activetemplate

Activetemplate is a term used in software development to describe a style of templating in which templates are rendered with access to runtime data and can execute logic during rendering. The concept emphasizes the activity of data binding and dynamic content generation within the template itself, as opposed to generating static output ahead of time. While activetemplate may refer to specific projects or libraries that adopt this approach, it is best understood as a family of template engines and code-generation techniques rather than a single standard.

In practice, an active template is typically parsed into an intermediate representation and then executed by a renderer against a data model. Rendering support may include variable substitution, conditional branches, loops, and calls to helper functions or data sources. Some implementations compile templates to executable code for performance, while others interpret the template directly.

Key features commonly associated with activetemplates include: data binding between the template and a data model; support for expressions and filters; inclusion of reusable partials or fragments; extension points for custom data sources or operators; and optional caching of compiled or parsed templates to improve response times.

Common use cases include rendering web pages in server- or client-side environments, generating emails, and powering static-site generators or code generation tools that need to adapt content to input data or context at render time.

Because activetemplate is not a single standardized product, different implementations vary in syntax, capabilities, and safety guarantees. When selecting a solution, considerations include performance, security, portability, and the availability of extensions or community support.