diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/import_x_json2.v b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/import_x_json2.v
index 036ad8e75c..90b93d5afb 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/import_x_json2.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/import_x_json2.v
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ import x.json2
 
 fn main() {
 	x := '[[],[],[]]'
-	println(json2.raw_decode(x)?)
+	println(json2.raw_decode(x)!)
 }
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/decoder.v b/vlib/x/json2/decoder.v
index 8570d58688..afa307c9f7 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/decoder.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/decoder.v
@@ -4,7 +4,17 @@
 module json2
 
 // `Any` is a sum type that lists the possible types to be decoded and used.
-pub type Any = Null | []Any | bool | f32 | f64 | i64 | int | map[string]Any | string | u64
+pub type Any = Null
+	| []Any
+	| []int
+	| bool
+	| f32
+	| f64
+	| i64
+	| int
+	| map[string]Any
+	| string
+	| u64
 
 // `Null` struct is a simple representation of the `null` value in JSON.
 pub struct Null {
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/encoder.v b/vlib/x/json2/encoder.v
index 1b902f4ebb..d9481a56cc 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/encoder.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/encoder.v
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ pub struct Encoder {
 	escape_unicode       bool = true
 }
 
+pub const default_encoder = Encoder{}
+
 // byte array versions of the most common tokens/chars
 // to avoid reallocations
 const null_in_bytes = 'null'.bytes()
@@ -37,9 +39,9 @@ const quote_bytes = [u8(`"`)]
 const escaped_chars = [(r'\b').bytes(), (r'\f').bytes(), (r'\n').bytes(),
 	(r'\r').bytes(), (r'\t').bytes()]
 
-// encode_value encodes an `Any` value to the specific writer.
-pub fn (e &Encoder) encode_value(f Any, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
-	e.encode_value_with_level(f, 1, mut wr)!
+// encode_value encodes a value to the specific writer.
+pub fn (e &Encoder) encode_value<T>(val T, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
+	e.encode_value_with_level<T>(val, 1, mut wr)!
 }
 
 fn (e &Encoder) encode_newline(level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
@@ -51,24 +53,24 @@ fn (e &Encoder) encode_newline(level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
 	}
 }
 
-fn (e &Encoder) encode_value_with_level(f Any, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
-	match f {
+fn (e &Encoder) encode_any(val Any, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
+	match val {
 		string {
-			e.encode_string(f, mut wr)!
+			e.encode_string(val, mut wr)!
 		}
 		bool {
-			if f == true {
+			if val == true {
 				wr.write(json2.true_in_bytes)!
 			} else {
 				wr.write(json2.false_in_bytes)!
 			}
 		}
 		int, u64, i64 {
-			wr.write(f.str().bytes())!
+			wr.write(val.str().bytes())!
 		}
 		f32, f64 {
 			$if !nofloat ? {
-				str_float := f.str().bytes()
+				str_float := val.str().bytes()
 				wr.write(str_float)!
 				if str_float[str_float.len - 1] == `.` {
 					wr.write(json2.zero_in_bytes)!
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ fn (e &Encoder) encode_value_with_level(f Any, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
 		map[string]Any {
 			wr.write([u8(`{`)])!
 			mut i := 0
-			for k, v in f {
+			for k, v in val {
 				e.encode_newline(level, mut wr)!
 				e.encode_string(k, mut wr)!
 				wr.write(json2.colon_bytes)!
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@ fn (e &Encoder) encode_value_with_level(f Any, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
 					wr.write(json2.space_bytes)!
 				}
 				e.encode_value_with_level(v, level + 1, mut wr)!
-				if i < f.len - 1 {
+				if i < val.len - 1 {
 					wr.write(json2.comma_bytes)!
 				}
 				i++
@@ -98,13 +100,27 @@ fn (e &Encoder) encode_value_with_level(f Any, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
 		}
 		[]Any {
 			wr.write([u8(`[`)])!
-			for i, v in f {
+			for i in 0 .. val.len {
 				e.encode_newline(level, mut wr)!
-				e.encode_value_with_level(v, level + 1, mut wr)!
-				if i < f.len - 1 {
+				e.encode_value_with_level(val[i], level + 1, mut wr)!
+				if i < val.len - 1 {
 					wr.write(json2.comma_bytes)!
 				}
 			}
+
+			e.encode_newline(level - 1, mut wr)!
+			wr.write([u8(`]`)])!
+		}
+		[]int {
+			wr.write([u8(`[`)])!
+			for i in 0 .. val.len {
+				e.encode_newline(level, mut wr)!
+				e.encode_value_with_level(val[i], level + 1, mut wr)!
+				if i < val.len - 1 {
+					wr.write(json2.comma_bytes)!
+				}
+			}
+
 			e.encode_newline(level - 1, mut wr)!
 			wr.write([u8(`]`)])!
 		}
@@ -114,6 +130,85 @@ fn (e &Encoder) encode_value_with_level(f Any, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
 	}
 }
 
+fn (e &Encoder) encode_value_with_level<T>(val T, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
+	$if T is string {
+		e.encode_string(val, mut wr)!
+	} $else $if T is Any {
+		e.encode_any(val, level, mut wr)!
+	} $else $if T is map[string]Any {
+		// weird quirk but val is destructured immediately to Any
+		e.encode_any(val, level, mut wr)!
+	} $else $if T is []Any {
+		e.encode_any(val, level, mut wr)!
+	} $else $if T is Null || T is bool || T is f32 || T is f64 || T is i64 || T is int || T is u64 {
+		e.encode_any(val, level, mut wr)!
+	} $else $if T is Encodable {
+		wr.write(val.json_str().bytes())!
+	} $else $if T is []int {
+		// wr.write(val.str)!
+		e.encode_any(val, level, mut wr)!
+	} $else $if T is $Struct {
+		e.encode_struct(val, level, mut wr)!
+	} $else $if T is $Enum {
+		e.encode_any(Any(int(val)), level, mut wr)!
+	} $else {
+		return error('cannot encode value with ${typeof(val).name} type')
+	}
+}
+
+fn (e &Encoder) encode_struct<U>(val U, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
+	wr.write([u8(`{`)])!
+	mut i := 0
+	mut fields_len := 0
+	$for _ in U.fields {
+		fields_len++
+	}
+	$for field in U.fields {
+		mut json_name := ''
+		for attr in field.attrs {
+			if attr.contains('json: ') {
+				json_name = attr.replace('json: ', '')
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		e.encode_newline(level, mut wr)!
+		if json_name != '' {
+			e.encode_string(json_name, mut wr)!
+		} else {
+			e.encode_string(field.name, mut wr)!
+		}
+		wr.write(json2.colon_bytes)!
+		if e.newline != 0 {
+			wr.write(json2.space_bytes)!
+		}
+		field_value := val.$(field.name)
+		e.encode_value_with_level(field_value, level + 1, mut wr)!
+		if i < fields_len - 1 {
+			wr.write(json2.comma_bytes)!
+		}
+		i++
+	}
+	e.encode_newline(level - 1, mut wr)!
+	wr.write([u8(`}`)])!
+}
+
+fn (e &Encoder) encode_array<U>(val U, level int, mut wr io.Writer) ! {
+	$if U is $Array {
+		wr.write([u8(`[`)])!
+		for i in 0 .. val.len {
+			e.encode_newline(level, mut wr)!
+			e.encode_value_with_level(&val[i], level + 1, mut wr)!
+			if i < val.len - 1 {
+				wr.write(json2.comma_bytes)!
+			}
+		}
+		e.encode_newline(level - 1, mut wr)!
+		wr.write([u8(`]`)])!
+	} $else {
+		return error('encoded array value is not an array')
+	}
+}
+
 // str returns the JSON string representation of the `map[string]Any` type.
 pub fn (f map[string]Any) str() string {
 	return Any(f).json_str()
@@ -137,13 +232,7 @@ pub fn (f Any) str() string {
 // json_str returns the JSON string representation of the `Any` type.
 [manualfree]
 pub fn (f Any) json_str() string {
-	mut sb := strings.new_builder(4096)
-	defer {
-		unsafe { sb.free() }
-	}
-	mut enc := Encoder{}
-	enc.encode_value(f, mut sb) or { return '' }
-	return sb.str()
+	return encode(f)
 }
 
 // prettify_json_str returns the pretty-formatted JSON string representation of the `Any` type.
@@ -157,7 +246,7 @@ pub fn (f Any) prettify_json_str() string {
 		newline: `\n`
 		newline_spaces_count: 4
 	}
-	enc.encode_value(f, mut sb) or { return '' }
+	enc.encode_value(f, mut sb) or {}
 	return sb.str()
 }
 
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/encoder_test.v b/vlib/x/json2/encoder_test.v
index 4a8e6f7bfb..e2207746f5 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/encoder_test.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/encoder_test.v
@@ -38,19 +38,20 @@ fn test_json_string_non_ascii() {
 
 fn test_utf8_strings_are_not_modified() {
 	original := '{"s":"Schilddrüsenerkrankungen"}'
-	// dump(original)
 	deresult := json2.raw_decode(original)!
-	// dump(deresult)
 	assert deresult.str() == original
 }
 
-fn test_encoder_unescaped_utf32() {
+fn test_encoder_unescaped_utf32() ! {
 	jap_text := json2.Any('ひらがな')
 	enc := json2.Encoder{
 		escape_unicode: false
 	}
 
 	mut sb := strings.new_builder(20)
+	defer {
+		unsafe { sb.free() }
+	}
 	enc.encode_value(jap_text, mut sb)!
 
 	assert sb.str() == '"${jap_text}"'
@@ -74,6 +75,9 @@ fn test_encoder_prettify() {
 		newline_spaces_count: 2
 	}
 	mut sb := strings.new_builder(20)
+	defer {
+		unsafe { sb.free() }
+	}
 	enc.encode_value(obj, mut sb)!
 	assert sb.str() == '{
   "hello": "world",
@@ -88,3 +92,34 @@ fn test_encoder_prettify() {
   }
 }'
 }
+
+pub struct Test {
+	val string
+}
+
+fn test_encode_struct() {
+	enc := json2.encode(Test{'hello!'})
+	assert enc == '{"val":"hello!"}'
+}
+
+pub struct Uri {
+	protocol string
+	path     string
+}
+
+pub fn (u Uri) json_str() string {
+	return '"${u.protocol}://${u.path}"'
+}
+
+fn test_encode_encodable() {
+	assert json2.encode(Uri{'file', 'path/to/file'}) == '"file://path/to/file"'
+}
+
+fn test_encode_array() {
+	assert json2.encode([1, 2, 3]) == '[1,2,3]'
+}
+
+fn test_encode_simple() {
+	assert json2.encode('hello!') == '"hello!"'
+	assert json2.encode(1) == '1'
+}
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/json2.v b/vlib/x/json2/json2.v
index a87ba83d3d..e9112ad471 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/json2.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/json2.v
@@ -3,13 +3,18 @@
 // that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 module json2
 
+import strings
+
 pub const (
 	null = Null{}
 )
 
-pub interface Serializable {
+pub interface Decodable {
 	from_json(f Any)
-	to_json() string
+}
+
+pub interface Encodable {
+	json_str() string
 }
 
 // Decodes a JSON string into an `Any` type. Returns an option.
@@ -33,8 +38,16 @@ pub fn decode<T>(src string) !T {
 }
 
 // encode is a generic function that encodes a type into a JSON string.
-pub fn encode<T>(typ T) string {
-	return typ.to_json()
+pub fn encode<T>(val T) string {
+	mut sb := strings.new_builder(64)
+	defer {
+		unsafe { sb.free() }
+	}
+	default_encoder.encode_value(val, mut sb) or {
+		dump(err)
+		default_encoder.encode_value<Null>(json2.null, mut sb) or {}
+	}
+	return sb.str()
 }
 
 // as_map uses `Any` as a map.
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/json2_test.v b/vlib/x/json2/json2_test.v
index 35403cfbe9..1a56d81fe4 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/json2_test.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/json2_test.v
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import x.json2
+import time
 
 enum JobTitle {
 	manager
@@ -45,14 +46,12 @@ fn (mut e Employee) from_json(any json2.Any) {
 fn test_simple() {
 	x := Employee{'Peter', 28, 95000.5, .worker}
 	s := json2.encode<Employee>(x)
-	eprintln('Employee x: ${s}')
 	assert s == '{"name":"Peter","age":28,"salary":95000.5,"title":2}'
 	y := json2.decode<Employee>(s) or {
 		println(err)
 		assert false
 		return
 	}
-	eprintln('Employee y: ${y}')
 	assert y.name == 'Peter'
 	assert y.age == 28
 	assert y.salary == 95000.5
@@ -83,7 +82,6 @@ fn test_character_unescape() {
 		return
 	}
 	lines := obj.as_map()
-	eprintln('${lines}')
 	assert lines['newline'] or { 0 }.str() == 'new\nline'
 	assert lines['tab'] or { 0 }.str() == '\ttab'
 	assert lines['backslash'] or { 0 }.str() == 'back\\slash'
@@ -91,12 +89,6 @@ fn test_character_unescape() {
 	assert lines['slash'] or { 0 }.str() == '/dev/null'
 }
 
-struct User2 {
-pub mut:
-	age  int
-	nums []int
-}
-
 fn (mut u User2) from_json(an json2.Any) {
 	mp := an.as_map()
 	mut js_field_name := ''
@@ -116,6 +108,13 @@ fn (mut u User2) from_json(an json2.Any) {
 	}
 }
 
+struct User2 {
+mut:
+	age      int
+	nums     []int
+	reg_date time.Time
+}
+
 // User struct needs to be `pub mut` for now in order to access and manipulate values
 struct User {
 pub mut:
@@ -166,17 +165,8 @@ fn (u User) to_json() string {
 
 fn test_parse_user() {
 	s := '{"age": 10, "nums": [1,2,3], "type": 1, "lastName": "Johnson", "IsRegistered": true, "pet_animals": {"name": "Bob", "animal": "Dog"}}'
-	u2 := json2.decode<User2>(s) or {
-		println(err)
-		assert false
-		return
-	}
-	println(u2)
-	u := json2.decode<User>(s) or {
-		println(err)
-		assert false
-		return
-	}
+	u2 := json2.decode<User2>(s)!
+	u := json2.decode<User>(s)!
 	assert u.age == 10
 	assert u.last_name == 'Johnson'
 	assert u.is_registered == true
@@ -188,8 +178,26 @@ fn test_parse_user() {
 	assert u.pets == '{"name":"Bob","animal":"Dog"}'
 }
 
+// fn test_encode_decode_time() {
+// 	user := User2{
+// 		age: 25
+// 		reg_date: time.new_time(year: 2020, month: 12, day: 22, hour: 7, minute: 23)
+// 	}
+// 	s := json2.encode(user)
+// 	// println(s) //{"age":25,"nums":[],"reg_date":{"year":2020,"month":12,"day":22,"hour":7,"minute":23,"second":0,"microsecond":0,"unix":1608621780,"is_local":false}}
+// 	assert s.contains('"reg_date":1608621780')
+// 	user2 := json2.decode<User2>(s)!
+// 	assert user2.reg_date.str() == '2020-12-22 07:23:00'
+// 	// println(user2)
+// 	// println(user2.reg_date)
+// }
+
+fn (mut u User) foo() string {
+	return json2.encode(u)
+}
+
 fn test_encode_user() {
-	usr := User{
+	mut usr := User{
 		age: 10
 		nums: [1, 2, 3]
 		last_name: 'Johnson'
@@ -200,6 +208,8 @@ fn test_encode_user() {
 	expected := '{"age":10,"nums":[1,2,3],"lastName":"Johnson","IsRegistered":true,"type":0,"pet_animals":"foo"}'
 	out := json2.encode<User>(usr)
 	assert out == expected
+	// Test json.encode on mutable pointers
+	assert usr.foo() == expected
 }
 
 struct Color {
@@ -237,9 +247,8 @@ struct Country {
 	cities []City
 	name   string
 }
-
 fn test_struct_in_struct() {
-	country := json.decode(Country, '{ "name": "UK", "cities": [{"name":"London"}, {"name":"Manchester"}]}') or {
+	country := json2.decode<Country>('{ "name": "UK", "cities": [{"name":"London"}, {"name":"Manchester"}]}') or {
 		assert false
 		exit(1)
 	}