diff --git a/src/lunajson/encoder.lua b/src/lunajson/encoder.lua
index 606767a..e221c41 100644
--- a/src/lunajson/encoder.lua
+++ b/src/lunajson/encoder.lua
@@ -1,11 +1,26 @@
 local error = error
-local byte, find, format, gsub, match = string.byte, string.find, string.format,  string.gsub, string.match
+local byte, find, format, gsub, match, rep = string.byte, string.find, string.format,  string.gsub, string.match, string.rep
 local concat = table.concat
 local tostring = tostring
 local pairs, type = pairs, type
 local setmetatable = setmetatable
 local huge, tiny = 1/0, -1/0
 
+local set_cache = setmetatable({}, { __weak = "k" })
+local basic = {
+	start_array = '[',
+	end_array = ']',
+	start_object = '{',
+	end_object = '}',
+	split_element = ','
+}
+local delim_tmpls = {
+    start_array = '[\n%s%%s',
+    end_array = '\n%%s]',
+    start_object = '{\n%s%%s',
+    end_object = '\n%%s}',
+    split_element = ',\n%s%%s'
+}
 local f_string_esc_pat
 if _VERSION == "Lua 5.1" then
 	-- use the cluttered pattern because lua 5.1 does not handle \0 in a pattern correctly
@@ -15,12 +30,13 @@ else
 end
 
 local _ENV = nil
-
+local one_space = " "
 
 local function newencoder()
-	local v, nullv
+	local active_delims
+	local v, nullv, colon
 	local i, builder, visited
-
+	
 	local function f_tostring(v)
 		builder[i] = tostring(v)
 		i = i+1
@@ -86,31 +102,33 @@ local function newencoder()
 		builder[i+2] = '"'
 		i = i+3
 	end
-
-	local function f_table(o)
+	local function basic_f_table(o)
 		if visited[o] then
 			error("loop detected")
 		end
 		visited[o] = true
 
-		local tmp = o[0]
-		if type(tmp) == 'number' then -- arraylen available
-			builder[i] = '['
-			i = i+1
-			for j = 1, tmp do
-				doencode(o[j])
-				builder[i] = ','
+		local arraylen = o[0]
+		if type(arraylen) == 'number' then -- arraylen available
+			if arraylen == 0 then
+				builder[i] = '[]'
+			else
+				builder[i] = active_delims.start_array
 				i = i+1
+				for j = 1, arraylen do
+					doencode(o[j])
+					builder[i] = active_delims.split_element
+					i = i+1
+				end
+				if arraylen > 0 then
+					i = i-1
+				end
+				builder[i] = active_delims.end_array
 			end
-			if tmp > 0 then
-				i = i-1
-			end
-			builder[i] = ']'
-
 		else
 			tmp = o[1]
 			if tmp ~= nil then -- detected as array
-				builder[i] = '['
+				builder[i] = active_delims.start_array
 				i = i+1
 				local j = 2
 				repeat
@@ -120,13 +138,13 @@ local function newencoder()
 						break
 					end
 					j = j+1
-					builder[i] = ','
+					builder[i] = active_delims.split_element
 					i = i+1
 				until false
-				builder[i] = ']'
+				builder[i] = active_delims.end_array
 
 			else -- detected as object
-				builder[i] = '{'
+				builder[i] = active_delims.start_object
 				i = i+1
 				local tmp = i
 				for k, v in pairs(o) do
@@ -134,28 +152,30 @@ local function newencoder()
 						error("non-string key")
 					end
 					f_string(k)
-					builder[i] = ':'
+					builder[i] = colon
 					i = i+1
 					doencode(v)
-					builder[i] = ','
+					builder[i] = active_delims.split_element
 					i = i+1
 				end
+				i = i-1
 				if i > tmp then
-					i = i-1
+					builder[i] = active_delims.end_object
+				else
+					builder[i] = '{}'
 				end
-				builder[i] = '}'
 			end
 		end
 
 		i = i+1
 		visited[o] = nil
 	end
-
+	local f_table
 	local dispatcher = {
 		boolean = f_tostring,
 		number = f_number,
 		string = f_string,
-		table = f_table,
+		table = function(...) return f_table(...) end,
 		__index = function()
 			error("invalid type value")
 		end
@@ -170,10 +190,47 @@ local function newencoder()
 		end
 		return dispatcher[type(v)](v)
 	end
-
-	local function encode(v_, nullv_)
-		v, nullv = v_, nullv_
+	local delim_set, space, depth
+	local delims_meta = {}
+	function delims_meta:__index(k)
+		local s = format(delim_set[k], rep(space, depth))
+		self[k] = s
+		return s
+	end
+	local function spaced_f_table(o)
+		depth = depth + 1
+		local delims = delim_set[depth]
+		if not delims then
+			delims = setmetatable({}, delims_meta)
+			delim_set[depth] = delims
+		end
+		active_delims = delims
+		basic_f_table(o)
+		depth = depth - 1
+		active_delims = delim_set[depth]
+	end
+	local function encode(v_, nullv_, _space)
+		v, nullv, space = v_, nullv_, _space
 		i, builder, visited = 1, {}, {}
+		
+		if type(space) == "number" then space = rep(one_space, space) end
+		if type(space) ~= "string" or space == "" then
+			active_delims = basic
+			f_table = basic_f_table
+			colon = ":"
+		else
+			colon = ": "
+			depth = -1
+			f_table = spaced_f_table
+			delim_set = set_cache[space]
+			if not delim_set then
+				delim_set = {}
+				set_cache[space] = {}
+				for k, v in pairs(delim_tmpls) do
+					delim_set[k] = format(v, space)
+				end
+			end
+		end
 
 		doencode(v)
 		return concat(builder)