diff --git a/lib/constants/rules.js b/lib/constants/rules.js
index 991ff6e73..bf0639f79 100644
--- a/lib/constants/rules.js
+++ b/lib/constants/rules.js
@@ -11,62 +11,54 @@ const RULES = [
       kind: 'document'
     },
     validate: {
-      nodes: {
-        anyOf: [
-          { kind: 'block' }
-        ]
-      }
+      anyOf: [
+        { kind: 'block' }
+      ]
     },
-    transform: (transform, node) => {
-      return node.nodes
-        .filter(child => child.kind != 'block')
-        .reduce((tr, child) => tr.removeNodeByKey(child.key), transform)
+    transform: (transform, match, reason) => {
+      return reason.value.reduce((tr, node) => {
+        return tr.removeNodeByKey(node.key)
+      }, transform)
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    match: {
+      kind: 'block'
+    },
+    validate: {
+      anyOf: [
+        { kind: 'block' },
+        { kind: 'inline' },
+        { kind: 'text' },
+      ]
+    },
+    transform: (transform, match, reason) => {
+      return reason.value.reduce((tr, node) => {
+        return tr.removeNodeByKey(node.key)
+      }, transform)
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    match: {
+      kind: 'inline'
+    },
+    validate: {
+      anyOf: [
+        { kind: 'inline' },
+        { kind: 'text' },
+      ]
+    },
+    transform: (transform, match, reason) => {
+      return reason.value.reduce((tr, node) => {
+        return tr.removeNodeByKey(node.key)
+      }, transform)
     }
   },
   // {
-  //   match: { kind: 'block' },
-  //   nodes: {
-  //     anyOf: [
-  //       { kind: 'block' },
-  //       { kind: 'inline' },
-  //       { kind: 'text' },
-  //     ]
-  //   },
-  //   transform: (transform, node) => {
-  //     return node
-  //       .filterChildren(child => {
-  //         return (
-  //           child.kind != 'block' ||
-  //           child.kind != 'inline' ||
-  //           child.kind != 'text'
-  //         )
-  //       })
-  //       .reduce((transform, child) => {
-  //         return transform.removeNodeByKey(child.key)
-  //       })
-  //   }
-  // },
-  // {
-  //   match: { kind: 'inline' },
-  //   nodes: {
-  //     anyOf: [
-  //       { kind: 'inline' },
-  //       { kind: 'text' }
-  //     ]
-  //   },
-  //   transform: (transform, node) => {
-  //     return node
-  //       .filterChildren(child => {
-  //         return child.kind != 'inline' || child.kind != 'text'
-  //       })
-  //       .reduce((transform, child) => {
-  //         return transform.removeNodeByKey(child.key)
-  //       })
-  //   }
-  // },
-  // {
   //   match: { isVoid: true },
-  //   text: ' ',
+  //   validate: {
+  //     text: ' '
+  //   },
   //   transform: (transform, node) => {
   //     const { state } = transform
   //     const range = state.selection.moveToRangeOf(node)
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 2a6565720..80f251740 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import Data from './models/data'
 import Document from './models/document'
 import Inline from './models/inline'
 import Mark from './models/mark'
+import Schema from './models/schema'
 import Selection from './models/selection'
 import State from './models/state'
 import Text from './models/text'
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ export {
   Placeholder,
   Plain,
   Raw,
+  Schema,
   Selection,
   State,
   Text,
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ export default {
   Placeholder,
   Plain,
   Raw,
+  Schema,
   Selection,
   State,
   Text,
diff --git a/lib/models/schema.js b/lib/models/schema.js
index 51dd96f38..588c65bdd 100644
--- a/lib/models/schema.js
+++ b/lib/models/schema.js
@@ -6,6 +6,97 @@ import typeOf from 'type-of'
 import memoize from '../utils/memoize'
 import { Record } from 'immutable'
 
+/**
+ * Checks that the schema can perform, ordered by performance.
+ *
+ * @type {Object}
+ */
+
+const CHECKS = {
+
+  kind(object, value) {
+    if (object.kind != value) return object.kind
+  },
+
+  type(object, value) {
+    if (object.type != value) return object.type
+  },
+
+  isVoid(object, value) {
+    if (object.isVoid != value) return object.isVoid
+  },
+
+  minChildren(object, value) {
+    if (object.nodes.size < value) return object.nodes.size
+  },
+
+  maxChildren(object, value) {
+    if (object.nodes.size > value) return object.nodes.size
+  },
+
+  kinds(object, value) {
+    if (!includes(value, object.kind)) return object.kind
+  },
+
+  types(object, value) {
+    if (!includes(value, object.type)) return object.type
+  },
+
+  minLength(object, value) {
+    const { length } = object
+    if (length < value) return length
+  },
+
+  maxLength(object, value) {
+    const { length } = object
+    if (length > value) return length
+  },
+
+  text(object, value) {
+    const { text } = object
+    switch (typeOf(value)) {
+      case 'function': if (value(text)) return text
+      case 'regexp': if (!text.match(value)) return text
+      default: if (text != value) return text
+    }
+  },
+
+  anyOf(object, value) {
+    const { nodes } = object
+    if (!nodes) return
+    const invalids = nodes.filterNot((child) => {
+      return value.some(fail => !fail(child))
+    })
+
+    if (invalids.size) return invalids
+  },
+
+  noneOf(object, value) {
+    const { nodes } = object
+    if (!nodes) return
+    const invalids = nodes.filterNot((child) => {
+      return value.every(fail => fail(child))
+    })
+
+    if (invalids.size) return invalids
+  },
+
+  exactlyOf(object, value) {
+    const { nodes } = object
+    if (!nodes) return
+    if (nodes.size != value.length) return nodes
+
+    const invalids = nodes.filter((child, i) => {
+      const fail = value[i]
+      if (!fail) return true
+      return fail(child)
+    })
+
+    if (invalids.size) return invalids
+  },
+
+}
+
 /**
  * Default properties.
  *
@@ -33,15 +124,7 @@ class Schema extends new Record(DEFAULTS) {
 
   static create(properties = {}) {
     if (properties instanceof Schema) return properties
-
-    let rules = [
-      ...(properties.rules || []),
-      ...RULES,
-    ]
-
-    return new Schema({
-      rules: rules.map(normalizeRule)
-    })
+    return new Schema(normalizeProperties(properties))
   }
 
   /**
@@ -55,21 +138,29 @@ class Schema extends new Record(DEFAULTS) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Normalize a `state` against the schema.
+   * Transform a `state` to abide by the schema.
    *
    * @param {State} state
    * @return {State}
    */
 
-  normalize(state) {
+  transform(state) {
     const { document } = state
     let transform = state.transform()
+    let failure
 
-    document.filterDescendants((node) => {
-      const rule = this.validateNode(node)
-      if (rule) transform = rule.transform(transform, node, state)
+    document.filterDescendantsDeep((node) => {
+      if (failure = this.validateNode(node)) {
+        const { reason, rule } = failure
+        transform = rule.transform(transform, node, reason)
+      }
     })
 
+    if (failure = this.validateNode(document)) {
+      const { reason, rule } = failure
+      transform = rule.transform(transform, document, reason)
+    }
+
     const next = transform.apply({ snapshot: false })
     return next
   }
@@ -94,9 +185,20 @@ class Schema extends new Record(DEFAULTS) {
    */
 
   validateNode(node) {
-    return this.rules
-      .filter(rule => rule.match(node))
-      .find(rule => !rule.validate(node))
+    let reason
+    let match = this.rules
+      .filter(rule => !rule.match(node))
+      .find((rule) => {
+        reason = rule.validate(node)
+        if (reason) return true
+      })
+
+    if (!match) return
+
+    return {
+      rule: match,
+      reason
+    }
   }
 
 }
@@ -106,7 +208,7 @@ class Schema extends new Record(DEFAULTS) {
  */
 
 memoize(Schema.prototype, [
-  'normalize',
+  'transform',
   'validate',
   'validateNode',
 ])
@@ -119,17 +221,13 @@ memoize(Schema.prototype, [
  */
 
 function normalizeProperties(properties) {
-  let rules = []
+  let { rules, nodes, marks } = properties
+  if (!rules) rules = []
 
-  // If there's a `rules` property, it is not the shorthand.
-  if (properties.rules) {
-    rules = properties.rules
-  }
-
-  // Otherwise it's the shorthand syntax, so expand each of the properties.
-  else {
-    for (const key in properties) {
-      const value = properties[key]
+  // If there's a `nodes` property, it's the node rule shorthand dictionary.
+  if (nodes) {
+    for (const key in nodes) {
+      const value = nodes[key]
       let rule
 
       if (isReactComponent(value)) {
@@ -137,6 +235,7 @@ function normalizeProperties(properties) {
         rule.component = value
       } else {
         rule = {
+          kinds: ['block', 'inline'],
           type: key,
           ...value
         }
@@ -146,6 +245,27 @@ function normalizeProperties(properties) {
     }
   }
 
+  // If there's a `marks` property, it's the mark rule shorthand dictionary.
+  if (marks) {
+    for (const key in marks) {
+      const value = marks[key]
+      let rule
+
+      if (rule.match) {
+        rule = {
+          kind: 'mark',
+          type: key,
+          ...value
+        }
+      } else {
+        rule.match = { type: key }
+        rule.component = value
+      }
+
+      rules.push(rule)
+    }
+  }
+
   return {
     rules: rules
       .concat(RULES)
@@ -178,6 +298,7 @@ function normalizeRule(rule) {
 function normalizeMatch(match) {
   switch (typeOf(match)) {
     case 'function': return match
+    case 'boolean': return () => match
     case 'object': return normalizeSpec(match)
     default: {
       throw new Error(`Invalid \`match\` spec: "${match}".`)
@@ -195,6 +316,7 @@ function normalizeMatch(match) {
 function normalizeValidate(validate) {
   switch (typeOf(validate)) {
     case 'function': return validate
+    case 'boolean': return () => validate
     case 'object': return normalizeSpec(validate)
     default: {
       throw new Error(`Invalid \`validate\` spec: "${validate}".`)
@@ -227,79 +349,25 @@ function normalizeTransform(transform) {
 
 function normalizeSpec(obj) {
   const spec = { ...obj }
-  const { nodes } = spec
+  if (spec.exactlyOf) spec.exactlyOf = spec.exactlyOf.map(normalizeSpec)
+  if (spec.anyOf) spec.anyOf = spec.anyOf.map(normalizeSpec)
+  if (spec.noneOf) spec.noneOf = spec.noneOf.map(normalizeSpec)
 
-  // Normalize recursively for the node specs.
-  if (nodes) {
-    if (nodes.exactlyOf) spec.nodes.exactlyOf = nodes.exactlyOf.map(normalizeSpec)
-    if (nodes.anyOf) spec.nodes.anyOf = nodes.anyOf.map(normalizeSpec)
-    if (nodes.noneOf) spec.nodes.noneOf = nodes.noneOf.map(normalizeSpec)
-  }
-
-  // Return a checking function.
   return (node) => {
-    // If marked as invalid explicitly, return early.
-    if (spec.invalid === true) return false
+    for (const key in CHECKS) {
+      const value = spec[key]
+      if (value == null) continue
 
-    // Run the simple equality checks first.
-    if (
-      (spec.kind != null && spec.kind != node.kind) ||
-      (spec.type != null && spec.type != node.type) ||
-      (spec.isVoid != null && spec.isVoid != node.type) ||
-      (spec.kinds != null && !includes(spec.kinds, node.kind)) ||
-      (spec.types != null && !includes(spec.types, node.type))
-    ) {
-      return false
+      const fail = CHECKS[key]
+      const failure = fail(node, value)
+
+      if (failure != undefined) {
+        return {
+          type: key,
+          value: failure
+        }
+      }
     }
-
-    // Ensure that the node has nodes.
-    if (spec.nodes && !node.nodes) {
-      return false
-    }
-
-    // Run the node recursive checks next, start with `exactlyOf`, which likely
-    // has the  greatest chance of not matching.
-    if (spec.nodes && spec.nodes.exactlyOf) {
-      const specs = spec.nodes.exactlyOf
-      const matches = node.nodes.reduce((valid, child, i) => {
-        if (!valid) return false
-        const checker = specs[i]
-        if (!checker) return false
-        return checker(child)
-      }, true)
-
-      if (!matches) return false
-    }
-
-    // Run the `anyOf` next check.
-    if (spec.nodes && spec.nodes.anyOf) {
-      const specs = spec.nodes.anyOf
-      const matches = node.nodes.reduce((valid, child) => {
-        if (!valid) return false
-        return specs.reduce((pass, checker) => {
-          if (!pass) return false
-          return checker(child)
-        }, true)
-      })
-
-      if (!matches) return false
-    }
-
-    // Run the `noneOf` next check.
-    if (spec.nodes && spec.nodes.noneOf) {
-      const specs = spec.nodes.noneOf
-      const matches = node.nodes.reduce((valid, child) => {
-        if (!valid) return false
-        return specs.reduce((pass, checker) => {
-          if (!pass) return false
-          return !!checker(child)
-        }, true)
-      })
-
-      if (!matches) return false
-    }
-
-    return true
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/plugins/core.js b/lib/plugins/core.js
index 23105d5db..d48780a67 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/core.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/core.js
@@ -73,6 +73,67 @@ function Plugin(options = {}) {
     )
   }
 
+  // /**
+  //  * The default schema.
+  //  *
+  //  * @type {Object}
+  //  */
+
+  // const DEFAULT_SCHEMA = {
+  //   rules: [
+  //     {
+  //       match: {
+  //         kind: 'document'
+  //       },
+  //       validate: {
+  //         anyOf: [
+  //           { kind: 'block' }
+  //         ]
+  //       },
+  //       transform: (transform, match, reason) => {
+  //         return reason.value.reduce((tr, node) => {
+  //           return tr.removeNodeByKey(node.key)
+  //         }, transform)
+  //       }
+  //     },
+  //     {
+  //       match: {
+  //         kind: 'block'
+  //       },
+  //       validate: {
+  //         anyOf: [
+  //           { kind: 'block' },
+  //           { kind: 'inline' },
+  //           { kind: 'text' },
+  //         ]
+  //       },
+  //       transform: (transform, match, reason) => {
+  //         return reason.value.reduce((tr, node) => {
+  //           return tr.removeNodeByKey(node.key)
+  //         }, transform)
+  //       },
+  //       component: DEFAULT_BLOCK
+  //     },
+  //     {
+  //       match: {
+  //         kind: 'inline'
+  //       },
+  //       validate: {
+  //         anyOf: [
+  //           { kind: 'inline' },
+  //           { kind: 'text' },
+  //         ]
+  //       },
+  //       transform: (transform, match, reason) => {
+  //         return reason.value.reduce((tr, node) => {
+  //           return tr.removeNodeByKey(node.key)
+  //         }, transform)
+  //       },
+  //       component: DEFAULT_INLINE
+  //     },
+  //   ]
+  // }
+
   /**
    * On before change, enforce the editor's schema.
    *
@@ -85,7 +146,7 @@ function Plugin(options = {}) {
     if (state.isNative) return state
     return editor
       .getSchema()
-      .normalize(state)
+      .transform(state)
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/index.js b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a676e861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+export default {}
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/input.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/input.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..224990dfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/input.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+
+nodes:
+  - kind: block
+    type: default
+    isVoid: true
+    nodes:
+      - kind: text
+        text: one
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/output.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/output.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e80ded17a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-block-void-text/output.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+
+nodes:
+  - kind: block
+    type: default
+    isVoid: true
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/index.js b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a676e861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+export default {}
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/no-top-level-inline/input.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/input.yaml
similarity index 64%
rename from test/schema/fixtures/no-top-level-inline/input.yaml
rename to test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/input.yaml
index 814b099e3..e8ce380b2 100644
--- a/test/schema/fixtures/no-top-level-inline/input.yaml
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/input.yaml
@@ -4,11 +4,9 @@ nodes:
     type: default
     nodes:
       - kind: text
-        ranges:
-          - text: one
+        text: one
   - kind: block
     type: default
     nodes:
       - kind: text
-        ranges:
-          - text: two
+        text: two
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/no-top-level-inline/output.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/output.yaml
similarity index 65%
rename from test/schema/fixtures/no-top-level-inline/output.yaml
rename to test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/output.yaml
index 405663bb7..515a308df 100644
--- a/test/schema/fixtures/no-top-level-inline/output.yaml
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-inline/output.yaml
@@ -4,5 +4,4 @@ nodes:
     type: default
     nodes:
       - kind: text
-        ranges:
-          - text: two
+        text: two
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/index.js b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a676e861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+export default {}
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/input.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/input.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b467d9897
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/input.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+
+nodes:
+  - kind: text
+    text: one
+  - kind: block
+    type: default
+    nodes:
+      - kind: text
+        text: two
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/output.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/output.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..515a308df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-document-text/output.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+
+nodes:
+  - kind: block
+    type: default
+    nodes:
+      - kind: text
+        text: two
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/index.js b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a676e861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+export default {}
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/input.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/input.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..76d9af459
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/input.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+nodes:
+  - kind: block
+    type: default
+    nodes:
+      - kind: inline
+        type: default
+        nodes:
+          - kind: text
+            text: one
+          - kind: block
+            type: default
+            nodes:
+              - kind: text
+                text: two
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/output.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/output.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fa6cf7b7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-block/output.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+
+nodes:
+  - kind: block
+    type: default
+    nodes:
+      - kind: inline
+        type: default
+        nodes:
+          - kind: text
+            text: one
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/index.js b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a676e861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+export default {}
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/input.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/input.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..970dd66a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/input.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+
+nodes:
+  - kind: block
+    type: default
+    nodes:
+      - kind: inline
+        type: default
+        isVoid: true
+        nodes:
+          - kind: text
+            text: one
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/output.yaml b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/output.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5060e5507
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/schema/fixtures/default-no-inline-void-text/output.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+
+nodes:
+  - kind: block
+    type: default
+    nodes:
+      - kind: inline
+        type: default
+        isVoid: true
diff --git a/test/schema/fixtures/no-top-level-inline/index.js b/test/schema/fixtures/no-top-level-inline/index.js
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/test/schema/index.js b/test/schema/index.js
index e4d1aec33..046569ba3 100644
--- a/test/schema/index.js
+++ b/test/schema/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import fs from 'fs'
 import strip from '../helpers/strip-dynamic'
 import readMetadata from 'read-metadata'
-import { Raw } from '../..'
+import { Raw, Schema } from '../..'
 import { strictEqual } from '../helpers/assert-json'
 import { resolve } from 'path'
 
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ describe('schema', () => {
       const dir = resolve(__dirname, './fixtures', test)
       const input = readMetadata.sync(resolve(dir, 'input.yaml'))
       const expected = readMetadata.sync(resolve(dir, 'output.yaml'))
-      const schema = require(dir)
+      const schema = Schema.create(require(dir))
 
       let state = Raw.deserialize(input, { terse: true })
-      state = schema.normalize(state)
+      state = schema.transform(state)
       const output = Raw.serialize(state, { terse: true })
       strictEqual(strip(output), strip(expected))
     })