diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index d3617fa..1d617d5 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,3 +12,9 @@ ignore = "0.4.23"
 tracing = "0.1.41"
 tracing-subscriber = "0.3.19"
 walkdir = "2.5.0"
+
+[profile.release]
+strip = true
+lto = true
+codegen-units = 1
+opt-level = "z"
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index c966ec1..f2199ad 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -36,61 +36,72 @@ pub fn run(config: Config) -> Result<()> {
     let mut output_path = config.output.clone();
 
     if config.append_date || config.append_git_hash {
-        if let Some(path) = &mut output_path {
-            let mut new_filename = path
-                .file_stem()
-                .and_then(|s| s.to_str())
-                .unwrap_or_default()
-                .to_string();
-
-            if config.append_date {
-                new_filename.push('_');
-                new_filename.push_str(&Local::now().format("%Y%m%d").to_string());
-                info!("Appending date to filename.");
-            }
-
-            if config.append_git_hash {
-                match Repository::open(&config.directory) {
-                    Ok(repo) => {
-                        let head = repo.head().context("Failed to get repository HEAD")?;
-                        if let Some(oid) = head.target() {
-                            new_filename.push('_');
-                            new_filename.push_str(&oid.to_string()[..7]);
-                            info!("Appending git hash to filename.");
-                        }
-                    }
-                    Err(_) => warn!("Not a git repository, cannot append git hash."),
-                }
-            }
-
-            if let Some(ext) = path.extension().and_then(|s| s.to_str()) {
-                new_filename.push('.');
-                new_filename.push_str(ext);
-            }
-            path.set_file_name(new_filename);
-        }
+        append_date_and_git_hash(&mut output_path, &config)?;
     }
 
-    // Determine the output writer (file or stdout)
-    let writer: Box<dyn Write> = if let Some(path) = &output_path {
-        info!("Output will be written to: {}", path.display());
-        let file = File::create(path)
-            .with_context(|| format!("Failed to create output file: {}", path.display()))?;
-        Box::new(BufWriter::new(file))
-    } else {
-        info!("Output will be written to stdout.");
-        Box::new(BufWriter::new(io::stdout()))
-    };
+    let writer = determine_output_writer(&output_path)?;
 
     process_directory(&config, writer)
 }
 
+/// Appends date and git hash to the output file name if required.
+fn append_date_and_git_hash(output_path: &mut Option<PathBuf>, config: &Config) -> Result<()> {
+    if let Some(path) = output_path {
+        let mut new_filename = path
+            .file_stem()
+            .and_then(|s| s.to_str())
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .to_string();
+
+        if config.append_date {
+            new_filename.push('_');
+            new_filename.push_str(&Local::now().format("%Y%m%d").to_string());
+            info!("Appending date to filename.");
+        }
+
+        if config.append_git_hash {
+            match Repository::open(&config.directory) {
+                Ok(repo) => {
+                    let head = repo.head().context("Failed to get repository HEAD")?;
+                    if let Some(oid) = head.target() {
+                        new_filename.push('_');
+                        new_filename.push_str(&oid.to_string()[..7]);
+                        info!("Appending git hash to filename.");
+                    }
+                }
+                Err(_) => warn!("Not a git repository, cannot append git hash."),
+            }
+        }
+
+        if let Some(ext) = path.extension().and_then(|s| s.to_str()) {
+            new_filename.push('.');
+            new_filename.push_str(ext);
+        }
+        path.set_file_name(new_filename);
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// Determines the output writer (file or stdout).
+fn determine_output_writer(output_path: &Option<PathBuf>) -> Result<Box<dyn Write>> {
+    if let Some(path) = output_path {
+        info!("Output will be written to: {}", path.display());
+        let file = File::create(path)
+            .with_context(|| format!("Failed to create output file: {}", path.display()))?;
+        Ok(Box::new(BufWriter::new(file)))
+    } else {
+        info!("Output will be written to stdout.");
+        Ok(Box::new(BufWriter::new(io::stdout())))
+    }
+}
+
+// Refactored `process_directory` function
 fn process_directory(config: &Config, mut writer: Box<dyn Write>) -> Result<()> {
     let (gitignore, _) = Gitignore::new(config.directory.join(".gitignore"));
 
     let walker = WalkDir::new(&config.directory)
         .into_iter()
-        .filter_entry(|e| !is_hidden(e, config) && !is_ignored(e, &gitignore, config));
+        .filter_entry(|e| should_include_entry(e, &gitignore, config));
 
     for result in walker {
         let entry = match result {
@@ -101,42 +112,53 @@ fn process_directory(config: &Config, mut writer: Box<dyn Write>) -> Result<()>
             }
         };
 
-        let path = entry.path();
-        if !path.is_file() {
-            continue;
+        if let Err(err) = process_file_entry(&entry, &mut writer, config) {
+            error!("{}", err);
         }
-
-        let extension = path.extension().and_then(|s| s.to_str()).unwrap_or("");
-
-        let apply_include_filter = !config.include.is_empty()
-            && !(config.include.len() == 1 && config.include[0].is_empty());
-
-        if apply_include_filter && !config.include.contains(&extension.to_string()) {
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        if config.exclude.contains(&extension.to_string()) {
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        let relative_path = path.strip_prefix(&config.directory).unwrap_or(path);
-        let content = match fs::read_to_string(path) {
-            Ok(content) => content,
-            Err(_) => {
-                warn!("Skipping non-UTF-8 file: {}", path.display());
-                continue; // Skip non-text files
-            }
-        };
-
-        write_file_content(&mut writer, relative_path, &content, extension, config)
-            .with_context(|| format!("Failed to write file content for {}", path.display()))?;
     }
 
     info!("File bundling complete.");
     Ok(())
 }
 
-/// Writes the content of a single file to the writer based on the specified format.
+/// Determines if a directory entry should be included.
+fn should_include_entry(entry: &DirEntry, gitignore: &Gitignore, config: &Config) -> bool {
+    !is_hidden(entry, config) && !is_ignored(entry, gitignore, config)
+}
+
+/// Processes a single file entry.
+fn process_file_entry(entry: &DirEntry, writer: &mut dyn Write, config: &Config) -> Result<()> {
+    let path = entry.path();
+    if !path.is_file() {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let extension = path.extension().and_then(|s| s.to_str()).unwrap_or("");
+
+    let apply_include_filter =
+        !config.include.is_empty() && !(config.include.len() == 1 && config.include[0].is_empty());
+
+    if apply_include_filter && !config.include.contains(&extension.to_string()) {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if config.exclude.contains(&extension.to_string()) {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let relative_path = path.strip_prefix(&config.directory).unwrap_or(path);
+    let content = match fs::read_to_string(path) {
+        Ok(content) => content,
+        Err(_) => {
+            warn!("Skipping non-UTF-8 file: {}", path.display());
+            return Ok(()); // Skip non-text files
+        }
+    };
+
+    write_file_content(writer, relative_path, &content, extension, config)
+        .with_context(|| format!("Failed to write file content for {}", path.display()))
+}
+
 fn write_file_content(
     writer: &mut dyn Write,
     path: &Path,
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index a0e3eeb..a63d6d4 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use anyhow::Result;
 use clap::Parser;
 use codebase_to_prompt::Format;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
-use tracing::level_filters::LevelFilter;
+use tracing::{info, level_filters::LevelFilter};
 use tracing_subscriber::FmtSubscriber;
 
 #[derive(Parser, Debug)]
@@ -23,19 +23,19 @@ struct Args {
     #[arg(long, value_enum, default_value_t = Format::Console)]
     format: Format,
 
-    #[arg(long)]
+    #[arg(short = 'd', long)]
     append_date: bool,
 
-    #[arg(long)]
+    #[arg(short = 'g', long)]
     append_git_hash: bool,
 
-    #[arg(long)]
+    #[arg(short = 'l', long)]
     line_numbers: bool,
 
-    #[arg(long)]
+    #[arg(short = 'H', long)]
     ignore_hidden: bool,
 
-    #[arg(long, default_value_t = true)]
+    #[arg(short = 'R', long, default_value_t = true)]
     respect_gitignore: bool,
 }
 
@@ -47,12 +47,25 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
 
     let args = Args::parse();
 
+    // Automatically detect format if outputting to a .md file
+    let mut format = args.format;
+    if matches!(format, Format::Console) {
+        if let Some(output_path) = &args.output {
+            if output_path.extension().and_then(|s| s.to_str()) == Some("md") {
+                format = Format::Markdown;
+            }
+            if output_path.extension().and_then(|s| s.to_str()) == Some("txt") {
+                format = Format::Text;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     let config = codebase_to_prompt::Config {
         directory: args.directory,
         output: args.output,
         include: args.include,
         exclude: args.exclude,
-        format: args.format,
+        format,
         append_date: args.append_date,
         append_git_hash: args.append_git_hash,
         line_numbers: args.line_numbers,
@@ -60,5 +73,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         respect_gitignore: args.respect_gitignore,
     };
 
+    info!("Starting codebase to prompt with config: {:?}", config);
+
     codebase_to_prompt::run(config)
 }