diff --git a/SharpNBT/CompoundTag.cs b/SharpNBT/CompoundTag.cs
index 4d604c6..b84541f 100644
--- a/SharpNBT/CompoundTag.cs
+++ b/SharpNBT/CompoundTag.cs
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ namespace SharpNBT
         /// <param name="name">The name of the tag, or <see langword="null"/> if tag has no name.</param>
         public CompoundTag([CanBeNull] string name) : base(TagType.Compound, name)
         {
+            NamedChildren = true;
+            RequiredType = null;
         }
         
         /// <summary>
@@ -28,8 +30,9 @@ namespace SharpNBT
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="name">The name of the tag, or <see langword="null"/> if tag has no name.</param>
         /// <param name="values">A collection <see cref="Tag"/> objects that are children of this object.</param>
-        public CompoundTag([CanBeNull] string name, [NotNull] IEnumerable<Tag> values) : base(TagType.Compound, name, values)
+        public CompoundTag([CanBeNull] string name, [NotNull] IEnumerable<Tag> values) : this(name)
         {
+            AddRange(values);
         }
 
         /// <summary>Returns a string that represents the current object.</summary>
diff --git a/SharpNBT/ListTag.cs b/SharpNBT/ListTag.cs
index 632b908..65bfa63 100644
--- a/SharpNBT/ListTag.cs
+++ b/SharpNBT/ListTag.cs
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ namespace SharpNBT
         /// <param name="childType">A constant describing the NBT type for children in this tag.</param>
         public ListTag([CanBeNull] string name, TagType childType) : base(TagType.List, name)
         {
+            RequiredType = childType;
+            NamedChildren = false;
             ChildType = childType;
         }
         
@@ -36,9 +38,8 @@ namespace SharpNBT
         /// <param name="name">The name of the tag, or <see langword="null"/> if tag has no name.</param>
         /// <param name="childType">A constant describing the NBT type for children in this tag.</param>
         /// <param name="children">A collection of values to include in this tag.</param>
-        public ListTag([CanBeNull] string name, TagType childType, [NotNull][ItemNotNull] IEnumerable<Tag> children) : base(TagType.List, name)
+        public ListTag([CanBeNull] string name, TagType childType, [NotNull][ItemNotNull] IEnumerable<Tag> children) : this(name, childType)
         {
-            ChildType = childType;
             AddRange(children);
         }
 
diff --git a/SharpNBT/Tag.cs b/SharpNBT/Tag.cs
index bfe8af8..52abac0 100644
--- a/SharpNBT/Tag.cs
+++ b/SharpNBT/Tag.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ namespace SharpNBT
     /// Abstract base class that all NBT tags inherit from.
     /// </summary>
     [PublicAPI][DataContract][KnownType("GetKnownTypes")]
-    public abstract class Tag
+    public abstract class Tag : IEquatable<Tag>
     {
         private static IEnumerable<Type> GetKnownTypes()
         {
@@ -130,6 +130,48 @@ namespace SharpNBT
             stream.Flush();
             return Encoding.UTF8.GetString(stream.ToArray());
         }
+
+        /// <summary>Indicates whether the current object is equal to another object of the same type.</summary>
+        /// <param name="other">An object to compare with this object.</param>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// <see langword="true" /> if the current object is equal to the <paramref name="other" /> parameter; otherwise, <see langword="false" />.</returns>
+        /// <footer><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/System.IEquatable-1.Equals?view=netstandard-2.1">`IEquatable.Equals` on docs.microsoft.com</a></footer>
+        public bool Equals(Tag other)
+        {
+            if (ReferenceEquals(null, other)) return false;
+            if (ReferenceEquals(this, other)) return true;
+            return Type == other.Type && Name == other.Name;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object.</summary>
+        /// <param name="obj">The object to compare with the current object.</param>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// <see langword="true" /> if the specified object  is equal to the current object; otherwise, <see langword="false" />.</returns>
+        /// <footer><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/System.Object.Equals?view=netstandard-2.1">`Object.Equals` on docs.microsoft.com</a></footer>
+        public override bool Equals(object obj)
+        {
+            if (ReferenceEquals(null, obj)) return false;
+            if (ReferenceEquals(this, obj)) return true;
+            if (obj.GetType() != this.GetType()) return false;
+            return Equals((Tag)obj);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>Serves as the default hash function.</summary>
+        /// <returns>A hash code for the current object.</returns>
+        /// <footer><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/System.Object.GetHashCode?view=netstandard-2.1">`Object.GetHashCode` on docs.microsoft.com</a></footer>
+        public override int GetHashCode()
+        {
+            unchecked
+            {
+                // ReSharper disable NonReadonlyMemberInGetHashCode
+                return ((int)Type * 373) ^ (Name != null ? Name.GetHashCode() : 0);
+                // ReSharper restore NonReadonlyMemberInGetHashCode
+            }
+        }
+
+        public static bool operator ==(Tag left, Tag right) => Equals(left, right);
+
+        public static bool operator !=(Tag left, Tag right) => !Equals(left, right);
     }
     
     /// <summary>
@@ -137,7 +179,7 @@ namespace SharpNBT
     /// </summary>
     /// <typeparam name="T">The type of the value the tag represents.</typeparam>
     [PublicAPI][DataContract]
-    public abstract class Tag<T> : Tag
+    public abstract class Tag<T> : Tag, IEquatable<Tag<T>>
     {
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the value of the tag.
@@ -163,5 +205,47 @@ namespace SharpNBT
                 buffer.Append(indent);
             buffer.AppendLine(ToString());
         }
+
+        /// <summary>Indicates whether the current object is equal to another object of the same type.</summary>
+        /// <param name="other">An object to compare with this object.</param>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// <see langword="true" /> if the current object is equal to the <paramref name="other" /> parameter; otherwise, <see langword="false" />.</returns>
+        /// <footer><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/System.IEquatable-1.Equals?view=netstandard-2.1">`IEquatable.Equals` on docs.microsoft.com</a></footer>
+        public bool Equals(Tag<T> other)
+        {
+            if (ReferenceEquals(null, other)) return false;
+            if (ReferenceEquals(this, other)) return true;
+            return base.Equals(other) && EqualityComparer<T>.Default.Equals(Value, other.Value);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object.</summary>
+        /// <param name="obj">The object to compare with the current object.</param>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// <see langword="true" /> if the specified object  is equal to the current object; otherwise, <see langword="false" />.</returns>
+        /// <footer><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/System.Object.Equals?view=netstandard-2.1">`Object.Equals` on docs.microsoft.com</a></footer>
+        public override bool Equals(object obj)
+        {
+            if (ReferenceEquals(null, obj)) return false;
+            if (ReferenceEquals(this, obj)) return true;
+            if (obj.GetType() != GetType()) return false;
+            return Equals((Tag<T>)obj);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>Serves as the default hash function.</summary>
+        /// <returns>A hash code for the current object.</returns>
+        /// <footer><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/System.Object.GetHashCode?view=netstandard-2.1">`Object.GetHashCode` on docs.microsoft.com</a></footer>
+        public override int GetHashCode()
+        {
+            unchecked
+            {
+                // ReSharper disable NonReadonlyMemberInGetHashCode
+                return (base.GetHashCode() * 421) ^ EqualityComparer<T>.Default.GetHashCode(Value);
+                // ReSharper restore NonReadonlyMemberInGetHashCode
+            }
+        }
+
+        public static bool operator ==(Tag<T> left, Tag<T> right) => Equals(left, right);
+
+        public static bool operator !=(Tag<T> left, Tag<T> right) => !Equals(left, right);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/SharpNBT/TagContainer.cs b/SharpNBT/TagContainer.cs
index 8981410..9e6ec09 100644
--- a/SharpNBT/TagContainer.cs
+++ b/SharpNBT/TagContainer.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
 using System.Runtime.Serialization;
 using JetBrains.Annotations;
 using SuppressMessageAttribute =  System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessageAttribute;
@@ -10,8 +11,11 @@ namespace SharpNBT
     /// Base class for tags that contain a collection of other <see cref="Tag"/> objects and can be enumerated.
     /// </summary>
     [PublicAPI][DataContract]
-    public abstract class TagContainer : EnumerableTag<Tag> 
+    public abstract class TagContainer : EnumerableTag<Tag>
     {
+        protected bool NamedChildren;
+        protected TagType? RequiredType;
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="TagContainer"/>.
         /// </summary>
@@ -38,7 +42,7 @@ namespace SharpNBT
         [SuppressMessage("ReSharper", "AnnotationConflictInHierarchy")]
         public sealed override void Add(Tag item)
         {
-            base.Add(item ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(item)));
+            base.Add(AssertConventions(item));
             item.Parent = this;
         }
         
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ namespace SharpNBT
         [SuppressMessage("ReSharper", "AnnotationConflictInHierarchy")]
         public sealed override void Insert(int index, Tag item)
         {
-            base.Insert(index, item ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(item)));
+            base.Insert(index, AssertConventions(item));
             item.Parent = this;
         }
         
@@ -68,7 +72,7 @@ namespace SharpNBT
             get => base[index];
             set
             {
-                base[index] = value ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(value));
+                base[index] = AssertConventions(value);
                 value.Parent = this;
             }
         }
@@ -109,5 +113,30 @@ namespace SharpNBT
             this[index].Parent = null;
             base.RemoveAt(index);
         }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Performs routine checks to ensure that the given <paramref name="tag"/> complies with the NBT standard for this collection type.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="tag">A <see cref="Tag"/> instance to validate.</param>
+        /// <returns>Returns the <paramref name="tag"/> instance.</returns>
+        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException"></exception>
+        /// <exception cref="FormatException"></exception>
+        /// <exception cref="ArrayTypeMismatchException"></exception>
+        [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
+        protected Tag AssertConventions([CanBeNull] Tag tag)
+        {
+            if (tag is null)
+                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(tag), "Child tag in collection cannot be null");
+
+            if (NamedChildren && tag.Name is null)
+                throw new FormatException("Children of this collection type must be named.");
+            if (!NamedChildren && tag.Name != null)
+                throw new FormatException("Children of this collection type cannot be named.");
+
+            if (RequiredType.HasValue && RequiredType.Value != tag.Type)
+                throw new ArrayTypeMismatchException("Incorrect tag type added to this collection.");
+
+            return tag;
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file