diff --git a/src/cache.hpp b/src/cache.hpp
index f6a948b6..1c8c9d4c 100644
--- a/src/cache.hpp
+++ b/src/cache.hpp
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ extern template std::string BinaryCache::Get(const BinaryKeyRef &, bool *) const
 
 // The key struct for the cache of compiled OpenCL programs (context-dependent)
 // Order of fields: context, device_id, precision, routine_name (smaller fields first)
-typedef std::tuple<cl_context, cl_device_id, Precision, std::string> ProgramKey;
-typedef std::tuple<const cl_context &, const cl_device_id &, const Precision &, const std::string &> ProgramKeyRef;
+typedef std::tuple<RawContext, RawDeviceID, Precision, std::string> ProgramKey;
+typedef std::tuple<const RawContext &, const RawDeviceID &, const Precision &, const std::string &> ProgramKeyRef;
 
 typedef Cache<ProgramKey, Program> ProgramCache;
 
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ class Database;
 
 // The key struct for the cache of database maps.
 // Order of fields: platform_id, device_id, precision, kernel_name (smaller fields first)
-typedef std::tuple<cl_platform_id, cl_device_id, Precision, std::string> DatabaseKey;
-typedef std::tuple<const cl_platform_id &, const cl_device_id &, const Precision &, const std::string &> DatabaseKeyRef;
+typedef std::tuple<RawPlatformID, RawDeviceID, Precision, std::string> DatabaseKey;
+typedef std::tuple<const RawPlatformID &, const RawDeviceID &, const Precision &, const std::string &> DatabaseKeyRef;
 
 typedef Cache<DatabaseKey, Database> DatabaseCache;
 
diff --git a/src/clblast.cpp b/src/clblast.cpp
index 19d7ef0a..9f865a23 100644
--- a/src/clblast.cpp
+++ b/src/clblast.cpp
@@ -2492,7 +2492,7 @@ StatusCode OverrideParameters(const cl_device_id device, const std::string &kern
 
     // Retrieves the device name
     const auto device_cpp = Device(device);
-    const auto platform_id = device_cpp.Platform();
+    const auto platform_id = device_cpp.PlatformID();
     const auto device_name = GetDeviceName(device_cpp);
 
     // Retrieves the current database values to verify whether the new ones are complete
diff --git a/src/clpp11.hpp b/src/clpp11.hpp
index 7d348e18..97045644 100644
--- a/src/clpp11.hpp
+++ b/src/clpp11.hpp
@@ -59,34 +59,36 @@ namespace clblast {
 // =================================================================================================
 
 // Represents a runtime error returned by an OpenCL API function
-class CLError : public ErrorCode<DeviceError, cl_int> {
+class CLCudaAPIError : public ErrorCode<DeviceError, cl_int> {
  public:
-  explicit CLError(cl_int status, const std::string &where):
-      ErrorCode(status,
-                where,
-                "OpenCL error: " + where + ": " + std::to_string(static_cast<int>(status))) {
+  explicit CLCudaAPIError(cl_int status, const std::string &where):
+          ErrorCode(status, where, "OpenCL error: " + where + ": " +
+                                   std::to_string(static_cast<int>(status))) {
   }
 
   static void Check(const cl_int status, const std::string &where) {
     if (status != CL_SUCCESS) {
-      throw CLError(status, where);
+      throw CLCudaAPIError(status, where);
     }
   }
 
   static void CheckDtor(const cl_int status, const std::string &where) {
     if (status != CL_SUCCESS) {
-      fprintf(stderr, "CLBlast: %s (ignoring)\n", CLError(status, where).what());
+      fprintf(stderr, "CLBlast: %s (ignoring)\n", CLCudaAPIError(status, where).what());
     }
   }
 };
 
+// Exception returned when building a program
+using CLCudaAPIBuildError = CLCudaAPIError;
+
 // =================================================================================================
 
 // Error occurred in OpenCL
-#define CheckError(call) CLError::Check(call, CLError::TrimCallString(#call))
+#define CheckError(call) CLCudaAPIError::Check(call, CLCudaAPIError::TrimCallString(#call))
 
-// Error occured in OpenCL (no-exception version for destructors)
-#define CheckErrorDtor(call) CLError::CheckDtor(call, CLError::TrimCallString(#call))
+// Error occurred in OpenCL (no-exception version for destructors)
+#define CheckErrorDtor(call) CLCudaAPIError::CheckDtor(call, CLCudaAPIError::TrimCallString(#call))
 
 // =================================================================================================
 
@@ -142,6 +144,9 @@ using EventPointer = cl_event*;
 
 // =================================================================================================
 
+// Raw platform ID type
+using RawPlatformID = cl_platform_id;
+
 // C++11 version of 'cl_platform_id'
 class Platform {
  public:
@@ -177,7 +182,7 @@ class Platform {
   }
 
   // Accessor to the private data-member
-  const cl_platform_id& operator()() const { return platform_; }
+  const RawPlatformID& operator()() const { return platform_; }
  private:
   cl_platform_id platform_;
 
@@ -206,6 +211,9 @@ inline std::vector<Platform> GetAllPlatforms() {
 
 // =================================================================================================
 
+// Raw device ID type
+using RawDeviceID = cl_device_id;
+
 // C++11 version of 'cl_device_id'
 class Device {
  public:
@@ -230,7 +238,7 @@ class Device {
   }
 
   // Methods to retrieve device information
-  cl_platform_id Platform() const { return GetInfo<cl_platform_id>(CL_DEVICE_PLATFORM); }
+  RawPlatformID PlatformID() const { return GetInfo<cl_platform_id>(CL_DEVICE_PLATFORM); }
   std::string Version() const { return GetInfoString(CL_DEVICE_VERSION); }
   size_t VersionNumber() const
   {
@@ -262,11 +270,19 @@ class Device {
   unsigned long LocalMemSize() const {
     return static_cast<unsigned long>(GetInfo<cl_ulong>(CL_DEVICE_LOCAL_MEM_SIZE));
   }
+
   std::string Capabilities() const { return GetInfoString(CL_DEVICE_EXTENSIONS); }
   bool HasExtension(const std::string &extension) const {
     const auto extensions = Capabilities();
     return extensions.find(extension) != std::string::npos;
   }
+  bool SupportsFP64() const {
+    return HasExtension("cl_khr_fp64");
+  }
+  bool SupportsFP16() const {
+    if (Name() == "Mali-T628") { return true; } // supports fp16 but not cl_khr_fp16 officially
+    return HasExtension("cl_khr_fp16");
+  }
 
   size_t CoreClock() const {
     return static_cast<size_t>(GetInfo<cl_uint>(CL_DEVICE_MAX_CLOCK_FREQUENCY));
@@ -330,9 +346,8 @@ class Device {
            std::string{"."} + std::to_string(GetInfo<cl_uint>(CL_DEVICE_COMPUTE_CAPABILITY_MINOR_NV));
   }
 
-
   // Accessor to the private data-member
-  const cl_device_id& operator()() const { return device_; }
+  const RawDeviceID& operator()() const { return device_; }
  private:
   cl_device_id device_;
 
@@ -366,6 +381,9 @@ class Device {
 
 // =================================================================================================
 
+// Raw context type
+using RawContext = cl_context;
+
 // C++11 version of 'cl_context'
 class Context {
  public:
@@ -385,12 +403,12 @@ class Context {
     auto status = CL_SUCCESS;
     const cl_device_id dev = device();
     *context_ = clCreateContext(nullptr, 1, &dev, nullptr, nullptr, &status);
-    CLError::Check(status, "clCreateContext");
+    CLCudaAPIError::Check(status, "clCreateContext");
   }
 
   // Accessor to the private data-member
-  const cl_context& operator()() const { return *context_; }
-  cl_context* pointer() const { return &(*context_); }
+  const RawContext& operator()() const { return *context_; }
+  RawContext* pointer() const { return &(*context_); }
  private:
   std::shared_ptr<cl_context> context_;
 };
@@ -400,9 +418,6 @@ using ContextPointer = cl_context*;
 
 // =================================================================================================
 
-// Enumeration of build statuses of the run-time compilation process
-enum class BuildStatus { kSuccess, kError, kInvalid };
-
 // C++11 version of 'cl_program'.
 class Program {
  public:
@@ -415,10 +430,10 @@ class Program {
         delete p;
       }) {
     const char *source_ptr = &source[0];
-    size_t length = source.length();
+    const auto length = source.length();
     auto status = CL_SUCCESS;
     *program_ = clCreateProgramWithSource(context(), 1, &source_ptr, &length, &status);
-    CLError::Check(status, "clCreateProgramWithSource");
+    CLCudaAPIError::Check(status, "clCreateProgramWithSource");
   }
 
   // Binary-based constructor with memory management
@@ -428,18 +443,18 @@ class Program {
         delete p;
       }) {
     const char *binary_ptr = &binary[0];
-    size_t length = binary.length();
+    const auto length = binary.length();
     auto status1 = CL_SUCCESS;
     auto status2 = CL_SUCCESS;
-    const cl_device_id dev = device();
+    const auto dev = device();
     *program_ = clCreateProgramWithBinary(context(), 1, &dev, &length,
                                           reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char**>(&binary_ptr),
                                           &status1, &status2);
-    CLError::Check(status1, "clCreateProgramWithBinary (binary status)");
-    CLError::Check(status2, "clCreateProgramWithBinary");
+    CLCudaAPIError::Check(status1, "clCreateProgramWithBinary (binary status)");
+    CLCudaAPIError::Check(status2, "clCreateProgramWithBinary");
   }
 
-  // Compiles the device program and returns whether or not there where any warnings/errors
+  // Compiles the device program and checks whether or not there are any warnings/errors
   void Build(const Device &device, std::vector<std::string> &options) {
     options.push_back("-cl-std=CL1.1");
     auto options_string = std::accumulate(options.begin(), options.end(), std::string{" "});
@@ -447,6 +462,11 @@ class Program {
     CheckError(clBuildProgram(*program_, 1, &dev, options_string.c_str(), nullptr, nullptr));
   }
 
+  // Confirms whether a certain status code is an actual compilation error or warning
+  bool StatusIsCompilationWarningOrError(const cl_int status) const {
+    return (status == CL_BUILD_PROGRAM_FAILURE);
+  }
+
   // Retrieves the warning/error message from the compiler (if any)
   std::string GetBuildInfo(const Device &device) const {
     auto bytes = size_t{0};
@@ -477,6 +497,9 @@ class Program {
 
 // =================================================================================================
 
+// Raw command-queue type
+using RawCommandQueue = cl_command_queue;
+
 // C++11 version of 'cl_command_queue'
 class Queue {
  public:
@@ -495,7 +518,7 @@ class Queue {
       }) {
     auto status = CL_SUCCESS;
     *queue_ = clCreateCommandQueue(context(), device(), CL_QUEUE_PROFILING_ENABLE, &status);
-    CLError::Check(status, "clCreateCommandQueue");
+    CLCudaAPIError::Check(status, "clCreateCommandQueue");
   }
 
   // Synchronizes the queue
@@ -523,7 +546,7 @@ class Queue {
   }
 
   // Accessor to the private data-member
-  const cl_command_queue& operator()() const { return *queue_; }
+  const RawCommandQueue& operator()() const { return *queue_; }
  private:
   std::shared_ptr<cl_command_queue> queue_;
 };
@@ -587,7 +610,7 @@ class Buffer {
     if (access_ == BufferAccess::kWriteOnly) { flags = CL_MEM_WRITE_ONLY; }
     auto status = CL_SUCCESS;
     *buffer_ = clCreateBuffer(context(), flags, size*sizeof(T), nullptr, &status);
-    CLError::Check(status, "clCreateBuffer");
+    CLCudaAPIError::Check(status, "clCreateBuffer");
   }
 
   // As above, but now with read/write access as a default
@@ -719,7 +742,7 @@ class Kernel {
       }) {
     auto status = CL_SUCCESS;
     *kernel_ = clCreateKernel(program(), name.c_str(), &status);
-    CLError::Check(status, "clCreateKernel");
+    CLCudaAPIError::Check(status, "clCreateKernel");
   }
 
   // Sets a kernel argument at the indicated position
diff --git a/src/routine.cpp b/src/routine.cpp
index b25eec56..aaa85fde 100644
--- a/src/routine.cpp
+++ b/src/routine.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ Routine::Routine(Queue &queue, EventPointer event, const std::string &name,
     event_(event),
     context_(queue_.GetContext()),
     device_(queue_.GetDevice()),
-    platform_(device_.Platform()),
     db_(kernel_names) {
 
   InitDatabase(userDatabase);
@@ -68,18 +67,19 @@ Routine::Routine(Queue &queue, EventPointer event, const std::string &name,
 }
 
 void Routine::InitDatabase(const std::vector<database::DatabaseEntry> &userDatabase) {
+  const auto platform_id = device_.PlatformID();
   for (const auto &kernel_name : kernel_names_) {
 
     // Queries the cache to see whether or not the kernel parameter database is already there
     bool has_db;
-    db_(kernel_name) = DatabaseCache::Instance().Get(DatabaseKeyRef{ platform_, device_(), precision_, kernel_name },
+    db_(kernel_name) = DatabaseCache::Instance().Get(DatabaseKeyRef{ platform_id, device_(), precision_, kernel_name },
                                                      &has_db);
     if (has_db) { continue; }
 
     // Builds the parameter database for this device and routine set and stores it in the cache
     log_debug("Searching database for kernel '" + kernel_name + "'");
     db_(kernel_name) = Database(device_, kernel_name, precision_, userDatabase);
-    DatabaseCache::Instance().Store(DatabaseKey{ platform_, device_(), precision_, kernel_name },
+    DatabaseCache::Instance().Store(DatabaseKey{ platform_id, device_(), precision_, kernel_name },
                                     Database{ db_(kernel_name) });
   }
 }
@@ -123,13 +123,13 @@ void Routine::InitProgram(std::initializer_list<const char *> source) {
   // Otherwise, the kernel will be compiled and program will be built. Both the binary and the
   // program will be added to the cache.
 
-  // Inspects whether or not cl_khr_fp64 is supported in case of double precision
+  // Inspects whether or not FP64 is supported in case of double precision
   if ((precision_ == Precision::kDouble && !PrecisionSupported<double>(device_)) ||
       (precision_ == Precision::kComplexDouble && !PrecisionSupported<double2>(device_))) {
     throw RuntimeErrorCode(StatusCode::kNoDoublePrecision);
   }
 
-  // As above, but for cl_khr_fp16 (half precision)
+  // As above, but for FP16 (half precision)
   if (precision_ == Precision::kHalf && !PrecisionSupported<half>(device_)) {
     throw RuntimeErrorCode(StatusCode::kNoHalfPrecision);
   }
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ void Routine::InitProgram(std::initializer_list<const char *> source) {
   program_ = Program(context_, source_string);
   try {
     program_.Build(device_, options);
-  } catch (const CLError &e) {
-    if (e.status() == CL_BUILD_PROGRAM_FAILURE) {
+  } catch (const CLCudaAPIBuildError &e) {
+    if (program_.StatusIsCompilationWarningOrError(e.status())) {
       fprintf(stdout, "OpenCL compiler error/warning: %s\n",
               program_.GetBuildInfo(device_).c_str());
     }
diff --git a/src/routine.hpp b/src/routine.hpp
index e77e35ad..a8f1cb6a 100644
--- a/src/routine.hpp
+++ b/src/routine.hpp
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ class Routine {
   EventPointer event_;
   const Context context_;
   const Device device_;
-  const cl_platform_id platform_;
 
   // Compiled program (either retrieved from cache or compiled in slow path)
   Program program_;
diff --git a/src/utilities/clblast_exceptions.cpp b/src/utilities/clblast_exceptions.cpp
index 96f10860..32526215 100644
--- a/src/utilities/clblast_exceptions.cpp
+++ b/src/utilities/clblast_exceptions.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ StatusCode DispatchException()
   } catch (BLASError &e) {
     // no message is printed for invalid argument errors
     status = e.status();
-  } catch (CLError &e) {
+  } catch (CLCudaAPIError &e) {
     message = e.what();
     status = static_cast<StatusCode>(e.status());
   } catch (RuntimeErrorCode &e) {
diff --git a/src/utilities/utilities.cpp b/src/utilities/utilities.cpp
index 4b8d5a09..a5c1d45e 100644
--- a/src/utilities/utilities.cpp
+++ b/src/utilities/utilities.cpp
@@ -391,16 +391,9 @@ template <> Precision PrecisionValue<double2>() { return Precision::kComplexDoub
 // Returns false is this precision is not supported by the device
 template <> bool PrecisionSupported<float>(const Device &) { return true; }
 template <> bool PrecisionSupported<float2>(const Device &) { return true; }
-template <> bool PrecisionSupported<double>(const Device &device) {
-  return device.HasExtension(kKhronosDoublePrecision);
-}
-template <> bool PrecisionSupported<double2>(const Device &device) {
-  return device.HasExtension(kKhronosDoublePrecision);
-}
-template <> bool PrecisionSupported<half>(const Device &device) {
-  if (device.Name() == "Mali-T628") { return true; } // supports fp16 but not cl_khr_fp16 officially
-  return device.HasExtension(kKhronosHalfPrecision);
-}
+template <> bool PrecisionSupported<double>(const Device &device) { return device.SupportsFP64(); }
+template <> bool PrecisionSupported<double2>(const Device &device) { return device.SupportsFP64(); }
+template <> bool PrecisionSupported<half>(const Device &device) { return device.SupportsFP16(); }
 
 // =================================================================================================
 
diff --git a/src/utilities/utilities.hpp b/src/utilities/utilities.hpp
index e45c606c..b2949c27 100644
--- a/src/utilities/utilities.hpp
+++ b/src/utilities/utilities.hpp
@@ -31,15 +31,13 @@ namespace clblast {
 // =================================================================================================
 
 // Shorthands for half-precision
-using half = cl_half; // based on the OpenCL type, which is actually an 'unsigned short'
+using half = unsigned short; // the 'cl_half' OpenCL type is actually an 'unsigned short'
 
 // Shorthands for complex data-types
 using float2 = std::complex<float>;
 using double2 = std::complex<double>;
 
 // Khronos OpenCL extensions
-const std::string kKhronosHalfPrecision = "cl_khr_fp16";
-const std::string kKhronosDoublePrecision = "cl_khr_fp64";
 const std::string kKhronosAttributesAMD = "cl_amd_device_attribute_query";
 const std::string kKhronosAttributesNVIDIA = "cl_nv_device_attribute_query";
 
diff --git a/test/diagnostics.cpp b/test/diagnostics.cpp
index 99b936f8..af56cd30 100644
--- a/test/diagnostics.cpp
+++ b/test/diagnostics.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ void OpenCLDiagnostics(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   printf("* device.Name()                 %.4lf ms\n", TimeFunction(kNumRuns, [&](){device.Name();} ));
   printf("* device.Vendor()               %.4lf ms\n", TimeFunction(kNumRuns, [&](){device.Vendor();} ));
   printf("* device.Version()              %.4lf ms\n", TimeFunction(kNumRuns, [&](){device.Version();} ));
-  printf("* device.Platform()             %.4lf ms\n", TimeFunction(kNumRuns, [&](){device.Platform();} ));
+  printf("* device.Platform()             %.4lf ms\n", TimeFunction(kNumRuns, [&](){ device.PlatformID();} ));
   printf("* Buffer<float>(context, 1024)  %.4lf ms\n", TimeFunction(kNumRuns, [&](){Buffer<float>(context, 1024);} ));
 
   printf("\n");
diff --git a/test/test_utilities.cpp b/test/test_utilities.cpp
index b8fd94a9..579eb61c 100644
--- a/test/test_utilities.cpp
+++ b/test/test_utilities.cpp
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ void FloatToHalfBuffer(std::vector<half>& result, const std::vector<float>& sour
 }
 
 // As above, but now for OpenCL data-types instead of std::vectors
-Buffer<float> HalfToFloatBuffer(const Buffer<half>& source, cl_command_queue queue_raw) {
+Buffer<float> HalfToFloatBuffer(const Buffer<half>& source, RawCommandQueue queue_raw) {
   const auto size = source.GetSize() / sizeof(half);
   auto queue = Queue(queue_raw);
   auto context = queue.GetContext();
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ Buffer<float> HalfToFloatBuffer(const Buffer<half>& source, cl_command_queue que
   result.Write(queue, size, result_cpu);
   return result;
 }
-void FloatToHalfBuffer(Buffer<half>& result, const Buffer<float>& source, cl_command_queue queue_raw) {
+void FloatToHalfBuffer(Buffer<half>& result, const Buffer<float>& source, RawCommandQueue queue_raw) {
   const auto size = source.GetSize() / sizeof(float);
   auto queue = Queue(queue_raw);
   auto context = queue.GetContext();
diff --git a/test/test_utilities.hpp b/test/test_utilities.hpp
index fc50a754..fe7a9cd2 100644
--- a/test/test_utilities.hpp
+++ b/test/test_utilities.hpp
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ std::vector<float> HalfToFloatBuffer(const std::vector<half>& source);
 void FloatToHalfBuffer(std::vector<half>& result, const std::vector<float>& source);
 
 // As above, but now for OpenCL data-types instead of std::vectors
-Buffer<float> HalfToFloatBuffer(const Buffer<half>& source, cl_command_queue queue_raw);
-void FloatToHalfBuffer(Buffer<half>& result, const Buffer<float>& source, cl_command_queue queue_raw);
+Buffer<float> HalfToFloatBuffer(const Buffer<half>& source, RawCommandQueue queue_raw);
+void FloatToHalfBuffer(Buffer<half>& result, const Buffer<float>& source, RawCommandQueue queue_raw);
 
 // =================================================================================================
 } // namespace clblast