Nodejs html templating engine libraries

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by aryaman@openweaver.com dot icon Updated: May 18, 2023

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A templating engine library is a tool. It allows developers to generate dynamic content by combining data with predefined templates. We can use it to separate the presentation layer from the logic in web applications. It helps in enabling easier management and maintenance of code. Templating engines help the creation of reusable templates. We can do so by making generating HTML pages with dynamic content efficient.  


Various types of templating engines are available, ranging from simple to complex options. Each templating engine offers syntax and features catering to developers' needs and preferences. Some examples are JavaScript Templates, EJS Template Engine, Pug template engine, and Mustache.  


Templating engine libraries come with a range of features to enhance template rendering. These include template inheritance. It allows developers to create base templates and extend them with specific content. Templating engines support custom delimiters to define their tags for variables. It defines the helper functions within templates.  


When using a templating engine library, choose the one that aligns with the project. The requirements and development skill level are important. Understanding the syntax and documentation of the selected templating engine is crucial. It is properly structuring templates and leveraging features like template inheritance. It can improve code organization and maintainability.  


We can use the templating engine libraries in various ways. Web developers use them to separate concerns, improve code readability, and promote reusability. They can simplify the creation of static website templates, where content remains unchanged. Templating engines are powerful tools. It helps in building dynamic web applications. It helps generate HTML code based on server or client-side JavaScript data.  


To use this library, developers should familiarize themselves with the syntax and features provided. Creating custom templates and defining helper functions can enhance productivity and code readability. Templating engines help generate WordPress themes or render dynamic content from a database. Leveraging template inheritance and following best practices can result in cleaner, maintainable code.  


You must cover key points when writing about using a templating engine library. The points can be selecting the appropriate templating engine based on project requirements. It can help in learning the syntax and features of the chosen engine. It helps to leverage its capabilities to streamline development tasks. It is crucial that you can highlight the benefits of using templating engines. The template engines can separate concerns and improve code organization.  


In conclusion, a templating engine library is essential for efficient web development. It simplifies generating dynamic content by providing predefined templates. It allows developers to focus on the logic and data. Templating engines enhance code maintainability and promote reusability. They can do so by separating the presentation layer from the application logic. Understanding the features and syntax of templating engines empowers developers. It helps create robust and scalable web applications.  

handlebars.js:  

  • It helps create semantic templates using HTML syntax and simple placeholders.  
  • It is useful for generating static HTML pages. It helps generate dynamic server-side views and email templates.  
  • It supports partials, helpers, and template inheritance.  
  • We can use it to build static websites, integrate, and implement email templating.  

handlebars.jsby handlebars-lang

JavaScript doticonstar image 17233 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
License: Permissive (MIT)

Minimal templating on steroids.

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            handlebars.jsby handlebars-lang

            JavaScript doticon star image 17233 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Permissive (MIT)

            Minimal templating on steroids.
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                      mustache.js:  

                      • It helps create logic-less templates. We can render it within various programming languages.  
                      • It is useful for generating static HTML. It helps generate dynamic server-side views and rendering templates on the client side.  
                      • It supports partials, conditional rendering, and variable interpolation.  
                      • It can create platform-independent templates, share templates between different environments, and client-side templating.  
                      JavaScript doticonstar image 15942 doticonVersion:v4.2.0doticon
                      License: Permissive (MIT)

                      Minimal templating with {{mustaches}} in JavaScript

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                                mustache.jsby janl

                                JavaScript doticon star image 15942 doticonVersion:v4.2.0doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                Minimal templating with {{mustaches}} in JavaScript
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                                          marko:  

                                          • It helps create efficient and modular HTML templates with concise syntax.  
                                          • It is useful for server-side rendering, dynamic views, and component-based development.  
                                          • It supports custom tags, reusable components, and asynchronous rendering.  
                                          • It can build high-performance web applications. It can also implement isomorphic rendering and enhance front-end interactivity.  

                                          markoby marko-js

                                          JavaScript doticonstar image 12662 doticonVersion:@marko/translator-default@5.26.2doticon
                                          License: Permissive (MIT)

                                          A declarative, HTML-based language that makes building web apps fun

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                                                    markoby marko-js

                                                    JavaScript doticon star image 12662 doticonVersion:@marko/translator-default@5.26.2doticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                    A declarative, HTML-based language that makes building web apps fun
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                                                              nunjucks:  

                                                              • It helps create powerful and flexible templates with a Django-inspired syntax.  
                                                              • It is useful for building dynamic web pages, email templates, and generating reports.  
                                                              • It supports template inheritance, macros, and custom filters.  
                                                              • We can use it for server-side rendering, integrating with Express.js. It helps in generating HTML content with dynamic data.  

                                                              nunjucksby mozilla

                                                              JavaScript doticonstar image 8151 doticonVersion:v3.2.4doticon
                                                              License: Permissive (BSD-2-Clause)

                                                              A powerful templating engine with inheritance, asynchronous control, and more (jinja2 inspired)

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                                                                        nunjucksby mozilla

                                                                        JavaScript doticon star image 8151 doticonVersion:v3.2.4doticon License: Permissive (BSD-2-Clause)

                                                                        A powerful templating engine with inheritance, asynchronous control, and more (jinja2 inspired)
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                                                                                  ejs (Embedded JavaScript):  

                                                                                  • We can use server-side rendering in web applications.  
                                                                                  • It helps embed JavaScript code within HTML templates for dynamic content rendering.  
                                                                                  • It is useful for creating dynamic web pages. It helps in generating HTML emails and building server-side views.  
                                                                                  • It supports template inheritance, partials, and custom filters.  
                                                                                  • It helps in generating HTML content with dynamic data.  

                                                                                  ejsby mde

                                                                                  JavaScript doticonstar image 7088 doticonVersion:v3.1.9doticon
                                                                                  License: Permissive (Apache-2.0)

                                                                                  Embedded JavaScript templates -- http://ejs.co

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                                                                                            ejsby mde

                                                                                            JavaScript doticon star image 7088 doticonVersion:v3.1.9doticon License: Permissive (Apache-2.0)

                                                                                            Embedded JavaScript templates -- http://ejs.co
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                                                                                                      swig:  

                                                                                                      • It helps create fast and flexible templates with a Django-inspired syntax.  
                                                                                                      • It is useful for generating HTML pages, email templates, and server-side views.  
                                                                                                      • It supports template inheritance, filters, and custom tags.  
                                                                                                      • We can use it to build dynamic web applications. It helps integrate with Express.js and efficiently render templates.  

                                                                                                      swigby paularmstrong

                                                                                                      JavaScript doticonstar image 3135 doticonVersion:v1.4.2doticon
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                                                                                                      Take a swig of the best template engine for JavaScript.

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                                                                                                                swigby paularmstrong

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                                                                                                                Take a swig of the best template engine for JavaScript.
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                                                                                                                          haml-js:  

                                                                                                                          • It helps write clean and concise templates using Html-inspired syntax.  
                                                                                                                          • It is useful for generating HTML content with reduced verbosity and easy readability.  
                                                                                                                          • It supports partials, filters, and custom tags.  
                                                                                                                          • It can create markup-intensive pages, improve development efficiency, and reduce code duplication.  

                                                                                                                          haml-jsby creationix

                                                                                                                          JavaScript doticonstar image 900 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon
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                                                                                                                          Haml ported to server-side Javascript. This is a traditional server-side templating language. Tested with node-js

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                                                                                                                                    haml-jsby creationix

                                                                                                                                    JavaScript doticon star image 900 doticonVersion:Currentdoticon License: Permissive (MIT)

                                                                                                                                    Haml ported to server-side Javascript. This is a traditional server-side templating language. Tested with node-js
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                                                                                                                                              jade4j (formerly Jade):  

                                                                                                                                              • It helps write concise and readable templates using indentation-based syntax.  
                                                                                                                                              • It is useful for creating HTML pages, email templates, and generating reports.  
                                                                                                                                              • It supports mixins, includes, and filters.  
                                                                                                                                              • It can create complex layouts and reduce markup verbosity. It helps generate clean and efficient HTML code. 

                                                                                                                                              jade4jby neuland

                                                                                                                                              Java doticonstar image 694 doticonVersion:jade4j-1.3.2doticon
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                                                                                                                                              a pug implementation written in Java (formerly known as jade)

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                                                                                                                                                        jade4jby neuland

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                                                                                                                                                        a pug implementation written in Java (formerly known as jade)
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                                                                                                                                                                  ect (EJS Compilation Templates):  

                                                                                                                                                                  It helps compile EJS-like templates into JavaScript functions for better performance.  

                                                                                                                                                                  It is useful for generating HTML content with complex logic and dynamic data.  

                                                                                                                                                                  It supports template inheritance, partials, and custom tags.  

                                                                                                                                                                  We can use it for server-side rendering. We can also use it for optimizing template execution and creating modular templates.  

                                                                                                                                                                  ectby baryshev

                                                                                                                                                                  JavaScript doticonstar image 626 doticonVersion:v0.5.9doticon
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                                                                                                                                                                  Fastest JavaScript template engine with embedded CoffeeScript syntax

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                                                                                                                                                                            ectby baryshev

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                                                                                                                                                                            Fastest JavaScript template engine with embedded CoffeeScript syntax
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                                                                                                                                                                                      FAQ  

                                                                                                                                                                                      1. What is an automation boilerplate for nodejs html templating engine library?  

                                                                                                                                                                                      An automation boilerplate is a pre-configured setup or template. It includes the files, dependencies, and configurations. It helps start developing the templating engine. It provides a streamlined starting point for developers, automating repetitive tasks. The tasks can be file organization, build processes, and configuration setups.  

                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                      2. How does the EJS Template Engine work? How can we compare to other respective template engines?  

                                                                                                                                                                                      The EJS Template Engine is a popular templating engine for Node.js. It embeds JavaScript code within HTML templates. It allows dynamic content generation based on data. Compared to other template engines, EJS offers flexibility with plain JavaScript usage. It supports template inheritance and integrates well with Express.js. EJS provides a simple and intuitive syntax, making it easy to learn and use.  

                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                      3. What is a templating language, and why is it important for nodeJS developers?  

                                                                                                                                                                                      A templating language is a specialized syntax for generating dynamic content in templates. It allows developers to combine HTML markup with programming logic and data. Templating languages is essential for Node.js developers. They enable the separation of concerns. It allows us to handle the front-end and back-end development. They enhance code maintainability and promote reusability. It provides a structured approach to managing dynamic content.  

                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                      4. What should a nodejs developer roadmap include when using a template engine library?  

                                                                                                                                                                                      A Node.js developer roadmap helps developers use a template engine library. It may include several key components. It should cover understanding the chosen template engine's syntax and features. It should also cover learning about template inheritance and custom delimiters. It helps in implementing dynamic data rendering and optimizing template performance. It also helps in integrating with Node.js frameworks like Express.js.  

                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                      5. Can I use npm install express to create HTML templates without writing code?  

                                                                                                                                                                                      No, we can use the npm install express to install the Express.js framework. It provides tools and functionalities for building web applications. While Express.js can work with template engines, it does not provide HTML templates out of the box. You would use a templating engine library like EJS or Pug to create HTML templates without code. We can integrate with Express.js to render dynamic HTML content.  

                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                      6. Can we use pure JavaScript to make a template engine library?  

                                                                                                                                                                                      Yes, creating a template engine library using pure JavaScript is possible. But developing a full-fledged template engine can be complex. We can test and optimize it by using existing template engine libraries. Templating engines provide syntax and features for generating dynamic content. Developers can build custom template engine libraries by leveraging JavaScript's flexibility and capabilities. It will be the ones which will suit their needs.  

                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                      7. How do I set up an Express view system with my nodejs html templating engine library?  

                                                                                                                                                                                      To set up an Express view system, you would follow these steps:  

                                                                                                                                                                                      • Install the templating engine library using npm install.  
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Set the view engine option in your Express app configuration. Then you must specify the name of the templating engine module.  
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Configure the views directory where we locate your HTML template files.  
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Render the HTML templates using the res.render() method in your Express routes. You should pass the template name and data as parameters.  
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Express will use the templating engine to render the HTML templates with the data. Then, we should send the resulting HTML as the response.  

                                                                                                                                                                                      The setup steps may depend on the templating engine library you are using.