An Introduction to EJS: The Embedded JavaScript Templating Engine
When it comes to creating dynamic web applications, rendering HTML pages with server-side data is an essential task. Many developers turn to templating engines to simplify this process, and one of the most popular choices is EJS (Embedded JavaScript). If you're unfamiliar with EJS or are considering it for your next project, this blog will provide a comprehensive introduction to its benefits, features, and how to get started with it.
What is EJS?
EJS is a simple templating language that lets you generate HTML markup with plain JavaScript. The main goal of EJS is to make it easier to embed JavaScript code directly into your HTML templates. It allows you to add dynamic content, use logic like conditionals and loops, and even include reusable components.
EJS is commonly used in Node.js applications for rendering server-side views, and it integrates seamlessly with Express.js, one of the most popular web frameworks for Node.js.
Why Choose EJS?
Here are some of the key reasons why developers opt for EJS:
Simplicity: EJS syntax is easy to understand, especially for those already familiar with JavaScript. You can inject JavaScript code into your HTML files with minimal effort.
Flexibility: EJS is unopinionated, meaning it gives you full control over the structure of your views. You’re not locked into a specific structure or convention.
Reusability: EJS allows you to create partial views, which makes it easy to reuse common components like headers, footers, or navigation bars across different pages.
Separation of Concerns: By using EJS, you can keep your business logic separate from the presentation layer, making your application easier to maintain.
Compatibility: Since EJS works directly with JavaScript, it integrates well with existing JavaScript libraries, tools, and frameworks.
Getting Started with EJS
Let’s walk through a simple setup to see how EJS works. First, you’ll need to install it in your Node.js application.
Installation
To install EJS in your Node.js project, you can use npm (Node Package Manager). Run the following command in your terminal:
bashnpm install ejs
Setting up Express with EJS
If you’re using Express.js, you can easily integrate EJS as the templating engine. In your
app.js
file, configure the view engine to use EJS:javascriptconst express = require('express'); const app = express(); // Set the view engine to EJS app.set('view engine', 'ejs'); // Serve static files (optional) app.use(express.static('public')); // Route to render EJS template app.get('/', (req, res) => { res.render('index', { title: 'Welcome to EJS', message: 'Hello, EJS!' }); }); app.listen(3000, () => { console.log('Server is running on port 3000'); });
Creating EJS Templates
Inside the project folder, create a directory named
views
. This is where you will store all your EJS templates. For this example, let’s create anindex.ejs
file:html<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <title><%= title %></title> </head> <body> <h1><%= message %></h1> </body> </html>
In this example,
<%= title %>
and<%= message %>
are placeholders for dynamic content passed from the server. The EJS engine will replace these with the actual values provided in theres.render()
function.Running the Application
Now, start your server by running:
bashnode app.js
Open your browser and navigate to
http://localhost:3000
. You should see the message "Hello, EJS!" displayed on the page.
EJS Syntax Overview
EJS syntax is designed to be minimalistic and easy to use. Here are some of the most common syntax elements:
Embedding Variables:
You can embed JavaScript variables directly in the HTML using
<%= %>
tags. For example:html <p>The current year is <%= new Date().getFullYear() %>.</p>Conditionals:
You can use JavaScript conditionals inside EJS templates:
html<% if (user) { %> <p>Welcome, <%= user.name %>!</p> <% } else { %> <p>Please log in.</p> <% } %>
Loops:
Loops in EJS are similar to regular JavaScript loops:
html<ul> <% for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i++) { %> <li><%= items[i] %></li> <% } %> </ul>
Including Partials:
EJS supports partial views, allowing you to include one template inside another. For example, you can create a
header.ejs
file and include it in multiple pages:html<%- include('partials/header') %>
The
<%- %>
tag ensures that the included content is rendered without escaping HTML characters.
Best Practices for EJS
Use Layouts: If your project has a consistent structure across multiple pages (e.g., a navigation bar, footer), consider using a layout system to avoid repetition.
Minimize Logic in Templates: Although EJS allows you to use JavaScript in your templates, it's best to keep business logic in your server-side code and pass only the necessary data to the views.
Use Partials for Reusability: Break your templates into smaller, reusable pieces (partials) to improve maintainability and reduce redundancy.
Conclusion
EJS is a powerful, lightweight templating engine that seamlessly integrates with Node.js applications. It offers a simple yet flexible way to build dynamic web pages and ensures that you can leverage the full power of JavaScript within your HTML. Whether you’re working on small projects or large-scale applications, EJS can be a great tool to enhance your development workflow.
So, if you haven't tried EJS yet, give it a go! With its ease of use and flexibility, it might become your go-to templating engine for future projects.
Happy coding!
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Labels
JS- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Comments
Post a Comment