diff --git a/bench/bench.cpp b/bench/bench.cpp
index 52e2ffaf..b1275f20 100644
--- a/bench/bench.cpp
+++ b/bench/bench.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #include "spdlog/sinks/daily_file_sink.h"
 #include "spdlog/sinks/null_sink.h"
 #include "spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h"
-#include "spdlog/sinks/simple_file_sink.h"
+#include "spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h"
 #include "spdlog/spdlog.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include <atomic>
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i)
         {
             spdlog::init_thread_pool(queue_size, 1);
-            auto as = spdlog::basic_logger_mt<spdlog::create_async>("as", "logs/basic_async.log", true);
+            auto as = spdlog::basic_logger_mt<spdlog::async_factory>("as", "logs/basic_async.log", true);
             bench_mt(howmany, as, threads);
             spdlog::drop("as");
         }
diff --git a/bench/spdlog-async.cpp b/bench/spdlog-async.cpp
index 9f2f75b9..fc4a61fe 100644
--- a/bench/spdlog-async.cpp
+++ b/bench/spdlog-async.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "spdlog/async.h"
-#include "spdlog/sinks/simple_file_sink.h"
+#include "spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h"
 
 using namespace std;
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     int howmany = 1000000;
     spdlog::init_thread_pool(howmany, 1);
 
-    auto logger = spdlog::create_async_logger<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("file_logger", "logs/spdlog-bench-async.log", false);
+    auto logger = spdlog::create_async_logger<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("file_logger", "logs/spdlog-bench-async.log", false);
     logger->set_pattern("[%Y-%m-%d %T.%F]: %L %t %v");
 
     std::cout << "To stop, press <Enter>" << std::endl;
diff --git a/example/example.cpp b/example/example.cpp
index e491518a..765dc121 100644
--- a/example/example.cpp
+++ b/example/example.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "spdlog/sinks/daily_file_sink.h"
 #include "spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h"
-#include "spdlog/sinks/simple_file_sink.h"
+#include "spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h"
 #include "spdlog/sinks/stdout_color_sinks.h"
 
 #include <iostream>
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ int main(int, char *[])
 
     try
     {
+        spd::set_pattern("TEST PATTERN %v");
         auto console = spdlog::stdout_color_st("console");
         console->info("Welcome to spdlog!");
 
@@ -107,10 +108,15 @@ int main(int, char *[])
 #include "spdlog/async.h"
 void async_example()
 {
-    auto async_file = spd::basic_logger_mt<spdlog::create_async>("async_file_logger", "logs/async_log.txt");
-
-    // thread pool settings can be modified *before* creating the async logger:
+    // default thread pool settings can be modified *before* creating the async logger:
+    // spdlog::init_thread_pool(32768, 1); // queue with max 32k items 1 backing thread.
     // spdlog::init_thread_pool(32768, 4); // queue with max 32k items 4 backing threads.
+
+    auto async_file = spd::basic_logger_mt<spdlog::async_factory>("async_file_logger", "logs/async_log.txt");
+
+    // alternatively:
+    // auto async_file = spd::create_async<spd::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("async_file_logger", "logs/async_log.txt");
+
     for (int i = 0; i < 100; ++i)
     {
         async_file->info("Async message #{}", i + 1);
diff --git a/example/multisink.cpp b/example/multisink.cpp
index 98b86ce2..4b3f2d9c 100644
--- a/example/multisink.cpp
+++ b/example/multisink.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ int main(int, char *[])
         // Each sink can have it's own log level and a message will be logged.
         std::vector<spdlog::sink_ptr> sinks;
         sinks.push_back(std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::stdout_sink_mt>());
-        sinks.push_back(std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("./log_regular_file.txt"));
-        sinks.push_back(std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("./log_debug_file.txt"));
+        sinks.push_back(std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("./log_regular_file.txt"));
+        sinks.push_back(std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("./log_debug_file.txt"));
 
         spdlog::logger console_multisink("multisink", sinks.begin(), sinks.end());
         console_multisink.set_level(spdlog::level::warn);
diff --git a/include/spdlog/async.h b/include/spdlog/async.h
index a0ede2ad..2e13f3b3 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/async.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/async.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ namespace spdlog {
 
 // async logger factory - creates async loggers backed with thread pool.
 // if a global thread pool doesn't already exist, create it with default queue size of 8192 items and single thread.
-struct create_async
+struct async_factory
 {
     template<typename Sink, typename... SinkArgs>
     static std::shared_ptr<async_logger> create(const std::string &logger_name, SinkArgs &&... args)
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ struct create_async
 };
 
 template<typename Sink, typename... SinkArgs>
-inline std::shared_ptr<spdlog::logger> create_async_logger(const std::string &logger_name, SinkArgs &&... sink_args)
+inline std::shared_ptr<spdlog::logger> create_async(const std::string &logger_name, SinkArgs &&... sink_args)
 {
-    return create_async::create<Sink>(logger_name, std::forward<SinkArgs>(sink_args)...);
+    return async_factory::create<Sink>(logger_name, std::forward<SinkArgs>(sink_args)...);
 }
 
 // set global thread pool.
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/base_sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/base_sink.h
index 871f2b81..292a3261 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/base_sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/base_sink.h
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 #pragma once
 //
 // base sink templated over a mutex (either dummy or real)
-// concrete implementation should only override the sink_it_ method.
-// all locking is taken care of here so no locking needed by the implementers..
+// concrete implementation should override the sink_it_() and flush_()  methods.
+// locking is taken care of in this class - no locking needed by the implementers..
 //
 
 #include "spdlog/common.h"
@@ -26,16 +26,6 @@ public:
     {
     }
 
-    base_sink(const std::string &formatter_pattern)
-        : sink(formatter_pattern)
-    {
-    }
-
-    base_sink(std::unique_ptr<spdlog::formatter> sink_formatter)
-        : sink(std::move(sink_formatter))
-    {
-    }
-
     base_sink(const base_sink &) = delete;
     base_sink &operator=(const base_sink &) = delete;
 
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/simple_file_sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h
similarity index 72%
rename from include/spdlog/sinks/simple_file_sink.h
rename to include/spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h
index f9e68b95..59795401 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/simple_file_sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ namespace sinks {
  * Trivial file sink with single file as target
  */
 template<class Mutex>
-class simple_file_sink SPDLOG_FINAL : public base_sink<Mutex>
+class basic_file_sink SPDLOG_FINAL : public base_sink<Mutex>
 {
 public:
-    explicit simple_file_sink(const filename_t &filename, bool truncate = false)
+    explicit basic_file_sink(const filename_t &filename, bool truncate = false)
     {
         file_helper_.open(filename, truncate);
     }
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ private:
     details::file_helper file_helper_;
 };
 
-using simple_file_sink_mt = simple_file_sink<std::mutex>;
-using simple_file_sink_st = simple_file_sink<details::null_mutex>;
+using basic_file_sink_mt = basic_file_sink<std::mutex>;
+using basic_file_sink_st = basic_file_sink<details::null_mutex>;
 
 } // namespace sinks
 
@@ -54,13 +54,13 @@ using simple_file_sink_st = simple_file_sink<details::null_mutex>;
 template<typename Factory = default_factory>
 inline std::shared_ptr<logger> basic_logger_mt(const std::string &logger_name, const filename_t &filename, bool truncate = false)
 {
-    return Factory::template create<sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>(logger_name, filename, truncate);
+    return Factory::template create<sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>(logger_name, filename, truncate);
 }
 
 template<typename Factory = default_factory>
 inline std::shared_ptr<logger> basic_logger_st(const std::string &logger_name, const filename_t &filename, bool truncate = false)
 {
-    return Factory::template create<sinks::simple_file_sink_st>(logger_name, filename, truncate);
+    return Factory::template create<sinks::basic_file_sink_st>(logger_name, filename, truncate);
 }
 
 } // namespace spdlog
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
index 513e0661..9f661908 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
@@ -18,17 +18,17 @@ public:
         : formatter_(std::unique_ptr<spdlog::formatter>(new pattern_formatter("%+")))
     {
     }
-
-    explicit sink(const std::string &formatter_pattern)
-        : formatter_(std::unique_ptr<spdlog::formatter>(new pattern_formatter(formatter_pattern)))
-    {
-    }
-
-    // sink with custom formatter
-    explicit sink(std::unique_ptr<spdlog::formatter> sink_formatter)
-        : formatter_(std::move(sink_formatter))
-    {
-    }
+//
+//    explicit sink(const std::string &formatter_pattern)
+//        : formatter_(std::unique_ptr<spdlog::formatter>(new pattern_formatter(formatter_pattern)))
+//    {
+//    }
+//
+//    // sink with custom formatter
+//    explicit sink(std::unique_ptr<spdlog::formatter> sink_formatter)
+//        : formatter_(std::move(sink_formatter))
+//    {
+//    }
 
     virtual ~sink() = default;
 
@@ -39,10 +39,12 @@ public:
     {
         return msg_level >= level_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
     }
+
     void set_level(level::level_enum log_level)
     {
         level_.store(log_level);
     }
+
     level::level_enum level() const
     {
         return static_cast<spdlog::level::level_enum>(level_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed));
@@ -58,10 +60,6 @@ public:
         formatter_ = std::move(sink_formatter);
     }
 
-    spdlog::formatter *formatter()
-    {
-        return formatter_.get();
-    }
 
 protected:
     level_t level_{level::trace};
diff --git a/include/spdlog/spdlog.h b/include/spdlog/spdlog.h
index b51578fa..53c56a30 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/spdlog.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/spdlog.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 namespace spdlog {
 
 // Default logger factory-  creates synchronous loggers
-struct create_synchronous
+struct synchronous_factory
 {
     template<typename Sink, typename... SinkArgs>
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ struct create_synchronous
     }
 };
 
-using default_factory = create_synchronous;
+using default_factory = synchronous_factory;
 
 // Create and register a logger with a templated sink type
 // The logger's level, formatter and flush level will be set according the global settings.
diff --git a/tests/errors.cpp b/tests/errors.cpp
index c3ccbe2f..1320b748 100644
--- a/tests/errors.cpp
+++ b/tests/errors.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ TEST_CASE("default_error_handler", "[errors]]")
     prepare_logdir();
     std::string filename = "logs/simple_log.txt";
 
-    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("test-error", filename, true);
+    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("test-error", filename, true);
     logger->set_pattern("%v");
     logger->info("Test message {} {}", 1);
     logger->info("Test message {}", 2);
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ TEST_CASE("custom_error_handler", "[errors]]")
 {
     prepare_logdir();
     std::string filename = "logs/simple_log.txt";
-    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename, true);
+    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename, true);
     logger->flush_on(spdlog::level::info);
     logger->set_error_handler([=](const std::string &) { throw custom_ex(); });
     logger->info("Good message #1");
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ TEST_CASE("async_error_handler", "[errors]]")
     std::string filename = "logs/simple_async_log.txt";
     {
         spdlog::init_thread_pool(128, 1);
-        auto logger = spdlog::create_async_logger<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename, true);
+        auto logger = spdlog::create_async<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename, true);
         logger->set_error_handler([=](const std::string &) {
             std::ofstream ofs("logs/custom_err.txt");
             if (!ofs)
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ TEST_CASE("async_error_handler2", "[errors]]")
     std::string err_msg("This is async handler error message");
     {
         spdlog::init_thread_pool(128, 1);
-        auto logger = spdlog::create_async_logger<failing_sink>("failed_logger");
+        auto logger = spdlog::create_async<failing_sink>("failed_logger");
         logger->set_error_handler([=](const std::string &) {
             std::ofstream ofs("logs/custom_err2.txt");
             if (!ofs)
diff --git a/tests/file_log.cpp b/tests/file_log.cpp
index 9cef256d..55240b78 100644
--- a/tests/file_log.cpp
+++ b/tests/file_log.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ TEST_CASE("simple_file_logger", "[simple_logger]]")
     prepare_logdir();
     std::string filename = "logs/simple_log";
 
-    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename);
+    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename);
     logger->set_pattern("%v");
 
     logger->info("Test message {}", 1);
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ TEST_CASE("flush_on", "[flush_on]]")
     prepare_logdir();
     std::string filename = "logs/simple_log";
 
-    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename);
+    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename);
     logger->set_pattern("%v");
     logger->set_level(spdlog::level::trace);
     logger->flush_on(spdlog::level::info);
diff --git a/tests/includes.h b/tests/includes.h
index 10bfb062..6a61bc06 100644
--- a/tests/includes.h
+++ b/tests/includes.h
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 #include "spdlog/sinks/null_sink.h"
 #include "spdlog/sinks/ostream_sink.h"
 #include "spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h"
-#include "spdlog/sinks/simple_file_sink.h"
+#include "spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h"
 #include "spdlog/sinks/stdout_color_sinks.h"
 #include "spdlog/spdlog.h"
diff --git a/tests/test_async.cpp b/tests/test_async.cpp
index 7ade2676..fd53504a 100644
--- a/tests/test_async.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_async.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include "includes.h"
 #include "spdlog/async.h"
-#include "spdlog/sinks/simple_file_sink.h"
+#include "spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h"
 #include "test_sink.h"
 
 TEST_CASE("basic async test ", "[async]")
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ TEST_CASE("to_file", "[async]")
     size_t tp_threads = 1;
     std::string filename = "logs/async_test.log";
     {
-        auto file_sink = std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>(filename, true);
+        auto file_sink = std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>(filename, true);
         auto tp = std::make_shared<spdlog::details::thread_pool>(messages, tp_threads);
         auto logger = std::make_shared<spdlog::async_logger>("as", std::move(file_sink), std::move(tp));
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ TEST_CASE("to_file multi-workers", "[async]")
     size_t tp_threads = 10;
     std::string filename = "logs/async_test.log";
     {
-        auto file_sink = std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>(filename, true);
+        auto file_sink = std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>(filename, true);
         auto tp = std::make_shared<spdlog::details::thread_pool>(messages, tp_threads);
         auto logger = std::make_shared<spdlog::async_logger>("as", std::move(file_sink), std::move(tp));
 
diff --git a/tests/test_macros.cpp b/tests/test_macros.cpp
index 2d165aae..0b3e0b7d 100644
--- a/tests/test_macros.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_macros.cpp
@@ -9,12 +9,11 @@ TEST_CASE("debug and trace w/o format string", "[macros]]")
     prepare_logdir();
     std::string filename = "logs/simple_log";
 
-    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename);
+    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename);
     logger->set_pattern("%v");
     logger->set_level(spdlog::level::trace);
 
     SPDLOG_TRACE(logger, "Test message 1");
-    // SPDLOG_DEBUG(logger, "Test message 2");
     SPDLOG_DEBUG(logger, "Test message 2");
     logger->flush();
 
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@ TEST_CASE("debug and trace with format strings", "[macros]]")
     prepare_logdir();
     std::string filename = "logs/simple_log";
 
-    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::simple_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename);
+    auto logger = spdlog::create<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>("logger", filename);
     logger->set_pattern("%v");
     logger->set_level(spdlog::level::trace);