diff --git a/src/option_manager.cc b/src/option_manager.cc
index 46bfce9e..a06177d7 100644
--- a/src/option_manager.cc
+++ b/src/option_manager.cc
@@ -1,154 +1,14 @@
 #include "option_manager.hh"
 #include "assert.hh"
 
-#include "option_types.hh"
-
 #include <sstream>
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-namespace
-{
-
-String option_to_string(const String& opt) { return opt; }
-void option_from_string(const String& str, String& opt) { opt = str; }
-
-String option_to_string(int opt) { return int_to_str(opt); }
-void option_from_string(const String& str, int& opt) { opt = str_to_int(str); }
-
-String option_to_string(bool opt) { return opt ? "true" : "false"; }
-void option_from_string(const String& str, bool& opt)
-{
-    if (str == "true" or str == "yes")
-        opt = true;
-    else if (str == "false" or str == "no")
-        opt = false;
-    else
-        throw runtime_error("boolean values are either true, yes, false or no");
-}
-
-template<typename T>
-String option_to_string(const std::vector<T>& opt)
-{
-    String res;
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < opt.size(); ++i)
-    {
-        res += option_to_string(opt[i]);
-        if (i != opt.size() - 1)
-            res += ",";
-    }
-    return res;
-}
-
-template<typename T>
-void option_from_string(const String& str, std::vector<T>& opt)
-{
-    opt.clear();
-    std::vector<String> elems = split(str, ',');
-    for (auto& elem: elems)
-    {
-        T opt_elem;
-        option_from_string(elem, opt_elem);
-        opt.push_back(opt_elem);
-    }
-}
-
-String option_to_string(const Regex& re)
-{
-    return String{re.str()};
-}
-
-void option_from_string(const String& str, Regex& re)
-{
-    try
-    {
-        re = Regex{str.begin(), str.end()};
-    }
-    catch (boost::regex_error& err)
-    {
-        throw runtime_error("unable to create regex: "_str + err.what());
-    }
-}
-
-}
-
-template<typename T>
-class TypedOption : public Option
-{
-public:
-    TypedOption(OptionManager& manager, String name, const T& value)
-        : Option(manager, std::move(name)), m_value(value) {}
-
-    void set(const T& value)
-    {
-        if (m_value != value)
-        {
-            m_value = value;
-            m_manager.on_option_changed(*this);
-        }
-    }
-    const T& get() const { return m_value; }
-
-    String get_as_string() const override
-    {
-        return option_to_string(m_value);
-    }
-    void   set_from_string(const String& str) override
-    {
-        T val;
-        option_from_string(str, val);
-        set(val);
-    }
-
-    Option* clone(OptionManager& manager) const override
-    {
-        return new TypedOption{manager, name(), m_value};
-    }
-private:
-    T m_value;
-};
-
 Option::Option(OptionManager& manager, String name)
     : m_manager(manager), m_name(std::move(name)) {}
 
-template<typename T> const T& Option::get() const
-{
-    auto* typed_opt = dynamic_cast<const TypedOption<T>*>(this);
-    if (not typed_opt)
-        throw runtime_error("option " + name() + " is not of type " + typeid(T).name());
-    return typed_opt->get();
-}
-
-template<typename T> void     Option::set(const T& val)
-{
-    auto* typed_opt = dynamic_cast<TypedOption<T>*>(this);
-    if (not typed_opt)
-        throw runtime_error("option " + name() + " is not of type " + typeid(T).name());
-    return typed_opt->set(val);
-}
-
-template const String& Option::get<String>() const;
-template void Option::set<String>(const String&);
-
-template const int& Option::get<int>() const;
-template void Option::set<int>(const int&);
-
-template const bool& Option::get<bool>() const;
-template void Option::set<bool>(const bool&);
-
-template const std::vector<int>& Option::get<std::vector<int>>() const;
-template void Option::set<std::vector<int>>(const std::vector<int>&);
-
-template const std::vector<String>& Option::get<std::vector<String>>() const;
-template void Option::set<std::vector<String>>(const std::vector<String>&);
-
-template const Regex& Option::get<Regex>() const;
-template void Option::set<Regex>(const Regex&);
-
-template const std::vector<LineAndFlag>& Option::get<std::vector<LineAndFlag>>() const;
-template void Option::set<std::vector<LineAndFlag>>(const std::vector<LineAndFlag>&);
-
 OptionManager::OptionManager(OptionManager& parent)
     : m_parent(&parent)
 {
@@ -176,13 +36,6 @@ void OptionManager::unregister_watcher(OptionManagerWatcher& watcher)
     m_watchers.erase(it);
 }
 
-template<typename T>
-auto find_option(T& container, const String& name) -> decltype(container.begin())
-{
-    using ptr_type = decltype(*container.begin());
-    return find_if(container, [&name](const ptr_type& opt) { return opt->name() == name; });
-}
-
 Option& OptionManager::get_local_option(const String& name)
 {
     auto it = find_option(m_options, name);
@@ -268,16 +121,4 @@ GlobalOptions::GlobalOptions()
     declare_option<bool>("insert_hide_sel", false);
 }
 
-template<typename T>
-Option& GlobalOptions::declare_option(const String& name, const T& value)
-{
-    if (find_option(m_options, name) != m_options.end())
-        throw runtime_error("option " + name + " already declared");
-    m_options.emplace_back(new TypedOption<T>{*this, name, value});
-    return *m_options.back();
-}
-
-template Option& GlobalOptions::declare_option<>(const String&, const std::vector<int>&);
-template Option& GlobalOptions::declare_option<>(const String&, const std::vector<LineAndFlag>&);
-
 }
diff --git a/src/option_manager.hh b/src/option_manager.hh
index 80443323..96271b0d 100644
--- a/src/option_manager.hh
+++ b/src/option_manager.hh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "utils.hh"
 #include "exception.hh"
 #include "completion.hh"
+#include "option_types.hh"
 
 #include <unordered_map>
 
@@ -78,6 +79,65 @@ private:
     std::vector<OptionManagerWatcher*> m_watchers;
 };
 
+template<typename T>
+class TypedOption : public Option
+{
+public:
+    TypedOption(OptionManager& manager, String name, const T& value)
+        : Option(manager, std::move(name)), m_value(value) {}
+
+    void set(const T& value)
+    {
+        if (m_value != value)
+        {
+            m_value = value;
+            m_manager.on_option_changed(*this);
+        }
+    }
+    const T& get() const { return m_value; }
+
+    String get_as_string() const override
+    {
+        return option_to_string(m_value);
+    }
+    void set_from_string(const String& str) override
+    {
+        T val;
+        option_from_string(str, val);
+        set(val);
+    }
+
+    Option* clone(OptionManager& manager) const override
+    {
+        return new TypedOption{manager, name(), m_value};
+    }
+private:
+    T m_value;
+};
+
+template<typename T> const T& Option::get() const
+{
+    auto* typed_opt = dynamic_cast<const TypedOption<T>*>(this);
+    if (not typed_opt)
+        throw runtime_error("option " + name() + " is not of type " + typeid(T).name());
+    return typed_opt->get();
+}
+
+template<typename T> void Option::set(const T& val)
+{
+    auto* typed_opt = dynamic_cast<TypedOption<T>*>(this);
+    if (not typed_opt)
+        throw runtime_error("option " + name() + " is not of type " + typeid(T).name());
+    return typed_opt->set(val);
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+auto find_option(T& container, const String& name) -> decltype(container.begin())
+{
+    using ptr_type = decltype(*container.begin());
+    return find_if(container, [&name](const ptr_type& opt) { return opt->name() == name; });
+}
+
 class GlobalOptions : public OptionManager,
                       public Singleton<GlobalOptions>
 {
@@ -85,7 +145,13 @@ public:
     GlobalOptions();
 
     template<typename T>
-    Option& declare_option(const String& name, const T& inital_value);
+    Option& declare_option(const String& name, const T& value)
+    {
+        if (find_option(m_options, name) != m_options.end())
+            throw runtime_error("option " + name + " already declared");
+        m_options.emplace_back(new TypedOption<T>{*this, name, value});
+        return *m_options.back();
+    }
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/option_types.cc b/src/option_types.cc
index 29d21e8f..89289752 100644
--- a/src/option_types.cc
+++ b/src/option_types.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,23 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
+String option_to_string(const Regex& re)
+{
+    return String{re.str()};
+}
+
+void option_from_string(const String& str, Regex& re)
+{
+    try
+    {
+        re = Regex{str.begin(), str.end()};
+    }
+    catch (boost::regex_error& err)
+    {
+        throw runtime_error("unable to create regex: "_str + err.what());
+    }
+}
+
 String option_to_string(const LineAndFlag& opt)
 {
     return int_to_str((int)opt.line) + ":" + color_to_str(opt.color) + ":" + opt.flag;
diff --git a/src/option_types.hh b/src/option_types.hh
index b34d16e0..73cbf315 100644
--- a/src/option_types.hh
+++ b/src/option_types.hh
@@ -4,10 +4,57 @@
 #include "units.hh"
 #include "string.hh"
 #include "color.hh"
+#include "exception.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
+inline String option_to_string(const String& opt) { return opt; }
+inline void option_from_string(const String& str, String& opt) { opt = str; }
+
+inline String option_to_string(int opt) { return int_to_str(opt); }
+inline void option_from_string(const String& str, int& opt) { opt = str_to_int(str); }
+
+inline String option_to_string(bool opt) { return opt ? "true" : "false"; }
+inline void option_from_string(const String& str, bool& opt)
+{
+    if (str == "true" or str == "yes")
+        opt = true;
+    else if (str == "false" or str == "no")
+        opt = false;
+    else
+        throw runtime_error("boolean values are either true, yes, false or no");
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+String option_to_string(const std::vector<T>& opt)
+{
+    String res;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < opt.size(); ++i)
+    {
+        res += option_to_string(opt[i]);
+        if (i != opt.size() - 1)
+            res += ',';
+    }
+    return res;
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+void option_from_string(const String& str, std::vector<T>& opt)
+{
+    opt.clear();
+    std::vector<String> elems = split(str, ',');
+    for (auto& elem: elems)
+    {
+        T opt_elem;
+        option_from_string(elem, opt_elem);
+        opt.push_back(opt_elem);
+    }
+}
+
+String option_to_string(const Regex& re);
+void option_from_string(const String& str, Regex& re);
+
 struct LineAndFlag
 {
     LineCount line;