Template Toolkit Modules

This documentation provides an overview of the different modules that comprise the Template Toolkit.

Template

The Template module is the front-end to the Template Toolkit for Perl programmers.

    use Template;
    my $tt = Template->new();
    $tt->process('hello.html', message => 'Hello World');

Template::Base

The Template::Base module implements a base class from which the other Template Toolkit modules are derived. It implements common functionality for creating objects, error reporting, debugging, and so on.

Template::Config

The Template::Config module defines the configuration of the Template Toolkit for your system. It is an example of a factory module which is responsible for instantiating the various other modules used in the Template Toolkit.

For example, the Template::Config module defines the $STASH package variable which indicates which version of the Template::Stash you are using by default. If you elected to use the faster XS stash when you installed the Template Toolkit, then this will be set as:

    $STASH = 'Template::Stash::XS';

Otherwise you'll get the regular Perl stash:

    $STASH = 'Template::Stash';

This approach means that other parts of the Template Toolkit don't have to worry about which stash you're using. They just ask the Template::Config module to create a stash of the right kind.

Template::Constants

The Template::Constants defines a number of constants that are used by the Template Toolkit.

For example, the ":chomp" tagset defines the "CHOMP_???" constants that can be used with the "PRE_CHOMP" and "POST_CHOMP" configuration options.

    use Template::Constants ':chomp';
    my $tt = Template->new({
        PRE_CHOMP => CHOMP_COLLAPSE,
    });

Template::Context

The Template::Context module defines a runtime context in which templates are processed. A context keeps track of all the templates, variables, plugins, and other resources that are available (either directly or through delegate objects) and provides methods to fetch, store, and perform various operations on them.

Template::Document

The Template::Document module implements a compiled template document object. This is generated by the Template::Parser module.

Template::Exception

The Template::Exception module implements an exception object which is used for runtime error reporting.

Template::Filters

The Template::Filters module implements a filter provider. It includes the core collection of filters that can be used via the "FILTER" directive.

Template::Iterator

The Template::Iterator module implements a data iterator which steps through each item in a list in turn. It is used by the "FOREACH" directive. Within a "FOREACH" block, the "loop" variable always references the current iterator object.

    [%  FOREACH item IN list;
          IF loop.first;
             # first item in loop
          ELSIF loop.last;
             # last item in loop
          ELSE;
             # any other item in loop
          END;
        END
    %]

Template::Namespace::Constants

The Template::Namespace::Constants module is used internally to represent constants. These can be resolved immediately at the point that a template is compiled.

Template::Parser

The Template::Parser module is used to parse a source template and turn it into Perl code which can be executed.

Template::Plugin

The Template::Plugin module is a base class for Template Toolkit plugins that can be loaded on demand from within a template using the "USE" directive.

Template::Plugins

The Template::Plugins module is the plugins provider. It loads and prepares plugins as and when they are requested from within a template.

Template::Provider

The Template::Provider module is responsible for loading, compiling and caching templates.

Template::Service

The Template::Service module implements a service layer that sits just behind the Template module, and just in front of a Template::Context. It handles each request to process a template (forwarded from the Template module). It adds any headers and/or footers (specified via the "PRE_PROCESS" and "POST_PROCESS" options), applies any wrapper (the "WRAPPER" option) and catches any errors returned (the "ERRORS" option).

Template::Stash

The Template::Stash module is used to fetch and store template variables. It implements all of the magic associated with the dot operator.

Template::Stash::XS

The Template::Stash::XS module is a high-speed implementation of Template::Stash written in C.

Template::Test

The Template::Test module is used to automate the Template Toolkit test scripts.