diff --git a/cpp/cmake/barretenberg.cmake b/cpp/cmake/barretenberg.cmake
index 96516bfe..c926a3ed 100644
--- a/cpp/cmake/barretenberg.cmake
+++ b/cpp/cmake/barretenberg.cmake
@@ -1,53 +1,66 @@
-# Here we Set up barretenberg as an ExternalProject
-# - Point to its source and build directories
-# - Construct its `configure` and `build` command lines
-# - include its `src/` in `search path for includes
-# - Depend on specific libraries from barretenberg
-#
-# If barretenberg's cmake files change, its configure and build are triggered
-# If barretenberg's source files change, build is triggered
-
 include(ExternalProject)
 
-# Reference barretenberg artifacts (like library archives) via this dir:
+# 🛡️ PATH SAFETY: Ensure BBERG_DIR is an absolute path to avoid relative path hell 
+# inside ExternalProject execution.
+get_filename_component(BBERG_ABS_DIR ${BBERG_DIR} ABSOLUTE)
+
+# 🏗️ CONFIGURATION: Determine build directories and targets based on architecture.
 if (WASM)
-    set(BBERG_BUILD_DIR ${BBERG_DIR}/build-wasm)
+    set(BBERG_BUILD_DIR ${BBERG_ABS_DIR}/build-wasm)
     set(BBERG_TARGETS --target barretenberg --target env --target primitives.wasm)
 else()
-    set(BBERG_BUILD_DIR ${BBERG_DIR}/build)
+    set(BBERG_BUILD_DIR ${BBERG_ABS_DIR}/build)
     set(BBERG_TARGETS --target barretenberg --target env)
 endif()
 
+# Set default preset if not provided
 if(NOT CMAKE_BBERG_PRESET)
     set(CMAKE_BBERG_PRESET default)
 endif()
 
-# Naming: Project: Barretenberg, Libraries: barretenberg, env
-# Need BUILD_ALWAYS to ensure that barretenberg is automatically reconfigured when its CMake files change
-# "Enabling this option forces the build step to always be run. This can be the easiest way to robustly
-#  ensure that the external project's own build dependencies are evaluated rather than relying on the
-#  default success timestamp-based method." - https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/module/ExternalProject.html
+# 📦 EXTERNAL PROJECT DEFINITION
+# We use BUILD_IN_SOURCE because we are relying on 'cmake --preset' to handle 
+# the build directory generation internally within barretenberg's structure.
 ExternalProject_Add(Barretenberg
-    SOURCE_DIR ${BBERG_DIR}
+    SOURCE_DIR ${BBERG_ABS_DIR}
     BUILD_IN_SOURCE TRUE
-    BUILD_ALWAYS TRUE
-    UPDATE_COMMAND ""
-    INSTALL_COMMAND ""
-    CONFIGURE_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --preset ${CMAKE_BBERG_PRESET} -DSERIALIZE_CANARY=${SERIALIZE_CANARY} -DENABLE_ASAN=${ENABLE_ASAN} -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE} -DUSE_TURBO=${USE_TURBO}
+    BUILD_ALWAYS TRUE  # ⚠️ Performance Note: This checks the sub-project on every build.
+    UPDATE_COMMAND ""  # Prevent git fetch/pull on every build
+    INSTALL_COMMAND "" # We consume from build dir, no install needed
+    
+    # Pass necessary flags to the sub-project
+    CONFIGURE_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --preset ${CMAKE_BBERG_PRESET} 
+        -DSERIALIZE_CANARY=${SERIALIZE_CANARY} 
+        -DENABLE_ASAN=${ENABLE_ASAN} 
+        -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE} 
+        -DUSE_TURBO=${USE_TURBO}
+        
     BUILD_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build --preset ${CMAKE_BBERG_PRESET} ${BBERG_TARGETS}
-    # byproducts needed by ninja generator (not needed by make)
-    BUILD_BYPRODUCTS ${BBERG_BUILD_DIR}/lib/libbarretenberg.a ${BBERG_BUILD_DIR}/lib/libenv.a)
+    
+    # Ninja generator requirement: explicit byproducts
+    BUILD_BYPRODUCTS 
+        ${BBERG_BUILD_DIR}/lib/libbarretenberg.a 
+        ${BBERG_BUILD_DIR}/lib/libenv.a
+)
 
-include_directories(${BBERG_DIR}/src)
+# 🚀 MODERN CMAKE: IMPORTED TARGETS
+# Instead of global include_directories(), we attach the include path 
+# directly to the library target.
 
-# Add the imported barretenberg and env libraries, point to their library archives,
-# and add a dependency of these libraries on the imported project
+# --- Library: barretenberg ---
 add_library(barretenberg STATIC IMPORTED)
-set_target_properties(barretenberg PROPERTIES IMPORTED_LOCATION ${BBERG_BUILD_DIR}/lib/libbarretenberg.a)
+set_target_properties(barretenberg PROPERTIES 
+    IMPORTED_LOCATION ${BBERG_BUILD_DIR}/lib/libbarretenberg.a
+    # ✨ MAGIC: Only targets linking to 'barretenberg' will see these headers.
+    INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES ${BBERG_ABS_DIR}/src 
+)
 add_dependencies(barretenberg Barretenberg)
 
-# env is needed for logstr in native executables and wasm tests
-# It is otherwise omitted from wasm to prevent use of C++ logstr instead of imported/Typescript
+# --- Library: env ---
 add_library(env STATIC IMPORTED)
-set_target_properties(env PROPERTIES IMPORTED_LOCATION ${BBERG_BUILD_DIR}/lib/libenv.a)
-add_dependencies(env Barretenberg)
\ No newline at end of file
+set_target_properties(env PROPERTIES 
+    IMPORTED_LOCATION ${BBERG_BUILD_DIR}/lib/libenv.a
+    # Env likely needs the same headers available
+    INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES ${BBERG_ABS_DIR}/src
+)
+add_dependencies(env Barretenberg)