# Mustache.js — Logic-Less Templates for JavaScript

> A zero-dependency implementation of the Mustache templating language for JavaScript, rendering templates with simple variable interpolation, sections, and partials.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Mustache.js — Logic-Less Templates for JavaScript

## Quick Use
```bash
npm install mustache
```
```js
const Mustache = require('mustache');
const output = Mustache.render('Hello {{name}}!', {name: 'World'});
console.log(output); // Hello World!
```

## Introduction
Mustache.js is the JavaScript implementation of the Mustache templating specification. It follows a logic-less philosophy, meaning templates contain only tags for variable interpolation, sections, and partials, with no embedded logic like conditionals or loops beyond what the data structure provides.

## What Mustache.js Does
- Renders templates by replacing Mustache tags with values from a data object
- Supports sections for conditional rendering and iteration over arrays
- Allows template composition through partials and template inheritance
- Works in Node.js, browsers, and any JavaScript runtime
- Caches parsed templates for faster repeated rendering

## Architecture Overview
Mustache.js parses template strings into an array of tokens using a scanner that identifies tags delimited by double curly braces. The parsed token tree is cached by template string, so subsequent renders of the same template skip parsing. A writer object walks the token tree and resolves values from a context stack that supports nested lookups.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via npm or include directly from a CDN in the browser
- Call Mustache.render(template, view, partials) for one-step rendering
- Use Mustache.parse(template) to pre-cache templates for repeated use
- Pass partials as a plain object mapping partial names to template strings
- Customize tag delimiters with the Set Delimiter tag if curly braces conflict

## Key Features
- Spec-compliant implementation compatible with Mustache templates from any language
- Zero dependencies and small footprint suitable for embedding anywhere
- Template caching for efficient repeated rendering of the same template
- Partial support for composable, reusable template fragments
- Works isomorphically across server-side and client-side JavaScript

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Handlebars** — extends Mustache syntax with helpers and block expressions; larger bundle size
- **EJS** — embedded JavaScript templates allowing arbitrary JS logic; not logic-less
- **Nunjucks** — Mozilla jinja2-inspired engine with filters, macros, and async support; more feature-rich
- **Pug** — indentation-based HTML templating with mixins; different syntax philosophy

## FAQ
**Q: Can Mustache.js handle asynchronous data?**
A: No, Mustache.render is synchronous. Resolve async data before passing it to the render call.

**Q: Are lambdas supported in sections?**
A: Yes, if a section value is a function, Mustache.js calls it with the raw template text and a render function.

**Q: Can I use Mustache.js with TypeScript?**
A: Yes, type definitions are available via @types/mustache on npm.

**Q: How do I escape HTML in output?**
A: Double curly braces {{var}} auto-escape HTML. Use triple braces {{{var}}} for unescaped output.

## Sources
- https://github.com/janl/mustache.js
- https://mustache.github.io/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-e86a971b
Author: Script Depot