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| author | 8cy <[email protected]> | 2020-04-30 15:46:16 -0700 |
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| committer | 8cy <[email protected]> | 2020-04-30 15:46:16 -0700 |
| commit | 3a4deac89054021b56ad5bd8005b2044cc085c98 (patch) | |
| tree | 3dd6af8503e497e46180b6b5231674f36bdce9f2 /node_modules/express-handlebars/README.md | |
| download | uppity-3a4deac89054021b56ad5bd8005b2044cc085c98.tar.xz uppity-3a4deac89054021b56ad5bd8005b2044cc085c98.zip | |
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diff --git a/node_modules/express-handlebars/README.md b/node_modules/express-handlebars/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9cdaaa6 --- /dev/null +++ b/node_modules/express-handlebars/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,570 @@ +Express Handlebars +================== + +A [Handlebars][] view engine for [Express][] which doesn't suck. + +[![npm version][npm-badge]][npm] +[![dependency status][dep-badge]][dep-status] + +**This package used to be named `express3-handlebars`. The previous `express-handlebars` package by @jneen can be found [here][jneen-exphbs].** + + +[Express]: https://github.com/visionmedia/express +[Handlebars]: https://github.com/wycats/handlebars.js +[npm]: https://www.npmjs.org/package/express-handlebars +[npm-badge]: https://img.shields.io/npm/v/express-handlebars.svg?style=flat-square +[dep-status]: https://david-dm.org/express-handlebars/express-handlebars +[dep-badge]: https://img.shields.io/david/express-handlebars/express-handlebars.svg?style=flat-square +[jneen-exphbs]: https://github.com/jneen/express-handlebars + + +## Goals & Design + +I created this project out of frustration with the existing Handlebars view engines for Express. As of version 3.x, Express got out of the business of being a generic view engine — this was a great decision — leaving developers to implement the concepts of layouts, partials, and doing file I/O for their template engines of choice. + +### Goals and Features + +After building a half-dozen Express apps, I developed requirements and opinions about what a Handlebars view engine should provide and how it should be implemented. The following is that list: + +* Add back the concept of "layout", which was removed in Express 3.x. + +* Add back the concept of "partials" via Handlebars' partials mechanism. + +* Support a directory of partials; e.g., `{{> foo/bar}}` which exists on the file system at `views/partials/foo/bar.handlebars`, by default. + +* Smart file system I/O and template caching. When in development, templates are always loaded from disk. In production, raw files and compiled templates are cached, including partials. + +* All async and non-blocking. File system I/O is slow and servers should not be blocked from handling requests while reading from disk. I/O queuing is used to avoid doing unnecessary work. + +* Ability to easily precompile templates and partials for use on the client, enabling template sharing and reuse. + +* Ability to use a different Handlebars module/implementation other than the Handlebars npm package. + +### Package Design + +This package was designed to work great for both the simple and complex use cases. I _intentionally_ made sure the full implementation is exposed and is easily overridable. + +The package exports a function which can be invoked with no arguments or with a `config` object and it will return a function (closed over sensible defaults) which can be registered with an Express app. It's an engine factory function. + +This exported engine factory has two properties which expose the underlying implementation: + +* `ExpressHandlebars()`: The constructor function which holds the internal implementation on its `prototype`. This produces instance objects which store their configuration, `compiled` and `precompiled` templates, and expose an `engine()` function which can be registered with an Express app. + +* `create()`: A convenience factory function for creating `ExpressHandlebars` instances. + +An instance-based approach is used so that multiple `ExpressHandlebars` instances can be created with their own configuration, templates, partials, and helpers. + + +## Installation + +Install using npm: + +```shell +$ npm install express-handlebars +``` + + +## Usage + +This view engine uses sensible defaults that leverage the "Express-way" of structuring an app's views. This makes it trivial to use in basic apps: + +### Basic Usage + +**Directory Structure:** + +``` +. +├── app.js +└── views + ├── home.handlebars + └── layouts + └── main.handlebars + +2 directories, 3 files +``` + +**app.js:** + +Creates a super simple Express app which shows the basic way to register a Handlebars view engine using this package. + +```javascript +var express = require('express'); +var exphbs = require('express-handlebars'); + +var app = express(); + +app.engine('handlebars', exphbs()); +app.set('view engine', 'handlebars'); + +app.get('/', function (req, res) { + res.render('home'); +}); + +app.listen(3000); +``` + +**views/layouts/main.handlebars:** + +The main layout is the HTML page wrapper which can be reused for the different views of the app. `{{{body}}}` is used as a placeholder for where the main content should be rendered. + +```handlebars +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html> +<head> + <meta charset="utf-8"> + <title>Example App</title> +</head> +<body> + + {{{body}}} + +</body> +</html> +``` + +**views/home.handlebars:** + +The content for the app's home view which will be rendered into the layout's `{{{body}}}`. + +```handlebars +<h1>Example App: Home</h1> +``` + +#### Running the Example + +The above example is bundled in this package's [examples directory][], where it can be run by: + +```shell +$ cd examples/basic/ +$ npm install +$ npm start +``` + +### Using Instances + +Another way to use this view engine is to create an instance(s) of `ExpressHandlebars`, allowing access to the full API: + +```javascript +var express = require('express'); +var exphbs = require('express-handlebars'); + +var app = express(); +var hbs = exphbs.create({ /* config */ }); + +// Register `hbs.engine` with the Express app. +app.engine('handlebars', hbs.engine); +app.set('view engine', 'handlebars'); + +// ...still have a reference to `hbs`, on which methods like `loadPartials()` +// can be called. +``` + +**Note:** The [Advanced Usage][] example demonstrates how `ExpressHandlebars` instances can be leveraged. + +### Template Caching + +This view engine uses a smart template caching strategy. In development, templates will always be loaded from disk, i.e., no caching. In production, raw files and compiled Handlebars templates are aggressively cached. + +The easiest way to control template/view caching is through Express' [view cache setting][]: + +```javascript +app.enable('view cache'); +``` + +Express enables this setting by default when in production mode, i.e.: + +``` +process.env.NODE_ENV === "production" +``` + +**Note:** All of the public API methods accept `options.cache`, which gives control over caching when calling these methods directly. + +### Layouts + +A layout is simply a Handlebars template with a `{{{body}}}` placeholder. Usually it will be an HTML page wrapper into which views will be rendered. + +This view engine adds back the concept of "layout", which was removed in Express 3.x. It can be configured with a path to the layouts directory, by default it's set to relative to `express settings.view` + `layouts/` + +There are two ways to set a default layout: configuring the view engine's `defaultLayout` property, or setting [Express locals][] `app.locals.layout`. + +The layout into which a view should be rendered can be overridden per-request by assigning a different value to the `layout` request local. The following will render the "home" view with no layout: + +```javascript +app.get('/', function (req, res, next) { + res.render('home', {layout: false}); +}); +``` + +### Helpers + +Helper functions, or "helpers" are functions that can be [registered with Handlebars][] and can be called within a template. Helpers can be used for transforming output, iterating over data, etc. To keep with the spirit of *logic-less* templates, helpers are the place where logic should be defined. + +Handlebars ships with some [built-in helpers][], such as: `with`, `if`, `each`, etc. Most application will need to extend this set of helpers to include app-specific logic and transformations. Beyond defining global helpers on `Handlebars`, this view engine supports `ExpressHandlebars` instance-level helpers via the `helpers` configuration property, and render-level helpers via `options.helpers` when calling the `render()` and `renderView()` methods. + +The following example shows helpers being specified at each level: + +**app.js:** + +Creates a super simple Express app which shows the basic way to register `ExpressHandlebars` instance-level helpers, and override one at the render-level. + +```javascript +var express = require('express'); +var exphbs = require('express-handlebars'); + +var app = express(); + +var hbs = exphbs.create({ + // Specify helpers which are only registered on this instance. + helpers: { + foo: function () { return 'FOO!'; }, + bar: function () { return 'BAR!'; } + } +}); + +app.engine('handlebars', hbs.engine); +app.set('view engine', 'handlebars'); + +app.get('/', function (req, res, next) { + res.render('home', { + showTitle: true, + + // Override `foo` helper only for this rendering. + helpers: { + foo: function () { return 'foo.'; } + } + }); +}); + +app.listen(3000); +``` + +**views/home.handlebars:** + +The app's home view which uses helper functions to help render the contents. + +```handlebars +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html> +<head> + <meta charset="utf-8"> + <title>Example App - Home</title> +</head> +<body> + + <!-- Uses built-in `if` helper. --> + {{#if showTitle}} + <h1>Home</h1> + {{/if}} + + <!-- Calls `foo` helper, overridden at render-level. --> + <p>{{foo}}</p> + + <!-- Calls `bar` helper, defined at instance-level. --> + <p>{{bar}}</p> + +</body> +</html> +``` + +#### More on Helpers + +Refer to the [Handlebars website][] for more information on defining helpers: + +* [Expression Helpers][] +* [Block Helpers][] + +### Metadata + +Handlebars has a data channel feature that propagates data through all scopes, including helpers and partials. Values in the data channel can be accessed via the `{{@variable}}` syntax. Express Handlebars provides metadata about a template it renders on a `{{@exphbs}}` object allowing access to things like the view name passed to `res.render()` via `{{@exphbs.view}}`. + +The following is the list of metadata that's accessible on the `{{@exphbs}}` data object: + +* `cache`: Boolean whether or not the template is cached. +* `view`: String name of the view passed to `res.render()`. +* `layout`: String name of the layout view. +* `data`: Original data object passed when rendering the template. +* `helpers`: Collection of helpers used when rendering the template. +* `partials`: Collection of partials used when rendering the template. + + +[examples directory]: https://github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/tree/master/examples +[view cache setting]: http://expressjs.com/api.html#app-settings +[Express locals]: http://expressjs.com/api.html#app.locals +[registered with Handlebars]: https://github.com/wycats/handlebars.js/#registering-helpers +[built-in helpers]: http://handlebarsjs.com/#builtins +[Handlebars website]: http://handlebarsjs.com/ +[Expression Helpers]: http://handlebarsjs.com/expressions.html#helpers +[Block Helpers]: http://handlebarsjs.com/block_helpers.html + + +## API + +### Configuration and Defaults + +There are two main ways to use this package: via its engine factory function, or creating `ExpressHandlebars` instances; both use the same configuration properties and defaults. + +```javascript +var exphbs = require('express-handlebars'); + +// Using the engine factory: +exphbs({ /* config */ }); + +// Create an instance: +exphbs.create({ /* config */ }); +``` + +The following is the list of configuration properties and their default values (if any): + +#### `handlebars=require('handlebars')` +The Handlebars module/implementation. This allows for the `ExpressHandlebars` instance to use a different Handlebars module/implementation than that provided by the Handlebars npm package. + +#### `extname=".handlebars"` +The string name of the file extension used by the templates. This value should correspond with the `extname` under which this view engine is registered with Express when calling `app.engine()`. + +The following example sets up an Express app to use `.hbs` as the file extension for views: + +```javascript +var express = require('express'); +var exphbs = require('express-handlebars'); + +var app = express(); + +app.engine('.hbs', exphbs({extname: '.hbs'})); +app.set('view engine', '.hbs'); +``` + +**Note:** Setting the app's `"view engine"` setting will make that value the default file extension used for looking up views. + +#### `layoutsDir` +Default layouts directory is relative to `express settings.view` + `layouts/` +The string path to the directory where the layout templates reside. + +**Note:** If you configure Express to look for views in a custom location (e.g., `app.set('views', 'some/path/')`), and if your `partialsDir` is not relative to `express settings.view` + `layouts/`, you will need to reflect that by passing an updated path as the `layoutsDir` property in your configuration. + +#### `partialsDir` +Default partials directory is relative to `express settings.view` + `partials/` +The string path to the directory where the partials templates reside or object with the following properties: + +* `dir`: The string path to the directory where the partials templates reside. +* `namespace`: Optional string namespace to prefix the partial names. +* `templates`: Optional collection (or promise of a collection) of templates in the form: `{filename: template}`. + +**Note:** If you configure Express to look for views in a custom location (e.g., `app.set('views', 'some/path/')`), and if your `partialsDir` is not relative to `express settings.view` + `partials/`, you will need to reflect that by passing an updated path as the `partialsDir` property in your configuration. + +**Note:** Multiple partials dirs can be used by making `partialsDir` an array of strings, and/or config objects as described above. The namespacing feature is useful if multiple partials dirs are used and their file paths might clash. + +#### `defaultLayout` +The string name or path of a template in the `layoutsDir` to use as the default layout. `main` is used as the default. This is overridden by a `layout` specified in the app or response `locals`. **Note:** A falsy value will render without a layout; e.g., `res.render('home', {layout: false});`. + +#### `helpers` +An object which holds the helper functions used when rendering templates with this `ExpressHandlebars` instance. When rendering a template, a collection of helpers will be generated by merging: `handlebars.helpers` (global), `helpers` (instance), and `options.helpers` (render-level). This allows Handlebars' `registerHelper()` function to operate as expected, will providing two extra levels over helper overrides. + +#### `compilerOptions` +An object which holds options that will be passed along to the Handlebars compiler functions: `Handlebars.compile()` and `Handlebars.precompile()`. + +### Properties + +The public API properties are provided via `ExpressHandlebars` instances. In additional to the properties listed in the **Configuration and Defaults** section, the following are additional public properties: + +#### `engine` +A function reference to the `renderView()` method which is bound to `this` `ExpressHandlebars` instance. This bound function should be used when registering this view engine with an Express app. + +#### `extname` +The normalized `extname` which will _always_ start with `.` and defaults to `.handlebars`. + +#### `compiled` +An object cache which holds compiled Handlebars template functions in the format: `{"path/to/template": [Function]}`. + +#### `precompiled` +An object cache which holds precompiled Handlebars template strings in the format: `{"path/to/template": [String]}`. + +### Methods + +The following is the list of public API methods provided via `ExpressHandlebars` instances: + +**Note:** All of the public methods return a [`Promise`][promise] (with the exception of `renderView()` which is the interface with Express.) + +#### `getPartials([options])` +Retrieves the partials in the `partialsDir` and returns a Promise for an object mapping the partials in the form `{name: partial}`. + +By default each partial will be a compiled Handlebars template function. Use `options.precompiled` to receive the partials as precompiled templates — this is useful for sharing templates with client code. + +**Parameters:** + +* `[options]`: Optional object containing any of the following properties: + + * `[cache]`: Whether cached templates can be used if they have already been requested. This is recommended for production to avoid unnecessary file I/O. + + * `[precompiled=false]`: Whether precompiled templates should be provided, instead of compiled Handlebars template functions. + +The name of each partial corresponds to its location in `partialsDir`. For example, consider the following directory structure: + +``` +views +└── partials + ├── foo + │ └── bar.handlebars + └── title.handlebars + +2 directories, 2 files +``` + +`getPartials()` would produce the following result: + +```javascript +var hbs = require('express-handlebars').create(); + +hbs.getPartials().then(function (partials) { + console.log(partials); + // => { 'foo/bar': [Function], + // => title: [Function] } +}); +``` + +#### `getTemplate(filePath, [options])` +Retrieves the template at the specified `filePath` and returns a Promise for the compiled Handlebars template function. + +Use `options.precompiled` to receive a precompiled Handlebars template. + +**Parameters:** + +* `filePath`: String path to the Handlebars template file. + +* `[options]`: Optional object containing any of the following properties: + + * `[cache]`: Whether a cached template can be used if it have already been requested. This is recommended for production to avoid necessary file I/O. + + * `[precompiled=false]`: Whether a precompiled template should be provided, instead of a compiled Handlebars template function. + +#### `getTemplates(dirPath, [options])` +Retrieves all the templates in the specified `dirPath` and returns a Promise for an object mapping the compiled templates in the form `{filename: template}`. + +Use `options.precompiled` to receive precompiled Handlebars templates — this is useful for sharing templates with client code. + +**Parameters:** + +* `dirPath`: String path to the directory containing Handlebars template files. + +* `[options]`: Optional object containing any of the following properties: + + * `[cache]`: Whether cached templates can be used if it have already been requested. This is recommended for production to avoid necessary file I/O. + + * `[precompiled=false]`: Whether precompiled templates should be provided, instead of a compiled Handlebars template function. + +#### `render(filePath, context, [options])` +Renders the template at the specified `filePath` with the `context`, using this instance's `helpers` and partials by default, and returns a Promise for the resulting string. + +**Parameters:** + +* `filePath`: String path to the Handlebars template file. + +* `context`: Object in which the template will be executed. This contains all of the values to fill into the template. + +* `[options]`: Optional object which can contain any of the following properties which affect this view engine's behavior: + + * `[cache]`: Whether a cached template can be used if it have already been requested. This is recommended for production to avoid unnecessary file I/O. + + * `[data]`: Optional object which can contain any data that Handlebars will pipe through the template, all helpers, and all partials. This is a side data channel. + + * `[helpers]`: Render-level helpers that will be used instead of any instance-level helpers; these will be merged with (and will override) any global Handlebars helper functions. + + * `[partials]`: Render-level partials that will be used instead of any instance-level partials. This is used internally as an optimization to avoid re-loading all the partials. + +#### `renderView(viewPath, options|callback, [callback])` +Renders the template at the specified `viewPath` as the `{{{body}}}` within the layout specified by the `defaultLayout` or `options.layout`. Rendering will use this instance's `helpers` and partials, and passes the resulting string to the `callback`. + +This method is called by Express and is the main entry point into this Express view engine implementation. It adds the concept of a "layout" and delegates rendering to the `render()` method. + +The `options` will be used both as the context in which the Handlebars templates are rendered, and to signal this view engine on how it should behave, e.g., `options.cache=false` will load _always_ load the templates from disk. + +**Parameters:** + +* `viewPath`: String path to the Handlebars template file which should serve as the `{{{body}}}` when using a layout. + +* `[options]`: Optional object which will serve as the context in which the Handlebars templates are rendered. It may also contain any of the following properties which affect this view engine's behavior: + + * `[cache]`: Whether cached templates can be used if they have already been requested. This is recommended for production to avoid unnecessary file I/O. + + * `[data]`: Optional object which can contain any data that Handlebars will pipe through the template, all helpers, and all partials. This is a side data channel. + + * `[helpers]`: Render-level helpers that will be merged with (and will override) instance and global helper functions. + + * `[partials]`: Render-level partials will be merged with (and will override) instance and global partials. This should be a `{partialName: fn}` hash or a Promise of an object with this shape. + + * `[layout]`: Optional string path to the Handlebars template file to be used as the "layout". This overrides any `defaultLayout` value. Passing a falsy value will render with no layout (even if a `defaultLayout` is defined). + +* `callback`: Function to call once the template is retrieved. + +### Hooks + +The following is the list of protected methods that are called internally and serve as _hooks_ to override functionality of `ExpressHandlebars` instances. A value or a promise can be returned from these methods which allows them to perform async operations. + +#### `_compileTemplate(template, options)` +This hook will be called when a Handlebars template needs to be compiled. This function needs to return a compiled Handlebars template function, or a promise for one. + +By default this hook calls `Handlebars.compile()`, but it can be overridden to preform operations before and/or after Handlebars compiles the template. This is useful if you wanted to first process Markdown within a Handlebars template. + +**Parameters:** + +* `template`: String Handlebars template that needs to be compiled. + +* `options`: Object `compilerOptions` that were specified when the `ExpressHandlebars` instance as created. This object should be passed along to the `Handlebars.compile()` function. + +#### `_precompileTemplate(template, options)` +This hook will be called when a Handlebars template needs to be precompiled. This function needs to return a serialized Handlebars template spec. string, or a promise for one. + +By default this hook calls `Handlebars.precompile()`, but it can be overridden to preform operations before and/or after Handlebars precompiles the template. This is useful if you wanted to first process Markdown within a Handlebars template. + +**Parameters:** + +* `template`: String Handlebars template that needs to be precompiled. + +* `options`: Object `compilerOptions` that were specified when the `ExpressHandlebars` instance as created. This object should be passed along to the `Handlebars.compile()` function. + +#### `_renderTemplate(template, context, options)` +This hook will be called when a compiled Handlebars template needs to be rendered. This function needs to returned the rendered output string, or a promise for one. + +By default this hook simply calls the passed-in `template` with the `context` and `options` arguments, but it can be overridden to perform operations before and/or after rendering the template. + +**Parameters:** + +* `template`: Compiled Handlebars template function to call. + +* `context`: The context object in which to render the `template`. + +* `options`: Object that contains options and metadata for rendering the template: + + * `data`: Object to define custom `@variable` private variables. + + * `helpers`: Object to provide custom helpers in addition to the globally defined helpers. + + * `partials`: Object to provide custom partials in addition to the globally defined partials. + + +[promise]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Promise + + +## Examples + +### [Basic Usage][] + +This example shows the most basic way to use this view engine. + +### [Advanced Usage][] + +This example is more comprehensive and shows how to use many of the features of this view engine, including helpers, partials, multiple layouts, etc. + +As noted in the **Package Design** section, this view engine's implementation is instance-based, and more advanced usages can take advantage of this. The Advanced Usage example demonstrates how to use an `ExpressHandlebars` instance to share templates with the client, among other features. + + +[Basic Usage]: https://github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/tree/master/examples/basic +[Advanced Usage]: https://github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/tree/master/examples/advanced + + +License +------- + +This software is free to use under the Yahoo! Inc. BSD license. See the [LICENSE file][] for license text and copyright information. + + +[LICENSE file]: https://github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/blob/master/LICENSE |