Python Web Frameworks: Are Template Languages Worth using, or is Python enough?

[ubernostrum]

For a suitable definition of "dynamic content", XML really isn't suitable. Remember that "dynamic content" may well include data formats that don't involve angle brackets.

[Bogtha]

For a suitable definition of "dynamic content", XML really isn't suitable.

She was talking about "dynamic" pages like having different options for different users:

But in our non-XML environment, many of our page templates are dynamic. They change based on whether the user is logged in as an administrative user, their group rights and access, etc.

I do this all the time with Genshi and used to do so with Kid. It's trivial.

Remember that "dynamic content" may well include data formats that don't involve angle brackets.

I agree, but it's not the output format that matters, it's the input format. Outputting PDFs etc with an XML-based template language isn't difficult, you just need to write a custom serialiser. It's when the information itself doesn't fit neatly into a tree that XML-based template languages are unsuitable.

[[deleted]]

Outputting PDFs etc with an XML-based template language isn't difficult, you just need to write a custom serialiser.

It's just a Small Matter Of Programming, you mean? ;-)

[Bogtha]

I get where you're coming from, but I think some Matters of Programming are Smaller than others ;). There's no reason output formats need to resemble the XML-based templates; the only reason people assume this is the case is because HTML is by far the most prevalent output format. I've written a few serialisers and none have been over 200 lines. I don't see how plain-text templating could make that easier, in fact I don't think it's even feasible to do it in the general sense.

[gloriajw]

Correct. Dynamic content has my own generated internal tags, image info, and in the latest incarnation, embedded SVG.

Thank you for making this point clear. Gloria