diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9933885..22ca4fd 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ build
 *.wasm
 *.app
 *.dylib
+*.a
 
 Debug/*
 
@@ -39,4 +40,4 @@ scripts/files
 /ext
 src/ext/angle
 
-sketches/*/bin
\ No newline at end of file
+sketches/*/bin
diff --git a/samples/breakout/build.bat b/samples/breakout/build.bat
index a63b8ae..74e181d 100644
--- a/samples/breakout/build.bat
+++ b/samples/breakout/build.bat
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if exist "..\..\scripts\sample_build_check.py" (
 set ORCA_DIR=..\..
 set STDLIB_DIR=%ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim
 
-:: compile wasm module
+:: common flags to build wasm modules
 set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        --no-standard-libraries ^
        -mbulk-memory ^
@@ -27,7 +27,13 @@ set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src ^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src\ext
 
-clang %wasmFlags% -o .\module.wasm %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %STDLIB_DIR%\src\*.c src\main.c
-if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
+:: build orca core as wasm module
+clang %wasmFlags% -Wl,--relocatable -o .\liborca.a %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim\src\*.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
 
+:: build sample as wasm module and link it with the orca module
+clang %wasmFlags% -L . -lorca -o module.wasm src/main.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
+
+:: create app directory and copy files into it
 orca bundle --orca-dir %ORCA_DIR% --name Breakout --icon icon.png --resource-dir data module.wasm
diff --git a/samples/clock/build.bat b/samples/clock/build.bat
index f9579fb..9eedbf0 100644
--- a/samples/clock/build.bat
+++ b/samples/clock/build.bat
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if exist "..\..\scripts\sample_build_check.py" (
 set ORCA_DIR=..\..
 set STDLIB_DIR=%ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim
 
-:: compile wasm module
+:: common flags to build wasm modules
 set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        --no-standard-libraries ^
        -mbulk-memory ^
@@ -27,7 +27,13 @@ set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src ^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src\ext
 
-clang %wasmFlags% -o .\module.wasm %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %STDLIB_DIR%\src\*.c src\main.c
-if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
+:: build orca core as wasm module
+clang %wasmFlags% -Wl,--relocatable -o .\liborca.a %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim\src\*.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
 
+:: build sample as wasm module and link it with the orca module
+clang %wasmFlags% -L . -lorca -o module.wasm src/main.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
+
+:: create app directory and copy files into it
 orca bundle --orca-dir %ORCA_DIR% --name Clock --icon icon.png --resource-dir data module.wasm
diff --git a/samples/fluid/build.bat b/samples/fluid/build.bat
index 338a853..1c22a58 100644
--- a/samples/fluid/build.bat
+++ b/samples/fluid/build.bat
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if exist "..\..\scripts\sample_build_check.py" (
 set ORCA_DIR=..\..
 set STDLIB_DIR=%ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim
 
-:: compile wasm module
+:: common flags to build wasm modules
 set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        --no-standard-libraries ^
        -mbulk-memory ^
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src ^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src\ext
 
+:: build orca core as wasm module
+clang %wasmFlags% -Wl,--relocatable -o .\liborca.a %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim\src\*.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
+
 set shaders=src/shaders/advect.glsl^
 	src/shaders/blit_div_fragment.glsl^
 	src/shaders/blit_div_vertex.glsl^
@@ -45,7 +49,9 @@ set shaders=src/shaders/advect.glsl^
 call python ../../scripts/embed_text_files.py --prefix=glsl_ --output src/glsl_shaders.h %shaders%
 if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
-clang %wasmFlags% -o .\module.wasm %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %STDLIB_DIR%\src\*.c src\main.c
-if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
+:: build sample as wasm module and link it with the orca module
+clang %wasmFlags% -L . -lorca -o .\module.wasm src\main.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
 
-orca bundle --orca-dir %ORCA_DIR% --name Fluid --icon icon.png module.wasm
\ No newline at end of file
+:: create app directory and copy files into it
+orca bundle --orca-dir %ORCA_DIR% --name Fluid --icon icon.png module.wasm
diff --git a/samples/triangle/build.bat b/samples/triangle/build.bat
index 910e4c5..d5c07a9 100644
--- a/samples/triangle/build.bat
+++ b/samples/triangle/build.bat
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if exist "..\..\scripts\sample_build_check.py" (
 set ORCA_DIR=..\..
 set STDLIB_DIR=%ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim
 
-:: compile wasm module
+:: common flags to build wasm modules
 set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        --no-standard-libraries ^
        -mbulk-memory ^
@@ -27,7 +27,13 @@ set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src ^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src\ext
 
-clang %wasmFlags% -o .\module.wasm %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %STDLIB_DIR%\src\*.c src\main.c
-if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
+:: build orca core as wasm module
+clang %wasmFlags% -Wl,--relocatable -o .\liborca.a %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim\src\*.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
 
-orca bundle --orca-dir %ORCA_DIR% --name Triangle module.wasm
+:: build sample as wasm module and link it with the orca module
+clang %wasmFlags% -L . -lorca -o module.wasm src/main.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
+
+:: create app directory and copy files into it
+orca bundle --orca-dir %ORCA_DIR% --name Triangle --icon icon.png module.wasm
diff --git a/samples/ui/build.bat b/samples/ui/build.bat
index 4a7b1eb..cf64748 100644
--- a/samples/ui/build.bat
+++ b/samples/ui/build.bat
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if exist "..\..\scripts\sample_build_check.py" (
 set ORCA_DIR=..\..
 set STDLIB_DIR=%ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim
 
-:: compile wasm module
+:: common flags to build wasm modules
 set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        --no-standard-libraries ^
        -mbulk-memory ^
@@ -27,7 +27,13 @@ set wasmFlags=--target=wasm32^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src ^
        -I%ORCA_DIR%\src\ext
 
-clang %wasmFlags% -o .\module.wasm %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %STDLIB_DIR%\src\*.c src\main.c
-if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
+:: build orca core as wasm module
+clang %wasmFlags% -Wl,--relocatable -o .\liborca.a %ORCA_DIR%\src\orca.c %ORCA_DIR%\src\libc-shim\src\*.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
 
+:: build sample as wasm module and link it with the orca module
+clang %wasmFlags% -L . -lorca -o .\module.wasm src\main.c
+IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 EXIT /B %ERRORLEVEL%
+
+:: create app directory and copy files into it
 orca bundle --orca-dir %ORCA_DIR% --name UI --resource-dir data module.wasm