Jade to HTML refers to the process of converting a Jade (now known as PUG) file into standard HTML. Jade was the original name for the PUG templating engine, which later rebranded to PUG. The steps for converting Jade to HTML are similar to converting PUG to HTML, as they both belong to the same templating family.
1. Jade (PUG) Syntax Example:
Here's an example of Jade code, which uses a clean, indentation-based syntax to define HTML structure.
Jade Code:
jade
doctype html
html
head
title Jade to HTML Example
body
h1 Welcome to Jade!
p This is a paragraph in Jade.
2. Jade to HTML Conversion:
The above Jade code, when converted to HTML, would result in the following standard HTML structure:
Generated HTML Code:
html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Jade to HTML Example</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to Jade!</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph in Jade.</p>
</body>
</html>
3. Steps to Convert Jade to HTML:
Install Jade (PUG) Compiler: To compile Jade into HTML, you can use the PUG compiler, which is an updated version of Jade. This can be done either by installing it locally or globally with npm (Node.js package manager).
Globally:
bash
npm install pug-cli -g
Locally (for your project):
bash
npm install pug --save-dev
Use Command Line to Convert: Once you have the PUG/Jade compiler installed, you can run the following command to convert your Jade file into HTML.
bash
pug yourfile.jade
This will generate an HTML file based on the Jade syntax.
4. Automating Jade to HTML Conversion:
In a project, you can automate the conversion process using task runners like Gulp or Webpack. These tools can watch for changes in your .jade files and automatically compile them into HTML files.
5. Jade Features That Simplify HTML Code:
No Closing Tags: Jade omits the need for closing tags. For example, instead of writing <h1>...</h1>, you simply write h1 ....
Indentation-Based Structure: Jade uses indentation to define the structure of the document rather than using opening and closing tags.
Dynamic Content: Jade allows you to insert dynamic content with variables, loops, and conditionals.
6. Why Use Jade/PUG (instead of raw HTML)?
Clean and concise syntax: Jade/PUG allows for easier-to-read, minimalistic code.
Template Reusability: Jade supports mixins, includes, and inheritance, making it easy to reuse components.
Dynamic Content: You can generate dynamic HTML with loops, conditionals, and variables directly inside the template.
7. Jade Example with Variables and Loops:
Jade Code (with variables and loops):
jade
ul
each item in items
li= item
Generated HTML (from the Jade example above):
html
<ul>
<li>Item 1</li>
<li>Item 2</li>
<li>Item 3</li>
</ul>
Summary:
Jade to HTML involves converting a Jade file (which uses a simplified syntax) into standard HTML that browsers can render. Since Jade is an older version of the PUG templating engine, the process is the same for both. Tools like pug-cli or npm packages can help automate the conversion process, and features like indentation and dynamic content generation make it easier to write and maintain HTML in large projects.