diff --git a/.github/workflows/classy-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/classy-tests.yml
index 976e90a..b58b878 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/classy-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/classy-tests.yml
@@ -53,3 +53,9 @@ jobs:
         cd Tests/classy_hdf5_interface
         export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="../../hdf5-1.12.0-install/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
         ./search.exe
+
+    - name: Run ClassyHDF Test - Attributes
+      run: |
+        cd Tests/classy_hdf5_interface
+        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="../../hdf5-1.12.0-install/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
+        ./attributes.exe
diff --git a/Source/ClassyHDF.H b/Source/ClassyHDF.H
index 9335945..5da8de4 100644
--- a/Source/ClassyHDF.H
+++ b/Source/ClassyHDF.H
@@ -10,5 +10,7 @@
 #include "ClassyHDF_Location.H"
 #include "ClassyHDF_Group.H"
 #include "ClassyHDF_File.H"
+#include "ClassyHDF_Errors.H"
+
+#endif
 
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Source/ClassyHDF_Errors.H b/Source/ClassyHDF_Errors.H
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8293f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/ClassyHDF_Errors.H
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef CLASSY_HDF_ERRORS_H_
+#define CLASSY_HDF_ERRORS_H_
+
+namespace ClassyHDF {
+
+namespace Errors {
+    enum {file_exists=1};
+}
+
+}
+
+#endif
+
diff --git a/Source/ClassyHDF_File.H b/Source/ClassyHDF_File.H
index b18d2b6..00cbb0a 100644
--- a/Source/ClassyHDF_File.H
+++ b/Source/ClassyHDF_File.H
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@
 #include "hdf5.h"
 
 #include "ClassyHDF_Group.H"
+#include "ClassyHDF_Errors.H"
 
 namespace ClassyHDF {
 
 namespace FileMode {
-    enum {rw=0, trunc};
+    enum {rw=0, trunc, exists_is_error};
 }
 
 class File : public Location<Group> {
@@ -22,14 +23,18 @@ class File : public Location<Group> {
             set_name(file_name);
 
             // try to open the file in read/write mode, otherwise create it
-            if (access_type == FileMode::rw) {
+            if (access_type == FileMode::rw || access_type == FileMode::exists_is_error) {
                 set_existed(true);
                 H5E_BEGIN_TRY
                     set_id(H5Fopen(name().c_str(), H5F_ACC_RDWR, H5P_DEFAULT));
                 H5E_END_TRY
+
+                if (access_type == FileMode::exists_is_error && id() >= 0) {
+                    throw Errors::file_exists;
+                }
             }
 
-            if (access_type == FileMode::trunc ||
+            if (access_type == FileMode::trunc || access_type == FileMode::exists_is_error ||
                 (access_type == FileMode::rw && id() < 0)) {
                 set_existed(false);
                 set_id(H5Fcreate(name().c_str(), H5F_ACC_TRUNC, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT));
diff --git a/Source/ClassyHDF_Location.H b/Source/ClassyHDF_Location.H
index d39008d..c0db65d 100644
--- a/Source/ClassyHDF_Location.H
+++ b/Source/ClassyHDF_Location.H
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include "hdf5.h"
+#include "hdf5_hl.h"
 
 #include "ClassyHDF_Identity.H"
 #include "ClassyHDF_Data.H"
@@ -11,6 +12,117 @@
 
 namespace ClassyHDF {
 
+namespace {
+    template<typename T, class Tloc>
+    struct Attribute {
+        static void set(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name, const T& attr_value) { assert(false); }
+        static T get(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name) { assert(false); return static_cast<T>(0); }
+    };
+
+    template<class Tloc>
+    struct Attribute<std::string, Tloc> {
+        static void set(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name, const std::string& attr_value)
+        {
+            auto gattr = loc.get_group("Attributes");
+
+            herr_t status = H5LTset_attribute_string(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                    attr_name.c_str(),
+                                                    attr_value.c_str());
+            assert(status >= 0);
+        }
+
+        static std::string get(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name)
+        {
+            char* buffer;
+            int size_buffer;
+            herr_t status = H5LTget_attribute_ndims(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                    attr_name.c_str(), &size_buffer);
+            assert(status >= 0);
+
+            buffer = new char[size_buffer];
+            status = H5LTget_attribute_string(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                attr_name.c_str(), buffer);
+            std::string sattr = buffer;
+            delete buffer;
+            assert(status >= 0);
+
+            return sattr;
+        }
+    };
+
+    template<class Tloc>
+    struct Attribute<int, Tloc> {
+        static void set(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name, const int& attr_value)
+        {
+            auto gattr = loc.get_group("Attributes");
+
+            herr_t status = H5LTset_attribute_int(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                attr_name.c_str(),
+                                                &attr_value, 1);
+            assert(status >= 0);
+        }
+
+        static int get(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name)
+        {
+            int attr_value = 0;
+
+            herr_t status = H5LTget_attribute_int(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                attr_name.c_str(), &attr_value);
+            assert(status >= 0);
+
+            return attr_value;
+        }
+    };
+
+    template<class Tloc>
+    struct Attribute<float, Tloc> {
+        static void set(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name, const float& attr_value)
+        {
+            auto gattr = loc.get_group("Attributes");
+
+            herr_t status = H5LTset_attribute_float(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                    attr_name.c_str(),
+                                                    &attr_value, 1);
+            assert(status >= 0);
+        }
+
+        static float get(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name)
+        {
+            float attr_value = 0;
+
+            herr_t status = H5LTget_attribute_float(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                    attr_name.c_str(), &attr_value);
+            assert(status >= 0);
+
+            return attr_value;
+        }
+    };
+
+    template<class Tloc>
+    struct Attribute<double, Tloc> {
+        static void set(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name, const double& attr_value)
+        {
+            auto gattr = loc.get_group("Attributes");
+
+            herr_t status = H5LTset_attribute_double(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                    attr_name.c_str(),
+                                                    &attr_value, 1);
+            assert(status >= 0);
+        }
+
+        static double get(const Tloc& loc, const std::string& attr_name)
+        {
+            double attr_value = 0;
+
+            herr_t status = H5LTget_attribute_double(loc.id(), "Attributes",
+                                                    attr_name.c_str(), &attr_value);
+            assert(status >= 0);
+
+            return attr_value;
+        }
+    };
+}
+
 // We're going to use the Curiously Recurring Template Pattern to
 // allow any derived class from Location to create Group objects,
 // even though Group derives from Location.
@@ -178,6 +290,16 @@ class Location : public NamedIdentity {
             dataset.append(data);
             return dataset;
         }
+
+        template<typename T>
+        void attr(const std::string& attr_name, const T& attr_value) {
+            Attribute<T, decltype(*this)>::set(*this, attr_name, attr_value);
+        }
+
+        template<typename T>
+        T attr(const std::string& attr_name) {
+            return Attribute<T, decltype(*this)>::get(*this, attr_name);
+        }
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/Source/Make.package b/Source/Make.package
index 47f23f0..72bcde6 100644
--- a/Source/Make.package
+++ b/Source/Make.package
@@ -7,4 +7,7 @@ CEXE_headers += ClassyHDF_Dataset.H
 CEXE_headers += ClassyHDF_Location.H
 CEXE_headers += ClassyHDF_Group.H
 CEXE_headers += ClassyHDF_File.H
-CEXE_headers += ClassyHDF.H
\ No newline at end of file
+CEXE_headers += ClassyHDF_Errors.H
+CEXE_headers += ClassyHDF.H
+
+LIBRARIES += -lhdf5_hl
diff --git a/Tests/classy_hdf5_interface/Makefile b/Tests/classy_hdf5_interface/Makefile
index e490238..0ea4a9a 100644
--- a/Tests/classy_hdf5_interface/Makefile
+++ b/Tests/classy_hdf5_interface/Makefile
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ EXTRA_LIBS ?= -lsz -lz -lm
 
 all:
 	g++ -o append.exe append.cpp -I../../Source -I$(HDF5_HOME)/include -L$(HDF5_HOME)/lib -lhdf5 $(EXTRA_LIBS)
+	g++ -o attributes.exe attributes.cpp -I../../Source -I$(HDF5_HOME)/include -L$(HDF5_HOME)/lib -lhdf5 -lhdf5_hl $(EXTRA_LIBS)
 	g++ -o get_last_N.exe get_last_N.cpp -I../../Source -I$(HDF5_HOME)/include -L$(HDF5_HOME)/lib -lhdf5 $(EXTRA_LIBS)
 	g++ -o resize.exe resize.cpp -I../../Source -I$(HDF5_HOME)/include -L$(HDF5_HOME)/lib -lhdf5 $(EXTRA_LIBS)
 	g++ -o search.exe search.cpp -I../../Source -I$(HDF5_HOME)/include -L$(HDF5_HOME)/lib -lhdf5 $(EXTRA_LIBS)
 
 test: all
 	./append.exe
+	./attributes.exe
 	./get_last_N.exe
 	./resize.exe
 	./search.exe
diff --git a/Tests/classy_hdf5_interface/attributes.cpp b/Tests/classy_hdf5_interface/attributes.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e284bce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/classy_hdf5_interface/attributes.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+#include <assert.h>
+#include "ClassyHDF.H"
+#include "hdf5_hl.h"
+
+using namespace ClassyHDF;
+
+void write_test_file(const std::string& filename) {
+    File file(filename, FileMode::trunc);
+    Group group1 = file.get_group("Data");
+    Group group2 = group1.get_group("GroupA");
+    
+    // put some attributes into the "GroupA" group
+    group2.attr<std::string>("TestAttribute", "Hello World!");
+    group2.attr<int>("TestAttInt", 5);
+    group2.attr<float>("TestAttFloat", -1.0);
+    group2.attr<double>("TestAttDouble", -2.0);
+}
+
+bool do_test(const std::string& filename) {
+    File file(filename);
+    Group group1 = file.get_group("Data");
+    Group group2 = group1.get_group("GroupA");
+
+    bool success = true;
+
+    // get some attributes from the "GroupA" group
+    std::string stest = group2.attr<std::string>("TestAttribute");
+    success = success && (stest == "Hello World!");
+
+    int itest = group2.attr<int>("TestAttInt"); 
+    success = success && (itest == 5);
+
+    float ftest = group2.attr<float>("TestAttFloat");
+    success = success && (ftest == -1.0);
+
+    double dtest = group2.attr<double>("TestAttDouble");
+    success = success && (dtest == -2.0);
+
+    return success;
+}
+
+int main() {
+    const std::string filename = "file_attributes.h5";
+
+    write_test_file(filename);
+
+    if (do_test(filename)) {
+        std::cout << "success" << std::endl;
+        return 0;
+    } else {
+        std::cout << "failure" << std::endl;
+        return -1;
+    }
+}
+