diff --git a/doc/content/end-user-documentation/views.rst b/doc/content/end-user-documentation/views.rst
index 8c96f60b..554e220d 100644
--- a/doc/content/end-user-documentation/views.rst
+++ b/doc/content/end-user-documentation/views.rst
@@ -341,6 +341,48 @@ JSON Responses
             }
 
 
+Binary Responses
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+.. note::
+
+    Binary responses are only available in non interactive views
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    from lona import LonaView
+
+
+    class MyLonaView(LonaView):
+        def handle_request(self, request):
+            return {
+                'content_type': 'application/pdf',
+                'body': open('foo.pdf', 'rb').read(),
+            }
+
+
+Custom Headers
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+.. note::
+
+    Custom headers are only available in non interactive views
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    from lona import LonaView
+
+
+    class MyLonaView(LonaView):
+        def handle_request(self, request):
+            return {
+                'headers': {
+                    'foo': 'bar',
+                },
+                'text': 'foo',
+            }
+
+
 View Hooks
 ----------
 
@@ -1106,8 +1148,8 @@ Server.get_view_class\(route=None, import_string=None, url=None\)
     Only one argument can be set at a time.
 
 
-Server.reverse\(url_name, \*\*url_args\)
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+Server.reverse\(route_name, \*\*url_args\)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
     Returns a routing reverse match as string.
 
diff --git a/lona/html/node_list.py b/lona/html/node_list.py
index 1373687f..02091ae9 100644
--- a/lona/html/node_list.py
+++ b/lona/html/node_list.py
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ def append(self, node):
                 ],
             )
 
+    def extend(self, nodes):
+        with self._node.lock:
+            for node in nodes:
+                self.append(node)
+
     def remove(self, node):
         with self._node.lock:
             self._nodes.remove(node)
@@ -113,6 +118,10 @@ def clear(self):
                 payload=[],
             )
 
+    def index(self, node):
+        with self._node.lock:
+            return self._nodes.index(node)
+
     def __getitem__(self, index):
         with self._node.lock:
             return self._nodes[index]
diff --git a/lona/html/widgets.py b/lona/html/widgets.py
index 3d7a4def..8c12f29e 100644
--- a/lona/html/widgets.py
+++ b/lona/html/widgets.py
@@ -41,12 +41,18 @@ def insert(self, *args, **kwargs):
     def append(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self.nodes.append(*args, **kwargs)
 
+    def extend(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self.nodes.extend(*args, **kwargs)
+
     def remove(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self.nodes.remove(*args, **kwargs)
 
     def clear(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self.nodes.clear(*args, **kwargs)
 
+    def index(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self.nodes.index(*args, **kwargs)
+
     def __getitem__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self.nodes.__getitem__(*args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/lona/response_parser.py b/lona/response_parser.py
index da7d2c28..0eb6dd57 100644
--- a/lona/response_parser.py
+++ b/lona/response_parser.py
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ def render_response_dict(self, raw_response_dict, view_name):
         response_dict = {
             'status': 200,
             'content_type': 'text/html',
-            'text': '',
+            'text': None,
+            'body': None,
+            'headers': None,
             'file': '',
             'redirect': '',
             'http_redirect': '',
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ def render_response_dict(self, raw_response_dict, view_name):
 
         key_words = {
             'text',
+            'body',
             'redirect',
             'http_redirect',
             'template',
diff --git a/lona/routing.py b/lona/routing.py
index 41944861..04d18999 100644
--- a/lona/routing.py
+++ b/lona/routing.py
@@ -134,6 +134,15 @@ def clear_reverse_cache_info(self):
 
     # routes ##################################################################
     def add_route(self, route):
+        # check if route name already exists
+        if route.name:
+            for _route in self.routes:
+                if route.name == _route.name:
+                    logger.warning(
+                        "route name '%s' already exists",
+                        route.name,
+                    )
+
         self.routes.append(route)
 
     def add_routes(self, *routes):
@@ -160,17 +169,17 @@ def resolve(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self._resolve_lru_cache(*args, **kwargs)
 
     # reverse #################################################################
-    def _reverse(self, name, *args, **kwargs):
+    def _reverse(self, route_name, *args, **kwargs):
         route = None
 
-        for i in self.routes:
-            if i.name == name:
-                route = i
+        for _route in self.routes:
+            if _route.name == route_name:
+                route = _route
 
                 break
 
         if not route:
-            raise ValueError(f"no route named '{name}' found")
+            raise ValueError(f"no route named '{route_name}' found")
 
         if route.path:
             return route.path
diff --git a/lona/server.py b/lona/server.py
index a4a62f0d..2cf4886a 100644
--- a/lona/server.py
+++ b/lona/server.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 from lona.templating import TemplatingEngine
 from lona.imports import acquire as _acquire
 from lona.server_state import ServerState
-from lona.shell.shell import embed_shell
 from lona.view_loader import ViewLoader
 from lona.connection import Connection
 from lona.settings import Settings
@@ -305,14 +304,20 @@ def _render_response(self, response_dict):
         if response_dict['http_redirect']:
             return HTTPFound(response_dict['http_redirect'])
 
+        default_headers = {
+            'Cache-Control': 'no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate',
+        }
+
+        headers = response_dict['headers'] or default_headers
+
         response = Response(
             status=response_dict['status'],
             content_type=response_dict['content_type'],
             text=response_dict['text'],
+            body=response_dict['body'],
+            headers=headers,
         )
 
-        response.headers['Cache-Control'] = 'no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate'
-
         return response
 
     # handle http requests ####################################################
@@ -525,13 +530,6 @@ def state(self):
         return self._state
 
     # helper ##################################################################
-    def embed_shell(self, _locals=None):
-        if _locals is None:
-            _locals = {}
-        _locals['server'] = self
-
-        return embed_shell(self, locals=_locals)
-
     def get_running_views_count(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self.view_runtime_controller.get_running_views_count(
             *args,
diff --git a/lona/view.py b/lona/view.py
index d8499add..6f6f605a 100644
--- a/lona/view.py
+++ b/lona/view.py
@@ -1,23 +1,18 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, overload, TypeVar, Union, cast
-from collections.abc import Awaitable, Iterator, Callable
-from concurrent.futures import CancelledError
+from collections.abc import Awaitable, Callable
 import threading
-import warnings
 import asyncio
 
 from typing_extensions import Literal
 from jinja2.nodes import Template
 
 from lona.view_runtime import VIEW_RUNTIME_STATE, ViewRuntime
-from lona.exceptions import ServerStop, UserAbort
 from lona.html.abstract_node import AbstractNode
 from lona.events.input_event import InputEvent
 from lona.static_files import StaticFile
-from lona.shell.shell import embed_shell
 from lona.connection import Connection
-from lona.errors import ClientError
 from lona.request import Request
 
 # avoid import cycles
@@ -33,8 +28,6 @@
 class LonaView:
     STATIC_FILES: list[StaticFile] = []
 
-    _server: LonaServer  # TODO: remove after 1.8
-
     def __init__(
             self,
             server: LonaServer,
@@ -45,24 +38,6 @@ def __init__(
         self._view_runtime: ViewRuntime = view_runtime
         self._request: Request = request
 
-    # objects #################################################################
-    @classmethod
-    def iter_objects(cls: type[V]) -> Iterator[V]:
-        # TODO: remove after 1.8
-
-        warnings.warn(
-            'LonaView.iter_objects() will be removed in 1.8',
-            category=DeprecationWarning,
-        )
-
-        view_runtime_controller = cls._server.view_runtime_controller
-
-        for view_runtime in view_runtime_controller.iter_view_runtimes():
-            if view_runtime.view_class != cls:
-                continue
-
-            yield view_runtime.view
-
     # properties ##############################################################
     @property
     def server(self) -> LonaServer:
@@ -315,14 +290,6 @@ def ping(self) -> Literal['pong']:
 
         return 'pong'
 
-    # helper ##################################################################
-    def embed_shell(self, _locals: None | dict = None) -> None:
-        if _locals is None:
-            _locals = {}
-        _locals['self'] = self
-
-        embed_shell(server=self.server, locals=_locals)
-
     # hooks ###################################################################
     def handle_request(self, request: Request) -> None | str | AbstractNode | dict:  # NOQA: LN001
         return ''
@@ -344,21 +311,6 @@ def handle_input_event(
     def on_view_event(self, view_event: 'ViewEvent') -> dict | None:
         pass
 
-    def on_shutdown(
-            self,
-            reason: Union[
-                None,
-                UserAbort,
-                ServerStop,
-                CancelledError,
-                ClientError,
-                Exception,
-            ],
-    ) -> None:
-        # TODO: remove after 1.8
-
-        pass
-
     def on_stop(self, reason: Exception | None) -> None:
         pass
 
diff --git a/lona/view_loader.py b/lona/view_loader.py
index ff63bf19..95484bcb 100644
--- a/lona/view_loader.py
+++ b/lona/view_loader.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from typing import Type, cast
-import warnings
 import logging
 import inspect
 import asyncio
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@ def _run_checks(self, route: Route, view: type[LonaView]) -> None:
             'handle_input_event_root',
             'handle_input_event',
             'on_view_event',
-            'on_shutdown',
             'on_stop',
             'on_cleanup',
         ]
@@ -66,15 +64,6 @@ def _run_checks(self, route: Route, view: type[LonaView]) -> None:
                     hook_name,
                 )
 
-        # TODO: remove after 1.8
-        if(isinstance(view, type) and
-           view.on_shutdown is not LonaView.on_shutdown):
-
-            warnings.warn(
-                'LonaView.on_shutdown() will be removed in 1.8',
-                category=DeprecationWarning,
-            )
-
     def _generate_acquiring_error_view(
             self,
             exception: Exception,
@@ -108,10 +97,6 @@ def _cache_view(
 
         view_class = self._acquire(view)
 
-        # TODO: remove after 1.8
-        if isinstance(view_class, type) and issubclass(view_class, LonaView):
-            view_class._server = self.server
-
         if route:
             self._run_checks(route, view_class)
 
diff --git a/lona/view_runtime.py b/lona/view_runtime.py
index 5fe5814b..be30b5e0 100644
--- a/lona/view_runtime.py
+++ b/lona/view_runtime.py
@@ -236,29 +236,6 @@ def run_middlewares(self, connection, window_id, url):
             )
 
     # start and stop ##########################################################
-    def run_shutdown_hook(self):
-        # TODO: remove after 1.8
-
-        logger.debug(
-            'running %s with stop reason %s',
-            self.view.on_shutdown,
-            self.stop_reason,
-        )
-
-        stop_reason = self.stop_reason
-
-        if not isinstance(stop_reason, (ServerStop, CancelledError)):
-            stop_reason = None
-
-        try:
-            self.view.on_shutdown(stop_reason)
-
-        except Exception:
-            logger.exception(
-                'Exception raised while running %s',
-                self.view.on_shutdown,
-            )
-
     def run_stop_hook(self):
         logger.debug(
             'running %s with stop reason %s',
@@ -336,10 +313,12 @@ def start(self):
             if(self.route and self.route.interactive and
                 isinstance(raw_response_dict, dict) and (
                     'json' in raw_response_dict or
-                    'file' in raw_response_dict)):
+                    'file' in raw_response_dict or
+                    'headers' in raw_response_dict or
+                    'body' in raw_response_dict)):
 
                 raise RuntimeError(
-                    'JSON and file responses are only available in non-interactive mode',
+                    'JSON, binary and file responses and headers are only available in non-interactive mode',
                 )
 
             return self.handle_raw_response_dict(raw_response_dict)
@@ -398,8 +377,6 @@ def start(self):
             self.send_view_stop()
             self.run_stop_hook()
 
-        self.run_shutdown_hook()
-
     def stop(self, reason=UserAbort, clean_up=True):
         self.stop_reason = reason
 
diff --git a/tests/test_view_iter_objects.py b/tests/test_view_iter_objects.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 69d20278..00000000
--- a/tests/test_view_iter_objects.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,95 +0,0 @@
-from lona.pytest import eventually
-from lona import LonaView
-
-
-async def test_view_iter_objects(lona_app_context):
-    """
-    This test tests LonaView.iter_objects() with theese steps:
-
-     - Creating two views
-     - Opening 3 tabs on view 1
-     - Opening 2 tabs on view 2
-     - Count view objects of view 1 and 2 and check view classes
-     - Closing 1 tab on view 1
-     - Closing 1 tab on view 2
-     - Count view objects of view 1 and 2 and check view classes
-    """
-
-    from playwright.async_api import async_playwright
-
-    # setup views
-    class View1(LonaView):
-        pass
-
-    class View2(LonaView):
-        pass
-
-    def setup_app(app):
-        app.route('/view-1/')(View1)
-        app.route('/view-2/')(View2)
-
-    context = await lona_app_context(setup_app)
-
-    async with async_playwright() as playwright:
-        browser = await playwright.chromium.launch()
-        browser_context = await browser.new_context()
-
-        # view 1
-        view1_page1 = await browser_context.new_page()
-        view1_page2 = await browser_context.new_page()
-        view1_page3 = await browser_context.new_page()
-
-        await view1_page1.goto(context.make_url('/view-1/'))
-        await view1_page2.goto(context.make_url('/view-1/'))
-        await view1_page3.goto(context.make_url('/view-1/'))
-
-        # view 2
-        view2_page1 = await browser_context.new_page()
-        view2_page2 = await browser_context.new_page()
-
-        await view2_page1.goto(context.make_url('/view-2/'))
-        await view2_page2.goto(context.make_url('/view-2/'))
-
-        # count view objects
-        for attempt in eventually():
-            async with attempt:
-
-                # view 1
-                view_objects = list(View1.iter_objects())
-
-                assert len(view_objects) == 3
-
-                for view_object in view_objects:
-                    assert view_object.__class__ == View1
-
-                # view 2
-                view_objects = list(View2.iter_objects())
-
-                assert len(view_objects) == 2
-
-                for view_object in view_objects:
-                    assert view_object.__class__ == View2
-
-        # close two tabs
-        await view1_page3.goto(context.make_url('/'))
-        await view2_page2.goto(context.make_url('/'))
-
-        # recount view objects
-        for attempt in eventually():
-            async with attempt:
-
-                # view 1
-                view_objects = list(View1.iter_objects())
-
-                assert len(view_objects) == 2
-
-                for view_object in view_objects:
-                    assert view_object.__class__ == View1
-
-                # view 2
-                view_objects = list(View2.iter_objects())
-
-                assert len(view_objects) == 1
-
-                for view_object in view_objects:
-                    assert view_object.__class__ == View2