diff --git a/Package.swift b/Package.swift
index 3321e2f..3234553 100644
--- a/Package.swift
+++ b/Package.swift
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import PackageDescription
 let package = Package(
     name: "Leaf",
     dependencies: [
-        .Package(url: "https://github.com/vapor/core.git", majorVersion: 1),
-        .Package(url: "https://github.com/vapor/node.git", majorVersion: 1)
+        .Package(url: "https://github.com/vapor/core.git", Version(2,0,0, prereleaseIdentifiers: ["alpha"])),
+        .Package(url: "https://github.com/vapor/node.git", Version(2,0,0, prereleaseIdentifiers: ["alpha"]))
     ]
 )
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Buffer/Buffer+Leaf.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Buffer/Buffer+Leaf.swift
index 8d3bcb2..74b7956 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Buffer/Buffer+Leaf.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Buffer/Buffer+Leaf.swift
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ extension BufferProtocol where Element == Byte {
 
         // check if body
         moveForward()
-        guard current == .space, next == .openCurly else {
+        guard current == .space, next == .leftCurlyBracket else {
             return TagTemplate(name: name, parameters: parameters, body: Leaf?.none)
         }
         moveForward() // queue up `{`
@@ -91,20 +91,20 @@ extension BufferProtocol where Element == Byte {
 
     mutating func extractInstructionName() throws -> String {
         moveForward() // drop initial token from name. a secondary token implies chain
-        let name = extractUntil { $0 == .openParenthesis }
-        guard current == .openParenthesis else {
+        let name = extractUntil { $0 == .leftParenthesis }
+        guard current == .leftParenthesis else {
             throw ParseError.expectedOpenParenthesis
         }
         return name.string
     }
 
     mutating func extractInstructionParameters() throws -> [Parameter] {
-        return try extractSection(opensWith: .openParenthesis, closesWith: .closedParenthesis)
+        return try extractSection(opensWith: .leftParenthesis, closesWith: .rightParenthesis)
             .extractParameters()
     }
 
     mutating func extractBody() throws -> String {
-        return try extractSection(opensWith: .openCurly, closesWith: .closedCurly)
+        return try extractSection(opensWith: .leftCurlyBracket, closesWith: .rightCurlyBracket)
             .trimmed(.whitespace)
             .string
     }
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Byte+Leaf.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Byte+Leaf.swift
index 38744d4..41f557a 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Byte+Leaf.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Byte+Leaf.swift
@@ -1,14 +1,3 @@
-// TODO: => Core
-extension Byte {
-    public static let openParenthesis = "(".bytes.first!
-    public static let closedParenthesis = ")".bytes.first!
-
-    public static let openCurly = "{".bytes.first!
-    public static let closedCurly = "}".bytes.first!
-
-    public static let quotationMark = "\"".bytes.first!
-}
-
 extension Sequence where Iterator.Element == Byte {
     public static var whitespace: Bytes {
         return [ .space, .newLine, .carriageReturn, .horizontalTab]
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/HTMLEscape.swift b/Sources/Leaf/HTMLEscape.swift
index a74e9fc..9215279 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/HTMLEscape.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/HTMLEscape.swift
@@ -27,17 +27,17 @@ extension String {
                 .replacingOccurrences(of: "<", with: "&lt;")
                 .replacingOccurrences(of: ">", with: "&gt;")
         */
-        return bytes
+        return makeBytes()
             .split(separator: .ampersand, omittingEmptySubsequences: false)
-            .joined(separator: "&amp;".bytes)
-            .split(separator: .quotationMark, omittingEmptySubsequences: false)
-            .joined(separator: "&quot;".bytes)
+            .joined(separator: "&amp;".makeBytes())
+            .split(separator: .quote, omittingEmptySubsequences: false)
+            .joined(separator: "&quot;".makeBytes())
             .split(separator: .apostrophe, omittingEmptySubsequences: false)
-            .joined(separator: "&#39;".bytes)
+            .joined(separator: "&#39;".makeBytes())
             .split(separator: .lessThan, omittingEmptySubsequences: false)
-            .joined(separator: "&lt;".bytes)
+            .joined(separator: "&lt;".makeBytes())
             .split(separator: .greaterThan, omittingEmptySubsequences: false)
-            .joined(separator: "&gt;".bytes)
+            .joined(separator: "&gt;".makeBytes())
             .string
     }
 }
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Node+Rendered.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Node+Rendered.swift
index c60eb62..8d25d2b 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Node+Rendered.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Node+Rendered.swift
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ extension Node {
         case .array(_), .object(_), .null:
             return []
         case let .bool(bool):
-            return bool.description.bytes
+            return bool.description.makeBytes()
         case let .number(number):
-            return number.description.bytes
+            return number.description.makeBytes()
         case let .string(str):
             // defaults to escaping, use #raw(var) to unescape. 
-            return str.htmlEscaped().bytes
+            return str.htmlEscaped().makeBytes()
         case let .bytes(bytes):
             return bytes
+        case let .date(date):
+            return Date.outgoingDateFormatter.string(from: date).makeBytes()
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Parameter.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Parameter.swift
index f1c75ef..a60ac86 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Parameter.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Parameter.swift
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ extension Parameter {
     internal init<S: Sequence>(_ bytes: S) throws where S.Iterator.Element == Byte {
         let bytes = bytes.array.trimmed(.whitespace)
         guard !bytes.isEmpty else { throw Error.nonEmptyArgumentRequired }
-        if bytes.count > 1, bytes.first == .quotationMark, bytes.last == .quotationMark {
+        if bytes.count > 1, bytes.first == .quote, bytes.last == .quote {
             self = .constant(value: bytes.dropFirst().dropLast().string)
         } else {
             let path = bytes.split(
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Stem+Render.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Stem+Render.swift
index 5c891c2..47b0d7a 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Stem+Render.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Stem+Render.swift
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ extension Stem {
         context: Context,
         value: Node?,
         tagTemplate: TagTemplate) throws -> Bytes {
-        // return "World".bytes
+        // return "World".makeBytes()
         if let subLeaf = tagTemplate.body {
             if let val = value { context.push(["self": val]) }
             return try tag.render(stem: self, context: context, value: value, leaf: subLeaf)
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Stem+Spawn.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Stem+Spawn.swift
index ec56ac5..fd65d61 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Stem+Spawn.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Stem+Spawn.swift
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 extension Stem {
     public func spawnLeaf(raw: String) throws -> Leaf {
-        return try spawnLeaf(raw: raw.bytes)
+        return try spawnLeaf(raw: raw.makeBytes())
     }
 
     public func spawnLeaf(raw: Bytes) throws -> Leaf {
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Tag/Models/Equal.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Tag/Models/Equal.swift
index d9a3a15..28266e5 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Tag/Models/Equal.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Tag/Models/Equal.swift
@@ -54,5 +54,9 @@ fileprivate func fuzzyEquals(_ lhs: Node?, _ rhs: Node?) -> Bool {
         return true
     case let .string(string):
         return string == rhs.string
+    case let .date(date):
+        // FIXME: Add fuzzy date access and equality?
+        guard case let .date(right) = rhs else { return false }
+        return date == right
     }
 }
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Tag/Models/Raw.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Tag/Models/Raw.swift
index 9bf0caf..165bae6 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Tag/Models/Raw.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Tag/Models/Raw.swift
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ final class Raw: Tag {
     let name = "raw"
 
     func compileBody(stem: Stem, raw: String) throws -> Leaf {
-        let component = Leaf.Component.raw(raw.bytes)
+        let component = Leaf.Component.raw(raw.makeBytes())
         return Leaf(raw: raw, components: [component])
     }
 
     func run(stem: Stem, context: Context, tagTemplate: TagTemplate, arguments: [Argument]) throws -> Node? {
         guard let string = arguments.first?.value?.string else { return nil }
-        let unescaped = string.bytes
+        let unescaped = string.makeBytes()
         return .bytes(unescaped)
     }
 
diff --git a/Sources/Leaf/Tag/TagTemplate.swift b/Sources/Leaf/Tag/TagTemplate.swift
index 1d9ee66..3d6fb08 100644
--- a/Sources/Leaf/Tag/TagTemplate.swift
+++ b/Sources/Leaf/Tag/TagTemplate.swift
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ public final class TagTemplate {
     internal init(name: String, parameters: [Parameter], body: Leaf?) {
         // we strip leading token, if another one is there,
         // that means we've found a chain element, ie: @@else {
-        if name.bytes.first == TOKEN {
+        if name.makeBytes().first == TOKEN {
             self.isChain = true
-            self.name = name.bytes.dropFirst().string
+            self.name = name.makeBytes().dropFirst().string
         } else {
             self.isChain = false
             self.name = name
diff --git a/Tests/LeafTests/BufferTests.swift b/Tests/LeafTests/BufferTests.swift
index a2b5913..88a1ab2 100644
--- a/Tests/LeafTests/BufferTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/LeafTests/BufferTests.swift
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class BufferTests: XCTestCase {
     ]
 
     func testSectionOpenerThrow() throws {
-        var buffer = Buffer("No opener".bytes)
+        var buffer = Buffer("No opener".makeBytes())
         do {
             _ = try buffer.extractSection(opensWith: .period, closesWith: .period)
             XCTFail()
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class BufferTests: XCTestCase {
     }
 
     func testSectionCloserThrow() throws {
-        var buffer = Buffer(". No closer".bytes)
+        var buffer = Buffer(". No closer".makeBytes())
         do {
             _ = try buffer.extractSection(opensWith: .period, closesWith: .period)
             XCTFail()
diff --git a/Tests/LeafTests/NodeRenderTests.swift b/Tests/LeafTests/NodeRenderTests.swift
index c68487c..87d4009 100644
--- a/Tests/LeafTests/NodeRenderTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/LeafTests/NodeRenderTests.swift
@@ -9,17 +9,17 @@ class NodeRenderTests: XCTestCase {
 
     func testRender() throws {
         var node = Node("Hello")
-        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "Hello".bytes)
+        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "Hello".makeBytes())
 
-        node = .bytes("SomeBytes".bytes)
-        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "SomeBytes".bytes)
+        node = .bytes("SomeBytes".makeBytes())
+        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "SomeBytes".makeBytes())
 
         node = .number(19972)
-        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "19972".bytes)
+        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "19972".makeBytes())
         node = .number(-98172)
-        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "-98172".bytes)
+        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "-98172".makeBytes())
         node = .number(73.655)
-        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "73.655".bytes)
+        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "73.655".makeBytes())
 
         node = .object([:])
         XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == [])
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ class NodeRenderTests: XCTestCase {
         XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == [])
 
         node = .bool(true)
-        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "true".bytes)
+        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "true".makeBytes())
         node = .bool(false)
-        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "false".bytes)
+        XCTAssert(try node.rendered() == "false".makeBytes())
     }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/LeafTests/PerformanceTests.swift b/Tests/LeafTests/PerformanceTests.swift
index e35112b..739a90b 100644
--- a/Tests/LeafTests/PerformanceTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/LeafTests/PerformanceTests.swift
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class PerformanceTests: XCTestCase {
 
     func testLeaf() throws {
         let raw = "Hello, #(name)!"
-        let expectation = "Hello, World!".bytes
+        let expectation = "Hello, World!".makeBytes()
         let template = try stem.spawnLeaf(raw: raw)
         let ctxt = Context(["name": "World"])
         measure {
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class PerformanceTests: XCTestCase {
 
     func testLeafLong() throws {
         let raw = [String](repeating: "Hello, #(name)!", count: 1000).joined(separator: ", ")
-        let expectation = [String](repeating: "Hello, World!", count: 1000).joined(separator: ", ").bytes
+        let expectation = [String](repeating: "Hello, World!", count: 1000).joined(separator: ", ").makeBytes()
         let template = try stem.spawnLeaf(raw: raw)
         _ = template.description
         let ctxt = Context(["name": "World"])
diff --git a/Tests/LeafTests/TagTemplateTests.swift b/Tests/LeafTests/TagTemplateTests.swift
index 638972b..8cc280b 100644
--- a/Tests/LeafTests/TagTemplateTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/LeafTests/TagTemplateTests.swift
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class TagTemplateTests: XCTestCase {
     }
 
     func testEquatableComponents() throws {
-        let lhs = Leaf.Component.raw("raw".bytes)
+        let lhs = Leaf.Component.raw("raw".makeBytes())
         let rhs = Leaf.Component.chain([])
         XCTAssertNotEqual(lhs, rhs)
     }