README.md

Jazz is a simple template engine built specifically for nodejs.

Usage

var jazz = require("jazz");
var sys = require("sys");

var template = jazz.compile("my template source code {someVariable}");
template.eval({"someVariable": "lolmuffin"}, function(data) { sys.puts(data); });

This example would output the following:

my template source code lolmuffin

Syntax

Printing variables

{someVariable}

This works for any type of expression, so the following should also work:

{users.fred}
{"hello"}
{45}
{a eq b}

Filter functions

You can call filter functions like so:

{someFilter(arg1, arg2)}

Filter functions are statements, NOT expressions so they cannot be chained nor used in if/forelse/etc. tests. However, calls can be made on any type of expression -- e.g.

{math.sin(45)}

Implementing filter functions

Filter functions may block so rather than returning the value you want rendered as you might in other frameworks, jazz passes in a callback to your filter function that you then call to indicate that you have a result. e.g. here we simulate a blocking operation using setTimeout().

// sum.jazz

{sum(5, 10)}

// sum.js

var jazz = require("jazz");

var params = {
    sum: function(arg1, arg2, cb) {
        setTimeout(function() {
            cb((arg1 + arg2).toString());
        }, 2000);
    }
}
jazz.compile("sum.jazz").eval(params, function(output) { console.log(output); });

Note that even though the execution of the callback is delayed, this example still works.

Conditional Statements

You can check if a variable evaluates to a true value like so:

{if name}
    Hello, {name}
{end}

Else clauses are also supported:

{if name}
    Hello, {name}
{else}
    Hello, Captain Anonymous
{end}

As are else..if clauses:

{if firstName}
    Hello, {firstName}
{elif lastName}
    Hello, Mr. {lastName}
{else}
    Hello, Captain Anonymous
{end}

Limited logical expressions are also possible:

{if user.lastName and user.isVip}
    Hello, Mr. {user.lastName}, my good man!
{end}

{if fred.tired or fred.bored}
    Fred: "Yawn!"
{end}

{if not awake}
    Zzz
{end}

eq & neq comparison operators are available for comparing two values:

{if config.feature eq "enabled"}
    Feature is enabled!
{end}

{if status neq "inactive"}
    Huzzah!
{end}

You can also group expressions using parentheses:

{if (a and b) or c}
    ...
{end}

Looping over an array

{foreach item in someArray}
    <p>{item}</p>
{end}

The value being iterated over can be any expression supporting an Array-like interface.

Looping over an object

{foreach pair in someObject}
    <p>{pair.key} = {pair.value}</p>
{end}

Synchronous functions

{if @blah('a')}
    <p>There were so many blahs in a</p>
{end}

The function is provided to the template the same way asynchronous functions are, just with a return instead of a cb.

Loop counters / index

{foreach pair in someObject}
    <p>Loop number (1 based): {__count}</p>
    <p>Index (0 based): {__index}</p>
    <p>{pair.key} = {pair.value}</p>
{end}

Looking into arrays/objects

    <p>{object['array'][0].cheese}</p>