diff --git a/examples.html b/examples.html
index f5a09df..4aa27fb 100644
--- a/examples.html
+++ b/examples.html
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
             pageTitle   : "Weld examples",
             description : "Below is a list of examples",
             dogfood     : "This page was rendered with weld",
+            link: {
+              "@.": "foo",
+              "@href": "bar"
+            },
             example : [
             {
               title   : 'Render an object into some elements',
@@ -44,6 +48,7 @@ <h1 class="pageTitle">Random title</h1>
   <p class="description">
     This is a description about this page..
   </p>
+  <a href="" class="link"></a>
   <p class="dogfood">
     here is some dogfood
   </p>
diff --git a/lib/weld.js b/lib/weld.js
index f66fee3..5ffc96d 100644
--- a/lib/weld.js
+++ b/lib/weld.js
@@ -340,6 +340,27 @@
             obj    = value[lkey];
             target = ops.match(template, element, lkey, obj);
 
+            if(lkey.length > 1 && lkey[0] == '@') {
+              var attr = lkey.substr(1);
+
+              if(attr == '.') {
+
+                // set the element's value as normal
+                if(~({}).toString.call(value).indexOf('Date')) {
+                  value[lkey] = value[lkey].toString();
+                }
+
+                if (value.nodeType || typeof value[lkey] !== 'object') {
+                  ops.set(parent, element, key, value[lkey], row);
+                }
+              } else {
+                // set the element's attribute
+                element.setAttribute(attr, value[lkey]);
+              }
+
+              continue;
+            }
+
             if (target) {
               ops.traverse(template, target, lkey, obj, row);
 
@@ -444,6 +465,8 @@
         return res;
       },
       match : function match(parent, element, key, value) {
+        if(key[0] == '@') return;
+
         if(typeof config.alias[key] !== 'undefined') {
           if(typeof config.alias[key] === 'function') {
             key = config.alias[key](parent, element, key, value) || key;
diff --git a/lib/weld.min.js b/lib/weld.min.js
index 3353c24..cc73e71 100644
--- a/lib/weld.min.js
+++ b/lib/weld.min.js
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(function(i){var o=(typeof console==="undefined")?{log:function(){}}:console;var a=false;if(typeof require!=="undefined"){var m=require("tty");if(m.isatty&&m.isatty(0)){a=true}}var h={gray:"\033[37m",darkgray:"\033[40;30m",red:"\033[31m",green:"\033[32m",yellow:"\033[33m",lightblue:"\033[1;34m",cyan:"\033[36m",white:"\033[1;37m"},c=/input|select|textarea|option|button/i,g=/img/i,l=0,f=a?(h.green+" ✓"+h.gray):" Success",k=a?(h.red+" ✗"+h.gray):" Fail",j=function j(r,d){var q=r.toUpperCase();return function(v,u,t,w){o.log(e(),((a?(h.gray+"┌ "):"+ ")+q+" -"),"parent:",b(v)+",","element:",b(u)+",","key:",b(t)+",","value:",b(w));l+=1;if(d){var s=d(v,u,t,w);l-=1;o.log(e(),(a?"└ ":"+ ")+u+""+(s!==false?f:k));return s}l-=1;n("- OPERATION NOT FOUND: ",q)}},e=function e(){var d=l,q="";while(d--){q+=a?" │   ":" |   "}return q},n=function n(){var d=Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);o.log(e(),d.join(" "))},b=function b(r){var q=r+"",d="undefined";if(a){if(q==="false"||q==="null"||q===""||q===d||typeof r===d||r===false){if(q===""){q="(empty string)"}return h.red+q+h.gray}else{return h.yellow+q+h.gray}}return q};i.weld=function p(y,u,D){var t={alias:{},debug:false,insert:false},s={siblings:function A(L,G,N,K){var H=[],M,F,E,I,J=L.children;cs=J.length;G.weld={parent:L,classes:G.className.split(" ")};while(cs--){M=J[cs];if(M===G){if(cs<J.length){G.weld.insertBefore=J[cs+1]}if(d){n("- REMOVE - element:",b(G),"class:",b(G.className),"id:",b(G.id))}L.removeChild(G)}else{F=M.className.split(" ");E=F.length;I=true;while(E--){if(G.weld.classes.indexOf(F[E])<0){I=false;break}}if(I){if(d){n("- REMOVE - element:",b(M),"class:",b(M.className),"id:",b(M.id))}L.removeChild(M)}}}},traverse:function w(O,G,Q,N){var L,K,H,S,E,F,P=G,R=G.parentNode;if(N.nodeType||typeof N!=="object"){s.set(O,G,Q,N)}else{if(N.length&&N[0]){if(R){s.siblings(R,P,Q,N)}else{if(P.weld&&P.weld.parent){R=P.weld.parent}}E=N.length;for(H=0;H<E;H++){if(d){n("- CLONE - element:",b(G),"class:",b(G.className),"id:",b(G.id))}K=G.cloneNode(true);K.weld={};if(G.weld){if(Object.keys){var S=Object.keys(G.weld),M=S.length,I;while(M--){I=S[M];K.weld[I]=G.weld[I]}}else{for(var I in G.weld){if(G.weld.hasOwnProperty(I)){K.weld[I]=G.weld[I]}}}}s.traverse(R,K,H,N[H]);s.insert(R,K)}}else{if(Object.keys){var S=Object.keys(N),J=S.length;while(J--){Q=S[J];F=N[Q];K=s.match(P,G,Q,F);if(K){s.traverse(P,K,Q,F)}}}else{for(Q in N){if(N.hasOwnProperty(Q)){F=N[Q];K=s.match(P,G,Q,F);if(K){s.traverse(P,K,Q,F)}}}}}}},elementType:function x(G,F,E,H){if(F){var I=F.nodeName;if(typeof I==="string"){if(c.test(I)){return"input"}if(g.test(I)){return"image"}}}},map:false,insert:function(F,E){if(E.weld&&E.weld.insertBefore){F.insertBefore(E,E.weld.insertBefore)}else{F.appendChild(E)}},set:function C(I,G,F,J){if(s.map&&s.map(I,G,F,J)===false){return false}if(d){n("- SET: value is",J.tagName)}var H=s.elementType(I,G,F,J),E=false;if(J&&J.nodeType){if(G.ownerDocument!==J.ownerDocument){J=G.ownerDocument.importNode(J,true)}else{if(J.parentNode){J.parentNode.removeChild(J)}}while(G.firstChild){G.removeChild(G.firstChild)}G.appendChild(J);E=true}else{if(H==="input"){G.setAttribute("value",J);E=true}else{if(H==="image"){G.setAttribute("src",J);E=true}else{G.textContent=J;E=true}}}return E},match:function v(J,I,H,K){if(typeof t.alias[H]!=="undefined"){if(typeof t.alias[H]==="function"){H=t.alias[H](J,I,H,K)||H}else{if(t.alias[H]===false){return false}else{H=t.alias[H]}}}if(H&&H.nodeType){return H}if(I){if(I.querySelector){return I.querySelector("."+H+",#"+H+',[name="'+H+'"]')}else{var G=I.getElementsByTagName("*"),E=G.length,L,F;for(F=0;F<E;F++){L=G[F];if(L.id===H||L.name===H||L.className.split(" ").indexOf(H)>-1){return L}}}}}},B=y.parentNode,q,r,z,d;if(D){for(r in D){if(D.hasOwnProperty(r)){t[r]=D[r]}}}d=t.debug;for(q in s){if(s.hasOwnProperty(q)){currentOp=s[q];z=t[q]||s[q];if(d){z=j(q,z)}s[q]=z}}s.traverse(null,y,null,u);if(t.debug){o.log(B.innerHTML)}}})((typeof exports==="undefined")?window:exports);
\ No newline at end of file
+(function(exports){if(!Object.keys){var hasDontEnumBug=true,dontEnums=["toString","toLocaleString","valueOf","hasOwnProperty","isPrototypeOf","propertyIsEnumerable","constructor"],dontEnumsLength=dontEnums.length;for(var key in{toString:null}){hasDontEnumBug=false}Object.keys=function keys(object){if(typeof object!=="object"&&typeof object!=="function"||object===null){throw new TypeError("Object.keys called on a non-object")}var keys=[];for(var name in object){if(object.hasOwnProperty(name)){keys.push(name)}}if(hasDontEnumBug){for(var i=0,ii=dontEnumsLength;i<ii;i++){var dontEnum=dontEnums[i];if(object.hasOwnProperty(dontEnum)){keys.push(dontEnum)}}}return keys}}if(!Array.prototype.indexOf){Array.prototype.indexOf=function(searchElement){"use strict";if(this==null){throw new TypeError}var t=Object(this);var len=t.length>>>0;if(len===0){return-1}var n=0;if(arguments.length>0){n=Number(arguments[1]);if(n!=n){n=0}else if(n!=0&&n!=Infinity&&n!=-Infinity){n=(n>0||-1)*Math.floor(Math.abs(n))}}if(n>=len){return-1}var k=n>=0?n:Math.max(len-Math.abs(n),0);for(;k<len;k++){if(k in t&&t[k]===searchElement){return k}}return-1}}var logger=typeof console==="undefined"?{log:function(){}}:console;var nodejs=false;if(typeof process!=="undefined"&&process.title){nodejs=true}var color={gray:"",darkgray:"",red:"",green:"",yellow:"",lightblue:"",cyan:"",white:""};var inputRegex=/input|select|option|button/i;var imageRegex=/img/i;var textareaRegex=/textarea/i;var truthyRegex=/yes|true|1|ok/i;var depth=0;var successIndicator=nodejs?color.green+" ?"+color.gray:" Success";var failureIndicator=nodejs?color.red+" ?"+color.gray:" Fail";var debuggable=function debuggable(name,operation){var label=name.toUpperCase();return function(parent,element,key,value){logger.log(pad(),(nodejs?color.gray+"+ ":"+ ")+label+" -","parent:",colorize(parent)+",","element:",colorize(element)+",","key:",colorize(key)+",","value:",colorize(value));depth+=1;if(operation){var res=operation(parent,element,key,value);depth-=1;logger.log(pad(),(nodejs?"+ ":"+ ")+element+""+(res!==false?successIndicator:failureIndicator));return res}depth-=1;d("- OPERATION NOT FOUND: ",label)}};var pad=function pad(){var l=depth,ret="";while(l--){ret+=nodejs?" Ơ  ":" |   "}return ret};var d=function d(){var args=Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);logger.log(pad(),args.join(" "))};var colorize=function colorize(val){var sval=val+"",u="undefined";if(nodejs){if(sval==="false"||sval==="null"||sval===""||sval===u||typeof val===u||val===false){if(sval===""){sval="(empty string)"}return color.red+sval+color.gray}else{return color.yellow+sval+color.gray}}return sval};exports.weld=function weld(DOMTarget,data,pconfig){var parent=DOMTarget.parentNode;var currentOpKey,p,fn,debug;var config={alias:{},debug:false,insert:false};if(pconfig){for(p in pconfig){if(pconfig.hasOwnProperty(p)){config[p]=pconfig[p]}}}debug=config.debug;var ops={siblings:function siblings(parent,element,key,value){var remove=[],sibling,classes,cc,match,siblings=parent.children;cs=siblings.length;element.weld={parent:parent,classes:element.className.split(" ")};while(cs--){sibling=siblings[cs];if(sibling===element){if(cs<siblings.length){element.weld.insertBefore=siblings[cs+1]}if(debug){d("- REMOVE - element:",colorize(element),"class:",colorize(element.className),"id:",colorize(element.id))}parent.removeChild(element)}else{classes=sibling.className.split(" ");cc=classes.length;match=true;while(cc--){if(element.weld.classes.indexOf(classes[cc])<0){match=false;break}}if(match){if(debug){d("- REMOVE - element:",colorize(sibling),"class:",colorize(sibling.className),"id:",colorize(sibling.id))}parent.removeChild(sibling)}}}},traverse:function traverse(parent,element,key,value,row){var type,target,i,keys,l,obj;var template=element;var templateParent=element.parentNode;if(~{}.toString.call(value).indexOf("Date")){value=value.toString()}if(value.nodeType||typeof value!=="object"){ops.set(parent,element,key,value,row)}else if(value.length&&value[0]){if(templateParent){ops.siblings(templateParent,template,key,value)}else if(template.weld&&template.weld.parent){templateParent=template.weld.parent}l=value.length;for(i=0;i<l;i++){if(debug){d("- CLONE - element:",colorize(element),"class:",colorize(element.className),"id:",colorize(element.id))}target=element.cloneNode(true);target.weld={};if(element.weld){var keys=Object.keys(element.weld),currentKey=keys.length,weldParam;while(currentKey--){weldParam=keys[currentKey];target.weld[weldParam]=element.weld[weldParam]}}ops.traverse(templateParent,target,i,value[i],value[i]);ops.insert(templateParent,target,i,value[i])}}else{var keys=Object.keys(value),current=keys.length,obj;while(current--){var lkey=keys[current];obj=value[lkey];target=ops.match(template,element,lkey,obj);if(lkey.length>1&&lkey[0]=="@"){var attr=lkey.substr(1);if(attr=="."){if(~{}.toString.call(value).indexOf("Date")){value[lkey]=value[lkey].toString()}if(value.nodeType||typeof value[lkey]!=="object"){ops.set(parent,element,key,value[lkey],row)}}else{element.setAttribute(attr,value[lkey])}continue}if(target){ops.traverse(template,target,lkey,obj,row)}else if(target!==false&&typeof obj==="object"&&Object.keys(obj).length>0){ops.traverse(templateParent,template,lkey,obj)}}}},elementType:function elementType(parent,element,key,value){if(element){var nodeName=element.nodeName;if(typeof nodeName==="string"){if(inputRegex.test(nodeName)){return"input"}if(imageRegex.test(nodeName)){return"image"}if(textareaRegex.test(nodeName)){return"textarea"}}}},map:false,insert:function(parent,element){if(element.weld&&element.weld.insertBefore){parent.insertBefore(element,element.weld.insertBefore)}else{parent.appendChild(element)}},set:function set(parent,element,key,value,row){if(ops.map&&ops.map(parent,element,key,value,row)===false){return false}if(debug){d("- SET: value is",value.tagName)}var type=ops.elementType(parent,element,key,value),res=false;if(value&&value.nodeType){if(element.ownerDocument!==value.ownerDocument){value=element.ownerDocument.importNode(value,true)}else if(value.parentNode){value.parentNode.removeChild(value)}while(element.firstChild){element.removeChild(element.firstChild)}element.appendChild(value);res=true}else if(type==="input"){if(element.tagName.toLowerCase()==="select"){element.value=value}else if(element.type.toLowerCase()==="checkbox"){if(truthyRegex.test(value)){element.setAttribute("checked",true)}else if(element.hasAttribute("checked")){element.removeAttribute("checked")}}else{element.setAttribute("value",value)}res=true}else if(type==="image"){element.setAttribute("src",value);res=true}else if(type==="textarea"){element.textContent=value;if(element.value!==value){element.value=value}res=true}else{element.textContent=value;res=true}return res},match:function match(parent,element,key,value){if(key[0]=="@")return;if(typeof config.alias[key]!=="undefined"){if(typeof config.alias[key]==="function"){key=config.alias[key](parent,element,key,value)||key}else if(config.alias[key]===false){return false}else{key=config.alias[key]}}if(key&&key.nodeType){return key}if(element){if(element.querySelector){return element.querySelector("."+key+",#"+key+',[name="'+key+'"]')}else{var els=element.getElementsByTagName("*"),l=els.length,e,i;for(i=0;i<l;i++){e=els[i];if(e.id===key||e.name===key||e.className.split(" ").indexOf(key)>-1){return e}}}}}};for(currentOpKey in ops){if(ops.hasOwnProperty(currentOpKey)){currentOp=ops[currentOpKey];fn=config[currentOpKey]||ops[currentOpKey];if(debug){fn=debuggable(currentOpKey,fn)}ops[currentOpKey]=fn}}ops.traverse(null,DOMTarget,null,data);if(config.debug){logger.log(DOMTarget.outerHTML)}};if(typeof exports.define!=="undefined"&&exports.define.amd){define("weld",[],function(){return window.weld})}})(typeof process!=="undefined"&&typeof process.title!=="undefined"?exports:window);