Node.js Template Engines

Node.js Template Engines

Introduction
Node.js template engines are tools that allow you to generate dynamic HTML content using data and templates. They simplify the process of rendering dynamic content in web applications and make it easier to separate the presentation layer from the data layer.

Commonly Used Template Engines in Node.js

1. EJS (Embedded JavaScript):

   • Description: EJS is a simple template engine that lets you embed JavaScript code directly into your templates.
   • Installation: npm install ejs
   • Example Usage:

     javascript
     const ejs = require('ejs');
     const template = '<h1>Hello, <%= name %>!</h1>';
     const data = { name: 'John' };
     const compiledTemplate = ejs.render(template, data);
     

   • Explanation: In the above example, we used <%= %> to embed the name value from the data object into the HTML.

2. Handlebars:

   • Description: Handlebars is a popular template engine that provides a minimalistic syntax for creating templates.
   • Installation: npm install handlebars
   • Example Usage:

     javascript
     const handlebars = require('handlebars');
     const template = '<h1>Hello, {{name}}!</h1>';
     const data = { name: 'Jane' };
     const compiledTemplate = handlebars.compile(template);
     const result = compiledTemplate(data);
     

   • Explanation: In this example, we used {{ }} to denote placeholders in the template and then compiled it using Handlebars.

3. Pug (formerly Jade):

   • Description: Pug is a template engine that uses indentation-based syntax, making it clean and concise.
   • Installation: npm install pug
   • Example Usage:

     javascript
     const pug = require('pug');
     const template = 'h1 Hello, #{name}!';
     const data = { name: 'Alice' };
     const compiledTemplate = pug.compile(template);
     const result = compiledTemplate(data);
     

   • Explanation: In this example, we used #{ } to insert the name value into the h1 element.

Conclusion
Node.js template engines provide a powerful way to generate dynamic content in web applications. Each template engine has its syntax and features, allowing developers to choose the one that best fits their needs. By using template engines, developers can maintain cleaner code, improve code reusability, and achieve a better separation of concerns in their projects.