diff --git a/.drone.yml b/.drone.yml
index 09621102..33c3ac7c 100644
--- a/.drone.yml
+++ b/.drone.yml
@@ -273,6 +273,29 @@ steps:
     - ASAN_OPTIONS="detect_leaks=0" ctest $CTEST_FLAGS -LE "acceptance|per_implementation" # Everything we haven't run yet, run now.
 ---
 kind: pipeline
+name: ninja-clang9
+platform: { os: linux, arch: amd64 }
+steps:
+- name: Build and Test
+  image: conanio/clang9
+  user: root
+  environment:
+    CC: clang-9
+    CXX: clang++-9
+    BUILD_FLAGS: -- -j 4
+    CMAKE_FLAGS: -GNinja -DSIMDJSON_BUILD_STATIC=ON
+    CTEST_FLAGS: -j4 --output-on-failure
+    CXXFLAGS: -stdlib=libc++
+  commands:
+    - apt-get update -qq
+    - apt-get install -y cmake
+    - mkdir build
+    - cd build
+    - cmake $CMAKE_FLAGS ..
+    - cmake --build . $BUILD_FLAGS
+    - ctest $CTEST_FLAGS
+---
+kind: pipeline
 name: libcpp-clang9
 platform: { os: linux, arch: amd64 }
 steps:
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5733ec84..1dfde04e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ include(GNUInstallDirs)
 include(cmake/simdjson-flags.cmake)
 include(cmake/simdjson-user-cmakecache.cmake)
 
+
+
 if(SIMDJSON_JUST_LIBRARY)
-  MESSAGE( STATUS "Building just the library, omitting all tests, tools and benchmarks." )
+  message( STATUS "Building just the library, omitting all tests, tools and benchmarks." )
 endif()
 
 #
@@ -39,7 +41,8 @@ add_subdirectory(include)
 add_subdirectory(src)
 add_subdirectory(windows)
 if(NOT(SIMDJSON_JUST_LIBRARY))
-  add_subdirectory(tools)
+  add_subdirectory(dependencies) ## This needs to be before tools because of cxxopts
+  add_subdirectory(tools)  ## This needs to be before tests because of cxxopts
   add_subdirectory(singleheader)
 endif()
 
@@ -47,7 +50,6 @@ endif()
 # Compile tools / tests / benchmarks
 #
 if(NOT(SIMDJSON_JUST_LIBRARY))
-  add_subdirectory(dependencies)
   add_subdirectory(tests)
   add_subdirectory(examples)
   add_subdirectory(benchmark)
diff --git a/benchmark/CMakeLists.txt b/benchmark/CMakeLists.txt
index 09debbc4..7ceee84a 100644
--- a/benchmark/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/benchmark/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@ target_compile_definitions(parse_nonumberparsing PRIVATE SIMDJSON_SKIPNUMBERPARS
 add_executable(parse_nostringparsing parse.cpp)
 target_compile_definitions(parse_nostringparsing PRIVATE SIMDJSON_SKIPSTRINGPARSING)
 
-if (SIMDJSON_GOOGLE_BENCHMARKS)
+if (TARGET benchmark::benchmark)
   link_libraries(benchmark::benchmark)
   add_executable(bench_parse_call bench_parse_call.cpp)
   add_executable(bench_dom_api bench_dom_api.cpp)
 endif()
 
-if (SIMDJSON_COMPETITION)
+if (TARGET competition-all)
   add_executable(distinctuseridcompetition distinctuseridcompetition.cpp)
   target_link_libraries(distinctuseridcompetition competition-core)
   add_executable(minifiercompetition minifiercompetition.cpp)
diff --git a/benchmark/checkperf.cmake b/benchmark/checkperf.cmake
index 321f87c3..d1ae21b0 100644
--- a/benchmark/checkperf.cmake
+++ b/benchmark/checkperf.cmake
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 
 # Clone the repository if it's not there
 find_package(Git QUIET)
-if (Git_FOUND)
+if (SIMDJSON_IS_UNDER_GIT AND Git_FOUND AND (GIT_VERSION_STRING VERSION_GREATER  "2.1.4") AND (NOT CMAKE_GENERATOR MATCHES Ninja) ) # We use "-C" which requires a recent git
+  message(STATUS "Git is available and it is recent. We are enabling checkperf targets.")
   # sync_git_repository(myrepo ...) creates two targets:
   # myrepo - if the repo does not exist, creates and syncs it against the origin branch
   # update_myrepo - will update the repo against the origin branch (and create if needed)
@@ -91,5 +92,10 @@ if (Git_FOUND)
   set_property(TEST checkperf APPEND PROPERTY LABELS per_implementation)
   set_property(TEST checkperf APPEND PROPERTY DEPENDS parse perfdiff ${SIMDJSON_USER_CMAKECACHE})
   set_property(TEST checkperf PROPERTY RUN_SERIAL TRUE)
-
-endif (Git_FOUND)
+else()
+  if (CMAKE_GENERATOR MATCHES Ninja)
+   message(STATUS "We disable the checkperf targets under Ninja.")
+  else() 
+   message(STATUS "Either git is unavailable or else it is too old. We are disabling checkperf targets.")
+  endif()
+endif ()
diff --git a/cmake/simdjson-flags.cmake b/cmake/simdjson-flags.cmake
index 0ea36b1e..b71748a3 100644
--- a/cmake/simdjson-flags.cmake
+++ b/cmake/simdjson-flags.cmake
@@ -1,4 +1,21 @@
-option(SIMDJSON_JUST_LIBRARY "Build just the library, omit tests, tools and benchmarks" OFF)
+
+if(CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR)
+  message (STATUS "The simdjson repository appears to be standalone.")  
+  option(SIMDJSON_JUST_LIBRARY "Build just the library, omit tests, tools and benchmarks" OFF)
+  message (STATUS "By default, we attempt to build everything.")
+else()
+  message (STATUS "The simdjson repository appears to be used as a subdirectory.")
+  option(SIMDJSON_JUST_LIBRARY "Build just the library, omit tests, tools and benchmarks" ON)
+  message (STATUS "By default, we just build the library.")
+endif()
+
+if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/.git)
+  set(SIMDJSON_IS_UNDER_GIT ON CACHE BOOL  "Whether cmake is under git control")
+  message( STATUS "The simdjson repository appears to be under git." )
+else()
+  set(SIMDJSON_IS_UNDER_GIT OFF CACHE BOOL  "Whether cmake is under git control")
+  message( STATUS "The simdjson repository does not appear to be under git." )
+endif()
 
 #
 # Flags used by exes and by the simdjson library (project-wide flags)
diff --git a/dependencies/CMakeLists.txt b/dependencies/CMakeLists.txt
index 4abd4fb6..a71797c3 100644
--- a/dependencies/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/dependencies/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,74 +1,88 @@
 # Initializes a git submodule if it hasn't been initialized before
-# Does NOT attempt to update or otherwise modify git submodules that are already initialized.
-function(initialize_submodule DIRECTORY)
-  if(NOT EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${DIRECTORY}/.git)
-    find_package(Git QUIET REQUIRED)
-    message(STATUS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${DIRECTORY}/.git does not exist. Initializing ${DIRECTORY} submodule ...")
-    execute_process(COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} submodule update --init ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${DIRECTORY}
-                    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
-                    RESULT_VARIABLE GIT_EXIT_CODE)
-    if(NOT GIT_EXIT_CODE EQUAL "0")
-      message(FATAL_ERROR "${GIT_EXECUTABLE} submodule update --init dependencies/${DIRECTORY} failed with exit code ${GIT_EXIT_CODE}, please checkout submodules")
+
+
+find_package(Git QUIET) # We want the library to build even if git is missing
+if ((Git_FOUND) AND (SIMDJSON_IS_UNDER_GIT))
+  message(STATUS "Git is available.")
+  # Does NOT attempt to update or otherwise modify git submodules that are already initialized.
+  function(initialize_submodule DIRECTORY)
+    if(NOT EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${DIRECTORY}/.git)
+      message(STATUS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${DIRECTORY}/.git does not exist. Initializing ${DIRECTORY} submodule ...")
+      execute_process(COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} submodule update --init ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${DIRECTORY}
+                      WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+                      RESULT_VARIABLE GIT_EXIT_CODE)
+      if(NOT GIT_EXIT_CODE EQUAL "0")
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "${GIT_EXECUTABLE} submodule update --init dependencies/${DIRECTORY} failed with exit code ${GIT_EXIT_CODE}, please checkout submodules")
+      endif()
     endif()
+  endfunction(initialize_submodule)
+
+  if (SIMDJSON_GOOGLE_BENCHMARKS)
+    option(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_TESTING OFF)
+    set(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_TESTING OFF)
+    option(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_INSTALL OFF)
+    set(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_INSTALL OFF)
+    initialize_submodule(benchmark)
+    add_subdirectory(benchmark)
   endif()
-endfunction(initialize_submodule)
 
-if (SIMDJSON_GOOGLE_BENCHMARKS)
-  option(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_TESTING OFF)
-  set(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_TESTING OFF)
-  option(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_INSTALL OFF)
-  set(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_INSTALL OFF)
-  initialize_submodule(benchmark)
-  add_subdirectory(benchmark)
-endif()
+  if (SIMDJSON_COMPETITION)
+    initialize_submodule(cJSON)
+    add_library(competition-cJSON INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-cJSON INTERFACE cJSON)
 
-if (SIMDJSON_COMPETITION)
-  initialize_submodule(cJSON)
-  add_library(competition-cJSON INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-cJSON INTERFACE cJSON)
+    initialize_submodule(fastjson)
+    add_library(competition-fastjson INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-fastjson INTERFACE fastjson/src fastjson/include)
 
-  initialize_submodule(fastjson)
-  add_library(competition-fastjson INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-fastjson INTERFACE fastjson/src fastjson/include)
+    initialize_submodule(gason)
+    add_library(competition-gason INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-gason INTERFACE gason/src)
 
-  initialize_submodule(gason)
-  add_library(competition-gason INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-gason INTERFACE gason/src)
+    initialize_submodule(jsmn)
+    add_library(competition-jsmn INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-jsmn INTERFACE jsmn)
 
-  initialize_submodule(jsmn)
-  add_library(competition-jsmn INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-jsmn INTERFACE jsmn)
+    initialize_submodule(json)
+    add_library(competition-json INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-json INTERFACE json/single_include)
 
-  initialize_submodule(json)
-  add_library(competition-json INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-json INTERFACE json/single_include)
+    initialize_submodule(json11)
+    add_library(competition-json11 INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-json11 INTERFACE json11)
 
-  initialize_submodule(json11)
-  add_library(competition-json11 INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-json11 INTERFACE json11)
+    add_library(competition-jsoncppdist INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-jsoncppdist INTERFACE jsoncppdist)
 
-  add_library(competition-jsoncppdist INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-jsoncppdist INTERFACE jsoncppdist)
+    initialize_submodule(rapidjson)
+    add_library(competition-rapidjson INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-rapidjson INTERFACE rapidjson/include)
 
-  initialize_submodule(rapidjson)
-  add_library(competition-rapidjson INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-rapidjson INTERFACE rapidjson/include)
+    initialize_submodule(sajson)
+    add_library(competition-sajson INTERFACE)
+    target_include_directories(competition-sajson INTERFACE sajson/include)
 
-  initialize_submodule(sajson)
-  add_library(competition-sajson INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(competition-sajson INTERFACE sajson/include)
+    initialize_submodule(ujson4c)
+    add_library(competition-ujson4c ujson4c/src/ujdecode.c)
+    target_include_directories(competition-ujson4c PUBLIC ujson4c/3rdparty ujson4c/src)
 
-  initialize_submodule(ujson4c)
-  add_library(competition-ujson4c ujson4c/src/ujdecode.c)
-  target_include_directories(competition-ujson4c PUBLIC ujson4c/3rdparty ujson4c/src)
+    add_library(competition-core INTERFACE)
+    target_link_libraries(competition-core INTERFACE competition-json competition-rapidjson competition-sajson competition-cJSON competition-jsmn)
 
-  add_library(competition-core INTERFACE)
-  target_link_libraries(competition-core INTERFACE competition-json competition-rapidjson competition-sajson competition-cJSON competition-jsmn)
+    add_library(competition-all INTERFACE)
+    target_link_libraries(competition-all INTERFACE competition-core competition-jsoncppdist competition-json11 competition-fastjson competition-gason competition-ujson4c)
+  endif()
 
-  add_library(competition-all INTERFACE)
-  target_link_libraries(competition-all INTERFACE competition-core competition-jsoncppdist competition-json11 competition-fastjson competition-gason competition-ujson4c)
-endif()
-
-initialize_submodule(cxxopts)
-add_library(cxxopts INTERFACE)
-target_include_directories(cxxopts INTERFACE cxxopts/include)
+  initialize_submodule(cxxopts)
+  message(STATUS "We acquired cxxopts and we are adding it as a library and target.")
+  add_library(cxxopts INTERFACE)
+  target_include_directories(cxxopts INTERFACE cxxopts/include)
+else()
+  message(STATUS "Git is unavailable.")
+  if(SIMDJSON_COMPETITION)
+    message (STATUS "'SIMDJSON_COMPETITION' is requested, but we cannot download the  remote repositories." )
+  endif()
+  if(SIMDJSON_GOOGLE_BENCHMARKS)
+    message (STATUS "'SIMDJSON_GOOGLE_BENCHMARKS' is requested, but we cannot download the remote repositories." )
+  endif()
+endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index c15c164e..5ce27c4e 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ find_program(BASH bash)
 
 
 # Script tests
-if (BASH AND (NOT MSVC)) # The scripts are not robust enough to run under Windows even if bash is available
+if (BASH AND (NOT MSVC) AND (TARGET json2json)) # The scripts are not robust enough to run under Windows even if bash is available
   #
   # json2json test
   #
diff --git a/tools/CMakeLists.txt b/tools/CMakeLists.txt
index 81d8aae6..6f5caa38 100644
--- a/tools/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tools/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-link_libraries(simdjson simdjson-internal-flags simdjson-windows-headers cxxopts)
-
-add_executable(json2json json2json.cpp)
-add_executable(jsonstats jsonstats.cpp)
-add_executable(minify minify.cpp)
+if(TARGET cxxopts) # we only build the tools if cxxopts is available
+  message(STATUS "We have cxxopts as a dependency and we are buiding the tools (e.g., json2json).")
+  link_libraries(simdjson simdjson-internal-flags simdjson-windows-headers cxxopts)
+  add_executable(json2json json2json.cpp)
+  add_executable(jsonstats jsonstats.cpp)
+  add_executable(minify minify.cpp)
+else()
+  message(STATUS "We are missing cxxopts as a dependency so the tools (e.g., json2json) are omitted.")
+endif()
\ No newline at end of file