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Handlebars.js vs Pug: What are the differences?

Handlebars.js and Pug are both popular template engines used in web development. Let's explore the key differences between them.

  1. Syntax: One of the main differences between Handlebars.js and Pug is the syntax they use. Handlebars.js follows a logic-less syntax with double curly braces {{}} to denote variables and expressions. On the other hand, Pug uses indentation-based syntax with significant whitespace, which makes it more compact and visually appealing.

  2. Complexity: Handlebars.js is relatively simpler to learn and use as compared to Pug. It has a straightforward syntax and does not involve complex concepts like mixins or filters. In contrast, Pug has a steeper learning curve and may require more effort to master due to its advanced features and unique syntax.

  3. Extensibility: Handlebars.js provides a range of helper functions and allows developers to create custom helpers for more complex requirements. It offers a flexible environment for extending functionality. Pug, on the other hand, has a limited set of built-in features and fewer extensibility options, making it less suitable for complex applications.

  4. Whitespace handling: Handlebars.js preserves all the whitespaces within the template, which makes it more suitable for preserving the original formatting of the HTML code. In comparison, Pug automatically removes unnecessary whitespace by default, resulting in a more compact output.

  5. Conditional statements: Handlebars.js provides support for conditional statements using {{#if}} and {{#else}} constructs. It allows developers to control the rendering of different parts of the template based on conditions. Pug also offers conditional statements but with a different syntax using indentation and hyphens, which may take some time to get used to for developers familiar with Handlebars.js.

  6. Error handling: Handlebars.js provides meaningful error messages and detailed stack traces when encountering syntax errors or runtime issues, making it easier to debug and troubleshoot. On the other hand, Pug's error messages can sometimes be less clear and may require more effort to identify and rectify issues.

In summary, Handlebars.js focuses on simplicity and logic-less templates, while Pug (formerly Jade) offers a concise and expressive syntax with significant whitespace, allowing for more streamlined HTML markup in templates.

Advice on Handlebars.js and Pug
Asad Gilani
Software Engineer at Lisec Automation · | 5 upvotes · 202.1K views
Needs advice
on
Handlebars.jsHandlebars.js
and
LiquidLiquid

@All: I am searching for the best template engine for .NET. I started looking into several template engines, including the Dotliquid, Handlebars.js, Scriban, and Razorlight. I found handlebar a bit difficult to use when using the loops and condition because you need to register for helper first. DotLiquid and Scriban were easy to use and in Razorlight I did not find the example for loops.

Can you please suggest which template engine is best suited for the use of conditional/list and looping and why? Or if anybody could provide me a resource or link where I can compare which is best?

Thanks In Advance

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Replies (1)
Josh Lind
Recommends
on
Handlebars.jsHandlebars.js

I like Handlebars, it's very mature... some would say-- outdated.

Handlebars loops are done via {{#each myList}}. Read the docs! https://handlebarsjs.com/guide

Remember, don't put logic in your templates! Keep this layer simple. Sorry to hear you have to use dotNet.

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Pros of Handlebars.js
Pros of Pug
  • 106
    Simple
  • 77
    Great templating language
  • 50
    Open source
  • 36
    Logicless
  • 20
    Integrates well into any codebase
  • 10
    Easy to create helper methods for complex scenarios
  • 7
    Created by Yehuda Katz
  • 2
    Easy For Fornt End Developers,learn backend
  • 1
    Awesome
  • 138
    Elegant html
  • 90
    Great with nodejs
  • 59
    Open source
  • 59
    Very short syntax
  • 54
    Structured with indentation
  • 25
    Free
  • 6
    Really similar to Slim (from Ruby fame)
  • 6
    It's not HAML
  • 6
    Gulp
  • 5
    Clean syntax
  • 5
    Readable code
  • 5
    Easy setup
  • 5
    Difficult For Front End Developers,learn backend
  • 4
    Disdain for angled brackets

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What is Handlebars.js?

Handlebars.js is an extension to the Mustache templating language created by Chris Wanstrath. Handlebars.js and Mustache are both logicless templating languages that keep the view and the code separated like we all know they should be.

What is Pug?

This project was formerly known as "Jade." Pug is a high performance template engine heavily influenced by Haml and implemented with JavaScript for Node.js and browsers.

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Blog Posts

Jun 19 2015 at 6:37AM

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What are some alternatives to Handlebars.js and Pug?
AngularJS
AngularJS lets you write client-side web applications as if you had a smarter browser. It lets you use good old HTML (or HAML, Jade and friends!) as your template language and lets you extend HTML’s syntax to express your application’s components clearly and succinctly. It automatically synchronizes data from your UI (view) with your JavaScript objects (model) through 2-way data binding.
Mustache
Mustache is a logic-less template syntax. It can be used for HTML, config files, source code - anything. It works by expanding tags in a template using values provided in a hash or object. We call it "logic-less" because there are no if statements, else clauses, or for loops. Instead there are only tags. Some tags are replaced with a value, some nothing, and others a series of values.
React
Lots of people use React as the V in MVC. Since React makes no assumptions about the rest of your technology stack, it's easy to try it out on a small feature in an existing project.
Underscore
A JavaScript library that provides a whole mess of useful functional programming helpers without extending any built-in objects.
doT.js
It is a fastest and concise javascript template engine for Node.js and browsers. It was created in search of the fastest and concise JavaScript templating function with emphasis on performance under V8 and Node.js. It shows great performance for both Node.js and browsers.
See all alternatives