diff --git a/cpr_bf/src/lib.rs b/cpr_bf/src/lib.rs
index 6237f35..dd7b326 100644
--- a/cpr_bf/src/lib.rs
+++ b/cpr_bf/src/lib.rs
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ impl<T: BrainfuckCell, A: BrainfuckAllocator, R: Read, W: Write> Display for VMB
     }
 }
 
-impl<T: BrainfuckCell + 'static, A: BrainfuckAllocator + 'static, R: Read, W: Write>
+impl<T: BrainfuckCell + 'static, A: BrainfuckAllocator + 'static, R: Read + 'static, W: Write + 'static>
     VMBuilder<T, A, R, W>
 {
     /// Changes the type of the memory cells to `U`
@@ -287,10 +287,10 @@ impl<T: BrainfuckCell + 'static, A: BrainfuckAllocator + 'static, R: Read, W: Wr
     pub fn build(self) -> Box<dyn BrainfuckVM> {
         log::info!("Building Brainfuck VM with configuration: {}", self);
 
-        Box::new(VirtualMachine::<T, A, Stdin, Stdout>::new(
+        Box::new(VirtualMachine::<T, A, R, W>::new(
             self.initial_size,
-            stdin(),
-            stdout(),
+            self.reader,
+            self.writer,
         ))
     }
 }
diff --git a/cpr_bfvm/src/cli_args.rs b/cpr_bfvm/src/cli_args.rs
index 1761942..a9aa0db 100644
--- a/cpr_bfvm/src/cli_args.rs
+++ b/cpr_bfvm/src/cli_args.rs
@@ -5,22 +5,36 @@ use clap::{Parser, ValueEnum};
 #[derive(Parser, Debug)]
 #[command(author, about, version)]
 pub(crate) struct CLIArgs {
+    /// The file to run
     #[arg()]
     pub filename: PathBuf,
 
+    /// The file from which running programs take their input. Defaults to stdin if empty
+    #[arg(short, long)]
+    pub input: Option<PathBuf>,
+
+    /// The file to which running programs write their output. Defaults to stdout if empty
+    #[arg(short, long)]
+    pub output: Option<PathBuf>,
+
+    /// The size of each individual memory cell
     #[arg(value_enum, short, long, default_value_t = CellSize::U8)]
     pub cellsize: CellSize,
 
+    /// The amount of preallocated memory cells. If a static allocator is used, this is also the total amount of available memory
     #[arg(short, long, default_value_t = 16)]
     pub preallocated: usize,
 
+    /// The memory allocator to use
     #[arg(value_enum, short, long, default_value_t = Allocator::Dynamic)]
     pub allocator: Allocator,
 
+    /// The verbosity of the logger
     #[cfg(not(debug_assertions))]
     #[arg(value_enum, short, long, default_value_t = LogLevel::Warn)]
     pub verbosity: LogLevel,
 
+    /// The verbosity of the logger
     #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
     #[arg(value_enum, short, long, default_value_t = LogLevel::Info)]
     pub verbosity: LogLevel,
diff --git a/cpr_bfvm/src/main.rs b/cpr_bfvm/src/main.rs
index 047ff60..9e7893f 100644
--- a/cpr_bfvm/src/main.rs
+++ b/cpr_bfvm/src/main.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 mod cli_args;
 
+use std::fs::File;
 use std::process::ExitCode;
 
 use clap::Parser;
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ use cpr_bf::VMBuilder;
 
 macro_rules! assign_allocator_and_build {
     ($args:expr, $builder:expr) => {
-        match $args {
+        match $args.allocator {
             cli_args::Allocator::Dynamic => $builder.with_allocator::<DynamicAllocator>().build(),
             cli_args::Allocator::StaticChecked => $builder
                 .with_allocator::<BoundsCheckingStaticAllocator>()
@@ -21,32 +22,58 @@ macro_rules! assign_allocator_and_build {
     };
 }
 
+macro_rules! assign_cellsize_and_build {
+    ($args:expr, $builder:expr) => {
+        match $args.cellsize {
+            cli_args::CellSize::U8 => assign_allocator_and_build!($args, $builder.with_cell_type::<u8>()),
+            cli_args::CellSize::U16 => assign_allocator_and_build!($args, $builder.with_cell_type::<u16>()),
+            cli_args::CellSize::U32 => assign_allocator_and_build!($args, $builder.with_cell_type::<u32>()),
+            cli_args::CellSize::U64 => assign_allocator_and_build!($args, $builder.with_cell_type::<u64>()),
+            cli_args::CellSize::U128 => assign_allocator_and_build!($args, $builder.with_cell_type::<u128>()),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+macro_rules! assign_input_and_build {
+    ($args:expr, $builder:expr) => {
+        match $args.input {
+            Some(input) => {
+                assign_cellsize_and_build!($args, $builder.with_reader(File::open(input).expect("Could not open input file")))
+            }
+            None => assign_cellsize_and_build!($args, $builder)
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+macro_rules! assign_output_and_build {
+    ($args:expr, $builder:expr) => {
+        match $args.output {
+            Some(output) => {
+                let output_file = File::options().create(true).truncate(true).write(true).open(output).expect("Could not open output file");
+                assign_input_and_build!($args, $builder.with_writer(output_file))
+            }
+            None => assign_input_and_build!($args, $builder)
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+macro_rules! process_args_and_build_vm {
+    ($args:expr) => {
+        {
+            let vm_builder = VMBuilder::new().with_preallocated_cells($args.preallocated);
+            assign_output_and_build!($args, vm_builder)
+        }
+    };
+}
+
 fn main() -> ExitCode {
     let args = CLIArgs::parse();
 
     simple_logger::init_with_level(args.verbosity.clone().into()).unwrap();
-
+    
     log::info!("Assigning VM options and building");
 
-    let vm_builder = VMBuilder::new().with_preallocated_cells(args.preallocated);
-
-    let mut vm = match args.cellsize {
-        cli_args::CellSize::U8 => {
-            assign_allocator_and_build!(args.allocator, vm_builder.with_cell_type::<u8>())
-        }
-        cli_args::CellSize::U16 => {
-            assign_allocator_and_build!(args.allocator, vm_builder.with_cell_type::<u16>())
-        }
-        cli_args::CellSize::U32 => {
-            assign_allocator_and_build!(args.allocator, vm_builder.with_cell_type::<u32>())
-        }
-        cli_args::CellSize::U64 => {
-            assign_allocator_and_build!(args.allocator, vm_builder.with_cell_type::<u64>())
-        }
-        cli_args::CellSize::U128 => {
-            assign_allocator_and_build!(args.allocator, vm_builder.with_cell_type::<u128>())
-        }
-    };
+    let mut vm = process_args_and_build_vm!(args);
 
     log::info!("Running program");
     if let Err(e) = vm.run_from_path(&args.filename) {