Converting HTML to Jade (now known as PUG) involves rewriting HTML code in the simpler, more concise syntax used by Jade/PUG. Jade (PUG) removes the need for closing tags, uses indentation to structure elements, and allows for dynamic content generation.
Example of Converting HTML to Jade
Let's take an example of a simple HTML file and convert it into Jade.
1. HTML Code:
html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>HTML to Jade Example</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to Jade</h1>
<p>This is an example of HTML to Jade conversion.</p>
</body>
</html>
2. Converted Jade Code:
jade
doctype html
html
head
title HTML to Jade Example
body
h1 Welcome to Jade
p This is an example of HTML to Jade conversion.
Key Differences Between HTML and Jade:
No Closing Tags:
In HTML, tags need to be closed, such as </h1>, </body>.
In Jade, closing tags are not needed; the structure is determined by indentation.
HTML:
html
<h1>Welcome</h1>
Jade:
jade
h1 Welcome
Indentation:
In HTML, elements are nested inside other elements.
In Jade, nesting is done by using indentation instead of opening/closing tags.
HTML:
html
<div>
<p>Some content</p>
</div>
Jade:
jade
div
p Some content
Attributes:
In HTML, attributes like class or id are written within tags.
In Jade, attributes go inside parentheses next to the element.
HTML:
html
<a href="https://example.com">Click here</a>
Jade:
jade
a(href="https://example.com") Click here
Self-closing Tags:
In HTML, tags like <img /> are self-closing.
In Jade, these are written without the closing / but still indicate they are self-closing.
HTML:
html
<img src="image.jpg" />
Jade:
jade
img(src="image.jpg")
Example 2: Complex HTML to Jade Conversion
HTML Code:
html
<div class="container">
<ul>
<li><a href="#">Item 1</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Item 2</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Item 3</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Converted Jade Code:
jade
.container
ul
li
a(href="#") Item 1
li
a(href="#") Item 2
li
a(href="#") Item 3
Tips for Converting HTML to Jade:
Remove All Closing Tags: Jade does not require closing tags. If you have a <div></div> structure in HTML, simply use indentation in Jade:
jade
div
p Some text here
Use Indentation for Nesting: The child elements are nested based on indentation in Jade, not inside tags.
Convert Attributes: Move attributes into parentheses after the element name. If an element has multiple attributes, separate them with spaces.
HTML:
html
<img src="image.jpg" alt="A photo" />
Jade:
jade
img(src="image.jpg" alt="A photo")
Self-Closing Tags: For self-closing tags, use the syntax element(attribute) without the /.
Classes and IDs: For classes and IDs in Jade, simply prefix them with a . for class or # for ID.
HTML:
html
<div id="header" class="main-header">
<p>Some content</p>
</div>
Jade:
jade
#header.main-header
p Some content
Tools to Convert HTML to Jade:
If you don't want to manually convert HTML to Jade, there are some tools available for the job:
Online converters like html2jade
html2jade npm package can be used in the command line to convert HTML to Jade automatically:
bash
npm install html2jade -g
html2jade yourfile.html
Summary:
Converting HTML to Jade involves simplifying the syntax by removing closing tags, using indentation, and writing attributes in parentheses. This makes Jade code more concise and readable, which is especially useful when working with dynamic templates and larger projects. You can also use automated tools to speed up the conversion process.