diff --git a/.github/workflows/cmake.yml b/.github/workflows/cmake.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56b0d1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/cmake.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Build the library without tests
+name: Build
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ "master" ]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ "master" ]
+
+env:
+  # Customize the CMake build type here (Release, Debug, RelWithDebInfo, etc.)
+  BUILD_TYPE: Release
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+    - name: Configure CMake
+      run: |
+        cmake -B ${{github.workspace}}/build \
+          -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} -DNF9_BUILD_TESTS=OFF
+
+    - name: Build
+      # Build your program with the given configuration
+      run: |
+        cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/build \
+          --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests-own.yml b/.github/workflows/tests-own.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f14194
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests-own.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Build tests using external libraries referencd by the project
+name: TestsOwnLibs
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ "master" ]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ "master" ]
+
+env:
+  # Customize the CMake build type here (Release, Debug, RelWithDebInfo, etc.)
+  BUILD_TYPE: Debug
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    
+    - name: Install libpcap
+      run: sudo apt-get install -y libpcap-dev
+    
+    - name: Initialize submodules
+      run: git submodule init && git submodule update
+
+    - name: Build libtins library
+      run: |
+        cd ${{github.workspace}}/external/libtins && mkdir build && \
+          cd build && cmake ..  -DLIBTINS_ENABLE_CXX11=1 && cmake --build .
+
+    - name: Configure CMake
+      run: |
+        cmake -B ${{github.workspace}}/build \
+          -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} -DNF9_BUILD_TESTS=ON \
+          -DNF9_USE_OWN_LIBTINS=ON -DNF9_USE_OWN_GTEST=ON
+
+    - name: Build Tests
+      run: |
+        cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/build \
+          --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
+
+    - name: Test
+      working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}/build
+      run: ./test/netflowtests
+      # ctest -C ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e562d25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Build tests using the libraries installed in system
+name: TestsSysLibs
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ "master" ]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ "master" ]
+
+env:
+  # Customize the CMake build type here (Release, Debug, RelWithDebInfo, etc.)
+  BUILD_TYPE: Debug
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    
+    - name: Install libpcap
+      run: sudo apt-get install -y libpcap-dev
+    
+    - name: Install googletest
+      run: sudo apt-get install -y libgtest-dev
+
+    - name: Install libtins
+      run: sudo apt-get install -y libtins-dev
+
+    - name: Configure CMake
+      run: |
+        cmake -B ${{github.workspace}}/build \
+          -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} -DNF9_BUILD_TESTS=ON
+
+    - name: Build Tests
+      # Build your program with the given configuration
+      run: |
+        cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/build \
+          --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
+
+    - name: Test
+      working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}/build
+      run: ./test/netflowtests
+      # ctest -C ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3131f45..09ac593 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 /clang_build/
 __pycache__
 ENV
+.vscode/
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d35da07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "external/libtins"]
+	path = external/libtins
+	url = https://github.com/mfontanini/libtins.git
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 856a50d..49d1494 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ option(NF9_FUZZ "Enable fuzzing with LLVM fuzzer" OFF)
 option(NF9_BUILD_BENCHMARK
   "If set, build benchmarks (requires google benchmark library)" OFF)
 option(NF9_BUILD_EXAMPLES "If set, build examples" OFF)
+option(NF9_USE_OWN_LIBTINS "If set, use the libtins in the submodule" OFF)
+option(NF9_USE_OWN_GTEST "If set, use googtest library from github" OFF)
 
 include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
 include(CheckIncludeFileCXX)
@@ -29,7 +31,15 @@ else ()
   add_library(netflow9 STATIC ${CXX_SRC})
 endif ()
 
-target_include_directories(netflow9 SYSTEM PUBLIC include)
+if (NOT NF9_USE_OWN_LIBTINS)
+  target_include_directories(netflow9 SYSTEM PUBLIC include)
+else ()
+  get_property(SRC_DIR DIRECTORY PROPERTY SOURCE_DIR)
+  target_include_directories(netflow9 SYSTEM PUBLIC include
+    ${SRC_DIR}/external/libtins/include/
+  )
+endif()
+
 target_compile_features(netflow9 PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
 
 if (MSVC)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b83f178..af252bc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,18 @@ information about the traffic.
 
 libnetflow9 is written in C++17, and has a compatible C API.
 
-# Building #
+## Badges ##
+
+### Building ###
+
+![build workflow](https://github.com/exatel/libnetflow9/actions/workflows/cmake.yml/badge.svg)
+
+### Testing ###
+
+![test workflow sys](https://github.com/exatel/libnetflow9/actions/workflows/tests.yml/badge.svg)
+
+![test workflow own](https://github.com/exatel/libnetflow9/actions/workflows/tests-own.yml/badge.svg)
+
 
 ## Dependencies ##
 
@@ -33,6 +44,24 @@ cmake ..
 make -j4
 ```
 
+## Building on MacOS M1
+
+```
+mkdir build
+cd build
+cmake .. -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=/opt/homebrew/bin/gcc-12 -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=/opt/homebrew/bin/g++-12
+cmake --build .
+```
+
+Otherwise it defaults to Clang toolset, which as of version:  
+
+`Apple clang version 14.0.0 (clang-1400.0.29.202)`
+
+is incapable of compiling the library. More details in the build log
+
+https://github.com/doodeck/libnetflow9/actions/runs/4681045806/jobs/8293144058
+
+
 ## Building and running tests ##
 
 ```console
diff --git a/external/README.md b/external/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7241131
--- /dev/null
+++ b/external/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# external libraries sources directory
+
+The external libraries are not used by default, instead it's expected they
+are installed system-wide. System libraries have advantages, e.g. you can
+rely on them in an airgapped environment. On the other hand, they are missing
+from some distributions.
+
+In order to activate the external libraries set to ON the correspoding cmake
+option[-s]:
+
+* `NF9_USE_OWN_LIBTINS`
+* `NF9_USE_OWN_GTEST`
+
+## libtins
+https://github.com/mfontanini/libtins.git
+
+Incorporated as a submodule as described here:
+
+https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Tools-Submodules
+
+## googtest
+pulled directly from github release as recommended here:
+
+https://github.com/google/googletest/blob/main/googletest/README.md
+
+Overthere see the description below the last bullet point "Use CMake
+to download GoogleTest as part of the build's configure step. This approach
+doesn't have the limitations of the other methods."
diff --git a/external/libtins b/external/libtins
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..fa87e1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/external/libtins
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit fa87e1b6f697deafa90288760b7eb89549a00a22
diff --git a/src/types.h b/src/types.h
index f1b331d..8ec0d89 100644
--- a/src/types.h
+++ b/src/types.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <netinet/in.h>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <mutex>
+#include <memory> // unique_ptr
 
 #include "config.h"
 
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 6a03433..dd73156 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,35 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.7)
 
 enable_testing()
-find_package(GTest REQUIRED)
+if (NOT NF9_USE_OWN_GTEST)
+    find_package(GTest REQUIRED)
+    list (APPEND GTEST_LIBRARIES
+        GTest::GTest
+        GTest::Main
+    )
+else()
+    include(FetchContent)
+    FetchContent_Declare(
+        googletest
+        # Specify the commit you depend on and update it regularly.
+        URL https://github.com/google/googletest/archive/refs/tags/v1.13.0.zip
+    )
+    # For Windows: Prevent overriding the parent project's
+    # compiler/linker settings
+    set(gtest_force_shared_crt ON CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
+    FetchContent_MakeAvailable(googletest)
+    list (APPEND GTEST_LIBRARIES
+        gtest_main
+    )
+endif()
 
-find_library(LIBTINS_LIBRARIES tins)
+if (NOT NF9_USE_OWN_LIBTINS)
+    find_library(LIBTINS_LIBRARIES tins)
+else()
+    get_property(SRC_DIR DIRECTORY PROPERTY SOURCE_DIR)
+    find_library(LIBTINS_LIBRARIES tins 
+      ${SRC_DIR}/../external/libtins/build/lib/)
+endif()
 
 file(GLOB src *.cpp)
 add_executable(netflowtests ${src})
@@ -17,8 +43,7 @@ target_include_directories(netflowtests PRIVATE
   )
 target_link_libraries(netflowtests
   netflow9
-  GTest::GTest
-  GTest::Main
+  "${GTEST_LIBRARIES}"
   "${LIBTINS_LIBRARIES}"
   )
 
diff --git a/test/memory-stress-test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/memory-stress-test/CMakeLists.txt
index b2091e1..571e073 100644
--- a/test/memory-stress-test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/memory-stress-test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,10 +4,18 @@ add_executable(netflow-memory-stress test.cpp)
 add_test(netflow-memory-stress netflow-memory-stress)
 
 target_compile_features(netflow-memory-stress PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
+
+if (NF9_USE_OWN_GTEST)
+  list (APPEND GTEST_INCLUDES
+    "${googletest_SOURCE_DIR}/googletest/include"
+  )
+endif ()
+
 target_include_directories(netflow-memory-stress PRIVATE
   "../../src"
   "../"
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.."
+  "${GTEST_INCLUDES}"
   )
 target_link_libraries(netflow-memory-stress
   netflow9