diff --git a/gap/dot.gd b/gap/dot.gd
index 62b2968..d36b448 100644
--- a/gap/dot.gd
+++ b/gap/dot.gd
@@ -557,6 +557,16 @@ DeclareOperation("GraphvizSetAttr", [IsGraphvizObject, IsObject, IsObject]);
 DeclareOperation("GraphvizSetAttr", [IsGraphvizObject, IsObject]);
 #! @EndGroup
 
+#! @Arguments gv, obj
+#! @Returns the value of an attribute or <K>fail</K>.
+#! @Description
+#!    This operation returns the current value of the attribute obtained from
+#!    <C>String(obj)</C>, or <K>fail</K> if the value of the attribute has not
+#!    been set.
+#! @BeginExampleSession
+#! @EndExampleSession
+DeclareOperation("GraphvizGetAttr", [IsGraphvizObject, IsObject]);
+
 #! @Arguments obj, attr
 #! @Returns a &GAPGraphviz; object
 #! @Description Removes an attribute from the object provided.
@@ -619,32 +629,6 @@ DeclareOperation("GraphvizSetNodeLabels",
 #! @EndExampleSession
 DeclareGlobalFunction("ErrorIfNotValidColor");
 
-#! @BeginGroup
-#! @GroupTitle Getting attributes
-#! @Arguments edge, attr
-#! @Returns an object
-#! @Description
-#!   Gets the value associated with the attribute <K>attr</K>.
-#! @BeginExampleSession
-#! @EndExampleSession
-DeclareOperation("\[\]", [IsGraphvizEdge, IsObject]);
-#! @Arguments node, attr
-DeclareOperation("\[\]", [IsGraphvizNode, IsObject]);
-#! @EndGroup
-
-#! @BeginGroup
-#! @GroupTitle Setting attributes
-#! @Arguments node, attr
-#! @Returns an object
-#! @Description
-#!   Sets the value associated with the attribute <K>attr</K>.
-#! @BeginExampleSession
-#! @EndExampleSession
-DeclareOperation("\[\]\:\=", [IsGraphvizNode, IsObject, IsObject]);
-#! @Arguments edge, attr
-DeclareOperation("\[\]\:\=", [IsGraphvizEdge, IsObject, IsObject]);
-#! @EndGroup
-
 #! @Arguments graph, node_name
 #! @Returns a &GAPGraphviz; node object or fail
 #! @Description
diff --git a/gap/dot.gi b/gap/dot.gi
index c133c69..bdc53cf 100644
--- a/gap/dot.gi
+++ b/gap/dot.gi
@@ -159,70 +159,6 @@ x -> x!.Head);
 InstallMethod(\=, "for graphviz nodes",
 [IsGraphvizNode, IsGraphvizNode], IsIdenticalObj);
 
-# Accessing node attributes
-
-# TODO Remove this, and just use GraphvizAttrs(node) directly?
-InstallMethod(\[\], "for a graphviz node and a string",
-[IsGraphvizNode, IsString],
-function(node, key)
-  if IsBound(GraphvizAttrs(node).(key)) then
-    return GraphvizAttrs(node).(key);
-  fi;
-  return fail;
-end);
-
-# TODO Remove this, and just use GraphvizAttrs(node) directly?
-InstallMethod(\[\], "for a graphviz node and an object",
-[IsGraphvizNode, IsObject],
-{node, key} -> node[String(key)]);
-
-# Setting node attributes
-
-# TODO Remove this, and just use GraphvizAttrs(node) directly?
-InstallMethod(\[\]\:\=, "for a graphviz node and two strings",
-[IsGraphvizNode, IsString, IsString],
-function(node, key, val)
-  GraphvizAttrs(node).(key) := val;
-end);
-
-# TODO Remove this, and just use SetGraphvizAttr(node, key, val) directly?
-InstallMethod(\[\]\:\=, "for a graphviz node and two strings",
-[IsGraphvizNode, IsObject, IsObject],
-function(node, key, val)
-  node[String(key)] := String(val);
-end);
-
-# Accessing edge attributes
-
-# TODO Remove this, and just use GraphvizAttr(edge) directly?
-InstallMethod(\[\], "for a graphviz edge and a string",
-[IsGraphvizEdge, IsString],
-function(edge, key)
-  if IsBound(GraphvizAttrs(edge).(key)) then
-    return GraphvizAttrs(edge).(key);
-  fi;
-  return fail;
-end);
-
-# TODO Remove this, and just use GraphvizAttr(edge) directly?
-InstallMethod(\[\], "for a graphviz edge and an object",
-[IsGraphvizEdge, IsObject],
-{edge, key} -> edge[String(key)]);
-
-# TODO Remove this, and just use GraphvizAttr(edge) directly?
-InstallMethod(\[\]\:\=, "for a graphviz edge and a string",
-[IsGraphvizEdge, IsString, IsString],
-function(edge, key, val)
-  GraphvizAttrs(edge).(key) := val;
-end);
-
-# TODO Remove this, and use GraphvizSetAttr(edge) instead?
-InstallMethod(\[\]\:\=, "for a graphviz edge and an object",
-[IsGraphvizEdge, IsObject, IsObject],
-function(edge, key, val)
-  edge[String(key)] := String(val);
-end);
-
 InstallMethod(\=, "for graphviz edges",
 [IsGraphvizEdge, IsGraphvizEdge], IsIdenticalObj);
 
@@ -286,8 +222,8 @@ end);
 InstallMethod(GraphvizSetAttr,
 "for a graphviz node or edge, object, and object",
 [IsGraphvizNodeOrEdge, IsObject, IsObject],
-function(x, name, value)
-  GraphvizAttrs(x).(String(name)) := String(value);
+function(x, key, value)
+  GraphvizAttrs(x).(String(key)) := String(value);
   return x;
 end);
 
@@ -343,6 +279,19 @@ function(x, value)
   return x;
 end);
 
+InstallMethod(GraphvizGetAttr, "for a graphviz (di)graph or context and string",
+[IsGraphvizObject, IsString],
+function(x, key)
+  if not IsBound(GraphvizAttrs(x).(key)) then
+    return fail;
+  fi;
+  return GraphvizAttrs(x).(key);
+end);
+
+InstallMethod(GraphvizGetAttr, "for a graphviz (di)graph or context and string",
+[IsGraphvizObject, IsObject],
+{x, key} -> GraphvizGetAttr(x, String(key)));
+
 #############################################################################
 # GraphvizAddNode
 #############################################################################
diff --git a/tst/edge.tst b/tst/edge.tst
index a095ee3..26da424 100644
--- a/tst/edge.tst
+++ b/tst/edge.tst
@@ -150,26 +150,26 @@ gap> GraphvizRemoveEdges(g, 1, 1);;
 gap> GraphvizEdges(g);
 [  ]
 
-# Test setting attributes using the []:= syntax
+# Test setting attributes
 gap> g := GraphvizGraph();;
-gap> n := GraphvizAddEdge(g, "a", "b");;
-gap> n["color"] := "red";;
-gap> GraphvizAttrs(n);
+gap> e := GraphvizAddEdge(g, "a", "b");;
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(e, "color", "red");;
+gap> GraphvizAttrs(e);
 rec( color := "red" )
-gap> n["label"] := 1;;
-gap> GraphvizAttrs(n);
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(e, "label", 1);;
+gap> GraphvizAttrs(e);
 rec( color := "red", label := "1" )
-gap> n["color"] := "blue";;
-gap> GraphvizAttrs(n);
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(e, "color", "blue");;
+gap> GraphvizAttrs(e);
 rec( color := "blue", label := "1" )
-gap> n[1];
+gap> GraphvizGetAttr(e, 1);
 fail
 
-# Test getting attributes using the [] syntax
+# Test getting attributes
 gap> g := GraphvizGraph();;
-gap> n := GraphvizAddEdge(g, "a", "b");;
-gap> n["color"] := "red";;
-gap> n["color"];
+gap> e := GraphvizAddEdge(g, "a", "b");;
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(e, "color", "red");;
+gap> GraphvizGetAttr(e, "color");
 "red"
 
 # Test set label (edge)
diff --git a/tst/node.tst b/tst/node.tst
index 49bb8be..0df86ab 100644
--- a/tst/node.tst
+++ b/tst/node.tst
@@ -63,15 +63,15 @@ gap> n := GraphvizAddNode(g, 111);
 <graphviz node "111">
 gap> AsString(g);
 "//dot\ngraph  {\n\t111\n}\n"
-gap> n[1];
+gap> GraphvizGetAttr(n, 1);
 fail
-gap> n[1] := 2;
-2
-gap> n[1];
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(n, 1, 2);
+<graphviz node "111">
+gap> GraphvizGetAttr(n, 1);
 "2"
 gap> GraphvizRemoveAttr(n, 1);
 <graphviz node "111">
-gap> n[1];
+gap> GraphvizGetAttr(n, 1);
 fail
 
 # Test removing a node with a non-string name
@@ -81,24 +81,24 @@ gap> GraphvizRemoveNode(g, 111);;
 gap> GraphvizNodes(g);
 rec(  )
 
-# Test setting attributes using the []:= syntax
+# Test setting attributes
 gap> g := GraphvizGraph();;
 gap> n := GraphvizAddNode(g, "a");;
-gap> n["color"] := "red";;
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(n, "color", "red");;
 gap> GraphvizAttrs(n);
 rec( color := "red" )
-gap> n["label"] := 1;;
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(n, "label", 1);;
 gap> GraphvizAttrs(n);
 rec( color := "red", label := "1" )
-gap> n["color"] := "blue";;
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(n, "color", "blue");;
 gap> GraphvizAttrs(n);
 rec( color := "blue", label := "1" )
 
-# Test getting attributes using the [] syntax
+# Test getting attributes 
 gap> g := GraphvizGraph();;
 gap> n := GraphvizAddNode(g, "a");;
-gap> n["color"] := "red";;
-gap> n["color"];
+gap> GraphvizSetAttr(n, "color", "red");;
+gap> GraphvizGetAttr(n, "color");
 "red"
 
 # Test set label (node)