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What is the element, and how do I use it to define reusable HTML snippets?
What is the element, and how do I use it to define reusable HTML snippets?
Jun 20, 2025 am 09:17 AM
The element in HTML allows developers to define reusable, non-rendered HTML content that can be dynamically inserted into the DOM using JavaScript. This element is useful for organizing and managing UI components without duplicating code. 1) Content inside is parsed but not displayed until cloned and inserted via JavaScript. 2) Templates are defined by wrapping HTML in a tag with an ID for easy access. 3) JavaScript is used to clone the template content, populate dynamic data, and append it to the DOM as needed. 4) Templates are ideal for generating repeated or dynamic elements such as list items, user cards, or Web Components, keeping both HTML and JavaScript clean and maintainable.
The <template></template> element in HTML is a handy tool for storing HTML content that isn't rendered immediately when the page loads but can be reused later via JavaScript. It’s perfect for defining reusable UI components or snippets without duplicating code.
Here’s how you can actually put it to use.
What the <template></template> tag does
The main thing to know is: anything inside <template></template> won’t show up on the page by default. The browser parses it, but doesn’t render it until you tell it to using JavaScript.
This is super useful because:
- You can define chunks of HTML once
- Keep your markup clean and organized
- Avoid repeating similar blocks of HTML multiple times
Think of it like a blueprint — you define what something looks like, but you decide when and where to stamp it into the live DOM.
How to set up a template in HTML
Using it is straightforward. Just wrap your HTML snippet inside a <template></template> tag:
<template id="user-card">
<div class="card">
<h3></h3>
<p></p>
</div>
</template>You usually give it an id so you can find and clone it easily with JavaScript. This example defines a simple user card structure with placeholders for a name and description.
Cloning and inserting the template with JavaScript
To actually use your template, you need to:
- Access the template by ID
- Clone its contents
- Fill in dynamic data (if needed)
- Insert it into the DOM
Here's a basic version of how that looks:
const template = document.getElementById('user-card');
const clone = template.content.cloneNode(true);
clone.querySelector('h3').textContent = 'Jane Doe';
clone.querySelector('p').textContent = 'Software Developer';
document.body.appendChild(clone);A few notes:
-
cloneNode(true)copies everything inside the template, including child elements and text - Always work with a clone, not the original template content
- You can do this multiple times — each time you get a fresh copy
When to use templates instead of just writing HTML directly
Templates really shine when:
- You're generating similar elements dynamically (like list items or cards)
- You want to keep your HTML readable and avoid huge strings in JavaScript
- You're building a component system without a framework
For example, if you're fetching user data from an API and displaying a list of profiles, templates help you avoid messy string concatenation or repeated DOM creation steps.
They’re also a good fit for Web Components, where reusability and encapsulation are key.
So yeah, the <template></template> element is pretty low-key, but really useful once you start working with dynamic content. It keeps your HTML cleaner and makes it easier to manage reusable parts without repeating yourself.
That’s basically it — no magic, just smart organization.
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