Metatemplating

Metatemplating is a programming technique where templates are used to generate other templates. This contrasts with standard templating, where a template is used to generate final output, such as HTML or code. In metatemplating, a higher-level template processes and manipulates one or more lower-level templates. The output of this metatemplating process is not the final product but rather a new template. This newly generated template can then be processed by a standard templating engine to produce the desired output.

This approach allows for greater abstraction and reusability in template design. Complex or repetitive templating logic can be encapsulated within metatemplates. For example, a metatemplate might be designed to inject common header and footer structures into multiple other templates, or to dynamically alter the syntax of a template based on certain conditions. This can simplify the creation and maintenance of large sets of related templates.

Common use cases for metatemplating include code generation frameworks, domain-specific language (DSL) implementations, and complex configuration file generation. By meta-templating, developers can create more flexible and powerful templating systems that adapt to evolving requirements without modifying numerous individual templates. The metatemplating process itself can be implemented using various tools, including scripting languages, specialized metaprogramming libraries, or even other templating engines configured to process templates as input.