Advanced PHP Template Engines - Mustache and Smarty

Using advanced PHP template engines like Mustache and Smarty helps separate your application logic from the presentation layer. In this guide, we'll provide an overview and examples of using these template engines.

1. Introduction to Template Engines

Template engines enable developers to create dynamic HTML templates by inserting data into placeholders. They promote clean code separation and maintainability.

2. Key Components

2.1. Mustache

Mustache is a logic-less template engine that works with various programming languages, including PHP. It uses simple tags to insert data into templates.

2.2. Smarty

Smarty is a template engine designed for PHP. It includes advanced features like caching, filters, and template inheritance, making it a powerful choice for complex applications.

3. Example: Using Mustache

Here's a simplified example of using Mustache in a PHP application:

// Mustache example
require 'vendor/autoload.php';
$loader = new Mustache_Loader_FilesystemLoader(__DIR__ . '/templates');
$mustache = new Mustache_Engine(['loader' => $loader]);
$data = ['name' => 'John', 'age' => 30];
echo $mustache->render('profile', $data);
?>    

4. Mustache Template

Create a Mustache template file (e.g., `profile.mustache`) in the templates folder:

{{name}}
Age: {{age}}
    

5. Example: Using Smarty

Here's a simplified example of using Smarty in a PHP application:

// Smarty example
require 'vendor/autoload.php';
$smarty = new Smarty();
$smarty->setTemplateDir(__DIR__ . '/templates');
$smarty->assign('name', 'John');
$smarty->assign('age', 30);
$smarty->display('profile.tpl');
?>    

6. Smarty Template

Create a Smarty template file (e.g., `profile.tpl`) in the templates folder:

{$name}
Age: {$age}
    

7. Conclusion

Advanced PHP template engines like Mustache and Smarty provide powerful tools for creating dynamic templates. In a real-world scenario, you would use them in more complex applications and take advantage of their advanced features.