Formatlarn

Formatlarn is a hypothetical framework for declarative data formatting and rendering. It describes how data should be transformed and presented across multiple output targets, from plain text to rich document formats.

The concept envisions a format specification language that expresses formatting rules independently of rendering targets, with pluggable backends to produce plain text, HTML, PDF, or other media. By separating content from presentation, formatlarn aims to enable consistent styling and easy reuse of formatting rules across applications.

Key features include a declarative grammar, support for localization, conditional formatting, template-based composition, and extensible renderers. The approach emphasizes portability, testability, and the ability to swap output targets without altering the underlying data or formatting logic. It also supports data bindings that connect structured data to the formatting rules, enabling dynamic document generation.

Typical workflow involves authoring a formatlarn schema, attaching data bindings, and selecting a renderer. At render time, the engine applies the rules to the input data to produce the final document. This process promotes repeatable results and easier validation of formatting across different media.

Use cases commonly cited in discussions of formatlarn include automated report generation, data-driven document production, translation-aware formatting, and standardized log or audit formatting. While it has not achieved widespread adoption, the framework has influenced related templating and formatting systems that strive to separate content from presentation and to support multi-target rendering.

See also: templating languages, declarative formatting, document generation, data binding.