diff --git a/examples/external-usage-example/main.cpp b/examples/external-usage-example/main.cpp
index 51c8127f..a92aa25c 100644
--- a/examples/external-usage-example/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/external-usage-example/main.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <pcms/utility/print.h>
+#include <pcms/create_field.h>
 
 int main()
 {
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 60e3dfc9..65fa674d 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,25 +11,28 @@ set(
   pcms/field_communicator.h
   pcms/field_communicator2.h
   pcms/field_evaluation_methods.h
+  pcms/field_layout_communicator.h
   pcms/partition.h
   pcms/coupler.h
   pcms/coordinate_system.h
   pcms/field_layout.h
-  pcms/adapter/point_cloud/point_cloud_layout.h
-  pcms/adapter/point_cloud/point_cloud.h
-  pcms/adapter/omega_h/omega_h_field_layout.h
-  pcms/adapter/omega_h/omega_h_field2.h
 )
 
 set(
   PCMS_SOURCES
   pcms.cpp
   pcms/create_field.cpp
-  pcms/adapter/xgc/xgc_field_adapter.h
   pcms/adapter/point_cloud/point_cloud_layout.cpp
   pcms/adapter/point_cloud/point_cloud.cpp
   pcms/adapter/omega_h/omega_h_field_layout.cpp
   pcms/adapter/omega_h/omega_h_field2.cpp
+)
+set(
+  ADAPTER_HEADERS
+  pcms/adapter/point_cloud/point_cloud_layout.h
+  pcms/adapter/point_cloud/point_cloud.h
+  pcms/adapter/omega_h/omega_h_field_layout.h
+  pcms/adapter/omega_h/omega_h_field2.h
   pcms/adapter/xgc/xgc_field_adapter.h
 )
 
@@ -39,10 +42,9 @@ list(APPEND PCMS_HEADERS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pcms/version.h ${CMAKE_CURR
 
 add_subdirectory(pcms/utility)
 
-
 if(PCMS_ENABLE_XGC)
   list(APPEND PCMS_SOURCES pcms/adapter/xgc/xgc_reverse_classification.cpp)
-  list(APPEND PCMS_HEADERS pcms/adapter/xgc/xgc_reverse_classification.h)
+  list(APPEND ADAPTER_HEADERS pcms/adapter/xgc/xgc_reverse_classification.h)
 endif()
 if(PCMS_ENABLE_OMEGA_H)
   list(APPEND PCMS_SOURCES 
@@ -53,11 +55,13 @@ if(PCMS_ENABLE_OMEGA_H)
   list(
     APPEND
     PCMS_HEADERS
-    pcms/adapter/omega_h/omega_h_field.h
     pcms/transfer_field.h
     pcms/transfer_field2.h
     pcms/uniform_grid.h
     pcms/point_search.h
+  )
+  list(APPEND ADAPTER_HEADERS
+    pcms/adapter/omega_h/omega_h_field.h
     pcms/adapter/uniform_grid/uniform_grid_field_layout.h
     pcms/adapter/uniform_grid/uniform_grid_field.h
   )
@@ -96,6 +100,11 @@ target_include_directories(
   "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>"
   "$<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}>"
 )
+target_sources(pcms_core PUBLIC
+        FILE_SET adapters
+        TYPE HEADERS
+        BASE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/pcms
+        FILES ${ADAPTER_HEADERS})
 install(
   TARGETS pcms_core
   EXPORT pcms_core-targets
@@ -105,6 +114,7 @@ install(
   INCLUDES
   DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}
   PUBLIC_HEADER DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms
+  FILE_SET adapters DESTINATION  ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms
 )
 
 configure_package_config_file(
@@ -158,7 +168,10 @@ install(
   INCLUDES
   DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}
   PUBLIC_HEADER DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms
+  FILE_SET adapters DESTINATION  ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms
 )
+
+
 # install external headers
 install(
   DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/pcms/external/
diff --git a/src/pcms/capi/CMakeLists.txt b/src/pcms/capi/CMakeLists.txt
index bfe94fc2..ab768b71 100644
--- a/src/pcms/capi/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/pcms/capi/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,13 +18,17 @@ set(CAPI_CORE_HEADERS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/client.h
 set_target_properties(
   pcms_capi_core PROPERTIES PUBLIC_HEADER "${CAPI_CORE_HEADERS}" OUTPUT_NAME pcmscapicore
              EXPORT_NAME capi::core)
-
+target_sources(pcms_capi_core PUBLIC
+        FILE_SET core
+        TYPE HEADERS
+        BASE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
+        FILES ${CAPI_CORE_HEADERS})
 add_library(pcms_capi_interpolator mesh.cpp interpolator.cpp kokkos.cpp)
 add_library(pcms::capi::interpolator ALIAS pcms_capi_interpolator)
 target_link_libraries(pcms_capi_interpolator PUBLIC MPI::MPI_C PRIVATE pcms::interpolator)
 target_include_directories(pcms_capi_interpolator
         PUBLIC
-        "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..>" # this makes the module path cpms/capi
+        "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..>" # this makes the module path pcms/capi
         "$<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms/capi>")
 set(CAPI_INTERPOLATOR_HEADERS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/interpolator.h
                      ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/mesh.h)
@@ -32,7 +36,11 @@ set_target_properties(pcms_capi_interpolator
   PROPERTIES PUBLIC_HEADERS "${CAPI_INTERPOLATOR_HEADERS}"
              OUTPUT_NAME pcmscapiinterpolator
              EXPORT_NAME capi::interpolator)
-
+target_sources(pcms_capi_interpolator PUBLIC
+        FILE_SET interpolator
+        TYPE HEADERS
+        BASE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
+        FILES ${CAPI_INTERPOLATOR_HEADERS})
 # high level interface target
 add_library(pcms_capi INTERFACE)
 add_library(pcms::capi ALIAS pcms_capi)
@@ -63,7 +71,7 @@ install(
   RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}
   INCLUDES
   DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}
-  PUBLIC_HEADER DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms/capi/)
+  FILE_SET core DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms)
 install(
   EXPORT pcms_capi_core-targets
   NAMESPACE pcms::
@@ -77,7 +85,7 @@ install(
   RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}
   INCLUDES
   DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}
-  PUBLIC_HEADER DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms/capi/)
+  FILE_SET interpolator DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/pcms)
 install(
   EXPORT pcms_capi_interpolator-targets
   NAMESPACE pcms::