diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index dbe631d..6431729 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,161 +1,62 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.8)
 project(sas_core)
 
+option(ROS2_BUILD "Enable ROS2/ament build (examples + ament integration)" ON)
+
 if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
     add_compile_options(-Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic)
 endif()
 
-#################################
-# pybind11 import block [BEGIN] #
-# vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv #
-set(PYBIND11_FINDPYTHON ON) # Fix CMP0148 Warning. https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/issues/4785
-add_subdirectory(pybind11)
-# ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ #
-# pybind11 import block [END] #
-###############################
-
-# find dependencies
-find_package(ament_cmake REQUIRED)
-find_package(Eigen3 REQUIRED)
-
-##### CPP LIBRARY #####
-
-add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} SHARED
-    src/sas_clock.cpp
-    src/sas_core.cpp
-    src/sas_object.cpp
-    src/sas_shutdown_signaler.cpp
-    # sas_robot_driver
-    src/sas_robot_driver.cpp
-    src/examples/sas_robot_driver_example.cpp
-    src/eigen3_std_conversions.cpp
-    )
-
-ament_target_dependencies(${PROJECT_NAME} Eigen3)
-
-target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME}
-    PUBLIC
-    $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include>
-    $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>)
-
-ament_export_targets(export_${PROJECT_NAME} HAS_LIBRARY_TARGET)
-ament_export_dependencies(Eigen3)
-
-target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}
-    -ldqrobotics
-    Eigen3::Eigen
-    )
-
-install(
-    DIRECTORY include/
-    DESTINATION include
-    )
-
-install(
-    TARGETS ${PROJECT_NAME}
-    EXPORT export_${PROJECT_NAME}
-    LIBRARY DESTINATION lib
-    #ARCHIVE DESTINATION lib
-    RUNTIME DESTINATION bin
-    INCLUDES DESTINATION include
-    )
-
-##END## CPP LIBRARY #####
-
-##### CPP BINARY #####
-
-add_executable(sas_core_example
-    src/examples/sas_core_example.cpp)
-
-target_link_libraries(sas_core_example
-    -ldqrobotics
-    ${PROJECT_NAME}
-    )
-
-install(TARGETS
-    sas_core_example
-    DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME})
+# ---- Core libraries (always built) ----
+include(cmake/cpplib.cmake)
 
-##END## CPP BINARY #####
-
-##### CPP BINARY #####
-
-add_executable(sas_clock_example
-    src/examples/sas_clock_example.cpp)
-
-target_link_libraries(sas_clock_example
-    ${PROJECT_NAME}
-    )
-
-install(TARGETS
-    sas_clock_example
-    DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME})
-
-##END## CPP BINARY #####
-
-##### CPP BINARY #####
-
-add_executable(sas_clock_sched_fifo_example
-    src/examples/sas_clock_sched_fifo_example.cpp)
-
-target_link_libraries(sas_clock_sched_fifo_example
-    ${PROJECT_NAME}
-    )
+if(ROS2_BUILD)
+    find_package(ament_cmake REQUIRED)
+    ament_python_install_package(${PROJECT_NAME})
+    set(_SAS_PYTHON_INSTALL_DIR "${PYTHON_INSTALL_DIR}/${PROJECT_NAME}")
+endif()
 
-install(TARGETS
-    sas_clock_sched_fifo_example
-    DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME})
+include(cmake/pythonlib.cmake)
 
-##END## CPP BINARY #####
+# ---- ROS2 / ament integration (conditional) ----
+if(ROS2_BUILD)
+    # INTERFACE alias for downstream ROS packages
+    add_library(sas_core INTERFACE)
+    target_link_libraries(sas_core INTERFACE sas_core_pure)
 
-##### CPP BINARY #####
+    ament_export_targets(export_${PROJECT_NAME} HAS_LIBRARY_TARGET)
+    ament_export_dependencies(Eigen3)
 
-add_executable(sas_robot_driver_example
-    src/examples/sas_robot_driver_example_main.cpp)
+    install(DIRECTORY include/ DESTINATION include)
 
-target_link_libraries(sas_robot_driver_example
-    ${PROJECT_NAME}
+    install(TARGETS sas_core sas_core_pure
+        EXPORT export_${PROJECT_NAME}
+        ARCHIVE DESTINATION lib
+        INCLUDES DESTINATION include
     )
 
-install(TARGETS
-    sas_robot_driver_example
-    DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME})
-
-##END## CPP BINARY #####
-
-##### PYBIND11 LIBRARY #####
+    # Example executables
+    foreach(_name IN ITEMS sas_core_example sas_clock_example
+        sas_clock_sched_fifo_example)
+        add_executable(${_name} src/examples/${_name}.cpp)
+        target_link_libraries(${_name} sas_core_pure)
+        if(_name STREQUAL "sas_core_example")
+            target_link_libraries(${_name} -ldqrobotics)
+        endif()
+        install(TARGETS ${_name} DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME})
+    endforeach()
 
-ament_python_install_package(${PROJECT_NAME})
+    add_executable(sas_robot_driver_example
+        src/examples/sas_robot_driver_example_main.cpp)
+    target_link_libraries(sas_robot_driver_example sas_core_pure)
+    install(TARGETS sas_robot_driver_example DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME})
 
-
-pybind11_add_module(_${PROJECT_NAME} SHARED
-    src/sas_core_py.cpp
-    src/sas_robot_driver_py.cpp
+    install(PROGRAMS
+        scripts/sas_clock_example_py.py
+        scripts/sas_robot_driver_subclass_example_py.py
+        scripts/sas_clock_sched_fifo_example_py.py
+        DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME}
     )
 
-target_include_directories(_${PROJECT_NAME}
-  PUBLIC
-    $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include>
-    $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>)
-
-target_compile_definitions(_${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE IS_SAS_PYTHON_BUILD)
-# https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/issues/387
-target_link_libraries(_${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ${PROJECT_NAME} -ldqrobotics)
-
-install(TARGETS _${PROJECT_NAME}
-  DESTINATION "${PYTHON_INSTALL_DIR}/${PROJECT_NAME}"
-)
-
-##END## PYBIND11 LIBRARY #####
-
-# According to https://github.com/SmartArmStack/sas_datalogger/blob/78ac681f9cb049c5b9715d215f163565f16b5cdc/CMakeLists.txt
-##### PYTHON EXECUTABLES #####
-install(PROGRAMS
-  scripts/sas_clock_example_py.py
-  scripts/sas_robot_driver_subclass_example_py.py
-  scripts/sas_clock_sched_fifo_example_py.py
-  DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME}
-)
-##END## PYTHON EXECUTABLES #####
-
-ament_package()
+    ament_package()
+endif()
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d300394..e549058 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,27 @@
 - `scripts/` — example Python scripts.
 - `src/examples/` — C++ example programs and test nodes.
 
+## Using as a non-ROS2 dependency (CMake FetchContent)
+
+To include `sas_core_pure` in a plain CMake project (no ROS2/ament required):
+
+```cmake
+include(FetchContent)
+FetchContent_Declare(
+    sas_core
+    GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/SmartArmStack/sas_core.git
+    GIT_TAG        jazzy
+)
+
+set(ROS2_BUILD OFF CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
+FetchContent_MakeAvailable(sas_core)
+
+target_link_libraries(your_target PRIVATE sas_core_pure)
+```
+
+The library depends on **Eigen3** and **dqrobotics**; make sure both are
+available on your system.
+
 ## Examples
 
 Testing on a docker container.
@@ -35,3 +56,4 @@ ros2 run sas_core sas_clock_sched_fifo_example_py.py
 The `scripts/sas_robot_driver_subclass_example_py.py` file demonstrates how to
 subclass `sas_core.RobotDriver` in Python and contains a minimal working
 example.
+
diff --git a/cmake/cpplib.cmake b/cmake/cpplib.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0497114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/cpplib.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Build the pure C++ library (no ROS2/ament dependencies)
+find_package(Eigen3 REQUIRED)
+
+add_library(sas_core_pure STATIC)
+target_sources(sas_core_pure PRIVATE
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/sas_clock.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/sas_core.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/sas_object.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/sas_shutdown_signaler.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/sas_robot_driver.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/examples/sas_robot_driver_example.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/eigen3_std_conversions.cpp
+)
+
+set_target_properties(sas_core_pure PROPERTIES
+    POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON
+)
+
+target_include_directories(sas_core_pure PUBLIC
+    $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../include>
+    $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>
+)
+
+target_link_libraries(sas_core_pure PUBLIC -ldqrobotics Eigen3::Eigen)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/pythonlib.cmake b/cmake/pythonlib.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee1f3dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/pythonlib.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Python wrapper module via pybind11
+find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Development)
+
+set(PYBIND11_FINDPYTHON ON)
+add_subdirectory(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../pybind11 ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pybind11)
+
+pybind11_add_module(_sas_core SHARED
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/sas_core_py.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../src/sas_robot_driver_py.cpp
+)
+
+target_include_directories(_sas_core PUBLIC
+    $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../include>
+    $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>
+)
+
+target_compile_definitions(_sas_core PRIVATE IS_SAS_PYTHON_BUILD)
+target_link_libraries(_sas_core PRIVATE sas_core_pure -ldqrobotics)
+
+# Install path: ament PYTHON_INSTALL_DIR if available, else site-packages
+if(DEFINED _SAS_PYTHON_INSTALL_DIR)
+  set(_SAS_PY_DEST "${_SAS_PYTHON_INSTALL_DIR}")
+else()
+  set(_SAS_PY_DEST "lib/python3/dist-packages/sas_core")
+endif()
+
+install(TARGETS _sas_core DESTINATION "${_SAS_PY_DEST}")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index bacfc61..6cd2542 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ ENV BASH_ENV="/etc/bash_env"
 RUN sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
 RUN python3 -m pip install --upgrade dqrobotics --break-system-packages
 RUN sudo sudo apt-get remove -y ros-jazzy-sas-core
-RUN mkdir -p /root/sas_core_devel/src/
\ No newline at end of file
+RUN mkdir -p /root/sas_core_devel/src/
+COPY . /root/sas_core_devel/src/sas_core
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/compose.yml b/docker/compose.yml
index e2e485a..ea4e18c 100644
--- a/docker/compose.yml
+++ b/docker/compose.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 services:
   sas_core:
-    build: .
-    volumes:
-      - ../../sas_core:/root/sas_core_devel/src/sas_core
+    build:
+      context: ..
+      dockerfile: docker/Dockerfile
     environment:
       PYTHONUNBUFFERED: 1
     command: /bin/bash -c "