Appendix D. The Template Toolkit

This appendix provides an introduction to the Template Toolkit, a fast, flexible, powerful, and extensible template processing system written in Perl.^[1] It is ideally suited for use in creating highly customized static and dynamic web pages and for building Perl-based web applications. This appendix explains how to get the best out of the Template Toolkit under mod_perl (although the Template Toolkit is in no way limited to use under mod_perl). All the example code is available for download from this book's web site (http://www.modperl.com/).

^[1] There are also some optional components written in C for speed, but you don't need to use them if you're looking for a pure Perl solution.

This appendix's goal is to give you a flavor of what the Template Toolkit can do for you and your web sites. It is by no means comprehensive, and you're strongly urged to consult the copious documentation that is bundled with the Perl modules or available for browsing online at the Template Toolkit web site: http://template-toolkit.org/.