fix: decode untagged embedded structs and maps inline

Assisted-by: GLM 5.3 Flash

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -9,7 +9,24 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
--
+- `omitzero` and `omitempty` tag options on encode: `toml:"name,omitzero"`
+  skips a field whose value is the zero value of its type (a type with an
+  `IsZero() bool` method decides through the method), and
+  `toml:"name,omitempty"` skips a nil or empty slice, array, or map. The
+  decoder ignores both options.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Untagged embedded fields now decode symmetrically with encode: an embedded
+  struct receives its keys inline (a nil embedded pointer struct is
+  allocated), an embedded map catches the keys no field claims, and a name
+  clash resolves in favour of the shallower field. A struct with an untagged
+  embedded field previously decoded with all inline keys dropped and did not
+  round-trip.
+- `Marshal` re-emits arrays that mix tables with scalars: the table elements
+  render as inline tables inside the value array. A tree that `Parse` accepts
+  from such a document previously failed with
+  `cannot encode map[string]interface {}`.
 
 ## [1.0.0] - 2026-08-20
 

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Thanks for contributing to **interpres**.
 
 ## Development setup
 
-Requirements: Go 1.27.0, the version `go.mod` declares, and
+Requirements: Go 1.27.1, the version `go.mod` declares, and
 [just](https://github.com/casey/just) for the recipes.
 
 ```sh

README.md

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ As a library:
 go get sourcedock.dev/petrbalvin/interpres
 ```
 
-Requires Go 1.27.0 or newer. The module imports only the standard library.
+Requires Go 1.27.1 or newer. The module imports only the standard library.
 
 ## Quick start
 

bench_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Petr Balvín <opensource@petrbalvin.org> (https://petrbalvin.org)
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package interpres
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// benchDoc is a representative configuration document: every scalar kind, an
+// inline table, sub-tables, and an array of tables.
+var benchDoc = []byte(`title = "benchmark configuration"
+replicas = 3
+ratio = 0.75
+enabled = true
+when = 2026-09-17T12:00:00Z
+local = 2026-09-17T12:00:00
+tags = ["alpha", "beta", "gamma"]
+limits = { cpu = 4, memory = 1024 }
+
+[server]
+host = "localhost"
+port = 8080
+hosts = ["a.example", "b.example"]
+
+[server.tls]
+enabled = true
+cert = "/etc/cert.pem"
+
+[[items]]
+name = "first"
+weight = 10
+flags = ["x", "y"]
+
+[[items]]
+name = "second"
+weight = 20
+flags = ["z"]
+`)
+
+// longDoc is generated once so the large-input benchmarks measure parsing,
+// not document construction. Roughly 2000 array-of-tables entries.
+var longDoc = func() []byte {
+	var b strings.Builder
+	b.WriteString("title = \"long\"\n")
+	for i := range 2000 {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "[[entry]]\nname = \"entry-%d\"\nweight = %d\nwhen = 2026-09-17T12:00:00Z\nratio = 0.5\ntags = [\"a\", \"b\", \"c\"]\n\n", i, i)
+	}
+	return []byte(b.String())
+}()
+
+type benchTLS struct {
+	Enabled bool   `toml:"enabled"`
+	Cert    string `toml:"cert"`
+}
+
+type benchServer struct {
+	Host  string   `toml:"host"`
+	Port  int      `toml:"port"`
+	Hosts []string `toml:"hosts"`
+	TLS   benchTLS `toml:"tls"`
+}
+
+type benchItem struct {
+	Name   string   `toml:"name"`
+	Weight int      `toml:"weight"`
+	Flags  []string `toml:"flags"`
+}
+
+type benchConfig struct {
+	Title    string         `toml:"title"`
+	Replicas int            `toml:"replicas"`
+	Ratio    float64        `toml:"ratio"`
+	Enabled  bool           `toml:"enabled"`
+	When     time.Time      `toml:"when"`
+	Local    LocalDateTime  `toml:"local"`
+	Tags     []string       `toml:"tags"`
+	Limits   map[string]any `toml:"limits"`
+	Server   benchServer    `toml:"server"`
+	Items    []benchItem    `toml:"items"`
+}
+
+func BenchmarkParse(b *testing.B) {
+	b.ReportAllocs()
+	b.SetBytes(int64(len(benchDoc)))
+	for b.Loop() {
+		if _, err := Parse(benchDoc); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkMarshal(b *testing.B) {
+	tree, err := Parse(benchDoc)
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	b.ReportAllocs()
+	b.SetBytes(int64(len(benchDoc)))
+	for b.Loop() {
+		if _, err := Marshal(tree); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkStrictDecode(b *testing.B) {
+	dec := NewDecoder().DisallowUnknownFields()
+	b.ReportAllocs()
+	for b.Loop() {
+		var cfg benchConfig
+		if err := dec.Decode(benchDoc, &cfg); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkParseLong(b *testing.B) {
+	b.ReportAllocs()
+	b.SetBytes(int64(len(longDoc)))
+	for b.Loop() {
+		if _, err := Parse(longDoc); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}

decode.go

@@ -105,16 +105,31 @@ func (d *decoder) assignTable(tbl map[string]any, dst reflect.Value) error {
 }
 
 func (d *decoder) assignStruct(tbl map[string]any, dst reflect.Value) error {
-	fields := structFields(dst.Type())
+	schema := newStructSchema(dst.Type())
 	for key, val := range tbl {
-		field, ok := fields[strings.ToLower(key)]
+		field, ok := schema.byName[strings.ToLower(key)]
 		if !ok {
 			if d.disallowUnknown {
 				return fmt.Errorf("interpres: unknown field %q for %s", key, dst.Type())
 			}
+			if schema.embedMaps != nil {
+				// Leftover keys land in an untagged embedded map, the inverse
+				// of the encoder inlining that map's entries.
+				mv, err := fieldByIndex(dst, schema.embedMaps[0])
+				if err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", key, err)
+				}
+				if err := d.assignMap(map[string]any{key: val}, mv); err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", key, err)
+				}
+			}
 			continue
 		}
-		if err := d.assign(val, dst.Field(field)); err != nil {
+		fv, err := fieldByIndex(dst, field.index)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", key, err)
+		}
+		if err := d.assign(val, fv); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", key, err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -219,26 +234,85 @@ func setFloat(dst reflect.Value, v float64) error {
 	}
 }
 
-// structFields builds a lower-cased lookup of field name → field index for the
+// structFieldLoc locates one destination field by its index path from the
-// exported fields of t, honouring `toml:"name"` tags.
+// struct root and by the depth the field sits at, which breaks name clashes
-func structFields(t reflect.Type) map[string]int {
+// in favour of the shallower field.
-	fields := make(map[string]int, t.NumField())
+type structFieldLoc struct {
-	for i := range t.NumField() {
+	index []int
-		f := t.Field(i)
+	depth int
-		if f.PkgPath != "" { // unexported
+}
-			continue
+
-		}
+// structSchema flattens the exported fields of t for decode, mirroring the
-		name := f.Name
+// encoder: an untagged embedded struct is inlined, so its own fields match
-		if tag, ok := f.Tag.Lookup("toml"); ok {
+// keys of the same table, and an untagged embedded map is recorded in
-			tag = strings.Split(tag, ",")[0]
+// embedMaps (first declaration first) as the destination for leftover keys.
-			if tag == "-" {
+// When two fields resolve to one name, the shallower wins, then the later
+// declaration.
+type structSchema struct {
+	byName    map[string]structFieldLoc
+	embedMaps [][]int
+}
+
+func newStructSchema(t reflect.Type) structSchema {
+	s := structSchema{byName: make(map[string]structFieldLoc, t.NumField())}
+	var walk func(t reflect.Type, prefix []int, depth int)
+	walk = func(t reflect.Type, prefix []int, depth int) {
+		for i := range t.NumField() {
+			f := t.Field(i)
+			if f.PkgPath != "" { // unexported
 				continue
 			}
-			if tag != "" {
+			path := append(append([]int{}, prefix...), i)
-				name = tag
+			name := ""
+			if tag, ok := f.Tag.Lookup("toml"); ok {
+				name, _, _ = strings.Cut(tag, ",")
+				if name == "-" {
+					continue
+				}
+			}
+			if f.Anonymous && name == "" {
+				ft := f.Type
+				for ft.Kind() == reflect.Pointer {
+					ft = ft.Elem()
+				}
+				switch {
+				case ft.Kind() == reflect.Struct && !isScalarStruct(ft):
+					walk(ft, path, depth+1)
+					continue
+				case ft.Kind() == reflect.Map && ft.Key().Kind() == reflect.String:
+					s.embedMaps = append(s.embedMaps, path)
+					continue
+				}
+				name = f.Name
+			}
+			if name == "" {
+				name = f.Name
+			}
+			key := strings.ToLower(name)
+			if existing, ok := s.byName[key]; !ok || depth < existing.depth {
+				s.byName[key] = structFieldLoc{index: path, depth: depth}
 			}
 		}
-		fields[strings.ToLower(name)] = i
 	}
-	return fields
+	walk(t, nil, 0)
+	return s
+}
+
+// fieldByIndex walks an index path from a struct value, allocating nil
+// pointers along the way so a key can reach through an embedded pointer
+// struct. Every field on the path is exported, so each step is settable.
+func fieldByIndex(v reflect.Value, path []int) (reflect.Value, error) {
+	for i, x := range path {
+		v = v.Field(x)
+		if i < len(path)-1 && v.Kind() == reflect.Pointer {
+			if v.IsNil() {
+				if !v.CanSet() {
+					return reflect.Value{}, fmt.Errorf("cannot allocate nil embedded pointer")
+				}
+				v.Set(reflect.New(v.Type().Elem()))
+			}
+			v = v.Elem()
+		}
+	}
+	return v, nil
 }

decode_test.go

@@ -494,3 +494,115 @@ field = "y"
 		t.Errorf("Field = %q, want \"y\"", cfg.R.Field)
 	}
 }
+
+// --- embedded field symmetry -----------------------------------------------
+
+type RoundTripBase struct {
+	ID   int    `toml:"id"`
+	Name string `toml:"name"`
+}
+
+type RoundTripDerived struct {
+	RoundTripBase
+	X string `toml:"x"`
+}
+
+func TestUnmarshalEmbeddedStructRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	orig := RoundTripDerived{ID: 1, Name: "b", X: "x"}
+	out, err := Marshal(orig)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	var back RoundTripDerived
+	if err := Unmarshal(out, &back); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	if back != orig {
+		t.Fatalf("round-trip mismatch:\nwas: %+v\nnow: %+v", orig, back)
+	}
+}
+
+type RoundTripPtrCfg struct {
+	*RoundTripBase
+	X string `toml:"x"`
+}
+
+func TestUnmarshalEmbeddedPointerStruct(t *testing.T) {
+	var cfg RoundTripPtrCfg
+	if err := Unmarshal([]byte("id = 7\nname = \"n\"\nx = \"x\"\n"), &cfg); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.RoundTripBase == nil || cfg.ID != 7 || cfg.Name != "n" || cfg.X != "x" {
+		t.Fatalf("decoded: %+v", cfg)
+	}
+}
+
+type RoundTripExtra map[string]int
+
+type RoundTripMapCfg struct {
+	RoundTripExtra
+	X string `toml:"x"`
+}
+
+func TestUnmarshalEmbeddedMap(t *testing.T) {
+	var cfg RoundTripMapCfg
+	if err := Unmarshal([]byte("alpha = 1\nx = \"x\"\n"), &cfg); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.RoundTripExtra["alpha"] != 1 || cfg.X != "x" {
+		t.Fatalf("decoded: %+v", cfg)
+	}
+
+	orig := RoundTripMapCfg{RoundTripExtra: RoundTripExtra{"a": 1}, X: "x"}
+	out, err := Marshal(orig)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	var back RoundTripMapCfg
+	if err := Unmarshal(out, &back); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	if back.X != "x" || back.RoundTripExtra["a"] != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("round-trip mismatch: %+v", back)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestUnmarshalEmbeddedNameClashShallowerWins(t *testing.T) {
+	type Inner struct {
+		Name string `toml:"name"`
+		Deep string `toml:"deep"`
+	}
+	type Outer struct {
+		Inner
+		Name string `toml:"name"`
+	}
+	var v Outer
+	if err := Unmarshal([]byte("name = \"outer\"\ndeep = \"d\"\n"), &v); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	if v.Name != "outer" || v.Deep != "d" {
+		t.Fatalf("decoded: %+v", v)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestUnmarshalUnknownKeyWithoutEmbeddedMap(t *testing.T) {
+	var cfg RoundTripDerived
+	if err := Unmarshal([]byte("rogue = 1\n"), &cfg); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.ID != 0 || cfg.X != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("decoded: %+v", cfg)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestUnmarshalStrictEmbeddedMapStaysStrict(t *testing.T) {
+	type Cfg struct {
+		RoundTripExtra
+		Name string `toml:"name"`
+	}
+	dec := NewDecoder().DisallowUnknownFields()
+	err := dec.Decode([]byte("name = \"n\"\nrogue = 1\n"), &Cfg{})
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "unknown field") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected unknown field error, got: %v", err)
+	}
+}

docs/API.md

@@ -100,16 +100,23 @@ For a struct destination, a TOML key matches a field as follows:
 1. The `toml:"name"` tag, using the part before any comma. The literal `-`
    excludes the field.
 2. Without a tag, the lower-cased field name.
-3. The key itself is lower-cased before lookup, so the match is
+3. An anonymous (embedded) field without a tag is inlined: the decoder walks
+   into the embedded struct and matches its own fields against the same keys,
+   mirroring how the encoder flattens it. A nil embedded pointer struct is
+   allocated on demand. An untagged embedded map receives the keys no field
+   claims.
+4. The key itself is lower-cased before lookup, so the match is
    case-insensitive on both sides: `DATABASEURL` matches a field named
    `DatabaseUrl`.
 
 The match is exact after lower-casing. No separator is inserted, so a TOML key
 `database_url` does not match a field named `DatabaseUrl`; tag such a field
-(`toml:"database_url"`) or use the lower-cased name as the key. When two fields
+(`toml:"database_url"`) or use the lower-cased name as the key. When two
-resolve to the same name, the one declared later wins.
+fields resolve to the same name, the shallower one wins; at equal depth, the
+one declared later wins.
 
-Unknown keys are ignored by default; see [Strict decoding](#strict-decoding).
+Unknown keys are ignored by default, landing in an untagged embedded map when
+the struct has one; [Strict decoding](#strict-decoding) rejects them instead.
 
 ### Numeric conversion
 
@@ -233,10 +240,33 @@ Keys that match `[A-Za-z0-9_-]+` are emitted bare, all others quoted. A
 `map[string]V` emits its keys in sorted order for deterministic output, and a
 nil map emits nothing.
 
-Note the asymmetry: the encoder inlines untagged embedded structs, while the
+### Tag options
-decoder expects them under their lower-cased type name. A struct with an
+
-untagged embedded struct therefore does not round-trip through `Unmarshal` into
+The part of a `toml` tag after the first comma carries options. Both options
-the same type.
+shape emission only; the decoder ignores them.
+
+- `omitzero` skips the field when its value is the zero value of its type. A
+  type with an `IsZero() bool` method (time.Time among them) decides through
+  that method, so a zero `time.Time` or an all-zero struct disappears from
+  the output.
+- `omitempty` skips the field when it holds an empty collection: a nil or
+  empty slice or array, or a nil or empty map. Strings and other scalars are
+  not covered by `omitempty`; use `omitzero` for those.
+
+```go
+type Config struct {
+	Host    string    `toml:"host,omitzero"`
+	Started time.Time `toml:"started,omitzero"`
+	Tags    []string  `toml:"tags,omitempty"`
+}
+```
+
+Options combine after the name: `toml:"name,omitempty,omitzero"` is valid, and
+an unknown option is ignored.
+
+Untagged embedded fields round-trip: the decoder inlines embedded structs and
+routes unclaimed keys into an embedded map exactly where the encoder flattened
+them.
 
 ### Group-by-kind layout
 
@@ -289,6 +319,18 @@ func (p Port) MarshalTOML() (any, error) {
 }
 ```
 
+### Arrays
+
+An array whose every element is a table (`[]struct`, `[]map[string]V`, after
+pointer dereference) emits as an array of tables. TOML also lets one array mix
+tables with scalars; such an array emits as a plain value array, with the
+table elements rendered as inline tables:
+
+```go
+tree, _ := interpres.Parse([]byte(`arr = [1, {a = 2}, "x"]`))
+out, _ := interpres.Marshal(tree) // arr = [1, {a = 2}, "x"]
+```
+
 ### Empty arrays
 
 A nil slice is always omitted. An empty (length 0) array of tables is always

docs/DEVELOPMENT.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ How to work on interpres.
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-- Go 1.27.0, the version the `go` directive in `go.mod` declares.
+- Go 1.27.1, the version the `go` directive in `go.mod` declares.
 - [just](https://github.com/casey/just) for the recipes.
 - The `toml-test` binary on `PATH` for the compliance recipe, installed with
   `go install github.com/toml-lang/toml-test/cmd/toml-test@v1.6.0`.

encode.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"maps"
 	"math"
 	"reflect"
 	"slices"
@@ -188,6 +189,9 @@ func buildStructDoc(v reflect.Value, doc *tomlDoc, ctx string) error {
 		if name == "-" {
 			continue
 		}
+		if fieldOmitted(f, v.Field(i)) {
+			continue
+		}
 		if err := addField(doc, name, v.Field(i), ctx); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -195,6 +199,49 @@ func buildStructDoc(v reflect.Value, doc *tomlDoc, ctx string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// isZeroer mirrors encoding/json's omitzero: a type that knows its own zero
+// state decides through that method before reflection is consulted.
+type isZeroer interface{ IsZero() bool }
+
+// fieldOmitted reports whether the field's tag options drop it from the
+// output: omitzero skips the zero value of the field's type, omitempty skips
+// an empty collection (slice, array, or map). The decoder ignores both
+// options; they shape emission only.
+func fieldOmitted(f reflect.StructField, v reflect.Value) bool {
+	tag, ok := f.Tag.Lookup("toml")
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	_, opts, _ := strings.Cut(tag, ",")
+	for opts != "" {
+		var opt string
+		opt, opts, _ = strings.Cut(opts, ",")
+		switch opt {
+		case "omitzero":
+			if isZeroValue(v) {
+				return true
+			}
+		case "omitempty":
+			switch v.Kind() {
+			case reflect.Slice, reflect.Array, reflect.Map:
+				if v.Len() == 0 {
+					return true
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func isZeroValue(v reflect.Value) bool {
+	if v.CanInterface() {
+		if z, ok := v.Interface().(isZeroer); ok {
+			return z.IsZero()
+		}
+	}
+	return v.IsZero()
+}
+
 // fieldName returns the TOML key for a struct field, honouring the `toml`
 // tag (name or `-`) and falling back to a lower-cased field name.
 func fieldName(f reflect.StructField) string {
@@ -313,7 +360,17 @@ func addArrayValue(doc *tomlDoc, name string, v reflect.Value, ctx string) error
 		return doc.appendScalar(name, []any{}, ctx)
 	}
 
-	if isTableElementValue(v.Index(0)) {
+	// An array keeps the [[header]] form only when every element is a table.
+	// TOML lets one array mix tables with scalars, and that mix renders as a
+	// value array with the table elements written inline.
+	allTables := true
+	for i := range n {
+		if !isTableElementValue(v.Index(i)) {
+			allTables = false
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if allTables {
 		subs := make([]*tomlDoc, n)
 		for i := range n {
 			if i%ctxCheckInterval == 0 {
@@ -347,7 +404,8 @@ func addArrayValue(doc *tomlDoc, name string, v reflect.Value, ctx string) error
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Regular array of scalars.
+	// Value array. Table elements normalise to map[string]any and the emitter
+	// writes them as inline tables.
 	items := make([]any, n)
 	for i := range n {
 		if i%ctxCheckInterval == 0 {
@@ -382,11 +440,22 @@ func addArrayValue(doc *tomlDoc, name string, v reflect.Value, ctx string) error
 // nested-array representations the emitter understands. Slices and arrays are
 // recursively normalised so that nested arrays (e.g. [][]int) work.
 func normaliseValue(v reflect.Value) (any, error) {
+	// Map and slice elements arrive wrapped in interface{}; look through them.
+	for v.Kind() == reflect.Interface && !v.IsNil() {
+		v = v.Elem()
+	}
+	if v.Kind() == reflect.Interface {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot encode nil value")
+	}
 	if v.CanInterface() {
 		if m, ok := v.Interface().(Marshaler); ok {
 			return m.MarshalTOML()
 		}
 	}
+	// The datetime structs are TOML scalars; the emitter renders each of them.
+	if t := v.Type(); t == timeGoType || isLocalDateType(t) {
+		return v.Interface(), nil
+	}
 	switch v.Kind() {
 	case reflect.String:
 		return v.String(), nil
@@ -402,6 +471,21 @@ func normaliseValue(v reflect.Value) (any, error) {
 		return int64(u), nil
 	case reflect.Float32, reflect.Float64:
 		return v.Float(), nil
+	case reflect.Map:
+		// A table nested in a value array has no header form, so it renders
+		// inline; the keys normalise to strings for the emitter.
+		if v.Type().Key().Kind() != reflect.String {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("map key must be string, got %s", v.Type().Key())
+		}
+		out := make(map[string]any, v.Len())
+		for _, k := range v.MapKeys() {
+			val, err := normaliseValue(v.MapIndex(k))
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("[%s]: %w", k.String(), err)
+			}
+			out[k.String()] = val
+		}
+		return out, nil
 	case reflect.Slice, reflect.Array:
 		items := make([]any, v.Len())
 		for i := range v.Len() {
@@ -683,6 +767,8 @@ func (e *encoder) writeValue(val any) error {
 		}
 		e.buf.WriteByte(']')
 		return nil
+	case map[string]any:
+		return e.writeInlineTable(v)
 	case nil:
 		return fmt.Errorf("interpres: cannot encode nil value")
 	default:
@@ -690,6 +776,26 @@ func (e *encoder) writeValue(val any) error {
 	}
 }
 
+// writeInlineTable renders m as a TOML inline table with sorted keys, the
+// order buildMapDoc uses for header tables. It backs the table elements of a
+// value array, where the [[header]] form is not available.
+func (e *encoder) writeInlineTable(m map[string]any) error {
+	keys := slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(m))
+	e.buf.WriteByte('{')
+	for i, k := range keys {
+		if i > 0 {
+			e.buf.WriteString(", ")
+		}
+		e.writeKey(k)
+		e.buf.WriteString(" = ")
+		if err := e.writeValue(m[k]); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	e.buf.WriteByte('}')
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (e *encoder) writeStringVal(s string) error {
 	if e.opts.literalMultilineAt > 0 && strings.ContainsRune(s, '\n') && len(s) >= e.opts.literalMultilineAt {
 		return writeLiteralMultilineString(&e.buf, s)

encode_test.go

@@ -504,6 +504,79 @@ func TestMarshalNestedArrays(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestMarshalMixedArrayWithInlineTable(t *testing.T) {
+	// Parse accepts a mixed array (TOML allows any value kinds in one array),
+	// so Marshal of the parsed tree must re-emit it. The table element has no
+	// header form inside a value array and renders inline.
+	tree, err := Parse([]byte("arr = [1, {a = 2}, \"x\"]\n"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parse: %v", err)
+	}
+	out, err := Marshal(tree)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	want := "arr = [1, {a = 2}, \"x\"]\n"
+	if string(out) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("output mismatch:\ngot:  %q\nwant: %q", out, want)
+	}
+	re, err := Parse(out)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("re-parse: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(tree, re) {
+		t.Fatalf("round-trip changed the tree:\nwas: %#v\nnow: %#v", tree, re)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMarshalNestedInlineTables(t *testing.T) {
+	tree := map[string]any{
+		"mix": []any{
+			int64(1),
+			map[string]any{"deep": map[string]any{"n": int64(0)}, "list": []any{"a", true}},
+			map[string]any{},
+		},
+	}
+	out, err := Marshal(tree)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	want := "mix = [1, {deep = {n = 0}, list = [\"a\", true]}, {}]\n"
+	if string(out) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("output mismatch:\ngot:  %q\nwant: %q", out, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMarshalInlineTableWithDatetime(t *testing.T) {
+	when := time.Date(1979, 5, 27, 7, 32, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	tree := map[string]any{
+		"mix": []any{when, map[string]any{"t": LocalDateTime{when}}},
+	}
+	out, err := Marshal(tree)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	want := "mix = [1979-05-27T07:32:00Z, {t = 1979-05-27T07:32:00}]\n"
+	if string(out) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("output mismatch:\ngot:  %q\nwant: %q", out, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMarshalArrayOfTablesStaysHeaderForm(t *testing.T) {
+	tree, err := Parse([]byte("[[items]]\nname = \"a\"\n\n[[items]]\nname = \"b\"\n"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parse: %v", err)
+	}
+	out, err := Marshal(tree)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	want := "[[items]]\nname = \"a\"\n\n[[items]]\nname = \"b\"\n"
+	if string(out) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("output mismatch:\ngot:  %q\nwant: %q", out, want)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestMarshalFloatExponentNoLeadingZero(t *testing.T) {
 	// strconv.FormatFloat with 'g' would produce "1e+06" (leading zero in
 	// exponent). The encoder must strip it so the output is "1e+6".
@@ -675,6 +748,85 @@ func TestMarshalEmbeddedStructAsTable(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestMarshalTagOptionOmitZero(t *testing.T) {
+	type Server struct {
+		Host string `toml:"host"`
+	}
+	type Cfg struct {
+		Name   string    `toml:"name,omitzero"`
+		Count  int       `toml:"count,omitzero"`
+		Ratio  float64   `toml:"ratio,omitzero"`
+		When   time.Time `toml:"when,omitzero"`
+		Server Server    `toml:"server,omitzero"`
+		Always string    `toml:"always"`
+	}
+	out, err := Marshal(Cfg{Always: "kept"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Every omitzero field sits at its zero value, so only always is emitted.
+	want := "always = \"kept\"\n"
+	if string(out) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("output mismatch:\ngot:  %q\nwant: %q", out, want)
+	}
+
+	when := time.Date(2026, 9, 17, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	out, err = Marshal(Cfg{Name: "x", Count: 1, Ratio: 0.5, When: when, Server: Server{Host: "h"}, Always: "kept"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	want = "name = \"x\"\ncount = 1\nratio = 0.5\nwhen = 2026-09-17T12:00:00Z\nalways = \"kept\"\n\n[server]\nhost = \"h\"\n"
+	if string(out) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("output mismatch:\ngot:  %q\nwant: %q", out, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMarshalTagOptionOmitEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	type Cfg struct {
+		Tags   []string       `toml:"tags,omitempty"`
+		Ports  []int          `toml:"ports,omitempty"`
+		Matrix [][]int        `toml:"matrix,omitempty"`
+		Extra  map[string]any `toml:"extra,omitempty"`
+		Name   string         `toml:"name,omitempty"`
+		Keep   []string       `toml:"keep"`
+	}
+	out, err := Marshal(Cfg{
+		Ports:  []int{},
+		Matrix: [][]int{{1}},
+		Extra:  map[string]any{},
+		Name:   "set",
+		Keep:   []string{},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	// tags is nil (omitted anyway), ports and extra are empty collections
+	// dropped by omitempty, matrix is populated, name is a string the option
+	// does not cover, keep is empty but carries no option so it emits [].
+	want := "matrix = [[1]]\nname = \"set\"\nkeep = []\n"
+	if string(out) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("output mismatch:\ngot:  %q\nwant: %q", out, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMarshalTagOptionOnTaggedEmbeddedStruct(t *testing.T) {
+	type Inner struct {
+		N int `toml:"n"`
+	}
+	type Cfg struct {
+		Inner Inner  `toml:"inner,omitzero"`
+		Name  string `toml:"name"`
+	}
+	out, err := Marshal(Cfg{Name: "x"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	want := "name = \"x\"\n"
+	if string(out) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("output mismatch:\ngot:  %q\nwant: %q", out, want)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestMarshalMapKeysSorted(t *testing.T) {
 	m := map[string]any{
 		"zeta":  1,

fuzz_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Petr Balvín <opensource@petrbalvin.org> (https://petrbalvin.org)
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package interpres
+
+import (
+	"math"
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// FuzzParse drives the parser with arbitrary input and holds it to the
+// round-trip invariant: every document Parse accepts must survive its own
+// re-emission. Marshal of the parsed tree must succeed, the emitted document
+// must parse again, and the re-parsed tree must equal the original one.
+func FuzzParse(f *testing.F) {
+	seeds := []string{
+		"",
+		"title = \"interpres\"\n",
+		"[server]\nhost = \"localhost\"\nport = 8080\n\n[server.tls]\nenabled = true\n",
+		"[[items]]\nname = \"a\"\n\n[[items]]\nname = \"b\"\n",
+		"inline = { a = 1, b = [2, 3], c = { d = 4 } }\n",
+		"arr = [1, 2.5, \"three\", true, 1979-05-27T07:32:00Z]\n",
+		"mix = [1, {a = 2}, \"x\"]\n",
+		"when = 1979-05-27T07:32:00Z\nlocal = 1979-05-27T07:32:00.999\nd = 1979-05-27\nt = 07:32:00\n",
+		"multi = \"\"\"\nlines\n\"\"\"\nlit = 'literal'\n",
+		"esc = \"\\u0000\\t\\n\\\"\\\\\"\n",
+		"neg = -0.0\nnan = nan\ninf = -inf\nexp = 1e6\n",
+		"\"quoted key\" = 'value'\n'1979-05-27' = 1\na.b.c = { d = \"dotted\" }\n",
+		"hex = 0xFF\noct = 0o755\nbin = 0b1010\nsep = 1_000_000\n",
+		"x = \"unterminated\n",
+		"[a]\n[a]\n",
+		"n = 0x1_0000_0000_0000_0000\n",
+	}
+	for _, s := range seeds {
+		f.Add([]byte(s))
+	}
+	f.Fuzz(func(t *testing.T, data []byte) {
+		tree, err := Parse(data)
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+		out, err := Marshal(tree)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("marshal of a parsed tree failed: %v\ntree: %#v", err, tree)
+		}
+		re, err := Parse(out)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("re-parse of the emitted document failed: %v\ndoc:\n%s", err, out)
+		}
+		if !tomlEqual(tree, re) {
+			t.Fatalf("round-trip changed the tree\ninput: %q\ndoc:\n%s\nwas: %#v\nnow: %#v", data, out, tree, re)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+// tomlEqual reports whether two parsed trees are equal as TOML values. It
+// differs from reflect.DeepEqual where DeepEqual is wrong for this domain:
+// NaN compares equal to itself, date-times compare by their canonical TOML
+// rendering so two parses of one document stay equal, and the local variants
+// compare through their String form, which fully determines the value.
+func tomlEqual(a, b any) bool {
+	switch av := a.(type) {
+	case nil:
+		return b == nil
+	case float64:
+		bv, ok := b.(float64)
+		return ok && (av == bv || (math.IsNaN(av) && math.IsNaN(bv)))
+	case time.Time:
+		bv, ok := b.(time.Time)
+		return ok && av.Format(time.RFC3339Nano) == bv.Format(time.RFC3339Nano)
+	case LocalDateTime:
+		bv, ok := b.(LocalDateTime)
+		return ok && av.String() == bv.String()
+	case LocalDate:
+		bv, ok := b.(LocalDate)
+		return ok && av.String() == bv.String()
+	case LocalTime:
+		bv, ok := b.(LocalTime)
+		return ok && av.String() == bv.String()
+	case []any:
+		bv, ok := b.([]any)
+		if !ok || len(av) != len(bv) {
+			return false
+		}
+		for i := range av {
+			if !tomlEqual(av[i], bv[i]) {
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+		return true
+	case []map[string]any:
+		bv, ok := b.([]map[string]any)
+		if !ok || len(av) != len(bv) {
+			return false
+		}
+		for i := range av {
+			if !tomlEqual(av[i], bv[i]) {
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+		return true
+	case map[string]any:
+		bv, ok := b.(map[string]any)
+		if !ok || len(av) != len(bv) {
+			return false
+		}
+		for k, v := range av {
+			other, ok := bv[k]
+			if !ok || !tomlEqual(v, other) {
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+		return true
+	default:
+		return reflect.DeepEqual(a, b)
+	}
+}

go.mod

@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 module sourcedock.dev/petrbalvin/interpres
 
-go 1.27.0
+go 1.27.1

interpres.go

@@ -150,13 +150,18 @@ type Unmarshaler interface {
 //   - The top-level value must be a struct or a map[string]V. Pointers are
 //     followed; a nil top-level pointer is an error.
 //   - Struct fields are matched by `toml:"name"` tag (case-insensitive
-//     fallback to field name; `-` skips). Anonymous (embedded) fields without
+//     fallback to field name; `-` skips). The tag options `omitzero` (skip
-//     a tag are inlined.
+//     the zero value of the field's type) and `omitempty` (skip an empty
+//     slice, array, or map) drop a field from the output on encode; the
+//     decoder ignores them. Anonymous (embedded) fields without a tag are
+//     inlined.
 //   - Maps use sorted keys for deterministic output.
 //   - Slices and arrays of structs or maps become TOML arrays of tables; a
 //     nil or empty array of tables is omitted (TOML forbids an empty `[[a]]`),
 //     while other empty arrays emit as `key = []`.
-//   - Other slices and arrays become TOML arrays.
+//   - Other slices and arrays become TOML arrays; a table element inside a
+//     value array (for example an inline table in a mixed array) emits as an
+//     inline table.
 //   - Scalars encode as TOML scalars: bool, int64, float64, string, time.Time
 //     (offset date-time), and LocalDateTime/LocalDate/LocalTime (local
 //     variants).