diff --git a/build.zig.zon b/build.zig.zon
index 7b23897..c5d5b80 100644
--- a/build.zig.zon
+++ b/build.zig.zon
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 .{
     .name = .pugz,
-    .version = "0.3.5",
+    .version = "0.3.6",
     .fingerprint = 0x822db0790e17621d, // Changing this has security and trust implications.
     .minimum_zig_version = "0.15.2",
     .dependencies = .{},
diff --git a/docs/CLAUDE.md b/docs/CLAUDE.md
index 817bcaa..6a7c06f 100644
--- a/docs/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/docs/CLAUDE.md
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ Pugz is a Pug-like HTML template engine written in Zig 0.15.2. It compiles Pug t
 - When the user specifies a new rule, update this CLAUDE.md file to include it.
 - Code comments are required but must be meaningful, not bloated. Focus on explaining "why" not "what". Avoid obvious comments like "// increment counter" - instead explain complex logic, non-obvious decisions, or tricky edge cases.
 - **All documentation files (.md) must be saved to the `docs/` directory.** Do not create .md files in the root directory or examples directories - always place them in `docs/`.
-- **Publish command**: When user says "publish", do the following:
+- **Publish command**: Only when user explicitly says "publish", do the following:
   1. Bump the fix version (patch version in build.zig.zon)
   2. Git commit with appropriate message
   3. Git push to remote `origin` and remote `github`
+  - Do NOT publish automatically or without explicit user request.
 
 ## Build Commands
 
@@ -35,9 +36,13 @@ Source → Lexer → Tokens → StripComments → Parser → AST → Linker →
 
 ### Three Rendering Modes
 
-1. **Static compilation** (`pug.compile`): Outputs HTML directly
-2. **Data binding** (`template.renderWithData`): Supports `#{field}` interpolation with Zig structs  
-3. **Compiled templates** (`.pug` → `.zig`): Pre-compile templates to Zig functions for maximum performance
+1. **Static compilation** (`pug.compile`): Outputs HTML directly via `codegen.zig`
+2. **Data binding** (`template.renderWithData`): Supports `#{field}` interpolation with Zig structs via `template.zig`
+3. **Compiled templates** (`.pug` → `.zig`): Pre-compile templates to Zig functions via `zig_codegen.zig`
+
+### Important: Shared AST Consumers
+
+**codegen.zig**, **template.zig**, and **zig_codegen.zig** all consume the AST from the parser. When fixing bugs related to AST structure (like attribute handling, class merging, etc.), prefer fixing in **parser.zig** so all three rendering paths benefit from the fix automatically. Only fix in the individual codegen modules if the behavior should differ between rendering modes.
 
 ### Core Modules
 
diff --git a/src/codegen.zig b/src/codegen.zig
index a784968..194f277 100644
--- a/src/codegen.zig
+++ b/src/codegen.zig
@@ -354,31 +354,19 @@ pub const Compiler = struct {
     }
 
     fn visitAttributes(self: *Compiler, tag: *Node) CompilerError!void {
-        // Collect class values to merge them into a single attribute
-        var class_values = std.ArrayListUnmanaged([]const u8){};
-        defer class_values.deinit(self.allocator);
-
-        // First pass: collect class values and output non-class attributes
         for (tag.attrs.items) |attr| {
             if (attr.val) |val| {
-                // Check if value should be skipped (empty, null, undefined)
-                const should_skip = val.len == 0 or
-                    mem.eql(u8, val, "''") or
-                    mem.eql(u8, val, "\"\"") or
-                    mem.eql(u8, val, "null") or
-                    mem.eql(u8, val, "undefined");
-
-                if (mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "class")) {
-                    // Collect class values to merge later
-                    if (!should_skip) {
-                        try class_values.append(self.allocator, val);
+                // Skip empty class/style attributes
+                if (mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "class") or mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "style")) {
+                    // Skip if value is empty, null, or undefined
+                    if (val.len == 0 or
+                        mem.eql(u8, val, "''") or
+                        mem.eql(u8, val, "\"\"") or
+                        mem.eql(u8, val, "null") or
+                        mem.eql(u8, val, "undefined"))
+                    {
+                        continue;
                     }
-                    continue;
-                }
-
-                // Skip empty style attributes
-                if (mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "style") and should_skip) {
-                    continue;
                 }
 
                 // Check for boolean attributes in terse mode
@@ -410,19 +398,6 @@ pub const Compiler = struct {
                 try self.write(attr.name);
             }
         }
-
-        // Output merged class attribute if any classes were collected
-        if (class_values.items.len > 0) {
-            try self.writeChar(' ');
-            try self.write("class=\"");
-            for (class_values.items, 0..) |class_val, i| {
-                if (i > 0) {
-                    try self.writeChar(' ');
-                }
-                try self.write(class_val);
-            }
-            try self.writeChar('"');
-        }
     }
 
     fn visitText(self: *Compiler, text: *Node) CompilerError!void {
diff --git a/src/parser.zig b/src/parser.zig
index 0a29f0e..4e54308 100644
--- a/src/parser.zig
+++ b/src/parser.zig
@@ -1486,6 +1486,12 @@ pub const Parser = struct {
         var attribute_names = std.ArrayListUnmanaged([]const u8){};
         defer attribute_names.deinit(self.allocator);
 
+        // Collect class values to merge into single attribute
+        var class_values = std.ArrayListUnmanaged([]const u8){};
+        defer class_values.deinit(self.allocator);
+        var class_line: usize = 0;
+        var class_column: usize = 0;
+
         // (attrs | class | id)*
         outer: while (true) {
             switch (self.peek().type) {
@@ -1500,21 +1506,30 @@ pub const Parser = struct {
                             }
                         }
                         try attribute_names.append(self.allocator, "id");
+                        // ID: add directly to attrs
+                        const val_str = tok.val.getString() orelse "";
+                        const final_val = try self.allocator.dupe(u8, val_str);
+                        try tag.attrs.append(self.allocator, .{
+                            .name = "id",
+                            .val = final_val,
+                            .line = tok.loc.start.line,
+                            .column = tok.loc.start.column,
+                            .filename = self.filename,
+                            .must_escape = false,
+                            .val_owned = true,
+                            .quoted = true,
+                        });
+                    } else {
+                        // Class: collect for merging later
+                        const val_str = tok.val.getString() orelse "";
+                        if (val_str.len > 0) {
+                            try class_values.append(self.allocator, val_str);
+                            if (class_line == 0) {
+                                class_line = tok.loc.start.line;
+                                class_column = tok.loc.start.column;
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
-                    // Class/id values from shorthand are always static strings
-                    const val_str = tok.val.getString() orelse "";
-                    const final_val = try self.allocator.dupe(u8, val_str);
-
-                    try tag.attrs.append(self.allocator, .{
-                        .name = if (tok.type == .id) "id" else "class",
-                        .val = final_val,
-                        .line = tok.loc.start.line,
-                        .column = tok.loc.start.column,
-                        .filename = self.filename,
-                        .must_escape = false,
-                        .val_owned = true, // We allocated this string
-                        .quoted = true, // Shorthand class/id are always static
-                    });
                 },
                 .start_attributes => {
                     if (seen_attrs) {
@@ -1523,7 +1538,32 @@ pub const Parser = struct {
                     seen_attrs = true;
                     var new_attrs = try self.attrs(&attribute_names);
                     for (new_attrs.items) |attr| {
-                        try tag.attrs.append(self.allocator, attr);
+                        // Collect class attributes for merging
+                        if (mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "class")) {
+                            if (attr.val) |val| {
+                                // Skip empty, null, undefined values
+                                const should_skip = val.len == 0 or
+                                    mem.eql(u8, val, "null") or
+                                    mem.eql(u8, val, "undefined") or
+                                    mem.eql(u8, val, "''") or
+                                    mem.eql(u8, val, "\"\"");
+                                if (!should_skip) {
+                                    try class_values.append(self.allocator, val);
+                                    if (class_line == 0) {
+                                        class_line = attr.line;
+                                        class_column = attr.column;
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                            // Free owned value since we're collecting it
+                            if (attr.val_owned) {
+                                if (attr.val) |val| {
+                                    self.allocator.free(val);
+                                }
+                            }
+                        } else {
+                            try tag.attrs.append(self.allocator, attr);
+                        }
                     }
                     new_attrs.deinit(self.allocator);
                 },
@@ -1540,6 +1580,39 @@ pub const Parser = struct {
             }
         }
 
+        // Create single merged class attribute if any classes were collected
+        if (class_values.items.len > 0) {
+            // Calculate total length needed
+            var total_len: usize = 0;
+            for (class_values.items, 0..) |val, i| {
+                total_len += val.len;
+                if (i > 0) total_len += 1; // space separator
+            }
+
+            // Build merged class string
+            const merged = try self.allocator.alloc(u8, total_len);
+            var pos: usize = 0;
+            for (class_values.items, 0..) |val, i| {
+                if (i > 0) {
+                    merged[pos] = ' ';
+                    pos += 1;
+                }
+                @memcpy(merged[pos .. pos + val.len], val);
+                pos += val.len;
+            }
+
+            try tag.attrs.append(self.allocator, .{
+                .name = "class",
+                .val = merged,
+                .line = class_line,
+                .column = class_column,
+                .filename = self.filename,
+                .must_escape = false,
+                .val_owned = true,
+                .quoted = true, // Merged classes are static
+            });
+        }
+
         // Check for textOnly (.)
         if (self.peek().type == .dot) {
             tag.text_only = true;
diff --git a/src/template.zig b/src/template.zig
index 2011a74..7706a14 100644
--- a/src/template.zig
+++ b/src/template.zig
@@ -277,10 +277,6 @@ fn renderTag(allocator: Allocator, output: *std.ArrayListUnmanaged(u8), tag: *No
     try output.appendSlice(allocator, "<");
     try output.appendSlice(allocator, name);
 
-    // Collect class values separately to merge them into one attribute
-    var class_parts = std.ArrayListUnmanaged([]const u8){};
-    defer class_parts.deinit(allocator);
-
     // Render attributes directly to output buffer (avoids intermediate allocations)
     for (tag.attrs.items) |attr| {
         // Substitute mixin arguments in attribute value if we're inside a mixin
@@ -294,25 +290,7 @@ fn renderTag(allocator: Allocator, output: *std.ArrayListUnmanaged(u8), tag: *No
         else
             try evaluateAttrValue(allocator, final_val, data);
 
-        // Collect class attributes for merging
-        if (std.mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "class")) {
-            switch (attr_val) {
-                .string => |s| if (s.len > 0) try class_parts.append(allocator, s),
-                else => {},
-            }
-        } else {
-            try runtime.appendAttr(allocator, output, attr.name, attr_val, true, ctx.terse);
-        }
-    }
-
-    // Output merged class attribute
-    if (class_parts.items.len > 0) {
-        try output.appendSlice(allocator, " class=\"");
-        for (class_parts.items, 0..) |part, i| {
-            if (i > 0) try output.append(allocator, ' ');
-            try output.appendSlice(allocator, part);
-        }
-        try output.append(allocator, '"');
+        try runtime.appendAttr(allocator, output, attr.name, attr_val, true, ctx.terse);
     }
 
     // Self-closing logic differs by mode:
@@ -683,10 +661,6 @@ fn renderTagWithItem(allocator: Allocator, output: *std.ArrayListUnmanaged(u8),
     try output.appendSlice(allocator, "<");
     try output.appendSlice(allocator, name);
 
-    // Collect class values separately to merge them into one attribute
-    var class_parts = std.ArrayListUnmanaged([]const u8){};
-    defer class_parts.deinit(allocator);
-
     // Render attributes directly to output buffer (avoids intermediate allocations)
     for (tag.attrs.items) |attr| {
         // Static/quoted values (e.g., from .class shorthand) should not be looked up in data
@@ -695,25 +669,7 @@ fn renderTagWithItem(allocator: Allocator, output: *std.ArrayListUnmanaged(u8),
         else
             try evaluateAttrValue(allocator, attr.val, data);
 
-        // Collect class attributes for merging
-        if (std.mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "class")) {
-            switch (attr_val) {
-                .string => |s| if (s.len > 0) try class_parts.append(allocator, s),
-                else => {},
-            }
-        } else {
-            try runtime.appendAttr(allocator, output, attr.name, attr_val, true, ctx.terse);
-        }
-    }
-
-    // Output merged class attribute
-    if (class_parts.items.len > 0) {
-        try output.appendSlice(allocator, " class=\"");
-        for (class_parts.items, 0..) |part, i| {
-            if (i > 0) try output.append(allocator, ' ');
-            try output.appendSlice(allocator, part);
-        }
-        try output.append(allocator, '"');
+        try runtime.appendAttr(allocator, output, attr.name, attr_val, true, ctx.terse);
     }
 
     const is_void = isSelfClosing(name);
diff --git a/src/tpl_compiler/zig_codegen.zig b/src/tpl_compiler/zig_codegen.zig
index 67c6f68..d2ab183 100644
--- a/src/tpl_compiler/zig_codegen.zig
+++ b/src/tpl_compiler/zig_codegen.zig
@@ -224,69 +224,28 @@ pub const Codegen = struct {
 
         if (!has_dynamic_attrs) {
             // All static attributes - include in buffer
-            // Collect class values to merge into single attribute
-            var class_values = std.ArrayListUnmanaged([]const u8){};
-            defer class_values.deinit(self.allocator);
-
             for (tag.attrs.items) |attr| {
-                if (std.mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "class")) {
-                    // Collect class values for merging
-                    if (attr.val) |val| {
-                        if (val.len > 0) {
-                            try class_values.append(self.allocator, val);
-                        }
-                    }
+                try self.addStatic(" ");
+                try self.addStatic(attr.name);
+                if (attr.val) |val| {
+                    try self.addStatic("=\"");
+                    try self.addStatic(val);
+                    try self.addStatic("\"");
                 } else {
-                    try self.addStatic(" ");
-                    try self.addStatic(attr.name);
-                    if (attr.val) |val| {
+                    // Boolean attribute
+                    if (!self.terse) {
                         try self.addStatic("=\"");
-                        try self.addStatic(val);
+                        try self.addStatic(attr.name);
                         try self.addStatic("\"");
-                    } else {
-                        // Boolean attribute
-                        if (!self.terse) {
-                            try self.addStatic("=\"");
-                            try self.addStatic(attr.name);
-                            try self.addStatic("\"");
-                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
-
-            // Output merged class attribute
-            if (class_values.items.len > 0) {
-                try self.addStatic(" class=\"");
-                for (class_values.items, 0..) |class_val, i| {
-                    if (i > 0) {
-                        try self.addStatic(" ");
-                    }
-                    try self.addStatic(class_val);
-                }
-                try self.addStatic("\"");
-            }
-
             try self.addStatic(">");
         } else {
             // Flush static content before dynamic attributes (this closes any open string)
             try self.flushStaticBuffer();
 
-            // Collect static class values for merging
-            var static_class_values = std.ArrayListUnmanaged([]const u8){};
-            defer static_class_values.deinit(self.allocator);
-
-            // First pass: output non-class attributes
             for (tag.attrs.items) |attr| {
-                // Skip class attributes - handle them separately
-                if (std.mem.eql(u8, attr.name, "class")) {
-                    if (attr.val) |val| {
-                        if (val.len > 0) {
-                            try static_class_values.append(self.allocator, val);
-                        }
-                    }
-                    continue;
-                }
-
                 if (attr.val) |val| {
                     // Quoted values are always static, unquoted can be field references
                     if (!attr.quoted and self.isDataFieldReference(val)) {
@@ -344,19 +303,6 @@ pub const Codegen = struct {
                 }
             }
 
-            // Output merged class attribute
-            if (static_class_values.items.len > 0) {
-                try self.writeIndent();
-                try self.write("try buf.appendSlice(allocator, \" class=\\\"");
-                for (static_class_values.items, 0..) |class_val, i| {
-                    if (i > 0) {
-                        try self.write(" ");
-                    }
-                    try self.writeEscaped(class_val);
-                }
-                try self.writeLine("\\\"\");");
-            }
-
             try self.writeIndent();
             try self.writeLine("try buf.appendSlice(allocator, \">\");");
         }