diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/check.v b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/check.v
index 81be1fe7bf..2f8f1ce789 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/check.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/check.v
@@ -1,14 +1,28 @@
 module decoder2
 
+// increment checks eof and increments checker by one
+@[inline]
+fn (mut checker Decoder) increment(message string) ! {
+	if checker.checker_idx + 1 == checker.json.len {
+		if message == '' {
+			return Error{}
+		}
+		checker.checker_error('EOF: ' + message)!
+	}
+	checker.checker_idx++
+}
+
+// skip_whitespace checks eof and increments checker until next non whitespace character
+@[inline]
+fn (mut checker Decoder) skip_whitespace(message string) ! {
+	for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
+		checker.increment(message)!
+	}
+}
+
 // check_json_format checks if the JSON string is valid and updates the decoder state.
 fn (mut checker Decoder) check_json_format() ! {
-	// skip whitespace
-	for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
-		if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-			break
-		}
-		checker.checker_idx++
-	}
+	checker.skip_whitespace('empty json')!
 
 	start_idx_position := checker.checker_idx
 
@@ -18,7 +32,7 @@ fn (mut checker Decoder) check_json_format() ! {
 		`"` {
 			checker.values_info.push(ValueInfo{
 				position:   checker.checker_idx
-				value_kind: .string_
+				value_kind: .string
 			})
 
 			actual_value_info_pointer = checker.values_info.last()
@@ -82,54 +96,36 @@ fn (mut checker Decoder) check_json_format() ! {
 
 	actual_value_info_pointer.length = checker.checker_idx + 1 - start_idx_position
 
-	if checker.checker_idx < checker.json.len {
-		checker.checker_idx++
-	}
+	checker.increment('') or { return }
+	checker.skip_whitespace('') or { return }
 
-	for checker.checker_idx < checker.json.len
-		&& checker.json[checker.checker_idx] !in [`,`, `:`, `}`, `]`] {
-		// get trash characters after the value
-		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] !in whitespace_chars {
-			checker.checker_error('invalid value. Unexpected character after ${actual_value_info_pointer.value_kind} end')!
-		} else {
-			// whitespace
-		}
-		checker.checker_idx++
+	if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] !in [`,`, `:`, `}`, `]`] {
+		checker.checker_error('invalid value. Unexpected character after ${actual_value_info_pointer.value_kind} end')!
 	}
 }
 
 fn (mut checker Decoder) check_string() ! {
-	// check if the JSON string is a valid string
-	if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-		checker.checker_idx--
-		return checker.checker_error('EOF error: string not closed')
-	}
-
-	checker.checker_idx++
+	checker.increment('string not closed')!
 
 	// check if the JSON string is a valid escape sequence
 	for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] != `"` {
 		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `\\` {
-			if checker.checker_idx + 1 >= checker.json.len - 1 {
-				return checker.checker_error('invalid escape sequence')
-			}
-			escaped_char := checker.json[checker.checker_idx + 1]
+			checker.increment('invalid escape sequence')!
+			escaped_char := checker.json[checker.checker_idx]
 			match escaped_char {
-				`/`, `b`, `f`, `n`, `r`, `t`, `"`, `\\` {
-					checker.checker_idx++ // make sure escaped quotation marks are skipped
-				}
+				`/`, `b`, `f`, `n`, `r`, `t`, `"`, `\\` {}
 				`u` {
 					// check if the JSON string is a valid unicode escape sequence
-					escaped_char_last_index := checker.checker_idx + 5
+					escaped_char_last_index := checker.checker_idx + 4
 
 					if escaped_char_last_index < checker.json.len {
 						// 2 bytes for the unicode escape sequence `\u`
-						checker.checker_idx += 2
+						checker.increment('invalid escape sequence')!
 
 						for checker.checker_idx < escaped_char_last_index {
 							match checker.json[checker.checker_idx] {
 								`0`...`9`, `a`...`f`, `A`...`F` {
-									checker.checker_idx++
+									checker.increment('invalid unicode escape sequence')!
 								}
 								else {
 									return checker.checker_error('invalid unicode escape sequence')
@@ -138,7 +134,7 @@ fn (mut checker Decoder) check_string() ! {
 						}
 						continue
 					} else {
-						return checker.checker_error('short unicode escape sequence ${checker.json[checker.checker_idx..escaped_char_last_index]}')
+						return checker.checker_error('short unicode escape sequence ${checker.json[checker.checker_idx - 1..checker.json.len - 1]}')
 					}
 				}
 				else {
@@ -146,81 +142,57 @@ fn (mut checker Decoder) check_string() ! {
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		checker.checker_idx++
+		checker.increment('string not closed')!
 	}
 }
 
 fn (mut checker Decoder) check_number() ! {
 	// check if the JSON string is a valid float or integer
 	if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `-` {
-		checker.checker_idx++
-	}
-
-	if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-		checker.checker_idx--
-		return checker.checker_error('expected digit got EOF')
+		checker.increment('expected digit')!
 	}
 
 	// integer part
 	if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `0` {
-		checker.checker_idx++
+		checker.increment('') or { return }
 	} else if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `1` && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
-		checker.checker_idx++
+		checker.increment('') or { return }
 
-		for checker.checker_idx < checker.json.len && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0`
-			&& checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
-			checker.checker_idx++
+		for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0` && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
+			checker.increment('') or { return }
 		}
 	} else {
 		return checker.checker_error('expected digit got ${checker.json[checker.checker_idx].ascii_str()}')
 	}
 
 	// fraction part
-	if checker.checker_idx != checker.json.len && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `.` {
-		checker.checker_idx++
+	if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `.` {
+		checker.increment('expected digit')!
 
-		if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-			checker.checker_idx--
-			return checker.checker_error('expected digit got EOF')
+		if !(checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0` && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9`) {
+			return checker.checker_error('expected digit got ${checker.json[checker.checker_idx].ascii_str()}')
 		}
 
-		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0` && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
-			for checker.checker_idx < checker.json.len && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0`
-				&& checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
-				checker.checker_idx++
-			}
-		} else {
-			return checker.checker_error('expected digit got ${checker.json[checker.checker_idx].ascii_str()}')
+		for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0` && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
+			checker.increment('') or { return }
 		}
 	}
 
 	// exponent part
-	if checker.checker_idx != checker.json.len
-		&& (checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `e` || checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `E`) {
-		checker.checker_idx++
-
-		if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-			checker.checker_idx--
-			return checker.checker_error('expected digit got EOF')
-		}
+	if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `e` || checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `E` {
+		checker.increment('expected digit')!
 
 		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `-` || checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `+` {
-			checker.checker_idx++
-
-			if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-				checker.checker_idx--
-				return checker.checker_error('expected digit got EOF')
-			}
+			checker.increment('expected digit')!
 		}
 
-		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0` && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
-			for checker.checker_idx < checker.json.len && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0`
-				&& checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
-				checker.checker_idx++
-			}
-		} else {
+		if !(checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0` && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9`) {
 			return checker.checker_error('expected digit got ${checker.json[checker.checker_idx].ascii_str()}')
 		}
+
+		for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] >= `0` && checker.json[checker.checker_idx] <= `9` {
+			checker.increment('') or { return }
+		}
 	}
 
 	checker.checker_idx--
@@ -284,160 +256,58 @@ fn (mut checker Decoder) check_null() ! {
 }
 
 fn (mut checker Decoder) check_array() ! {
-	// check if the JSON string is an empty array
-	if checker.json.len >= checker.checker_idx + 2 {
-		checker.checker_idx++
-	} else {
-		return checker.checker_error('EOF error: There are not enough length for an array')
-	}
+	checker.increment('expected array end')!
+
+	checker.skip_whitespace('expected array end')!
 
 	for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] != `]` {
-		// skip whitespace
-		for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
-			if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-				checker.checker_idx--
-				break
-			}
-			checker.checker_idx++
-		}
-
-		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `]` {
-			break
-		}
-
-		if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-			checker.checker_idx--
-			return checker.checker_error('EOF error: array not closed')
-		}
-
 		checker.check_json_format()!
 
-		// whitespace
-		for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
-			checker.checker_idx++
-		}
-		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `]` {
-			break
-		}
-		if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-			checker.checker_idx--
-			return checker.checker_error('EOF error: braces are not closed')
-		}
+		checker.skip_whitespace('expected array end')!
 
 		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `,` {
-			checker.checker_idx++
-			for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
-				checker.checker_idx++
-			}
+			checker.increment('expected array value')!
+			checker.skip_whitespace('') or {}
+
 			if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `]` {
 				return checker.checker_error('Cannot use `,`, before `]`')
 			}
-			continue
-		} else {
-			if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `]` {
-				break
-			} else {
-				return checker.checker_error('`]` after value')
-			}
 		}
 	}
 }
 
 fn (mut checker Decoder) check_object() ! {
-	if checker.json.len - checker.checker_idx < 2 {
-		return checker.checker_error('EOF error: expecting a complete object after `{`')
-	}
-	checker.checker_idx++
+	checker.increment('expected object end')!
+
+	checker.skip_whitespace('expected object end')!
+
 	for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] != `}` {
-		// skip whitespace
-		for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
-			if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-				checker.checker_idx--
-				break
-			}
-			checker.checker_idx++
-		}
-
-		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `}` {
-			continue
-		}
-
 		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] != `"` {
-			return checker.checker_error('Expecting object key')
+			checker.checker_error('Expecting object key')!
 		}
 
-		// Object key
 		checker.check_json_format()!
 
-		for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] != `:` {
-			if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-				checker.checker_idx--
-				return checker.checker_error('EOF error: key colon not found')
-			}
-			if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] !in whitespace_chars {
-				return checker.checker_error('invalid value after object key')
-			}
-			checker.checker_idx++
-		}
+		checker.skip_whitespace('expected `:`')!
 
 		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] != `:` {
-			return checker.checker_error('Expecting `:` after object key')
+			checker.checker_error('expected `:`, got `${checker.json[checker.checker_idx].ascii_str()}`')!
 		}
 
-		// skip `:`
-		checker.checker_idx++
+		checker.increment('expected object value')!
 
-		// skip whitespace
-		for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
-			checker.checker_idx++
-		}
+		checker.skip_whitespace('expected object value')!
 
-		match checker.json[checker.checker_idx] {
-			`"`, `[`, `{`, `0`...`9`, `-`, `n`, `t`, `f` {
-				checker.check_json_format()!
+		checker.check_json_format()!
 
-				if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-					checker.checker_idx--
-					return checker.checker_error('EOF error: braces are not closed')
-				}
+		checker.skip_whitespace('expected object end')!
 
-				// whitespace
-				for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
-					checker.checker_idx++
-				}
-				if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `}` {
-					break
-				}
+		if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `,` {
+			checker.increment('expected object key')!
+			checker.skip_whitespace('') or {}
 
-				if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-					checker.checker_idx--
-					return checker.checker_error('EOF error: braces are not closed')
-				}
-
-				if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `,` {
-					checker.checker_idx++
-
-					if checker.checker_idx == checker.json.len {
-						checker.checker_idx--
-						return checker.checker_error('EOF error: Expecting object key after `,`')
-					}
-
-					for checker.json[checker.checker_idx] in whitespace_chars {
-						checker.checker_idx++
-					}
-					if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] != `"` {
-						return checker.checker_error('Expecting object key after `,`')
-					}
-				} else {
-					if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `}` {
-						break
-					} else {
-						return checker.checker_error('invalid object value')
-					}
-				}
-			}
-			else {
-				return checker.checker_error('invalid object value')
+			if checker.json[checker.checker_idx] == `}` {
+				return checker.checker_error('Cannot use `,`, before `}`')
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/decode.v b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/decode.v
index 847187d107..b3900dfe51 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/decode.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/decode.v
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ fn (list &LinkedList[T]) free() {
 enum ValueKind {
 	array
 	object
-	string_
+	string
 	number
 	boolean
 	null
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ fn (mut decoder Decoder) decode_value[T](mut val T) ! {
 	$if val is StringDecoder {
 		struct_info := decoder.current_node.value
 
-		if struct_info.value_kind == .string_ {
+		if struct_info.value_kind == .string {
 			val.from_json_string(decoder.json[struct_info.position + 1..struct_info.position +
 				struct_info.length - 1]) or {
 				decoder.decode_error('${typeof(*val).name}: ${err.msg()}')!
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ fn (mut decoder Decoder) decode_value[T](mut val T) ! {
 	$if T.unaliased_typ is string {
 		string_info := decoder.current_node.value
 
-		if string_info.value_kind == .string_ {
+		if string_info.value_kind == .string {
 			mut string_buffer := []u8{cap: string_info.length} // might be too long but most json strings don't contain many escape characters anyways
 
 			mut buffer_index := 1
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ fn (mut decoder Decoder) decode_value[T](mut val T) ! {
 								current_field_info = current_field_info.next
 								continue
 							}
-							.string_ {
+							.string {
 								if decoder.current_node.next.value.length == 2 {
 									current_field_info = current_field_info.next
 									continue
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@ fn (mut decoder Decoder) decode_value[T](mut val T) ! {
 
 		if value_info.value_kind == .number {
 			unsafe { decoder.decode_number(&val)! }
-		} else if value_info.value_kind == .string_ {
+		} else if value_info.value_kind == .string {
 			// recheck if string contains number
 			decoder.checker_idx = value_info.position + 1
 			decoder.check_number()!
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/decode_sumtype.v b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/decode_sumtype.v
index a4a4733d92..0c0050f50c 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/decode_sumtype.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/decode_sumtype.v
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ fn (mut decoder Decoder) check_element_type_valid[T](element T, current_node &No
 	}
 
 	match current_node.value.value_kind {
-		.string_ {
+		.string {
 			$if element is string {
 				return true
 			} $else $if element is time.Time {
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ fn (mut decoder Decoder) init_sumtype_by_value_kind[T](mut val T, value_info Val
 	mut failed_struct := false
 
 	match value_info.value_kind {
-		.string_ {
+		.string {
 			$for v in val.variants {
 				$if v.typ is string {
 					val = T(v)
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/checker_test.v b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/checker_test.v
index 1ede6e7b3b..ac9c229c66 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/checker_test.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/checker_test.v
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ fn test_check_if_json_match() {
 		if err is json.JsonDecodeError {
 			assert err.line == 1
 			assert err.character == 1
-			assert err.message == 'Data: Expected object, but got string_'
+			assert err.message == 'Data: Expected object, but got string'
 		}
 		has_error = true
 	}
@@ -115,20 +115,60 @@ fn test_check_json_format() {
 		},
 		{
 			'json':  '{"key": 123'
-			'error': 'Syntax: EOF error: braces are not closed'
+			'error': 'Syntax: Expecting object key' // improve message
 		},
 		{
 			'json':  '{"key": 123,'
-			'error': 'Syntax: EOF error: Expecting object key after `,`'
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: expected object key'
 		},
 		{
 			'json':  '{"key": 123, "key2": 456,}'
-			'error': 'Syntax: Expecting object key after `,`'
+			'error': 'Syntax: Cannot use `,`, before `}`'
 		},
 		{
 			'json':  '[[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6],]'
 			'error': 'Syntax: Cannot use `,`, before `]`'
 		},
+		{
+			'json':  '    '
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: empty json'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '"'
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: string not closed'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '"not closed'
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: string not closed'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '"\\"'
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: string not closed'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '"\\u8"'
+			'error': 'Syntax: short unicode escape sequence \\u8'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '['
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: expected array end'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '[    '
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: expected array end'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '{'
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: expected object end'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '{    '
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: expected object end'
+		},
+		{
+			'json':  '{"key": "value"    '
+			'error': 'Syntax: EOF: expected object end'
+		},
 	]
 
 	for json_and_error in json_and_error_message {
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/decode_string_test.v b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/decode_string_test.v
index a098fab7e6..57a3bb1620 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/decode_string_test.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/decode_string_test.v
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ fn test_json_string_invalid_escapes() {
 	json.decode[string](r'"\x"') or {
 		if err is json.JsonDecodeError {
 			assert err.line == 1
-			assert err.character == 2
+			assert err.character == 3
 			assert err.message == 'Syntax: unknown escape sequence'
 		}
 		has_error = true
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ fn test_json_string_invalid_escapes() {
 	json.decode[string](r'"\u123"') or {
 		if err is json.JsonDecodeError {
 			assert err.line == 1
-			assert err.character == 2
+			assert err.character == 3
 			assert err.message == 'Syntax: short unicode escape sequence \\u123'
 		}
 		has_error = true
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/json2_tests/decoder_test.v b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/json2_tests/decoder_test.v
index abb7288a8a..e22aa5625d 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/json2_tests/decoder_test.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/json2_tests/decoder_test.v
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ fn test_raw_decode_map_invalid() {
 		if err is json.JsonDecodeError {
 			assert err.line == 1
 			assert err.character == 8
-			assert err.message == 'Syntax: invalid value after object key'
+			assert err.message == 'Syntax: expected `:`, got `,`'
 		}
 
 		return
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/json2_tests/json_module_compatibility_test/json_decode_todo_test.v b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/json2_tests/json_module_compatibility_test/json_decode_todo_test.v
index 864d9c70c7..f49a14cc2b 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/json2_tests/json_module_compatibility_test/json_decode_todo_test.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/decoder2/tests/json2_tests/json_module_compatibility_test/json_decode_todo_test.v
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ fn test_decode_error_message_should_have_enough_context_just_brace() {
 		if err is json.JsonDecodeError {
 			assert err.line == 1
 			assert err.character == 1
-			assert err.message == 'Syntax: EOF error: expecting a complete object after `{`'
+			assert err.message == 'Syntax: EOF: expected object end'
 		}
 		return
 	}
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ fn test_decode_error_message_should_have_enough_context_trailing_comma_at_end()
 		if err is json.JsonDecodeError {
 			assert err.line == 5
 			assert err.character == 1
-			assert err.message == 'Syntax: Expecting object key after `,`'
+			assert err.message == 'Syntax: Cannot use `,`, before `}`'
 		}
 
 		return
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ fn test_decode_error_message_should_have_enough_context_in_the_middle() {
 		if err is json.JsonDecodeError {
 			assert err.line == 1
 			assert err.character == 40
-			assert err.message == 'Syntax: invalid value. Unexpected character after string_ end'
+			assert err.message == 'Syntax: invalid value. Unexpected character after string end'
 		}
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/tests/encode_struct_todo_test.vv b/vlib/x/json2/tests/encode_struct_todo_test.vv
index 4fe925d799..e474dd0e8a 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/tests/encode_struct_todo_test.vv
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/tests/encode_struct_todo_test.vv
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import x.json2 as json
 import time
 
 const fixed_time = time.new(
-	year: 2022
-	month: 3
-	day: 11
-	hour: 13
+	year:   2022
+	month:  3
+	day:    11
+	hour:   13
 	minute: 54
 	second: 25
 )
diff --git a/vlib/x/json2/types.v b/vlib/x/json2/types.v
index 4d54755629..4c13bcf1a8 100644
--- a/vlib/x/json2/types.v
+++ b/vlib/x/json2/types.v
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ enum ValueKind {
 	unknown
 	array
 	object
-	string_
+	string
 	number
 	boolean
 	null
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fn (k ValueKind) str() string {
 		.unknown { 'unknown' }
 		.array { 'array' }
 		.object { 'object' }
-		.string_ { 'string' }
+		.string { 'string' }
 		.number { 'number' }
 		.boolean { 'boolean' }
 		.null { 'null' }