Instant Handlebars.js

By Gabriel Manricks

In Detail

Handlebars is one of the leading JavaScript templating engines and is quickly gaining widespread adoption by developers, as well as with frameworks like Ember.js and Meteor.

"Instant Handlebars.js" is a complete guide to the Handlebars library filled with internal concepts and practical examples that will help illustrate what's going on and take you from a complete beginner to a Handlebars expert.

"Instant Handlebars.js" begins with the very basics, requiring no previous knowledge about templating engines. Throughout the course of this book, you get a thorough tour of all the features available in Handlebars.js and you will learn how to organize your websites for both development and production.

In this book, we will cover how to create templates with both placeholders and helpers. We will then go into organizing your projects for rapid-development using Require.js and how to optimize and compile your projects for production. To finish off, you will learn how to annotate your code and leave debug points so that you can easily maintain and troubleshoot your code in the future.

Handlebars is a small library;, it is meant to fill a specific need and it does this well. "Instant Handlebars.js" takes a very methodical approach to cover every aspect of this amazing library with practical examples provided every step of the way.

Approach

Get to grips with a new technology, understand what it is and what it can do for you, and then get to work with the most important features and tasks. This book is a step-by-step guide to installing and creating your own JavaScript templates using Handlebars.js.

Who this book is for

This book is aimed at people who have a general knowledge of JavaScript and HTML. No knowledge of templating engines is required.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Release date: Sep 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781783282661

Gabriel Manricks

Gabriel Manricks is a full-stack software and web developer focusing on PHP and both frontend and server-side JavaScript frameworks. Gabriel works as a staff writer for NetTuts+, where he enjoys learning as well as teaching others. He is also a freelancer in web consulting, development, and writing.

Book preview

Table of Contents

Instant Handlebars.js

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewers

www.PacktPub.com

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1. Instant Handlebars.js

So, what is Handlebars?

The syntax

Installation

Downloading the Handlebars library

Precompiling templates

Quick start – creating your first template

Preparing the project

Block helpers

Top 6 features you need to know about

Expressions

Helpers

Partials

Structuring a Handlebars app

Precompilation

Logging and comments

People and places you should get to know

Official sites

Community

Frameworks

Twitter

Instant Handlebars.js

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Instant Handlebars.js

Copyright © 2013 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: September 2013

Production Reference: 1240913

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

35 Livery Street

Birmingham B3 2PB, UK.

ISBN 978-1-78328-265-4

www.packtpub.com

Credits

Author

Gabriel Manricks

Reviewers

Jonathan Christopher

Nuno Oliveira

Acquisition Editor

Rubal Kaur

Commissioning Editor

Llewellyn Rozario

Technical Editor

Dipika Gaonkar

Project Coordinator

Sageer Parkar

Proofreader

Julie Blake

Production Coordinator

Aparna Bhagat

Cover Work

Aparna Bhagat

Cover Image

Sheetal Aute

About the Author

Gabriel Manricks is a full stack software & web developer focusing on PHP and both frontend and server-side JavaScript frameworks.

Gabriel works as a staff writer for NetTuts+, where he enjoys learning as well as teaching others, and he also freelances in web consulting, development, and writing.

About the Reviewers

Jonathan Christopher is a developer living in upstate New York with his wife Carrie and their son Micah. He focuses on both frontend and server-side development for his company Iron to Iron (http://irontoiron.com). He writes for Monday By Noon (http://mondaybynoon.com) and has also authored Client Oriented WordPress Development (https://clientwp.com).

Nuno Oliveira is a software engineer with over 10 years of professional experience. A windows developer for many years, he has an extensive background in the full life cycle of the software development process. He now concentrates on web development, working with ASP.net, PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. He currently lives in London, United Kingdom. You can always find him on twitter at @nm_oliveira.

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Chapter 1. Instant Handlebars.js

Welcome to the Instant Handlebars.js, in this book we will be taking a thorough look through this amazing templating library, as well as ways to manage your projects and optimize them for production.

This book contains the following sections:

So, what is Handlebars?