffer, len, dest_addr);
-    return pc;
+    mem_strcpy(memory, buffer, len, str_dest);
+    return frame->pc;
   }
   case OP_UINT_TO_STRING: {
-    uint32_t a = (uint32_t)memory[src1_addr].u;
+    uint32_t a = (uint32_t)frame->registers[src1].u;
+    uint32_t str_dest = (uint32_t)frame->registers[dest].u;
     char buffer[32];
     int len = sprintf(buffer, "%d", a);
-    mem_strcpy(memory, buffer, len, dest_addr);
-    return pc;
+    mem_strcpy(memory, buffer, len, str_dest);
+    return frame->pc;
   }
   case OP_REAL_TO_STRING: {
-    float a = (float)memory[src1_addr].f;
+    float a = (float)frame->registers[src1].f;
+    uint32_t str_dest = (uint32_t)frame->registers[dest].u;
     char buffer[32];
     int len = sprintf(buffer, "%f", a);
-    mem_strcpy(memory, buffer, len, dest_addr);
-    return pc;
+    mem_strcpy(memory, buffer, len, str_dest);
+    return frame->pc;
   }
   case OP_READ_STRING: {
-    uint32_t buffer_addr = dest_addr + 1;
+    uint32_t str_dest = (uint32_t)frame->registers[dest].u;
+    uint32_t buffer = str_dest + 1;
     uint32_t length = 0;
     while (1) {
       int ch = getchar();
       if (ch == '\n' || ch == EOF) {
-        memory[buffer_addr + (length / 4)].c[length % 4] = '\0';
+        memory[buffer + (length / 4)].c[length % 4] = '\0';
         break;
       }
-      memory[buffer_addr + (length / 4)].c[length % 4] = ch;
+      memory[buffer + (length / 4)].c[length % 4] = ch;
       length++;
     }
-    memory[dest_addr].u = length;
-    return pc;
+    memory[str_dest].u = length;
+    return frame->pc;
   }
   case OP_PRINT_STRING: {
-    uint32_t string_addr = src1_addr;
-    uint32_t length = memory[src1_addr - 1].u;
+    uint32_t ptr = (uint32_t)frame->registers[src1].u;
+    uint32_t length = memory[ptr].u;
+    uint32_t str_src = ptr + 1;
     uint32_t i;
     for (i = 0; i < length; i++) {
-      uint8_t ch = memory[string_addr + (i / 4)].c[i % 4];
+      uint8_t ch = memory[str_src + (i / 4)].c[i % 4];
       if (ch == '\0')
         break;
       putchar(ch);
     }
     putchar('\n');
-    return pc;
+    return frame->pc;
   }
   case OP_CMP_STRING: {
-    uint32_t addr1 = src1_addr;
-    uint32_t addr2 = src2_addr;
-    uint32_t length1 = memory[src1_addr - 1].u;
-    uint32_t length2 = memory[src2_addr - 1].u;
+    uint32_t addr1 = (uint32_t)frame->registers[src1].u;
+    uint32_t addr2 = (uint32_t)frame->registers[src2].u;
+    uint32_t length1 = memory[addr1 - 1].u;
+    uint32_t length2 = memory[addr2 - 1].u;
     uint32_t equal = 1;
 
     if (length1 != length2) {
@@ -207,11 +223,11 @@ uint32_t step_vm(Word *memory, uint32_t memory_size, uint32_t pc) {
           break;
         }
         if ((char1 & 0xFF) == '\0' && (char2 & 0xFF) == '\0')
-          return pc;
+          return frame->pc;
       }
     }
-    memory[dest_addr].u = equal;
-    return pc;
+    memory[dest].u = equal;
+    return frame->pc;
   }
   }
   return 0;
diff --git a/src/vm.h b/src/vm.h
index 6ad51f8..6f39c62 100644
--- a/src/vm.h
+++ b/src/vm.h
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 
 #include "opcodes.h"
 
-uint32_t step_vm(Word *memory, uint32_t memory_size, uint32_t pc);
+uint32_t step_vm(VMFrame *frame, Value *memory);
 
 #endif