diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 436886e93..bfe17e46f 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@ module = [
   'sphinx_needs.directives.needfilter',
   'sphinx_needs.directives.needflow',
   'sphinx_needs.directives.needpie',
-  'sphinx_needs.directives.needtable',
   'sphinx_needs.directives.needuml',
   'sphinx_needs.directives.utils',
   'sphinx_needs.external_needs',
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/api/need.py b/sphinx_needs/api/need.py
index e8af90b97..989487aaf 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/api/need.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/api/need.py
@@ -309,7 +309,6 @@ def run():
         "docname": docname,
         "doctype": doctype,
         "lineno": lineno,
-        # "target_node": target_node,
         "target_id": need_id,
         "external_url": external_url,
         "content_node": None,  # gets set after rst parsing
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/data.py b/sphinx_needs/data.py
index c19f3732f..4a2a05b2b 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/data.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/data.py
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ class NeedsTableType(NeedsFilteredBaseType):
     caption: None | str
     classes: list[str]
     columns: list[tuple[str, str]]
+    """List of (name, title)"""
     colwidths: list[int]
     style: str
     style_row: str
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/diagrams_common.py b/sphinx_needs/diagrams_common.py
index 39ce8157f..c34f22af6 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/diagrams_common.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/diagrams_common.py
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ def calculate_link(app: Sphinx, need_info: Dict[str, Any], _fromdocname: str) ->
                 # only need to add ../ or ..\ to get out of the image folder
                 link = ".." + os.path.sep + need_info["external_url"]
         else:
-            # link = "../" + builder.get_target_uri(need_info["docname"]) + "#" + need_info["target_node"]["refid"]
             link = "../" + builder.get_target_uri(need_info["docname"]) + "#" + need_info["target_id"]
             if need_info["is_part"]:
                 link = f"{link}.{need_info['id']}"
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/directives/needextract.py b/sphinx_needs/directives/needextract.py
index 98f498005..d4cc0406e 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/directives/needextract.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/directives/needextract.py
@@ -111,13 +111,6 @@ def process_needextract(
         found_needs = process_filters(app, all_needs.values(), current_needextract)
 
         for need_info in found_needs:
-            # if "is_target" is True:
-            #   extract_target_node = current_needextract['target_node']
-            #   extract_target_node[ids=[need_info["id"]]]
-            #
-            #   # Original need id replacement (needextract-{docname}-{id})
-            #   need_info['target_node']['ids'] = [f"replaced_{need['id']}"]
-
             # filter out need_part from found_needs, in order to generate
             # copies of filtered needs with custom layout and style
             if need_info["is_need"] and not need_info["is_part"]:
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/directives/needfilter.py b/sphinx_needs/directives/needfilter.py
index ca424b5cf..09d52c586 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/directives/needfilter.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/directives/needfilter.py
@@ -161,10 +161,7 @@ def process_needfilters(
 
         line_block = nodes.line_block()
         for need_info in found_needs:
-            if "target_node" in need_info:
-                target_id = need_info["target_node"]["refid"]
-            else:
-                target_id = need_info["target_id"]
+            target_id = need_info["target_id"]
 
             if current_needfilter["layout"] == "list":
                 para = nodes.line()
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/directives/needgantt.py b/sphinx_needs/directives/needgantt.py
index 9c51e49ca..29f6fda4c 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/directives/needgantt.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/directives/needgantt.py
@@ -204,9 +204,9 @@ def process_needgantt(app: Sphinx, doctree: nodes.document, fromdocname: str, fo
                 gantt_element = "[{}] as [{}] lasts 0 days\n".format(need["title"], need["id"])
             else:  # Normal gantt element handling
                 duration_option = current_needgantt["duration_option"]
-                duration = need[duration_option]
+                duration = need[duration_option]  # type: ignore[literal-required]
                 complete_option = current_needgantt["completion_option"]
-                complete = need[complete_option]
+                complete = need[complete_option]  # type: ignore[literal-required]
                 if not (duration and duration.isdigit()):
                     logger.warning(
                         "Duration not set or invalid for needgantt chart. "
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ def process_needgantt(app: Sphinx, doctree: nodes.document, fromdocname: str, fo
                     start_end_sync = "start"
 
                 for link_type in current_needgantt[con_type]:  # type: ignore[literal-required]
-                    start_with_links = need[link_type]
+                    start_with_links = need[link_type]  # type: ignore[literal-required]
                     for start_with_link in start_with_links:
                         start_need = all_needs_dict[start_with_link]
                         gantt_constraint = "[{}] {} at [{}]'s " "{}\n".format(
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/directives/needlist.py b/sphinx_needs/directives/needlist.py
index 475cf7eee..f35f4a904 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/directives/needlist.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/directives/needlist.py
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ def process_needlist(app: Sphinx, doctree: nodes.document, fromdocname: str, fou
             if need_info["hide"]:
                 para += title
             elif need_info["is_external"]:
+                assert need_info["external_url"] is not None, "External need without URL"
                 ref = nodes.reference("", "")
 
                 ref["refuri"] = check_and_calc_base_url_rel_path(need_info["external_url"], fromdocname)
@@ -115,12 +116,7 @@ def process_needlist(app: Sphinx, doctree: nodes.document, fromdocname: str, fou
                 ref.append(title)
                 para += ref
             else:
-                # target_node should not be stored, but it may be still the case
-                if "target_node" in need_info:
-                    target_id = need_info["target_node"]["refid"]
-                else:
-                    target_id = need_info["target_id"]
-
+                target_id = need_info["target_id"]
                 ref = nodes.reference("", "")
                 ref["refdocname"] = need_info["docname"]
                 ref["refuri"] = builder.get_relative_uri(fromdocname, need_info["docname"])
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/directives/needtable.py b/sphinx_needs/directives/needtable.py
index 1e974bb6a..c7c890086 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/directives/needtable.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/directives/needtable.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import re
-from typing import List, Sequence
+from typing import Any, Callable, List, Sequence
 
 from docutils import nodes
 from docutils.parsers.rst import directives
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 from sphinx_needs.api.exceptions import NeedsInvalidException
 from sphinx_needs.config import NeedsSphinxConfig
-from sphinx_needs.data import SphinxNeedsData
+from sphinx_needs.data import NeedsInfoType, SphinxNeedsData
 from sphinx_needs.debug import measure_time
 from sphinx_needs.directives.utils import (
     get_option_list,
@@ -53,13 +53,15 @@ def run(self) -> Sequence[nodes.Node]:
         targetid = "needtable-{docname}-{id}".format(docname=env.docname, id=env.new_serialno("needtable"))
         targetnode = nodes.target("", "", ids=[targetid])
 
-        columns = str(self.options.get("columns", ""))
-        if len(columns) == 0:
-            columns = NeedsSphinxConfig(env.app.config).table_columns
-        if isinstance(columns, str):
-            columns = [col.strip() for col in re.split(";|,", columns)]
+        columns_str = str(self.options.get("columns", ""))
+        if len(columns_str) == 0:
+            columns_str = NeedsSphinxConfig(env.app.config).table_columns
+        if isinstance(columns_str, str):
+            _columns = [col.strip() for col in re.split(";|,", columns_str)]
+        else:
+            _columns = columns_str
 
-        columns = [get_title(col) for col in columns]
+        columns = [get_title(col) for col in _columns]
 
         colwidths = str(self.options.get("colwidths", ""))
         colwidths_list = []
@@ -213,24 +215,25 @@ def process_needtables(
         except Exception as e:
             raise e
 
-        def get_sorter(key):
+        def get_sorter(key: str) -> Callable[[NeedsInfoType], Any]:
             """
             Returns a sort-function for a given need-key.
             :param key: key of need object as string
             :return:  function to use in sort(key=x)
             """
 
-            def sort(need):
+            def sort(need: NeedsInfoType) -> Any:
                 """
                 Returns a given value of need, which is used for list sorting.
                 :param need: need-element, which gets sort
                 :return: value of need
                 """
-                if isinstance(need[key], str):
+                value = need[key]  # type: ignore[literal-required]
+                if isinstance(value, str):
                     # if we filter for string (e.g. id) everything should be lowercase.
                     # Otherwise, "Z" will be above "a"
-                    return need[key].lower()
-                return need[key]
+                    return value.lower()
+                return value
 
             return sort
 
@@ -246,7 +249,9 @@ def sort(need):
                 prefix = ""
             else:
                 row = nodes.row(classes=["need_part", style_row])
-                temp_need["id"] = temp_need["id_complete"]
+                temp_need["id"] = temp_need[
+                    "id_complete"  # type: ignore[typeddict-item] # TODO this is set in prepare_need_list
+                ]
                 prefix = needs_config.part_prefix
                 temp_need["title"] = temp_need["content"]
 
@@ -279,10 +284,10 @@ def sort(need):
                 for part in need_info["parts"].values():
                     # update the part with all information from its parent
                     # this is required to make ID links work
-                    temp_part = part.copy()  # The dict has to be manipulated, so that row_col_maker() can be used
-                    temp_part = {**need_info, **temp_part}
-                    temp_part["id_complete"] = f"{need_info['id']}.{temp_part['id']}"
-                    temp_part["id_parent"] = need_info["id"]
+                    # The dict has to be manipulated, so that row_col_maker() can be used
+                    temp_part: NeedsInfoType = {**need_info, **part.copy()}  # type: ignore[typeddict-unknown-key]
+                    temp_part["id_complete"] = f"{need_info['id']}.{temp_part['id']}"  # type: ignore[typeddict-unknown-key]
+                    temp_part["id_parent"] = need_info["id"]  # type: ignore[typeddict-unknown-key]
                     temp_part["docname"] = need_info["docname"]
 
                     row = nodes.row(classes=["need_part"])
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/filter_common.py b/sphinx_needs/filter_common.py
index 13744a2dd..8a1603e8a 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/filter_common.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/filter_common.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def collect_filter_attributes(self) -> FilterAttributesType:
 
 def process_filters(
     app: Sphinx, all_needs: List[NeedsInfoType], filter_data: NeedsFilteredBaseType, include_external: bool = True
-):
+) -> List[NeedsInfoType]:
     """
     Filters all needs with given configuration.
     Used by needlist, needtable and needflow.
@@ -205,13 +205,7 @@ def process_filters(
     filter_list = SphinxNeedsData(env).get_or_create_filters()
     found_needs_ids = [need["id_complete"] for need in found_needs]
 
-    if "target_node" in filter_data:
-        target_id = filter_data["target_node"]["refid"]
-    else:
-        target_id = filter_data["target_id"]
-
-    filter_list[target_id] = {
-        # "target_node": current_needlist["target_node"],
+    filter_list[filter_data["target_id"]] = {
         "filter": filter_data["filter"] or "",
         "status": filter_data["status"],
         "tags": filter_data["tags"],
@@ -243,9 +237,9 @@ def prepare_need_list(need_list: List[NeedsInfoType]) -> List[NeedsInfoType]:
 
         # Be sure extra attributes, which makes only sense for need_parts, are also available on
         # need level so that no KeyError gets raised, if search/filter get executed on needs with a need-part argument.
-        if "id_parent" not in need.keys():
+        if "id_parent" not in need:
             need["id_parent"] = need["id"]
-        if "id_complete" not in need.keys():
+        if "id_complete" not in need:
             need["id_complete"] = need["id"]
     return all_needs_incl_parts
 
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/functions/functions.py b/sphinx_needs/functions/functions.py
index 60f95071e..9c15aa03d 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/functions/functions.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/functions/functions.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def resolve_dynamic_values(env: BuildEnvironment):
     needs = data.get_or_create_needs()
     for need in needs.values():
         for need_option in need:
-            if need_option in ["docname", "lineno", "target_node", "content", "content_node", "content_id"]:
+            if need_option in ["docname", "lineno", "content", "content_node", "content_id"]:
                 # dynamic values in this data are not allowed.
                 continue
             if not isinstance(need[need_option], (list, set)):
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/needsfile.py b/sphinx_needs/needsfile.py
index a7786b1bc..6bd126c9e 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/needsfile.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/needsfile.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ class NeedsList:
         "links_back",
         "type_color",
         "hide_status",
-        "target_node",
         "hide",
         "type_prefix",
         "lineno",
@@ -37,7 +36,6 @@ class NeedsList:
         "links_back",
         "type_color",
         "hide_status",
-        "target_node",
         "hide",
         "type_prefix",
         "lineno",
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/roles/need_incoming.py b/sphinx_needs/roles/need_incoming.py
index de9e6f564..7837dcb18 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/roles/need_incoming.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/roles/need_incoming.py
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ def process_need_incoming(
                             builder,
                             fromdocname,
                             target_need["docname"],
-                            # target_need["target_node"]["refid"],
                             target_need["target_id"],
                             node_need_backref[0].deepcopy(),
                             node_need_backref["reftarget"],
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/utils.py b/sphinx_needs/utils.py
index 9f3194a52..b7d8a4db4 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/utils.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/utils.py
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
     "docname",
     "doctype",
     "lineno",
-    "target_node",
     "refid",
     "content",
     "pre_content",
@@ -87,12 +86,12 @@ def row_col_maker(
     app: Sphinx,
     fromdocname: str,
     all_needs: Dict[str, NeedsInfoType],
-    need_info,
-    need_key,
+    need_info: NeedsInfoType,
+    need_key: str,
     make_ref: bool = False,
     ref_lookup: bool = False,
     prefix: str = "",
-):
+) -> nodes.entry:
     """
     Creates and returns a column.
 
@@ -254,7 +253,10 @@ def import_prefix_link_edit(needs: Dict[str, Any], id_prefix: str, needs_extra_l
             need["description"] = need["description"].replace(id, "".join([id_prefix, id]))
 
 
-def profile(keyword: str):
+FuncT = TypeVar("FuncT")
+
+
+def profile(keyword: str) -> Callable[[FuncT], FuncT]:
     """
     Activate profiling for a specific function.