From ad5c8d33db5a7e97fd51334bfb20aa944767abc8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 15:57:11 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 01/54] loosen regex to allow for more comples go templates

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 4365185d..bd2daf35 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 	jsonStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
 
 	if jsonStr != "" {
-		re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{\s*\@([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+)\s*}}`)
+		re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*(\@[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*}}`)
 
 		if err != nil {
 			return data, false, err

From dfdfd346d14807fedafbd9bb1c24dade24a63150 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 16:39:51 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 02/54] update regex for json templating

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 6 +++---
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 3f66c90d..31175120 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -128,11 +128,11 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
 
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{\s*\.([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+)\s*}}`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*(\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*}}`)
 
 	// Add normalize() to be able to remove Quotes from Arrays
 	if err == nil {
-    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "{{normalize .$1}}")
+    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "{{normalize $1}}")
 	}
 
 	templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc(name, template.FuncMap{
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 }
 
 func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{\s*\.(\w+)\s*}}`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+.*}}`)
 
 	// Add normalize() to normalize arrays to [item1,item2]
 	if err == nil {

From f87b937f2a913cdcbb5ad1db6f8881be7ab47b64 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 17:04:05 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 03/54] fixed regex not matching

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 4 ++--
 utils/templating/templating.go          | 6 +++---
 2 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index bd2daf35..a4ebed63 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 	jsonStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
 
 	if jsonStr != "" {
-		re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*(\@[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*}}`)
+		re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*?\@([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*?}}`)
 
 		if err != nil {
 			return data, false, err
 		}
 
-		jsonStr = re.ReplaceAllString(jsonStr, "{{.$1}}")
+		jsonStr = re.ReplaceAllString(jsonStr, ".$1")
 
 		normalizedData, err := jsonutils.GetJsonSafe[map[string]any](jsonStr)
 
diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 31175120..fbccc001 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -128,11 +128,11 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
 
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*(\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*}}`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*?\.([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*?}}`)
 
 	// Add normalize() to be able to remove Quotes from Arrays
 	if err == nil {
-    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "{{normalize $1}}")
+    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "{{normalize .$1}}")
 	}
 
 	templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc(name, template.FuncMap{
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 }
 
 func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+.*}}`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*?\.([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*?}}`)
 
 	// Add normalize() to normalize arrays to [item1,item2]
 	if err == nil {

From 4abbd8ca1f51caa75d70368ce84ec64ff1ab6594 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 17:07:38 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 04/54] debug

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 4 ++++
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index fbccc001..69d3a264 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
+
+	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 )
 
 func normalize(value any) string {
@@ -139,6 +141,8 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
         "normalize": normalizeJSON,
     })
 
+	logger.Dev("Template: ", tmplStr)
+
 	jsonStr, err := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
 
 	if err != nil {

From 354c2e883fb0c94f936c9ccd945d8a12ef7a8b22 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 17:27:20 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 05/54] update regex

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 16 +++++++++++-----
 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 69d3a264..41a5e02e 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -130,11 +130,14 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
 
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*?\.([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*?}}`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
 	// Add normalize() to be able to remove Quotes from Arrays
 	if err == nil {
-    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "{{normalize .$1}}")
+    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(tmplStr, func(tag string) string {
+			dotTag := "." + tag
+    		return strings.ReplaceAll(tag, dotTag, "(normalize " + dotTag + ")")
+		})
 	}
 
 	templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc(name, template.FuncMap{
@@ -170,11 +173,14 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 }
 
 func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*?\.([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*?}}`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
 	// Add normalize() to normalize arrays to [item1,item2]
 	if err == nil {
-    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "{{normalize .$1}}")
+    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(tmplStr, func(tag string) string {
+			dotTag := "." + tag
+    		return strings.ReplaceAll(tag, dotTag, "(normalize " + dotTag + ")")
+		})
 	}
 
 	templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc(name, template.FuncMap{
@@ -182,4 +188,4 @@ func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (strin
     })
 
 	return ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}

From 58489b43cccc9e501c44c2968029bcbbccd6a309 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 17:29:19 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 06/54] Update template.go regex

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 9 ++++++---
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index a4ebed63..ce6077e4 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -111,13 +111,16 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 	jsonStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
 
 	if jsonStr != "" {
-		re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{.*?\@([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+).*?}}`)
+		re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
 		if err != nil {
 			return data, false, err
 		}
 
-		jsonStr = re.ReplaceAllString(jsonStr, ".$1")
+		tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(tmplStr, func(tag string) string {
+			dotTag := "." + tag
+    		return strings.ReplaceAll(tag, dotTag, "(normalize " + dotTag + ")")
+		})
 
 		normalizedData, err := jsonutils.GetJsonSafe[map[string]any](jsonStr)
 
@@ -184,4 +187,4 @@ func TemplateQuery(reqUrl *url.URL, data map[string]any, VARIABLES any) (string,
 	reqRawQuery := originalQueryData.Encode()
 
 	return reqRawQuery, data, modified, nil
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}

From bf9ad9f96b908085c61c6539a15eeed51f83cbc5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:35:16 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 07/54] update regex

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 13 ++++---
 utils/templating/templating.go          | 52 ++++++++++++++++++-------
 2 files changed, 44 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index ce6077e4..d06b4852 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -111,17 +111,18 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 	jsonStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
 
 	if jsonStr != "" {
-		re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
+		jsonStr, err := templating.TransformTemplateKeys(jsonStr, '@', func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
+			return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
+				varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, "$1")
+
+				return "." + varName
+			})
+		})
 
 		if err != nil {
 			return data, false, err
 		}
 
-		tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(tmplStr, func(tag string) string {
-			dotTag := "." + tag
-    		return strings.ReplaceAll(tag, dotTag, "(normalize " + dotTag + ")")
-		})
-
 		normalizedData, err := jsonutils.GetJsonSafe[map[string]any](jsonStr)
 
 		if err == nil {
diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 41a5e02e..2354fbaa 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -79,6 +79,36 @@ func cleanQuotedPairsJSON(s string) string {
 	})
 }
 
+func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
+	return TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr, '.', func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
+		return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
+			varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, "$1")
+
+			return strings.ReplaceAll(varMatch, varName, "(" + funcName + " " + varName + ")")
+		})
+	})
+}
+
+func TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr string, tmplKey rune, transform func(varRegex *regexp.Regexp, m string) string) (string, error) {
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return tmplStr, err
+	}
+
+	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(`\` + string(tmplKey) + `(\w+)`)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return tmplStr, err
+	}
+
+	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(tmplStr, func(match string) string {
+		return transform(varRe, match)
+	})
+
+	return tmplStr, nil
+}
+
 func ParseTemplate(templt *template.Template, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {
 	tmpl, err := templt.Parse(tmplStr)
 
@@ -130,14 +160,10 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
 
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
+	tmplStr, err = AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 
-	// Add normalize() to be able to remove Quotes from Arrays
-	if err == nil {
-    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(tmplStr, func(tag string) string {
-			dotTag := "." + tag
-    		return strings.ReplaceAll(tag, dotTag, "(normalize " + dotTag + ")")
-		})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc(name, template.FuncMap{
@@ -155,7 +181,7 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 	jsonStr = cleanQuotedPairsJSON(jsonStr)
 
 	// Remove the Quotes around "<<[item1,item2]>>"
-	re, err = regexp.Compile(`"<<(.*?)>>"`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`"<<(.*?)>>"`)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -173,14 +199,10 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 }
 
 func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
+	tmplStr, err := AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 
-	// Add normalize() to normalize arrays to [item1,item2]
-	if err == nil {
-    	tmplStr = re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(tmplStr, func(tag string) string {
-			dotTag := "." + tag
-    		return strings.ReplaceAll(tag, dotTag, "(normalize " + dotTag + ")")
-		})
+	if err != nil {
+		return tmplStr, err
 	}
 
 	templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc(name, template.FuncMap{

From e5d0459d2f4cf8af9f2395bf16dcb8c4d446b00b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:43:28 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 08/54] debugging templating char issue

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 4 ++++
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 2354fbaa..094e3490 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -199,8 +199,12 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 }
 
 func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {
+	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
+
 	tmplStr, err := AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 
+	logger.Dev("After AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err
 	}

From 415485581a05753fa3347cd434c0dfd9f19b81f2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:48:00 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 09/54] fixed missing dot in template normilization

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 094e3490..18d5afda 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func cleanQuotedPairsJSON(s string) string {
 func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
 	return TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr, '.', func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
 		return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
-			varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, "$1")
+			varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, ".$1")
 
 			return strings.ReplaceAll(varMatch, varName, "(" + funcName + " " + varName + ")")
 		})

From 477fab938a7b53e0f7c6e5660a1f40a9711b2cd8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:52:38 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 10/54] debug

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 12 +++++-------
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 18d5afda..0750e642 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr string, tmplKey rune, transform func(varRegex
 		return tmplStr, err
 	}
 
-	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(`\` + string(tmplKey) + `(\w+)`)
+	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(`\` + string(tmplKey) + `([a-zA-Z0-9_.])`)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err
@@ -160,8 +160,12 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
 
+	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
+
 	tmplStr, err = AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 
+	logger.Dev("After AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -170,8 +174,6 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
         "normalize": normalizeJSON,
     })
 
-	logger.Dev("Template: ", tmplStr)
-
 	jsonStr, err := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
 
 	if err != nil {
@@ -199,12 +201,8 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 }
 
 func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {
-	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
-
 	tmplStr, err := AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 
-	logger.Dev("After AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err
 	}

From b503215a6b6f4892038d5e59c15b02b9fd16e209 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:55:05 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 11/54] added missing `+` in regex

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 8 +++-----
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 0750e642..d8c8fab2 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr string, tmplKey rune, transform func(varRegex
 		return tmplStr, err
 	}
 
-	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(`\` + string(tmplKey) + `([a-zA-Z0-9_.])`)
+	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(`\` + string(tmplKey) + `([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+)`)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err
@@ -160,12 +160,8 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
 
-	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
-
 	tmplStr, err = AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 
-	logger.Dev("After AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -174,6 +170,8 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
         "normalize": normalizeJSON,
     })
 
+	logger.Dev("Template: ", tmplStr)
+
 	jsonStr, err := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
 
 	if err != nil {

From 44e138094b36fc587393d24ca173420741c354e2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:57:54 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 12/54] readded missing debugs

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 4 ++++
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index d8c8fab2..bf200838 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -160,8 +160,12 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
 
+	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
+
 	tmplStr, err = AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 
+	logger.Dev("After AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}

From 108c6c7ecff5a6bfc3bae228495f2a64c6864f82 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 21:22:43 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 13/54] try unescaping string

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 3 +++
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index bf200838..a7a0235f 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 
@@ -162,6 +163,8 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
 
+	tmplStr, _ = strconv.Unquote(`"` + tmplStr + `"`)
+
 	tmplStr, err = AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 
 	logger.Dev("After AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)

From a2d3655357d915e4dddcd373b15e146a2c6ee7ed Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 21:36:27 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 14/54] testing newline behaviour

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 6 +++---
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index a7a0235f..c96ebd5a 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"regexp"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 
@@ -161,9 +160,10 @@ func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]a
 
 	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
 
-	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
+	tmplStr = strings.ReplaceAll(tmplStr, "\n", `
+	`)
 
-	tmplStr, _ = strconv.Unquote(`"` + tmplStr + `"`)
+	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
 
 	tmplStr, err = AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
 

From 739eb6f3cfec6b99944ac8c03761fcd83fc06506 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:23:27 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 15/54] test new json templating func

---
 tests/json_test.go               |  6 +--
 utils/stringutils/stringutils.go |  2 +-
 utils/templating/templating.go   | 76 ++++++++++++++++----------------
 3 files changed, 41 insertions(+), 43 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tests/json_test.go b/tests/json_test.go
index 87f10bb4..0a3eb7dd 100644
--- a/tests/json_test.go
+++ b/tests/json_test.go
@@ -44,11 +44,7 @@ func TestJsonTemplating(t *testing.T) {
 		"key2": 4,
 	}
 
-	got, err := templating.RenderJSONTemplate("json", data, variables)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error("Error Templating JSON: ", err.Error())
-	}
+	got := templating.RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive("", data, variables)
 
 	expectedStr := jsonutils.ToJson(expected)
 	gotStr := jsonutils.ToJson(got)
diff --git a/utils/stringutils/stringutils.go b/utils/stringutils/stringutils.go
index 1857ee7d..92a93645 100644
--- a/utils/stringutils/stringutils.go
+++ b/utils/stringutils/stringutils.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package safestrings
+package stringutils
 
 import (
 	"regexp"
diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index c96ebd5a..ada83105 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 
-	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
+	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/stringutils"
 )
 
 func normalize(value any) string {
@@ -151,58 +151,60 @@ func RenderJSON(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]any) (map
 	return data, nil
 }
 
-func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
-	jsonBytes, err := json.Marshal(data)
+func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any) (any) {
+	strKey, isStr := key.(string)
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if !isStr {
+		strKey = "!string"
 	}
 
-	tmplStr := string(jsonBytes)
-
-	tmplStr = strings.ReplaceAll(tmplStr, "\n", `
-	`)
-
-	logger.Dev("Before AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
-
-	tmplStr, err = AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr, "normalize")
-
-	logger.Dev("After AddTemplateFunc: ", tmplStr)
+	switch typedValue := value.(type) {
+		case map[string]any:
+			data := map[string]any{}
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+			for mapKey, mapValue := range typedValue {
+				data[mapKey] = RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(mapKey, mapValue, variables)
+			}
 
-	templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc(name, template.FuncMap{
-        "normalize": normalizeJSON,
-    })
+			return data
 
-	logger.Dev("Template: ", tmplStr)
+		case []any:
+			data := []any{}
 
-	jsonStr, err := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
+			for arrayIndex, arrayValue := range typedValue {
+				data = append(data, RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(arrayIndex, arrayValue, variables))
+			}
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+			return data
+		
+		case string:
+			templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc("json:" + strKey, template.FuncMap{
+				"normalize": normalize,
+			})
 
-	jsonStr = cleanQuotedPairsJSON(jsonStr)
+			tmplStr, _ := AddTemplateFunc(typedValue, "normalize")
 
-	// Remove the Quotes around "<<[item1,item2]>>"
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`"<<(.*?)>>"`)
+			templatedValue, _ := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+			re, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
-	jsonStr = re.ReplaceAllString(jsonStr, "$1")
+			filtered := re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "")
 
-	err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(jsonStr), &data)
+			re, _ = regexp.Compile(`(\S+)`)
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+			if !re.MatchString(filtered) {
+				return stringutils.ToType(templatedValue)
+			}
+		
+			return templatedValue
+		
+		default:
+			return typedValue
 	}
+}
 
-	return data, nil
+func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
+	return RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive("", data, variables).(map[string]any), nil
 }
 
 func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {

From 227c239698d4d50211eb7f3e9449686eba315837 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:28:10 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 16/54] debugging new json templater

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 8 +++++---
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index ada83105..dcf1c2dd 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"maps"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 
+	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/stringutils"
 )
 
@@ -138,9 +140,7 @@ func CreateTemplateWithFunc(name string, funcMap template.FuncMap) (*template.Te
 func RenderJSON(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 	combinedData := data
 
-	for key, value := range variables {
-		combinedData[key] = value
-	}
+	maps.Copy(combinedData, variables)
 
 	data, err := RenderJSONTemplate(name, data, combinedData)
 
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 			return data
 		
 		case string:
+			logger.Dev(typedValue)
+
 			templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc("json:" + strKey, template.FuncMap{
 				"normalize": normalize,
 			})

From 68a60e892e06892e159ce0418f987eeebc33749d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:31:46 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 17/54] further debugging

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index dcf1c2dd..c2e2af57 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 			return data
 		
 		case string:
-			logger.Dev(typedValue)
+			logger.Dev("Raw:\n", typedValue)
 
 			templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc("json:" + strKey, template.FuncMap{
 				"normalize": normalize,
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 
 			templatedValue, _ := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
 
+			logger.Dev("Templated:\n", templatedValue)
+
 			re, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
 			filtered := re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "")

From 739220cd5097d80376858e4017a291cf1b3eff5c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:34:05 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 18/54] testing templating

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 6 +++++-
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index c2e2af57..d8bea54d 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -186,7 +186,11 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 
 			tmplStr, _ := AddTemplateFunc(typedValue, "normalize")
 
-			templatedValue, _ := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
+			templatedValue, err := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
+
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Dev(err.Error())
+			}
 
 			logger.Dev("Templated:\n", templatedValue)
 

From c117da0611f016341763fff5afac27c8b3af6134 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:37:51 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 19/54] debugging

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index d8bea54d..0964f48d 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -184,7 +184,9 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 				"normalize": normalize,
 			})
 
-			tmplStr, _ := AddTemplateFunc(typedValue, "normalize")
+			//tmplStr, _ := AddTemplateFunc(typedValue, "normalize")
+
+			tmplStr := typedValue
 
 			templatedValue, err := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
 

From febabe523de475709bd2b9849163d1f565622aea Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:42:37 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 20/54] debugging empty message

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go | 5 +++++
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
index 8f63a5d5..7a41f892 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
+	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/jsonutils"
 	log "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 	request "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/request"
 )
@@ -84,8 +85,12 @@ func (data MessageMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 func TemplateMessage(template string, data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 	data["message_template"] = template
 
+	log.Dev(jsonutils.ToJson(data))
+
 	data, ok, err := TemplateBody(data, VARIABLES)
 
+	log.Dev(jsonutils.ToJson(data))
+
 	if err != nil || !ok || data == nil {
 		return data, err
 	}

From f617f0fed10553d5727ec8f5248c152e3d480d2d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:47:15 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 21/54] more testing

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go  | 8 ++++----
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 2 ++
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
index 7a41f892..894cc12b 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ func (data MessageMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 func TemplateMessage(template string, data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 	data["message_template"] = template
 
-	log.Dev(jsonutils.ToJson(data))
+	log.Dev("Before:\n",jsonutils.ToJson(data))
 
-	data, ok, err := TemplateBody(data, VARIABLES)
+	data, _, err := TemplateBody(data, VARIABLES)
 
-	log.Dev(jsonutils.ToJson(data))
+	log.Dev("After:\n",jsonutils.ToJson(data))
 
-	if err != nil || !ok || data == nil {
+	if err != nil || data == nil {
 		return data, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index d06b4852..afc5583d 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 
 	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", data, VARIABLES)
 
+	log.Dev("After:\n",jsonutils.ToJson(templatedData))
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return data, false, err
 	}

From 81fe946c4bb256c04c81c66fc4d13c15c3827cdd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:57:52 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 22/54] restrict regex to only {{.var}}

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go |  2 --
 utils/templating/templating.go          | 10 ++--------
 2 files changed, 2 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index afc5583d..d06b4852 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -132,8 +132,6 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 
 	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", data, VARIABLES)
 
-	log.Dev("After:\n",jsonutils.ToJson(templatedData))
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return data, false, err
 	}
diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 0964f48d..bdccb0a3 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
 }
 
 func TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr string, tmplKey rune, transform func(varRegex *regexp.Regexp, m string) string) (string, error) {
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{\s+\` + string(tmplKey) + `[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+\s+}}`)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err
@@ -178,15 +178,11 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 			return data
 		
 		case string:
-			logger.Dev("Raw:\n", typedValue)
-
 			templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc("json:" + strKey, template.FuncMap{
 				"normalize": normalize,
 			})
 
-			//tmplStr, _ := AddTemplateFunc(typedValue, "normalize")
-
-			tmplStr := typedValue
+			tmplStr, _ := AddTemplateFunc(typedValue, "normalize")
 
 			templatedValue, err := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
 
@@ -194,8 +190,6 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 				logger.Dev(err.Error())
 			}
 
-			logger.Dev("Templated:\n", templatedValue)
-
 			re, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
 			filtered := re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "")

From 557c709b144282a0ce68e83c3deb9fcefd4e9abe Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:02:18 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 23/54] fix

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 8 +++++++-
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index bdccb0a3..d8d9ba79 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -83,6 +83,12 @@ func cleanQuotedPairsJSON(s string) string {
 
 func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
 	return TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr, '.', func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
+		reSimple, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{\s+\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+\s+}}`)
+
+		if !reSimple.MatchString(match) {
+			return match
+		}
+
 		return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
 			varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, ".$1")
 
@@ -92,7 +98,7 @@ func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
 }
 
 func TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr string, tmplKey rune, transform func(varRegex *regexp.Regexp, m string) string) (string, error) {
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{\s+\` + string(tmplKey) + `[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+\s+}}`)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err

From 35462e8e4c64979f141c3fced1c880a4d768c083 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:09:53 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 24/54] possible fix for nil message when no template provided

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go | 16 +++++++++-------
 utils/templating/templating.go         |  1 +
 2 files changed, 10 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
index 894cc12b..f9858103 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
@@ -46,15 +46,17 @@ func (data MessageMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 		if !body.Empty {
 			bodyData = body.Data
 
-			newData, err := TemplateMessage(messageTemplate, bodyData, variables)
+			if messageTemplate != "" {
+				newData, err := TemplateMessage(messageTemplate, bodyData, variables)
 
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Error("Error Templating Message: ", err.Error())
-			}
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Error("Error Templating Message: ", err.Error())
+				}
 
-			if newData["message"] != bodyData["message"] && newData["message"] != "" {
-				bodyData = newData
-				modifiedBody = true
+				if newData["message"] != bodyData["message"] && newData["message"] != "" && newData["message"] != nil {
+					bodyData = newData
+					modifiedBody = true
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index d8d9ba79..d9eeb901 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 			re, _ = regexp.Compile(`(\S+)`)
 
 			if !re.MatchString(filtered) {
+				logger.Dev(templatedValue)
 				return stringutils.ToType(templatedValue)
 			}
 		

From 003585db2a8de13abb21a3c4ab877c6d01928dc7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:15:08 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 25/54] debugging

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go  | 5 -----
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 3 +++
 2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
index f9858103..9794ce62 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
-	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/jsonutils"
 	log "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 	request "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/request"
 )
@@ -87,12 +86,8 @@ func (data MessageMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 func TemplateMessage(template string, data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 	data["message_template"] = template
 
-	log.Dev("Before:\n",jsonutils.ToJson(data))
-
 	data, _, err := TemplateBody(data, VARIABLES)
 
-	log.Dev("After:\n",jsonutils.ToJson(data))
-
 	if err != nil || data == nil {
 		return data, err
 	}
diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index d06b4852..4994557f 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -139,6 +139,9 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 	beforeStr := jsonutils.ToJson(templatedData)
 	afterStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
 
+	log.Dev(beforeStr)
+	log.Dev(afterStr)
+
 	modified = beforeStr == afterStr
 
 	return templatedData, modified, nil

From 04deb7d80251411c01c8696034bbd174aba4ec31 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:18:01 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 26/54] fixed modified flag

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 4994557f..7d2c256c 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 	log.Dev(beforeStr)
 	log.Dev(afterStr)
 
-	modified = beforeStr == afterStr
+	modified = beforeStr != afterStr
 
 	return templatedData, modified, nil
 }

From 1193a688fa43ae1a6255c9a7296b361251444209 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:23:58 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 27/54] more debugging

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go  | 2 ++
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 4 ++--
 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go
index 1f737b99..b1e877fa 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ func (data AliasMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 
 			strData := body.ToString()
 
+			log.Debug("Applied Data Aliasing: ", strData)
+
 			req.ContentLength = int64(len(strData))
 			req.Header.Set("Content-Length", strconv.Itoa(len(strData)))
 		}
diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 7d2c256c..c8457983 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 		return data, false, err
 	}
 
-	beforeStr := jsonutils.ToJson(templatedData)
-	afterStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
+	beforeStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
+	afterStr := jsonutils.ToJson(templatedData)
 
 	log.Dev(beforeStr)
 	log.Dev(afterStr)

From db4c7dd41e0b8e52fbd36e4ba9b839a7a01cc5b7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:34:51 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 28/54] fix message overwrite

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go
index b1e877fa..9d501ed0 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/aliases.go
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ func processDataAliases(aliases map[string][]middlewareTypes.DataAlias, data map
 	for key, alias := range aliases {
 		key, value := getData(key, alias, data)
 
-		aliasData[key] = value
+		if value != nil {
+			aliasData[key] = value
+		}
 	}
 
 	return aliasData

From f16ebe9b26713e26a089291dadf845d9c30a61d6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:35:33 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 29/54] added headers to templating with `#`

---
 .github/templates/README.template.md    | 47 +++++++++++++++-
 internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go  | 12 ++--
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 74 +++++++++++++++++++++----
 tests/json_test.go                      |  6 +-
 utils/request/request.go                | 10 ++++
 utils/templating/templating.go          | 62 +++++++++++++++------
 6 files changed, 175 insertions(+), 36 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/templates/README.template.md b/.github/templates/README.template.md
index ef746791..41639da9 100644
--- a/.github/templates/README.template.md
+++ b/.github/templates/README.template.md
@@ -220,6 +220,50 @@ If you are using Environment Variables as an example you won't be able to specif
 > If you have a string that should not be turned into any other type, then you will need to escape all Type Denotations, `[]` or `{}` (also `-`) with a `\` **Backslash** (or Double Backslash).
 > An **Odd** number of **Backslashes** **escape** the character in front of them and an **Even** number leave the character **as-is**.
 
+### Templating
+
+Secured Signal API uses Golang's [Standard Templating Library](https://pkg.go.dev/text/template).
+This means that any valid Go template string will also work in Secured Signal API.
+
+Go's templating library is used in the following features:
+
+- [Message Templates](#message-templates)
+- [Placeholders](#placeholders)
+
+This makes advanced [Message Templates](#message-templates) like this one possible:
+
+```yaml
+settings:
+    messageTemplate: |
+    {{- /* Variable declaration */ -}}
+    {{- $greeting := "Hello" -}}
+    {{- /* Simple variable output */ -}}
+    {{ $greeting }}, {{ @name }}!
+    {{- /* If-else conditional */}}
+    {{ if @age -}}
+    You are {{ @age }} years old.
+    {{- else -}}
+    Age unknown.
+    {{- end }}
+    {{- /* Range over slice */}}
+    Your friends:
+    {{- range @friends }}
+    - {{ . }}
+    {{- else }}
+    You have no friends.
+    {{- end }}
+    {{- /* Range over map */}}
+    Profile details:
+    {{- range $key, $value := @profile }}
+    - {{ $key }}: {{ $value }}
+    {{- end }}
+    {{- /* Nested templates */ -}}
+    {{ define "footer" -}}
+    This is the footer for {{ @name }}.
+    {{- end }}
+    {{ template "footer" . -}}
+```
+
 ### API Token(s)
 
 During Authentication Secured Signal API will try to match the given Token against the list of Tokens inside of these Variables.
@@ -301,7 +345,8 @@ settings:
     Sent with Secured Signal API.
 ```
 
-Use `{{@data.key}}` to reference Body Keys and `{{.KEY}}` for Variables.
+Message Templates support [Standard Golang Templating](#templating).
+Use `@data.key` to reference Body Keys and `.KEY` for Variables.
 
 ### Data Aliases
 
diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
index 9794ce62..80747089 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ func (data MessageMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 			bodyData = body.Data
 
 			if messageTemplate != "" {
-				newData, err := TemplateMessage(messageTemplate, bodyData, variables)
+				headerData := request.GetReqHeaders(req)
+
+				newData, err := TemplateMessage(messageTemplate, bodyData, headerData, variables)
 
 				if err != nil {
 					log.Error("Error Templating Message: ", err.Error())
@@ -83,13 +85,13 @@ func (data MessageMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 	})
 }
 
-func TemplateMessage(template string, data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
-	data["message_template"] = template
+func TemplateMessage(template string, bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, variables map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
+	bodyData["message_template"] = template
 
-	data, _, err := TemplateBody(data, VARIABLES)
+	data, _, err := TemplateBody(bodyData, headerData, variables)
 
 	if err != nil || data == nil {
-		return data, err
+		return bodyData, err
 	}
 
 	data["message"] = data["message_template"]
diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index c8457983..4d5848e9 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ func (data TemplateMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 		if !body.Empty {
 			var modified bool
 
-			bodyData, modified, err = TemplateBody(body.Data, variables)
+			headerData := request.GetReqHeaders(req)
+
+			bodyData, modified, err = TemplateBody(body.Data, headerData, variables)
 
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Error("Error Templating JSON: ", err.Error())
@@ -105,24 +107,24 @@ func (data TemplateMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 	})
 }
 
-func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
-	var modified bool
-
+func normalizeData(prefix rune, data map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 	jsonStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
 
 	if jsonStr != "" {
-		jsonStr, err := templating.TransformTemplateKeys(jsonStr, '@', func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
+		toVar, err := templating.TransformTemplateKeys(jsonStr, prefix, func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
 			return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
 				varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, "$1")
 
-				return "." + varName
+				return "." + string(prefix) + varName
 			})
 		})
 
 		if err != nil {
-			return data, false, err
+			return data, err
 		}
 
+		jsonStr = toVar
+
 		normalizedData, err := jsonutils.GetJsonSafe[map[string]any](jsonStr)
 
 		if err == nil {
@@ -130,17 +132,65 @@ func TemplateBody(data map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any
 		}
 	}
 
-	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", data, VARIABLES)
+	return data, nil
+}
+
+func prefixData(prefix rune, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
+	res := map[string]any{}
+
+	for key, value := range data {
+		res[string(prefix) + key] = value
+	}
+
+	return res
+}
+
+func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
+	var modified bool
+
+	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .#Var and .@Var
+	data := bodyData
+
+	bodyData, err := normalizeData('@', data)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return data, false, err
+	} else {
+		data = bodyData
 	}
 
-	beforeStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
-	afterStr := jsonutils.ToJson(templatedData)
+	headerData, err := normalizeData('#', data)
 
-	log.Dev(beforeStr)
-	log.Dev(afterStr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return data, false, err
+	} else {
+		data = headerData
+	}
+
+	// Prefix Body Data with @
+	bodyData = prefixData('@', bodyData)
+
+	// Prefix Header Data with #
+	headerData = prefixData('#', headerData)
+
+	variables := VARIABLES
+
+	for key, value := range bodyData {
+		variables[key] = value
+	}
+
+	for key, value := range headerData {
+		variables[key] = value
+	}
+
+	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", data, variables)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return bodyData, false, err
+	}
+
+	beforeStr := jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData)
+	afterStr := jsonutils.ToJson(templatedData)
 
 	modified = beforeStr != afterStr
 
diff --git a/tests/json_test.go b/tests/json_test.go
index 0a3eb7dd..0a8cad7c 100644
--- a/tests/json_test.go
+++ b/tests/json_test.go
@@ -44,7 +44,11 @@ func TestJsonTemplating(t *testing.T) {
 		"key2": 4,
 	}
 
-	got := templating.RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive("", data, variables)
+	got, err := templating.RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive("", data, variables)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error("Error Templating JSON:\n", err.Error())
+	}
 
 	expectedStr := jsonutils.ToJson(expected)
 	gotStr := jsonutils.ToJson(got)
diff --git a/utils/request/request.go b/utils/request/request.go
index cf26ab59..32fa389a 100644
--- a/utils/request/request.go
+++ b/utils/request/request.go
@@ -95,6 +95,16 @@ func GetBody(req *http.Request) ([]byte, error) {
 	return bodyBytes, nil
 }
 
+func GetReqHeaders(req *http.Request) (map[string]any) {
+	data := map[string]any{}
+
+	for key, value := range req.Header {
+		data[key] = value
+	}
+
+	return data
+}
+
 func GetReqBody(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) (Body, error) {
 	bytes, err := GetBody(req)
 
diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index d9eeb901..17b473cb 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 
-	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/stringutils"
 )
 
@@ -83,7 +82,7 @@ func cleanQuotedPairsJSON(s string) string {
 
 func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
 	return TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr, '.', func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
-		reSimple, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{\s+\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+\s+}}`)
+		reSimple, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{\s*\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+\s*}}`)
 
 		if !reSimple.MatchString(match) {
 			return match
@@ -157,7 +156,9 @@ func RenderJSON(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]any) (map
 	return data, nil
 }
 
-func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any) (any) {
+func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any) (any, error) {
+	var err error
+
 	strKey, isStr := key.(string)
 
 	if !isStr {
@@ -169,19 +170,35 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 			data := map[string]any{}
 
 			for mapKey, mapValue := range typedValue {
-				data[mapKey] = RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(mapKey, mapValue, variables)
+				var templatedValue any
+
+				templatedValue, err = RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(mapKey, mapValue, variables)
+
+				if err != nil {
+					return mapValue, err
+				}
+
+				data[mapKey] = templatedValue
 			}
 
-			return data
+			return data, err
 
 		case []any:
 			data := []any{}
 
 			for arrayIndex, arrayValue := range typedValue {
-				data = append(data, RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(arrayIndex, arrayValue, variables))
+				var templatedValue any
+
+				templatedValue, err = RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(arrayIndex, arrayValue, variables)
+
+				if err != nil {
+					return arrayValue, err
+				}
+
+				data = append(data, templatedValue)
 			}
 
-			return data
+			return data, err
 		
 		case string:
 			templt := CreateTemplateWithFunc("json:" + strKey, template.FuncMap{
@@ -193,29 +210,40 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 			templatedValue, err := ParseTemplate(templt, tmplStr, variables)
 
 			if err != nil {
-				logger.Dev(err.Error())
+				return typedValue, err
 			}
 
-			re, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
+			templateRe, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
-			filtered := re.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "")
+			if err == nil {
+				nonWhitespaceRe, err := regexp.Compile(`(\S+)`)
 
-			re, _ = regexp.Compile(`(\S+)`)
+				if err == nil {
+					filtered := nonWhitespaceRe.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "")
 
-			if !re.MatchString(filtered) {
-				logger.Dev(templatedValue)
-				return stringutils.ToType(templatedValue)
+					if !templateRe.MatchString(filtered) {
+						return stringutils.ToType(templatedValue), err
+					}
+				}
 			}
 		
-			return templatedValue
+			return templatedValue, err
 		
 		default:
-			return typedValue
+			return typedValue, err
 	}
 }
 
 func RenderJSONTemplate(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
-	return RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive("", data, variables).(map[string]any), nil
+	res, err := RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive("", data, variables)
+
+	mapRes, ok := res.(map[string]any)
+
+	if !ok {
+		return data, err
+	}
+
+	return mapRes, err
 }
 
 func RenderNormalizedTemplate(name string, tmplStr string, variables any) (string, error) {

From d3393028b4b4ac675e9de7b54e78e49652d3b152 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:38:03 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 30/54] remove unneeded funcs

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 52 ----------------------------------
 1 file changed, 52 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 17b473cb..d3aeb4ff 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package templating
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"maps"
 	"regexp"
@@ -29,57 +28,6 @@ func normalize(value any) string {
 	}
 }
 
-func normalizeJSON(value any) string {
-	if value == nil {
-		return ""
-	}
-
-	switch value.(type) {
-		case []any, []string, map[string]any, int, float64, bool:
-			object, _ := json.Marshal(value)
-
-			if string(object) == "{}" {
-				return value.(string)
-			}
-
-			return "<<" + string(object) + ">>"
-
-		default:
-			return value.(string)
-    }
-}
-
-func cleanQuotedPairsJSON(s string) string {
-	quoteRe, err := regexp.Compile(`"([^"]*?)"`)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return s
-	}
-
-	pairRe, err := regexp.Compile(`<<([^<>]+)>>`)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return s
-	}
-
-	return quoteRe.ReplaceAllStringFunc(s, func(container string) string {
-		inner := container[1 : len(container)-1] // remove quotes
-
-		matches := pairRe.FindAllStringSubmatchIndex(inner, -1)
-
-		// ONE pair which fills whole ""
-		if len(matches) == 1 && matches[0][0] == 0 && matches[0][1] == len(inner) {
-			return container // keep <<...>> untouched
-		}
-
-		// MULTIPLE pairs || that do not fill whole ""
-		inner = pairRe.ReplaceAllString(inner, "$1")
-		inner = strings.ReplaceAll(inner, `"`, `'`)
-
-		return `"` + inner + `"`
-	})
-}
-
 func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
 	return TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr, '.', func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
 		reSimple, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{\s*\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+\s*}}`)

From e1e439bcc614641ace7451317da80be1e74c36cb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:49:20 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 31/54] debugging template issues

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 13 ++++++-------
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 4d5848e9..107d8529 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package middlewares
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"io"
+	"maps"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"regexp"
@@ -174,14 +175,12 @@ func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map
 	headerData = prefixData('#', headerData)
 
 	variables := VARIABLES
+	
+	maps.Copy(bodyData, variables)
+	maps.Copy(headerData, variables)
 
-	for key, value := range bodyData {
-		variables[key] = value
-	}
-
-	for key, value := range headerData {
-		variables[key] = value
-	}
+	log.Dev("Body:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
+	log.Dev("Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headerData))
 
 	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", data, variables)
 

From 69cf270e5cb00ba1309260eb036b69916539248a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:52:44 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 32/54] testing

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 18 ++++++------------
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 107d8529..5df437e8 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -146,26 +146,20 @@ func prefixData(prefix rune, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
 	return res
 }
 
-func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
+func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
 	var modified bool
 
 	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .#Var and .@Var
-	data := bodyData
-
-	bodyData, err := normalizeData('@', data)
+	bodyData, err := normalizeData('@', bodyData)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return data, false, err
-	} else {
-		data = bodyData
+		return bodyData, false, err
 	}
 
-	headerData, err := normalizeData('#', data)
+	headerData, err = normalizeData('#', headerData)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return data, false, err
-	} else {
-		data = headerData
+		return bodyData, false, err
 	}
 
 	// Prefix Body Data with @
@@ -182,7 +176,7 @@ func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map
 	log.Dev("Body:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
 	log.Dev("Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headerData))
 
-	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", data, variables)
+	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", bodyData, variables)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return bodyData, false, err

From 4678bd226e10e471b772a2ae5c35ffe4441eb1c5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:56:45 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 33/54] fixed copy-order

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 5df437e8..2565eee8 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -170,8 +170,8 @@ func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES
 
 	variables := VARIABLES
 	
-	maps.Copy(bodyData, variables)
-	maps.Copy(headerData, variables)
+	maps.Copy(variables, bodyData)
+	maps.Copy(variables, headerData)
 
 	log.Dev("Body:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
 	log.Dev("Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headerData))

From 8ea9b951171fca8b73329e5e51bdf3102b93b728 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:02:54 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 34/54] dont combine headers with body

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 7 +------
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index d3aeb4ff..100624df 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package templating
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
-	"maps"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
@@ -91,11 +90,7 @@ func CreateTemplateWithFunc(name string, funcMap template.FuncMap) (*template.Te
 }
 
 func RenderJSON(name string, data map[string]any, variables map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
-	combinedData := data
-
-	maps.Copy(combinedData, variables)
-
-	data, err := RenderJSONTemplate(name, data, combinedData)
+	data, err := RenderJSONTemplate(name, data, variables)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return data, err

From db476a32a1db973c7803af7bc8c2bea2ce21cded Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:05:59 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 35/54] debugging leaftover `@`'s

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 2565eee8..689870aa 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES
 	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .#Var and .@Var
 	bodyData, err := normalizeData('@', bodyData)
 
+	log.Dev("Normalized:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return bodyData, false, err
 	}

From 1ffaf808b1ee69e0c94e0d835e2e9b43bf429f46 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:15:05 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 36/54] use literal strings to prefix not illegal chars: `@` +
 `#`

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 18 +++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 689870aa..5b3c3fc2 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func (data TemplateMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 	})
 }
 
-func normalizeData(prefix rune, data map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
+func normalizeData(prefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 	jsonStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
 
 	if jsonStr != "" {
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func normalizeData(prefix rune, data map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 			return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
 				varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, "$1")
 
-				return "." + string(prefix) + varName
+				return "." + prefix + varName
 			})
 		})
 
@@ -136,11 +136,11 @@ func normalizeData(prefix rune, data map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 	return data, nil
 }
 
-func prefixData(prefix rune, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
+func prefixData(prefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
 	res := map[string]any{}
 
 	for key, value := range data {
-		res[string(prefix) + key] = value
+		res[prefix + key] = value
 	}
 
 	return res
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ func prefixData(prefix rune, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
 func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
 	var modified bool
 
-	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .#Var and .@Var
-	bodyData, err := normalizeData('@', bodyData)
+	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .HEADER_KEY_Var and .BODY_KEY_Var
+	bodyData, err := normalizeData("BODY_KEY_", bodyData)
 
 	log.Dev("Normalized:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
 
@@ -158,17 +158,17 @@ func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES
 		return bodyData, false, err
 	}
 
-	headerData, err = normalizeData('#', headerData)
+	headerData, err = normalizeData("HEADER_KEY_", headerData)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return bodyData, false, err
 	}
 
 	// Prefix Body Data with @
-	bodyData = prefixData('@', bodyData)
+	bodyData = prefixData("BODY_KEY_", bodyData)
 
 	// Prefix Header Data with #
-	headerData = prefixData('#', headerData)
+	headerData = prefixData("HEADER_KEY_", headerData)
 
 	variables := VARIABLES
 	

From eb2132c233ecad9d1aefe620304889bc7ede4a28 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:18:38 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 37/54] fix

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 20 ++++++++++----------
 utils/templating/templating.go          |  6 +++---
 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 5b3c3fc2..851ac6d8 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -108,15 +108,15 @@ func (data TemplateMiddleware) Use() http.Handler {
 	})
 }
 
-func normalizeData(prefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
+func normalizeData(fromPrefix, toPrefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
 	jsonStr := jsonutils.ToJson(data)
 
 	if jsonStr != "" {
-		toVar, err := templating.TransformTemplateKeys(jsonStr, prefix, func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
+		toVar, err := templating.TransformTemplateKeys(jsonStr, fromPrefix, func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
 			return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
 				varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, "$1")
 
-				return "." + prefix + varName
+				return "." + toPrefix + varName
 			})
 		})
 
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ func prefixData(prefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
 func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
 	var modified bool
 
-	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .HEADER_KEY_Var and .BODY_KEY_Var
-	bodyData, err := normalizeData("BODY_KEY_", bodyData)
+	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .header_key_Var and .body_key_Var
+	bodyData, err := normalizeData("@", "body_key_", bodyData)
 
 	log.Dev("Normalized:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
 
@@ -158,17 +158,17 @@ func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES
 		return bodyData, false, err
 	}
 
-	headerData, err = normalizeData("HEADER_KEY_", headerData)
+	headerData, err = normalizeData("#", "header_key_", headerData)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return bodyData, false, err
 	}
 
-	// Prefix Body Data with @
-	bodyData = prefixData("BODY_KEY_", bodyData)
+	// Prefix Body Data with body_key_
+	bodyData = prefixData("body_key_", bodyData)
 
-	// Prefix Header Data with #
-	headerData = prefixData("HEADER_KEY_", headerData)
+	// Prefix Header Data with header_key_
+	headerData = prefixData("header_key_", headerData)
 
 	variables := VARIABLES
 	
diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 100624df..758199b5 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func normalize(value any) string {
 }
 
 func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
-	return TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr, '.', func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
+	return TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr, `\.`, func(re *regexp.Regexp, match string) string {
 		reSimple, _ := regexp.Compile(`{{\s*\.[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+\s*}}`)
 
 		if !reSimple.MatchString(match) {
@@ -43,14 +43,14 @@ func AddTemplateFunc(tmplStr string, funcName string) (string, error) {
 	})
 }
 
-func TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr string, tmplKey rune, transform func(varRegex *regexp.Regexp, m string) string) (string, error) {
+func TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr string, prefix string, transform func(varRegex *regexp.Regexp, m string) string) (string, error) {
 	re, err := regexp.Compile(`{{[^}]+}}`)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err
 	}
 
-	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(`\` + string(tmplKey) + `([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+)`)
+	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(string(prefix) + `([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+)`)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err

From d4deecfdf8c5da4e41cfd489c9ae91aa97c4245e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:22:43 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 38/54] debugging

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go | 3 +++
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
index 80747089..542ed132 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
+	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/jsonutils"
 	log "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 	request "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/request"
 )
@@ -90,6 +91,8 @@ func TemplateMessage(template string, bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[st
 
 	data, _, err := TemplateBody(bodyData, headerData, variables)
 
+	log.Dev("msg:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(data))
+
 	if err != nil || data == nil {
 		return bodyData, err
 	}

From 794034208e98451f806178069c37df7e2be060eb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:25:32 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 39/54] fix

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 14 +++++++-------
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 851ac6d8..03bba5c1 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -146,22 +146,22 @@ func prefixData(prefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
 	return res
 }
 
-func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
+func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
 	var modified bool
 
 	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .header_key_Var and .body_key_Var
-	bodyData, err := normalizeData("@", "body_key_", bodyData)
+	bodyData, err := normalizeData("@", "body_key_", body)
 
 	log.Dev("Normalized:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return bodyData, false, err
+		return body, false, err
 	}
 
-	headerData, err = normalizeData("#", "header_key_", headerData)
+	headerData, err := normalizeData("#", "header_key_", headers)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return bodyData, false, err
+		return body, false, err
 	}
 
 	// Prefix Body Data with body_key_
@@ -178,13 +178,13 @@ func TemplateBody(bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[string]any, VARIABLES
 	log.Dev("Body:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
 	log.Dev("Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headerData))
 
-	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", bodyData, variables)
+	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", body, variables)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return bodyData, false, err
 	}
 
-	beforeStr := jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData)
+	beforeStr := jsonutils.ToJson(body)
 	afterStr := jsonutils.ToJson(templatedData)
 
 	modified = beforeStr != afterStr

From 9899092c6f54dc4b27e7026049ffb45912f5c54e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:30:00 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 40/54] fixed body_key_ persisting after templating

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 22 +++++++++++-----------
 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 03bba5c1..b01f8a7f 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -150,38 +150,38 @@ func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[str
 	var modified bool
 
 	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .header_key_Var and .body_key_Var
-	bodyData, err := normalizeData("@", "body_key_", body)
+	normalizedBody, err := normalizeData("@", "body_key_", body)
 
-	log.Dev("Normalized:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
+	log.Dev("Normalized:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(normalizedBody))
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return body, false, err
 	}
 
-	headerData, err := normalizeData("#", "header_key_", headers)
+	normalizedHeaders, err := normalizeData("#", "header_key_", headers)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return body, false, err
 	}
 
 	// Prefix Body Data with body_key_
-	bodyData = prefixData("body_key_", bodyData)
+	prefixedBody := prefixData("body_key_", normalizedBody)
 
 	// Prefix Header Data with header_key_
-	headerData = prefixData("header_key_", headerData)
+	prefixedHeaders := prefixData("header_key_", normalizedHeaders)
 
 	variables := VARIABLES
 	
-	maps.Copy(variables, bodyData)
-	maps.Copy(variables, headerData)
+	maps.Copy(variables, prefixedBody)
+	maps.Copy(variables, prefixedHeaders)
 
-	log.Dev("Body:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(bodyData))
-	log.Dev("Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headerData))
+	log.Dev("Body:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(prefixedBody))
+	log.Dev("Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(prefixedHeaders))
 
-	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", body, variables)
+	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", normalizedBody, variables)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return bodyData, false, err
+		return body, false, err
 	}
 
 	beforeStr := jsonutils.ToJson(body)

From 60ee50fc3a749032aa217221de0f56c8ea03a3ee Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:36:29 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 41/54] redact auth header

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 11 +++++++++++
 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index b01f8a7f..9c754496 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 
 	jsonutils "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/jsonutils"
 	log "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
@@ -146,6 +147,16 @@ func prefixData(prefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
 	return res
 }
 
+func cleanHeaders(headers map[string]any) map[string]any {
+	authHeader, ok := headers["Authorization"].(string)
+
+	if !ok {
+		authHeader = "REDACTED"
+	}
+
+	headers["Authorization"] = strings.SplitAfterN(authHeader, ` `, 1)[0] + " REDACTED"
+}
+
 func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
 	var modified bool
 

From c5eff6280678c7ae7249a9ff434a221581bf707a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:39:13 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 42/54] implemented cleaning

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 9 ++++-----
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 9c754496..7b38b257 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -155,16 +155,18 @@ func cleanHeaders(headers map[string]any) map[string]any {
 	}
 
 	headers["Authorization"] = strings.SplitAfterN(authHeader, ` `, 1)[0] + " REDACTED"
+
+	return headers
 }
 
 func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
 	var modified bool
 
+	headers = cleanHeaders(headers)
+
 	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .header_key_Var and .body_key_Var
 	normalizedBody, err := normalizeData("@", "body_key_", body)
 
-	log.Dev("Normalized:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(normalizedBody))
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return body, false, err
 	}
@@ -186,9 +188,6 @@ func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[str
 	maps.Copy(variables, prefixedBody)
 	maps.Copy(variables, prefixedHeaders)
 
-	log.Dev("Body:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(prefixedBody))
-	log.Dev("Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(prefixedHeaders))
-
 	templatedData, err := templating.RenderJSON("body", normalizedBody, variables)
 
 	if err != nil {

From 5fba451f9dab2a36f82753f70e24b346b9505a6b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:46:50 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 43/54] convert dashes to underscores

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 3 +++
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 7b38b257..b12fcba3 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ func normalizeData(fromPrefix, toPrefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string
 			return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
 				varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, "$1")
 
+				// Convert dashes into underscores, because of template syntax
+				varName = strings.ReplaceAll(varName, "-", "_")
+
 				return "." + toPrefix + varName
 			})
 		})

From 94a2d50a6dd157ecff1ed85dc11049d507d787f9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:48:10 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 44/54] actually do not convert, let user handle

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 3 ---
 1 file changed, 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index b12fcba3..7b38b257 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -117,9 +117,6 @@ func normalizeData(fromPrefix, toPrefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string
 			return re.ReplaceAllStringFunc(match, func(varMatch string) string {
 				varName := re.ReplaceAllString(varMatch, "$1")
 
-				// Convert dashes into underscores, because of template syntax
-				varName = strings.ReplaceAll(varName, "-", "_")
-
 				return "." + toPrefix + varName
 			})
 		})

From 17093e92734bab428f47e3e543af470c3fc20716 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:52:25 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 45/54] convert - into _ in headers

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 18 +++++++++++++-----
 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 7b38b257..78f37e64 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -148,15 +148,23 @@ func prefixData(prefix string, data map[string]any) (map[string]any) {
 }
 
 func cleanHeaders(headers map[string]any) map[string]any {
-	authHeader, ok := headers["Authorization"].(string)
+	cleanedHeaders := map[string]any{}
+
+	for key, value := range headers {
+		cleanedKey := strings.ReplaceAll(key, "-", "_")
+
+		cleanedHeaders[cleanedKey] = value
+	}
+
+	authHeader, ok := cleanedHeaders["Authorization"].(string)
 
 	if !ok {
 		authHeader = "REDACTED"
 	}
 
-	headers["Authorization"] = strings.SplitAfterN(authHeader, ` `, 1)[0] + " REDACTED"
+	cleanedHeaders["Authorization"] = strings.SplitAfterN(authHeader, ` `, 1)[0] + " REDACTED"
 
-	return headers
+	return cleanedHeaders
 }
 
 func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
@@ -171,7 +179,7 @@ func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[str
 		return body, false, err
 	}
 
-	normalizedHeaders, err := normalizeData("#", "header_key_", headers)
+	normalizedBody, err = normalizeData("#", "header_key_", normalizedBody)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return body, false, err
@@ -181,7 +189,7 @@ func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[str
 	prefixedBody := prefixData("body_key_", normalizedBody)
 
 	// Prefix Header Data with header_key_
-	prefixedHeaders := prefixData("header_key_", normalizedHeaders)
+	prefixedHeaders := prefixData("header_key_", headers)
 
 	variables := VARIABLES
 	

From d127ef4f9c7a8af84f64ffc1018f1a01a2cd659c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:59:28 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 46/54] debug array conversion error

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 5 ++++-
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 758199b5..3ab45b70 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 
+	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/stringutils"
 )
 
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ func TransformTemplateKeys(tmplStr string, prefix string, transform func(varRege
 		return tmplStr, err
 	}
 
-	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(string(prefix) + `([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+)`)
+	varRe, err := regexp.Compile(string(prefix) + `("*[a-zA-Z0-9_.]+"*)`)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return tmplStr, err
@@ -164,6 +165,8 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 				if err == nil {
 					filtered := nonWhitespaceRe.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "")
 
+					logger.Dev(filtered)
+
 					if !templateRe.MatchString(filtered) {
 						return stringutils.ToType(templatedValue), err
 					}

From 26d55d8e4130ca48d7c73a47c34fab9ee9783835 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:02:06 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 47/54] fixed regex order

---
 utils/templating/templating.go | 7 ++-----
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/utils/templating/templating.go b/utils/templating/templating.go
index 3ab45b70..41e810d6 100644
--- a/utils/templating/templating.go
+++ b/utils/templating/templating.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 
-	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/stringutils"
 )
 
@@ -163,11 +162,9 @@ func RenderDataKeyTemplateRecursive(key any, value any, variables map[string]any
 				nonWhitespaceRe, err := regexp.Compile(`(\S+)`)
 
 				if err == nil {
-					filtered := nonWhitespaceRe.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "")
+					filtered := templateRe.ReplaceAllString(tmplStr, "")
 
-					logger.Dev(filtered)
-
-					if !templateRe.MatchString(filtered) {
+					if !nonWhitespaceRe.MatchString(filtered) {
 						return stringutils.ToType(templatedValue), err
 					}
 				}

From 905bb7361d7b566db6f6f01524475c3243d511c9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:06:47 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 48/54] check headers

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go  | 3 ---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 4 ++++
 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
index 542ed132..80747089 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/message.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
-	"github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/jsonutils"
 	log "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/logger"
 	request "github.com/codeshelldev/secured-signal-api/utils/request"
 )
@@ -91,8 +90,6 @@ func TemplateMessage(template string, bodyData map[string]any, headerData map[st
 
 	data, _, err := TemplateBody(bodyData, headerData, variables)
 
-	log.Dev("msg:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(data))
-
 	if err != nil || data == nil {
 		return bodyData, err
 	}
diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 78f37e64..47dc2175 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -170,8 +170,12 @@ func cleanHeaders(headers map[string]any) map[string]any {
 func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
 	var modified bool
 
+	log.Dev("B-Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headers))
+
 	headers = cleanHeaders(headers)
 
+	log.Dev("A-Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headers))
+
 	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .header_key_Var and .body_key_Var
 	normalizedBody, err := normalizeData("@", "body_key_", body)
 

From 0758f88731565445e432e59e2ec2d5185db6310a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:10:48 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 49/54] removed due to expected behaviour

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 4 ----
 1 file changed, 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 47dc2175..78f37e64 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -170,12 +170,8 @@ func cleanHeaders(headers map[string]any) map[string]any {
 func TemplateBody(body map[string]any, headers map[string]any, VARIABLES map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool, error) {
 	var modified bool
 
-	log.Dev("B-Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headers))
-
 	headers = cleanHeaders(headers)
 
-	log.Dev("A-Headers:\n", jsonutils.ToJson(headers))
-
 	// Normalize #Var and @Var to .header_key_Var and .body_key_Var
 	normalizedBody, err := normalizeData("@", "body_key_", body)
 

From 268fd8bff42c4b66916ef6c8e391b76053404910 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:17:58 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 50/54] fix auth header appearing as array

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 6 +++---
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 78f37e64..8f7e6eb6 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -156,13 +156,13 @@ func cleanHeaders(headers map[string]any) map[string]any {
 		cleanedHeaders[cleanedKey] = value
 	}
 
-	authHeader, ok := cleanedHeaders["Authorization"].(string)
+	authHeader, ok := cleanedHeaders["Authorization"].([]string)
 
 	if !ok {
-		authHeader = "REDACTED"
+		authHeader = []string{"UNKNOWN REDACTED"}
 	}
 
-	cleanedHeaders["Authorization"] = strings.SplitAfterN(authHeader, ` `, 1)[0] + " REDACTED"
+	cleanedHeaders["Authorization"] = strings.SplitAfterN(authHeader[0], ` `, 1)[0] + " REDACTED"
 
 	return cleanedHeaders
 }

From a68a26eca51e3b9aca67bd0d7b4e5bc70bb2a44a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:23:13 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 51/54] fix header

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index 8f7e6eb6..aae554fe 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func cleanHeaders(headers map[string]any) map[string]any {
 		authHeader = []string{"UNKNOWN REDACTED"}
 	}
 
-	cleanedHeaders["Authorization"] = strings.SplitAfterN(authHeader[0], ` `, 1)[0] + " REDACTED"
+	cleanedHeaders["Authorization"] = strings.Split(authHeader[0], ` `)[0] + "REDACTED"
 
 	return cleanedHeaders
 }

From 2e056d6a3588ed130a9d940b103d49d3b048c96a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:50:12 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 52/54] add space between auth header

---
 internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
index aae554fe..ca096570 100644
--- a/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
+++ b/internals/proxy/middlewares/template.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func cleanHeaders(headers map[string]any) map[string]any {
 		authHeader = []string{"UNKNOWN REDACTED"}
 	}
 
-	cleanedHeaders["Authorization"] = strings.Split(authHeader[0], ` `)[0] + "REDACTED"
+	cleanedHeaders["Authorization"] = strings.Split(authHeader[0], ` `)[0] + " REDACTED"
 
 	return cleanedHeaders
 }

From 9ff0b2b90a10c14367e4d387bf92575d6c804e65 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:57:48 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 53/54] update README

---
 .github/templates/README.template.md | 17 +++++++++--------
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/templates/README.template.md b/.github/templates/README.template.md
index 41639da9..98a4bfb8 100644
--- a/.github/templates/README.template.md
+++ b/.github/templates/README.template.md
@@ -123,7 +123,11 @@ curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer API_T
 
 If you are not comfortable / don't want to hardcode your Number for example and/or Recipients in you, may use **Placeholders** in your Request.
 
-You can use [**Variable**](#variables) `{{.NUMBER}}` Placeholders and **Body** Placeholders `{{@data.key}}`.
+| Type                   | Example             | Note             |
+| :--------------------- | :------------------ | :--------------- |
+| Body                   | `{{@data.key}}`     |                  |
+| Header                 | `{{#Content_Type}}` | `-` becomes `_`  |
+| [Variable](#variables) | `{{.VAR}}`          | always uppercase |
 
 | Type  | Example                                                          |
 | :---- | :--------------------------------------------------------------- |
@@ -235,33 +239,30 @@ This makes advanced [Message Templates](#message-templates) like this one possib
 ```yaml
 settings:
     messageTemplate: |
-    {{- /* Variable declaration */ -}}
     {{- $greeting := "Hello" -}}
-    {{- /* Simple variable output */ -}}
     {{ $greeting }}, {{ @name }}!
-    {{- /* If-else conditional */}}
     {{ if @age -}}
     You are {{ @age }} years old.
     {{- else -}}
     Age unknown.
     {{- end }}
-    {{- /* Range over slice */}}
     Your friends:
     {{- range @friends }}
     - {{ . }}
     {{- else }}
     You have no friends.
     {{- end }}
-    {{- /* Range over map */}}
     Profile details:
     {{- range $key, $value := @profile }}
     - {{ $key }}: {{ $value }}
     {{- end }}
-    {{- /* Nested templates */ -}}
     {{ define "footer" -}}
     This is the footer for {{ @name }}.
     {{- end }}
     {{ template "footer" . -}}
+    ------------------------------------
+    Content-Type: {{ #Content_Type }}
+    Redacted Auth Header: {{ #Authorization }}
 ```
 
 ### API Token(s)
@@ -346,7 +347,7 @@ settings:
 ```
 
 Message Templates support [Standard Golang Templating](#templating).
-Use `@data.key` to reference Body Keys and `.KEY` for Variables.
+Use `@data.key` to reference Body Keys, `#Content_Type` for Headers and `.KEY` for Variables.
 
 ### Data Aliases
 

From 8814a9e0196f6a215ef1fc5fd7d8b2b6bce3d440 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: CodeShell <122738806+CodeShellDev@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:59:11 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 54/54] add highlighting to readme

---
 .github/templates/README.template.md | 4 ++++
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+)

diff --git a/.github/templates/README.template.md b/.github/templates/README.template.md
index 98a4bfb8..2aca1565 100644
--- a/.github/templates/README.template.md
+++ b/.github/templates/README.template.md
@@ -123,12 +123,16 @@ curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer API_T
 
 If you are not comfortable / don't want to hardcode your Number for example and/or Recipients in you, may use **Placeholders** in your Request.
 
+**How to use:**
+
 | Type                   | Example             | Note             |
 | :--------------------- | :------------------ | :--------------- |
 | Body                   | `{{@data.key}}`     |                  |
 | Header                 | `{{#Content_Type}}` | `-` becomes `_`  |
 | [Variable](#variables) | `{{.VAR}}`          | always uppercase |
 
+**Where to use:**
+
 | Type  | Example                                                          |
 | :---- | :--------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | Body  | `{"number": "{{ .NUMBER }}", "recipients": "{{ .RECIPIENTS }}"}` |