diff --git a/docs/parsers.md b/docs/parsers.md
index 6a34347..03bc43e 100644
--- a/docs/parsers.md
+++ b/docs/parsers.md
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ Assert.Equal(12, result.Item2);
 
 ### ZeroOrOne
 
-Makes an existing parser optional.
+Makes an existing parser optional. The method can also be be post-fixed.
 
 ```c#
 Parser<T> ZeroOrOne<T>(Parser<T> parser)
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ Usage:
 
 ```c#
 var parser = ZeroOrOne(Terms.Text("hello"));
+// or Terms.Text("hello").ZeroOrOne()
 parser.Parse("hello");
 parser.Parse(""); // returns null but with a successful state
 ```
@@ -408,18 +409,48 @@ Result:
 null
 ```
 
+### Optional
+
+Makes an existing parser optional. Contrary to `ZeroOrOne` the result is always a list, with
+either zero or one element. It is then easy to know if the parser was successful or not by 
+using the Linq operators `Any()` and `FirstOrDefault()`.
+
+```c#
+static Parser<IReadOnlyList<T>> Optional<T>(this Parser<T> parser)
+```
+
+Usage:
+
+```c#
+var parser = Terms.Text("hello").Optional();
+parser.Parse("hello");
+parser.Parse(""); // returns an empty list
+parser.Parse("hello").FirstOrDefault();
+parser.Parse("").FirstOrDefault(); // returns null
+```
+
+Result:
+
+```
+["hello"]
+[]
+"hello"
+null
+```
+
 ### ZeroOrMany
 
-Executes a parser as long as it's successful. The result is a list of all individual results.
+Executes a parser as long as it's successful. The result is a list of all individual results. The method can also be post-fixed.
 
 ```c#
-Parser<List<T>> ZeroOrMany<T>(Parser<T> parser)
+Parser<IReadOnlyList<T> ZeroOrMany<T>(Parser<T> parser)
 ```
 
 Usage:
 
 ```c#
 var parser = ZeroOrMany(Terms.Text("hello"));
+// or Terms.Text("hello").ZeroOrMany()
 parser.Parse("hello hello");
 parser.Parse("");
 ```
@@ -433,16 +464,17 @@ Result:
 
 ### OneOrMany
 
-Executes a parser as long as it's successful, and is successful if at least one occurrence is found. The result is a list of all individual results.
+Executes a parser as long as it's successful, and is successful if at least one occurrence is found. The result is a list of all individual results. The method can also be post-fixed.
 
 ```c#
-Parser<List<T>> OneOrMany<T>(Parser<T> parser)
+Parser<IReadOnlyList<T> OneOrMany<T>(Parser<T> parser)
 ```
 
 Usage:
 
 ```c#
 var parser = OneOrMany(Terms.Text("hello"));
+// or Terms.Text("hello").OneOrMany()
 parser.Parse("hello hello");
 parser.Parse("");
 ```
@@ -484,7 +516,7 @@ null // success
 Matches all occurrences of a parser that are separated by another one. If a separator is not followed by a value, it is not consumed.
 
 ```
-Parser<List<T>> Separated<U, T>(Parser<U> separator, Parser<T> parser)
+Parser<IReadOnlyList<T> Separated<U, T>(Parser<U> separator, Parser<T> parser)
 ```
 
 Usage:
@@ -641,7 +673,7 @@ Convert the result of a parser. This is usually used to create custom data struc
 Parser<U> Then<U>(Func<T, U> conversion)
 Parser<U> Then<U>(Func<ParseContext, T, U> conversion)
 Parser<U> Then<U>(U value)
-Parser<U?> Then<U>() // returns default(U)
+Parser<U?> Then<U>() // Converts the result to `U`
 ```
 
 Usage:
diff --git a/src/Parlot/Fluent/Optional.cs b/src/Parlot/Fluent/Optional.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8e1b0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Parlot/Fluent/Optional.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+using Parlot.Compilation;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq.Expressions;
+
+namespace Parlot.Fluent;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Returns a list containing zero or one element.
+/// </summary>
+/// <remarks>
+/// This parser will always succeed. If the previous parser fails, it will return an empty list.
+/// </remarks>
+public sealed class Optional<T> : Parser<IReadOnlyList<T>>, ICompilable
+{
+    private readonly Parser<T> _parser;
+    public Optional(Parser<T> parser)
+    {
+        _parser = parser ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(parser));
+    }
+
+    public override bool Parse(ParseContext context, ref ParseResult<IReadOnlyList<T>> result)
+    {
+        context.EnterParser(this);
+
+        var parsed = new ParseResult<T>();
+
+        var success = _parser.Parse(context, ref parsed);
+
+        result.Set(parsed.Start, parsed.End, success ? [parsed.Value] : []);
+
+        // Optional always succeeds
+        context.ExitParser(this);
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    public CompilationResult Compile(CompilationContext context)
+    {
+        var result = context.CreateCompilationResult<IReadOnlyList<T>>(true, ExpressionHelper.ArrayEmpty<T>());
+
+        // T value = _defaultValue;
+        //
+        // parse1 instructions
+        // 
+        // value = new OptionalResult<T>(parser1.Success, success ? [parsed.Value] : []);
+        //
+
+        var parserCompileResult = _parser.Build(context);
+
+        var block = Expression.Block(
+            parserCompileResult.Variables,
+                Expression.Block(
+                    Expression.Block(parserCompileResult.Body),
+                    context.DiscardResult
+                        ? Expression.Empty()
+                        : Expression.IfThenElse(
+                            parserCompileResult.Success,
+                            Expression.Assign(result.Value, Expression.NewArrayInit(typeof(T), parserCompileResult.Value)),
+                            Expression.Assign(result.Value, Expression.Constant(Array.Empty<T>(), typeof(T[])))
+                        )
+                    )
+                );
+
+        result.Body.Add(block);
+
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    public override string ToString() => $"{_parser}?";
+}
diff --git a/src/Parlot/Fluent/Parser.cs b/src/Parlot/Fluent/Parser.cs
index 5ea821f..b8facea 100644
--- a/src/Parlot/Fluent/Parser.cs
+++ b/src/Parlot/Fluent/Parser.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using Parlot.Rewriting;
 using System;
+using System.Globalization;
 using System.Linq;
 
 namespace Parlot.Fluent;
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ public abstract partial class Parser<T>
     /// <summary>
     /// Builds a parser that converts the previous result.
     /// </summary>
-    public Parser<U?> Then<U>() => new Then<T, U?>(this, default(U));
+    public Parser<U?> Then<U>() => new Then<T, U?>(this, x => (U?)Convert.ChangeType(x, typeof(U?), CultureInfo.CurrentCulture));
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Builds a parser that converts the previous result when it succeeds or returns a default value if it fails.
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ public Parser<T> Named(string name)
     /// <summary>
     /// Builds a parser that discards the previous result and replaces it by the specified type or value.
     /// </summary>
-    [Obsolete("Use Then<U>() instead.")]
+    [Obsolete("Use Then<U>(value) instead.")]
     public Parser<U> Discard<U>(U value) => new Discard<T, U>(this, value);
 
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/src/Parlot/Fluent/ParserExtensions.Cardinality.cs b/src/Parlot/Fluent/ParserExtensions.Cardinality.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1f8d74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Parlot/Fluent/ParserExtensions.Cardinality.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+
+namespace Parlot.Fluent;
+
+public static partial class ParserExtensions
+{
+    public static Parser<IReadOnlyList<T>> OneOrMany<T>(this Parser<T> parser)
+        => new OneOrMany<T>(parser);
+
+    public static Parser<IReadOnlyList<T>> ZeroOrMany<T>(this Parser<T> parser)
+        => new ZeroOrMany<T>(parser);
+
+    public static Parser<T> ZeroOrOne<T>(this Parser<T> parser, T defaultValue)
+        => new ZeroOrOne<T>(parser, defaultValue);
+
+    public static Parser<T> ZeroOrOne<T>(this Parser<T> parser)
+        => new ZeroOrOne<T>(parser, default!);
+
+    public static Parser<IReadOnlyList<T>> Optional<T>(this Parser<T> parser)
+        => new Optional<T>(parser);
+}
diff --git a/test/Parlot.Tests/CompileTests.cs b/test/Parlot.Tests/CompileTests.cs
index 8b94a7d..86a89fc 100644
--- a/test/Parlot.Tests/CompileTests.cs
+++ b/test/Parlot.Tests/CompileTests.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using Parlot.Fluent;
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
 using System.Numerics;
 using Xunit;
 using static Parlot.Fluent.Parsers;
@@ -222,6 +223,15 @@ public void ShouldZeroOrOne()
         Assert.Null(parser.Parse(" foo"));
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void OptionalShouldSucceed()
+    {
+        var parser = Terms.Text("hello").Optional().Compile();
+
+        Assert.Equal("hello", parser.Parse(" hello world hello").FirstOrDefault());
+        Assert.Null(parser.Parse(" foo").FirstOrDefault());
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void ShouldZeroOrOneWithDefault()
     {
@@ -287,10 +297,10 @@ public void ShouldCompileCapture()
         Parser<char> Plus = Literals.Char('+');
         Parser<char> Minus = Literals.Char('-');
         Parser<char> At = Literals.Char('@');
-        Parser<TextSpan> WordChar = Literals.Pattern(char.IsLetterOrDigit);
-        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordDotPlusMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar.Then(x => 'w'), Dot, Plus, Minus));
-        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordDotMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar.Then(x => 'w'), Dot, Minus));
-        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar.Then(x => 'w'), Minus));
+        Parser<char> WordChar = Literals.Pattern(char.IsLetterOrDigit).Then<char>(x => x.Span[0]);
+        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordDotPlusMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar, Dot, Plus, Minus));
+        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordDotMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar, Dot, Minus));
+        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar, Minus));
         Parser<TextSpan> Email = Capture(WordDotPlusMinus.And(At).And(WordMinus).And(Dot).And(WordDotMinus));
 
         string _email = "sebastien.ros@gmail.com";
@@ -409,7 +419,7 @@ public void ShouldCompileDiscard()
         Assert.False(Terms.Decimal().Discard<bool>(true).Compile().TryParse("abc", out _));
 #pragma warning restore CS0618 // Type or member is obsolete
 
-        Assert.True(Terms.Decimal().Then<bool>().Compile().TryParse("123", out var t1) && t1 == false);
+        Assert.True(Terms.Decimal().Then<int>().Compile().TryParse("123", out var t1) && t1 == 123);
         Assert.True(Terms.Decimal().Then(true).Compile().TryParse("123", out var t2) && t2 == true);
         Assert.False(Terms.Decimal().Then(true).Compile().TryParse("abc", out _));
     }
diff --git a/test/Parlot.Tests/FluentTests.cs b/test/Parlot.Tests/FluentTests.cs
index 24bb680..5990d53 100644
--- a/test/Parlot.Tests/FluentTests.cs
+++ b/test/Parlot.Tests/FluentTests.cs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Globalization;
+using System.Linq;
 using System.Numerics;
 using Xunit;
 
@@ -48,16 +49,25 @@ public void WhenShouldResetPositionWhenFalse()
         Assert.Equal(1235, result1.Item2);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void ShouldCast()
+    {
+        var parser = Literals.Integer().Then<decimal>();
+
+        Assert.True(parser.TryParse("123", out var result1));
+        Assert.Equal(123, result1);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void ShouldReturnElse()
     {
-        var parser = Literals.Integer().Then<long?>(x => x).Else(null);
+        var parser = Literals.Integer().Then<decimal>().Else(0);
 
         Assert.True(parser.TryParse("123", out var result1));
         Assert.Equal(123, result1);
 
         Assert.True(parser.TryParse(" 123", out var result2));
-        Assert.Null(result2);
+        Assert.Equal(0, result2);
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -515,10 +525,10 @@ public void ShouldParseEmails()
         Parser<char> Plus = Literals.Char('+');
         Parser<char> Minus = Literals.Char('-');
         Parser<char> At = Literals.Char('@');
-        Parser<TextSpan> WordChar = Literals.Pattern(char.IsLetterOrDigit);
-        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordDotPlusMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar.Then<char>(), Dot, Plus, Minus));
-        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordDotMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar.Then<char>(), Dot, Minus));
-        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar.Then<char>(), Minus));
+        Parser<char> WordChar = Literals.Pattern(char.IsLetterOrDigit).Then<char>(x => x.Span[0]);
+        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordDotPlusMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar, Dot, Plus, Minus));
+        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordDotMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar, Dot, Minus));
+        Parser<IReadOnlyList<char>> WordMinus = OneOrMany(OneOf(WordChar, Minus));
         Parser<TextSpan> Email = Capture(WordDotPlusMinus.And(At).And(WordMinus).And(Dot).And(WordDotMinus));
 
         string _email = "sebastien.ros@gmail.com";
@@ -579,7 +589,7 @@ public void DiscardShouldReplaceValue()
         Assert.False(Terms.Decimal().Discard<bool>(true).TryParse("abc", out _));
 #pragma warning restore CS0618 // Type or member is obsolete
     
-        Assert.True(Terms.Decimal().Then<bool>().TryParse("123", out var t1) && t1 == false);
+        Assert.True(Terms.Decimal().Then<int>().TryParse("123", out var t1) && t1 == 123);
         Assert.True(Terms.Decimal().Then(true).TryParse("123", out var t2) && t2 == true);
         Assert.False(Terms.Decimal().Then(true).TryParse("abc", out _));
     }
@@ -976,6 +986,15 @@ public void ShouldZeroOrOne()
         Assert.Null(parser.Parse(" foo"));
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void OptionalShouldSucceed()
+    {
+        var parser = Terms.Text("hello").Optional();
+
+        Assert.Equal("hello", parser.Parse(" hello world hello").FirstOrDefault());
+        Assert.Null(parser.Parse(" foo").FirstOrDefault());
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void ZeroOrOneShouldNotBeSeekable()
     {