I have never implemented a templating system in Perl.
Yes, I know I've just exposed myself as a novice Perl programmer. :) Let me hasten to clarify that I've never implemented an HTML templating system. I have in fact done a couple of templating-system-like things for code generation and similar tasks, so I suppose I'm not that green.
What I wanted to know is, it's been a while since I read an article on the subject or heard anyone even mention them, so I wanted to know: did any movement ever occur toward a preferred templating system? What's everybody using? If I were going to start an entirely new project tomorrow for a web application, what templating system would you recommend and why?
Clarification: What I am asking is: I have never learned a templating system. Which one should I learn?
Like pudge, I tend to use Template Toolkit when I get to choose.
I use HTML::Mason a lot at $work. It's great for when the templates are going to be maintained by Perl programmers. If HTML authors or graphic designers are going to be editing your templates then I wouldn't recommend Mason.
The other one that's really worth looking into is Petal. You can view the templates directly in your browser and they play nicely with GUI HTML editors.
Re:My Picks
jdavidb on 2005-10-18T23:41:08
Thank you for the tip about Mason, since I was leaning in that direction but am thinking about a project that would need to be usable by non-technical users.
Re:My Picks
sigzero on 2005-10-19T02:19:57
I picked up TT2 very quickly and I am sure I have only scratched the surface of what it can do.
I highly recommend it.
Re:My Picks
grantm on 2005-10-19T06:03:44
One more tip with regard to Template Toolkit is that you can configure it to use ASP-style tags. This will then make the templates more compatible with the windows-based GUI HTML editors.
Template Toolkit. Nothing comes close.
That, or Text::Template.
