JavaScript template language shootoff (v698)

Revision 698 of this benchmark created on

Description

A brief comparison of some JavaScript templating engines on a short template: 6 header tags, and 10 list items.

Note: When adding a new test, please ensure that your test returns the same HTML string (or equivalent DOM fragment) as the others. Note2: @AndrewF why did you delete the latest two changes? Any comments?

Preparation HTML

<script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1/jquery.min.js"></script>

<script src="http://documentcloud.github.com/underscore/underscore.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/janl/mustache.js/raw/master/mustache.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/pvande/Milk/raw/gh-pages/milk.js"></script>

<script src="http://terrainformatica.com/kite/kite.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/downloads/wycats/handlebars.js/handlebars-0.9.0.pre.4.js"></script>

<script src="http://gist.github.com/raw/550881/29bb186167079c0b33ab6e9d50d779f37860cfa4/micro.js"></script>

<script src="http://gist.github.com/raw/860205/8444586913ab249c619671b8f5054fc92dddf643/micro2.js"></script>

<script src="http://gist.github.com/raw/860240/cd98cacbdeee7eb2cfb2ca3ca76638dae2a5b1af/micro3.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/creationix/haml-js/raw/master/lib/haml.js"></script>

<script src="http://jashkenas.github.com/coffee-script/extras/coffee-script.js"></script>
<script src="http://sstephenson.github.com/eco/dist/eco.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/jquery/jquery-tmpl/raw/master/jquery.tmpl.min.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/olado/doT/raw/master/doT.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/olado/doT/raw/master/doU.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/aefxx/jQote2/raw/69b2053a13f5f180e696de9b3dba856a3c00678c/jquery.jqote2.js"></script>

<script src="http://embeddedjavascript.googlecode.com/files/ejs_0.9_alpha_1_production.js"></script>

<script src="http://github.com/pure/pure/raw/master/libs/pure.js"></script>
<div class="pure">
    <h1 class='header'></h1>
    <h2 class='header2'></h2>
    <h3 class='header3'></h3>
    <h4 class='header4'></h4>
    <h5 class='header5'></h5>
    <h6 class='header6'></h6>
    <ul class='list'>
        <li class='item'></li>
    </ul>
</div>

<script src="http://github.com/douglascrockford/JSON-js/raw/master/json2.js"></script>

<script src="http://akdubya.github.com/dustjs/dist/dust-full-0.3.0.min.js"></script>

<script src="https://github.com/hij1nx/weld/raw/0.2.0/lib/weld.js"></script>

<div class="weld">
    <h1 class='header'></h1>
    <h2 class='header2'></h2>
    <h3 class='header3'></h3>
    <h4 class='header4'></h4>
    <h5 class='header5'></h5>
    <h6 class='header6'></h6>
    <ul class='list'>
        <li class='item'></li>
    </ul>
</div>
<script>
// most methods are chainable unless otherwise specified (e.g _renderHTML(), getRender())
    var Template = function(options) {
        var
            self = this
            ,defaults = {
                template: null, data: null, container: null, insertMethod: 'appendTo', autoRender: false, autoInject: true
            };

        // allow param to be a single string declaring the template file name to use, or an options object
        options = (_.isString(options)) ? { template: options } : options;

        // apply defaults
        this.cfg = $.extend({}, defaults, options);

        // empty cache
        this.cache = null;

        // auto render if applicable
        if (this.cfg.autoRender) this.render();

        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.setData = function(data) {
        this.cfg.data = data;
        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.addData = function(data) {
        this.cfg.data = $.extend(true, {}, this.data, data);
        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.setTemplate = function(tpl) {
        this.cfg.template = tpl;
        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.appendTo = function(selector) {
        if (this.cache) $(selector).append(this.cache);
        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.prependTo = function(selector) {
        if (this.cache) $(selector).prepend(this.cache);
        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.after = function(selector) {
        if (this.cache) $(selector).after(this.cache);
        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.before = function(selector) {
        if (this.cache) $(selector).before(this.cache);
        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.renderTo = function(selector) {
        if (this.cache) $(selector).html(this.cache);
        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.render = function(data) {
        data = data || this.cfg.data || null;

        // error... can't render without a template
        if (!this.cfg.template) _.appError('Template.js:render() -- this.cfg.template is undefined');

        // caches rendered template
        this.cache = (data) ? this._renderHTML(this.cfg.template, data) : this.cfg.template;

        // auto injects template into DOM
        if (this.cfg.autoInject) this.inject();

        return this;
    };

    Template.prototype.inject = function() {
        var
            container = this.cfg.container
            ,method = this.cfg.insertMethod;

        if (container && this[method]) return this[method](container);
    };

    // doesn't allow chaining -- returns rendered template (uses cached version if available)
    Template.prototype.getRender = function() {
        if (!this.cache) this.render();
        return this.cache;
    };

    // doesn't allow chaining -- returns rendered HTML
    Template.prototype._renderHTML = function(html, data) {
        data = data || {};

        // interpolates {{variable}} in HTML templates
        if (_.isString(html)) {
            return html.replace(/{{([^{}]*)}}/g, function(a, b) {
                var r = data[b];
                if (_.isFunction(r.render)) r = r.getRender();
                return _.isString(r) || _.isNumber(r) ? r : a;
            });
        }
    };
</script>

<script>
  window.myTpl = "<div><h1 class='header'>{{header}}</h1><h2 class='header2'>{{header2}}</h2><h3 class='header3'>{{header3}}</h3><h4 class='header4'>{{header4}}</h4><h5 class='header5'>{{header5}}</h5><h6 class='header6'>{{header6}}</h6><ul class='list'>{{list}}<li class='item'>{{.}}</li>{{/list}}</ul></div>";

  window.mustacheTemplate = "<div><h1 class='header'>{{header}}</h1><h2 class='header2'>{{header2}}</h2><h3 class='header3'>{{header3}}</h3><h4 class='header4'>{{header4}}</h4><h5 class='header5'>{{header5}}</h5><h6 class='header6'>{{header6}}</h6><ul class='list'>{{#list}}<li class='item'>{{.}}</li>{{/list}}</ul></div>";
  
  // note: exactly the same as the mustacheTemplate above.
  window.kiteTemplate = "<div><h1 class='header'>{{header}}</h1><h2 class='header2'>{{header2}}</h2><h3 class='header3'>{{header3}}</h3><h4 class='header4'>{{header4}}</h4><h5 class='header5'>{{header5}}</h5><h6 class='header6'>{{header6}}</h6><ul class='list'>{{#list}}<li class='item'>{{.}}</li>{{/list}}</ul></div>";
  window.kiteCompiledTemplate = kite(kiteTemplate); // seems like others are testing compiled versions.
  window.handlebarsTemplate = Handlebars.compile("<div><h1 class='header'>{{header}}</h1><h2 class='header2'>{{header2}}</h2><h3 class='header3'>{{header3}}</h3><h4 class='header4'>{{header4}}</h4><h5 class='header5'>{{header5}}</h5><h6 class='header6'>{{header6}}</h6><ul class='list'>{{#each list}}<li class='item'>{{this}}</li>{{/each}}</ul></div>");
  
  window.micro = "<div><h1 class='header'><%= header %></h1><h2 class='header2'><%= header2 %></h2><h3 class='header3'><%= header3 %></h3><h4 class='header4'><%= header4 %></h4><h5 class='header5'><%= header5 %></h5><h6 class='header6'><%= header6 %></h6><ul class='list'><% for (var i = 0, l = list.length; i < l; i++) { %><li class='item'><%= list[i] %></li><% } %></ul></div>";
  
  window.micro2 = "<div><h1 class='header'><%= data.header %></h1><h2 class='header2'><%= data.header2 %></h2><h3 class='header3'><%= data.header3 %></h3><h4 class='header4'><%= data.header4 %></h4><h5 class='header5'><%= data.header5 %></h5><h6 class='header6'><%= data.header6 %></h6><ul class='list'><% for (var i = 0, l = data.list.length; i < l; i++) { %><li class='item'><%= data.list[i] %></li><% } %></ul></div>";
  
  
  window.underscoreTemplate = _.template(micro);
  
  window.resigTemplate = tmpl(micro);
  
  window.resigTemplate2 = tmpl2(micro2);
  
  window.resigTemplate3 = tmpl3(micro2);
  
  window.sharedVariables = {
   header: "Header",
   header2: "Header2",
   header3: "Header3",
   header4: "Header4",
   header5: "Header5",
   header6: "Header6",
   list: ['1', '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '7', '8', '9', '10']
  };
  
  window.jadeTemplate = "div\n  h1.header!= header\n  h2.header2!= header2\n  h3.header3!= header3\n  h4.header4!= header4\n  h5.header5!= header5\n  h6.header6!= header6\n  ul.list\n    - each item in list\n      li.item!= item";
  
  window.hamlTemplate = Haml("%div\n  %h1.header= header\n  %h2.header2= header2\n  %h3.header3= header3\n  %h4.header4= header4\n  %h5.header5= header5\n  %h6.header6= header6\n  %ul.list\n    :each item in list\n      %li.item= item");
  
  window.ecoTemplate = eco("<div><h1 class='header'><%- @header %></h1><h2 class='header2'><%- @header2 %></h2><h3 class='header3'><%- @header3 %></h3><h4 class='header4'><%- @header4 %></h4><h5 class='header5'><%- @header5 %></h5><h6 class='header6'><%- @header6 %></h6><ul class='list'><% for item in @list: %><li class='item'><%- item %></li><% end %></ul></div>");
  
  window.jQueryTemplate = $.template(null, "<div><h1 class='header'>{{html header}}</h1><h2 class='header2'>{{html header2}}</h2><h3 class='header3'>{{html header3}}</h3><h4 class='header4'>{{html header4}}</h4><h5 class='header5'>{{html header5}}</h5><h6 class='header6'>{{html header6}}</h6><ul class='list'>{{each list}}<li class='item'>{{html $value}}</li>{{/each}}</ul></div>");
  
  window.doTtemplate = doT.template("<div><h1 class='header'>{{= it.header }}</h1><h2 class='header2'>{{= it.header2 }}</h2><h3 class='header3'>{{= it.header3 }}</h3><h4 class='header4'>{{= it.header4 }}</h4><h5 class='header5'>{{= it.header5 }}</h5><h6 class='header6'>{{= it.header6 }}</h6><ul class='list'>{{ for (var i = 0, l = it.list.length; i < l; i++) { }}<li class='item'>{{= it.list[i] }}</li>{{ } }}</ul></div>");
  
  window.doUtemplate = doU.template("<div><h1 class='header'>{{= it.header }}</h1><h2 class='header2'>{{= it.header2 }}</h2><h3 class='header3'>{{= it.header3 }}</h3><h4 class='header4'>{{= it.header4 }}</h4><h5 class='header5'>{{= it.header5 }}</h5><h6 class='header6'>{{= it.header6 }}</h6><ul class='list'>{{ for (var i = 0, l = it.list.length; i < l; i++) { }}<li class='item'>{{= it.list[i] }}</li>{{ } }}</ul></div>");
  
  window.jqote_tmpl = "<div><h1 class='header'><%= this.header %></h1><h2 class='header2'><%= this.header2 %></h2><h3 class='header3'><%= this.header3 %></h3><h4 class='header4'><%= this.header4 %></h4><h5 class='header5'><%= this.header5 %></h5><h6 class='header6'><%= this.header6 %></h6><ul class='list'><% for (var n = 0, l = this.list.length; n < l; n++) { %><li class='item'><%= this.list[n] %></li><% } %></ul></div>";
  
  window.jqote2 = $.jqotec(jqote_tmpl);
  
  window.ejs = new EJS({
   text: micro
  });
  
  window.baseHtml = "<div><h1 class='header'></h1><h2 class='header2'></h2><h3 class='header3'></h3><h4 class='header4'></h4><h5 class='header5'></h5><h6 class='header6'></h6><ul class='list'><li class='item'></li></ul></div>";
  
  window.pureTemplate = $p('div.pure').compile({
   h1: 'header',
   h2: 'header2',
   h3: 'header3',
   h4: 'header4',
   h5: 'header5',
   h6: 'header6',
   li: {
    'itm<-list': {
     '.': 'itm'
    }
   }
  });
  
  window.hamlTemplate_2 = "%div\n  %h1.header= header\n  %h2.header2= header2\n  %h3.header3= header3\n  %h4.header4= header4\n  %h5.header5= header5\n  %h6.header6= header6\n  %ul.list\n    :each item in list\n      %li.item= item";
  window.hamlCompiled = Haml.compile(hamlTemplate_2);
  window.hamlOptimized = Haml.optimize(hamlCompiled);
  
  dust.loadSource(dust.compile("<div><h1 class='header'>{header}</h1><h2 class='header2'>{header2}</h2><h3 class='header3'>{header3}</h3><h4 class='header4'>{header4}</h4><h5 class='header5'>{header5}</h5><h6 class='header6'>{header6}</h6><ul class='list'>{#list}<li class='item'>{.}</li>{/list}</ul></div>", "dustTemplate"));
  
  window.weldTemplate = $('.weld')[0];
</script>

Test runner

Ready to run.

Testing in
TestOps/sec
Mustache.js Template
Mustache.to_html(mustacheTemplate, sharedVariables);
ready
Resig Micro-Templating.
resigTemplate(sharedVariables);
ready
MyTemplate
new Template({template: myTpl, data: sharedVariables});
ready
Underscore.js Template
underscoreTemplate(sharedVariables);
ready
jQuery Templates
jQueryTemplate($, {
 data: sharedVariables
}).join("");
ready
Handlebars.js
handlebarsTemplate(sharedVariables);
ready
doT.js
doTtemplate(sharedVariables);
ready
ejs
ejs.render(sharedVariables);
ready
Pure
pureTemplate(sharedVariables);
ready
dust
var done = false;

while (!done) {
 // Need better way to benchmark asynchronous functions
 dust.render("dustTemplate", sharedVariables, function() {
  done = true;
 });
}
ready
Resig Micro-Templating without with(obj)
resigTemplate2(sharedVariables);
ready
Resig Micro-Templating with += instead of push and join
resigTemplate3(sharedVariables);
ready

Revisions

You can edit these tests or add more tests to this page by appending /edit to the URL.