diff --git a/cmd/tools/vast/vast.v b/cmd/tools/vast/vast.v
index 2bed68d5a9c037..39fe599921fb19 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vast/vast.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vast/vast.v
@@ -707,12 +707,14 @@ fn (t Tree) attr(node ast.Attr) &Node {
 	obj.add_terse('ast_type', t.string_node('Attr'))
 	obj.add_terse('name', t.string_node(node.name))
 	obj.add_terse('has_arg', t.bool_node(node.has_arg))
+	obj.add_terse('arg', t.string_node(node.arg))
 	obj.add_terse('kind', t.enum_node(node.kind))
-	obj.add_terse('ct_expr', t.expr(node.ct_expr))
 	obj.add_terse('ct_opt', t.bool_node(node.ct_opt))
+	obj.add_terse('has_at', t.bool_node(node.has_at))
+	obj.add_terse('ct_expr', t.expr(node.ct_expr))
 	obj.add_terse('ct_evaled', t.bool_node(node.ct_evaled))
 	obj.add_terse('ct_skip', t.bool_node(node.ct_skip))
-	obj.add_terse('arg', t.string_node(node.arg))
+	obj.add('pos', t.pos(node.pos))
 	return obj
 }
 
diff --git a/doc/docs.md b/doc/docs.md
index ee1e8fac587681..d0349a976e86aa 100644
--- a/doc/docs.md
+++ b/doc/docs.md
@@ -2271,7 +2271,7 @@ It's also possible to define custom default values.
 
 ```v
 struct Foo {
-	n int [required]
+	n int @[required]
 }
 ```
 
@@ -4389,12 +4389,12 @@ struct User {
 	// If a field is not [required], but is missing, it will be assumed
 	// to have its default value, like 0 for numbers, or '' for strings,
 	// and decoding will not fail.
-	name string [required]
+	name string @[required]
 	age  int
 	// Use the `skip` attribute to skip certain fields
-	foo Foo [skip]
+	foo Foo @[skip]
 	// If the field name is different in JSON, it can be specified
-	last_name string [json: lastName]
+	last_name string @[json: lastName]
 }
 
 data := '{ "name": "Frodo", "lastName": "Baggins", "age": 25 }'
@@ -4976,10 +4976,10 @@ import db.sqlite
 // sets a custom table name. Default is struct name (case-sensitive)
 @[table: 'customers']
 struct Customer {
-	id        int    [primary; sql: serial] // a field named `id` of integer type must be the first field
-	name      string [nonull]
+	id        int    @[primary; sql: serial] // a field named `id` of integer type must be the first field
+	name      string @[nonull]
 	nr_orders int
-	country   string [nonull]
+	country   string @[nonull]
 }
 
 db := sqlite.connect('customers.db')!
@@ -5385,7 +5385,7 @@ module abc
 pub struct Xyz {
 pub mut:
 	a int
-	d int [deprecated: 'use Xyz.a instead'; deprecated_after: '2999-03-01']
+	d int @[deprecated: 'use Xyz.a instead'; deprecated_after: '2999-03-01']
 	// the tags above, will produce a notice, since the deprecation date is in the far future
 }
 ```
@@ -7111,4 +7111,4 @@ Assignment Operators
 +=   -=   *=   /=   %=
 &=   |=   ^=
 >>=  <<=  >>>=
-```
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/js_dom_draw_bechmark_chart/v_vweb_orm/src/main.v b/examples/js_dom_draw_bechmark_chart/v_vweb_orm/src/main.v
index d2caa0037f2dfe..f2920ec125ef46 100644
--- a/examples/js_dom_draw_bechmark_chart/v_vweb_orm/src/main.v
+++ b/examples/js_dom_draw_bechmark_chart/v_vweb_orm/src/main.v
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ struct App {
 @[table: 'benchmark']
 struct Task {
 mut:
-	id     u32    [primary; serial; sql: serial]
+	id     u32    @[primary; serial; sql: serial]
 	title  string
 	status string
 }
diff --git a/tutorials/building_a_simple_web_blog_with_vweb/README.md b/tutorials/building_a_simple_web_blog_with_vweb/README.md
index 9d57ff9b545943..26135053571a1f 100644
--- a/tutorials/building_a_simple_web_blog_with_vweb/README.md
+++ b/tutorials/building_a_simple_web_blog_with_vweb/README.md
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ Create a new file `article.v`:
 module main
 
 struct Article {
-	id    int    [primary; sql: serial]
+	id    int    @[primary; sql: serial]
 	title string
 	text  string
 }
@@ -411,4 +411,4 @@ app is run you will see the articles created from the previous executions
 
 To be continued...
 
-For an example of a more sophisticated web app written in V, check out Vorum: https://github.com/vlang/vorum
+For an example of a more sophisticated web app written in V, check out Vorum: https://github.com/vlang/vorum
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vlib/json/README.md b/vlib/json/README.md
index 31cb924ebcc69d..6aca285b524079 100644
--- a/vlib/json/README.md
+++ b/vlib/json/README.md
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ enum JobTitle {
 struct Employee {
 mut:
 	name   string
-	family string   [json: '-'] // this field will be skipped
+	family string   @[json: '-'] // this field will be skipped
 	age    int
 	salary f32
-	title  JobTitle [json: 'ETitle'] // the key for this field will be 'ETitle', not 'title'
+	title  JobTitle @[json: 'ETitle'] // the key for this field will be 'ETitle', not 'title'
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -43,4 +43,4 @@ fn main() {
 	println('JSON encoding of employee y: ${ss}')
 	assert ss == s
 }
-```
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vlib/json/json_encode_recursive_ptr_test.v b/vlib/json/json_encode_recursive_ptr_test.v
index 550471edc1ef5e..eb98ba5902077c 100644
--- a/vlib/json/json_encode_recursive_ptr_test.v
+++ b/vlib/json/json_encode_recursive_ptr_test.v
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ struct PostTag {
 	id         string
 	parent     ?&PostTag
 	visibility string
-	created_at string    [json: 'createdAt']
-	metadata   string    [raw]
+	created_at string    @[json: 'createdAt']
+	metadata   string    @[raw]
 }
 
 fn test_main() {
diff --git a/vlib/orm/orm_null_test.v b/vlib/orm/orm_null_test.v
index 73514338a9dc28..cd55ab2fb116f5 100644
--- a/vlib/orm/orm_null_test.v
+++ b/vlib/orm/orm_null_test.v
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ fn (db MockDB) last_id() int {
 @[table: 'foo']
 struct Foo {
 mut:
-	id u64    [primary; sql: serial]
+	id u64    @[primary; sql: serial]
 	a  string
 	//	b  string  [default: '"yes"']
 	c ?string
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ fn test_option_struct_fields_and_none() {
 }
 
 struct Bar {
-	id   u64     [primary; sql: serial]
+	id   u64     @[primary; sql: serial]
 	name ?string
 	age  int
 }
diff --git a/vlib/v/ast/table.v b/vlib/v/ast/table.v
index 097546c1586b3b..b4a64fbae1ee12 100644
--- a/vlib/v/ast/table.v
+++ b/vlib/v/ast/table.v
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ pub fn (t &Table) fn_type_source_signature(f &Fn) string {
 		sig += ' ?'
 	} else if f.return_type == rvoid_type {
 		sig += ' !'
-	} else if f.return_type != void_type {
+	} else if f.return_type != void_type && f.return_type != 0 {
 		return_type_sym := t.sym(f.return_type)
 		if f.return_type.has_flag(.option) {
 			sig += ' ?${return_type_sym.name}'
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/attrs.v b/vlib/v/fmt/attrs.v
index 04177e18b56ab2..bee64da2503716 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/attrs.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/attrs.v
@@ -17,10 +17,7 @@ pub fn (mut f Fmt) attrs(attrs []ast.Attr) {
 			f.single_line_attrs(sorted_attrs[i..])
 			break
 		}
-		if attr.has_at {
-			f.write('@')
-		}
-		f.writeln('[${attr}]')
+		f.writeln('@[${attr}]')
 	}
 }
 
@@ -38,10 +35,7 @@ pub fn (mut f Fmt) single_line_attrs(attrs []ast.Attr, options AttrsOptions) {
 	if options.same_line {
 		f.write(' ')
 	}
-	if attrs[0].has_at {
-		f.write('@')
-	}
-	f.write('[')
+	f.write('@[')
 	for i, attr in sorted_attrs {
 		if i > 0 {
 			f.write('; ')
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_keep_test.v b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_keep_test.v
index 39207ec2eecf62..ef6d7ec2178ce8 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_keep_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt_keep_test.v
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ fn test_fmt() {
 	}
 	vroot := os.dir(vexe)
 	os.chdir(vroot) or {}
-	basepath := os.join_path(vroot, '')
+	basepath := vroot + '/'
 	tmpfolder := os.temp_dir()
 	diff_cmd := diff.find_working_diff_command() or { '' }
 	mut fmt_bench := benchmark.new_benchmark()
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ fn test_fmt() {
 	input_files << keep_input_files
 	input_files << expected_input_files
 	input_files = vtest.filter_vtest_only(input_files, basepath: vroot)
+	input_files.sort()
 	fmt_bench.set_total_expected_steps(input_files.len + 1)
 	prepare_bin2v_file(mut fmt_bench)
 	for istep, ipath in input_files {
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/struct.v b/vlib/v/fmt/struct.v
index 0d68d817c34b8a..44de9951c0e2ad 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/struct.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/struct.v
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ pub fn (mut f Fmt) struct_decl(node ast.StructDecl, is_anon bool) {
 		f.mark_types_import_as_used(field.typ)
 		attrs_len := inline_attrs_len(field.attrs)
 		has_attrs := field.attrs.len > 0
-		has_at := if has_attrs { field.attrs[0].has_at } else { false }
+		// has_at := if has_attrs { field.attrs[0].has_at } else { false }
+		has_at := true
 		// TODO: this will get removed in next stage
 		if has_attrs && !has_at {
 			f.write(strings.repeat(` `, field_align.max_type_len - field_types[i].len))
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/tests/old_attrs_to_new_expected.vv b/vlib/v/fmt/tests/old_attrs_to_new_expected.vv
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..1089c7f4719805
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/tests/old_attrs_to_new_expected.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+module main
+
+import os
+
+@[export: 'Java_io_vlang_V_callStaticMethods']
+@[tom: 'jerry']
+@[direct_array_access; inline; unsafe]
+fn heavily_tagged() {}
+
+// a console attribute to force-open a console for easier diagnostics on windows
+// also it's not safe to use
+@[a_console; unsafe]
+fn dangerous_console() {}
+
+@[attribute_on_struct]
+struct Generic[T] {
+	x T @[required]
+}
+
+struct Abc {
+	f fn () int = fn () int {
+		return 456 + os.args.len
+	} @[atr1; atr2]
+	//
+	g Generic[int] = Generic[int]{123} @[atr3; atr4]
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/tests/old_attrs_to_new_input.vv b/vlib/v/fmt/tests/old_attrs_to_new_input.vv
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..b735a5ca9c0ceb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/tests/old_attrs_to_new_input.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+module main
+import os
+[inline]
+[export: 'Java_io_vlang_V_callStaticMethods']
+[direct_array_access]
+[unsafe]
+[tom: 'jerry']
+fn heavily_tagged() {}
+
+[a_console] // a console attribute to force-open a console for easier diagnostics on windows
+[unsafe] // also it's not safe to use
+fn dangerous_console() {}
+
+[attribute_on_struct]
+struct Generic[T] {
+	x T [required]
+}
+
+struct Abc {
+	f fn () int [atr1] = fn () int { return 456 + os.args.len } @[atr2]
+	//
+	g Generic[int] [atr3] = Generic[int] { 123 } @[atr4]
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/enum_attr_2_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/enum_attr_2_test.v
index 2d9d492b1aee31..0558da68656971 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/enum_attr_2_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/enum_attr_2_test.v
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 enum Color {
-	red  = 1 + 1  [json: 'Red']
-	blue = 10 / 2  [json: 'Blue']
+	red  = 1 + 1  @[json: 'Red']
+	blue = 10 / 2  @[json: 'Blue']
 }
 
 fn test_main() {
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/generics_for_in_iterate_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/generics_for_in_iterate_test.v
index 7b93f2c7633cd3..8254f0736895e2 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/generics_for_in_iterate_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/generics_for_in_iterate_test.v
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ pub fn (ar &Vec[T]) iter() Iter[T] {
 
 pub struct Iter[T] {
 mut:
-	v   &Vec[T] [required]
+	v   &Vec[T] @[required]
 	pos usize
 }
 
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/struct_fields_required_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/struct_fields_required_test.v
index 56cd76e86a7e5d..3fd09a39ab4039 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/struct_fields_required_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/struct_fields_required_test.v
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 struct Fns {
-	f1 fn () [required]
-	f2 fn () [attr1; required]
+	f1 fn () @[required]
+	f2 fn () @[attr1; required]
 }
 
 fn func() {
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/struct_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/struct_test.v
index 901e5aa4fb4790..5c6dc46764364c 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/struct_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/struct_test.v
@@ -360,8 +360,8 @@ fn test_struct_with_default_values_no_init() {
 }
 
 struct FieldsWithOptionVoidReturnType {
-	f fn () ! [required]
-	g fn () ? [required]
+	f fn () ! @[required]
+	g fn () ? @[required]
 }
 
 fn test_fields_anon_fn_with_option_void_return_type() {