Bengal supports custom template engines through a protocol-based interface. Your engine automatically gets access to all 200+ template functions, filters, and tests (74 global functions, 135 filters, and 6 tests).
Required Protocols
Bengal defines two protocols for template engines:
TemplateEnvironment Protocol
Your engine's environment object must satisfy this protocol for template function registration:
from typing import Protocol, MutableMapping, Callable, Any
class TemplateEnvironment(Protocol):
"""Minimal interface for template function registration."""
globals: MutableMapping[str, Any] # Global variables
filters: MutableMapping[str, Callable] # Filter functions
tests: MutableMapping[str, Callable] # Test functions
If your environment has globals, filters, and testsas dict-like attributes, Bengal automatically registers:
- 200+ template functions, filters, and tests (74 globals, 135 filters, 6 tests)
- String functions (truncate, slugify, markdownify, strip_html, etc.)
- Collection functions (sort_by, group_by, where, first, last, etc.)
- Date/time filters (strftime, relative_date, days_ago, etc.)
- Navigation helpers (breadcrumbs, toc, auto_nav, etc.)
- SEO/sharing functions (meta tags, Open Graph, social sharing URLs)
- And much more...
TemplateEngine Protocol
For a complete engine implementation:
from bengal.protocols import TemplateEngine, EngineCapability
class MyEngine:
"""Custom template engine implementation."""
site: Site
template_dirs: list[Path]
def render_template(self, name: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
"""Render a named template."""
...
def render_string(self, template: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
"""Render an inline template string."""
...
def template_exists(self, name: str) -> bool:
"""Check if template exists."""
...
def get_template_path(self, name: str) -> Path | None:
"""Resolve template to filesystem path."""
...
def list_templates(self) -> list[str]:
"""List all available templates."""
...
def validate(self, patterns: list[str] | None = None) -> list[TemplateError]:
"""Validate templates for syntax errors."""
...
@property
def capabilities(self) -> EngineCapability:
"""Return supported capabilities."""
return EngineCapability.NONE
def has_capability(self, cap: EngineCapability) -> bool:
return cap in self.capabilities
Step-by-Step Implementation
- 1
Create Your Environment Class
# my_engine/environment.py from collections.abc import MutableMapping from typing import Any, Callable class MyEnvironment: """Template environment that satisfies TemplateEnvironment protocol.""" def __init__(self): # These three attributes are REQUIRED for protocol compliance self.globals: dict[str, Any] = {} self.filters: dict[str, Callable[..., Any]] = {} self.tests: dict[str, Callable[..., bool]] = {} # Your engine-specific setup self._templates: dict[str, str] = {} def add_global(self, name: str, value: Any) -> None: """Add a global variable.""" self.globals[name] = value def add_filter(self, name: str, func: Callable) -> None: """Add a filter function.""" self.filters[name] = func def add_test(self, name: str, func: Callable) -> None: """Add a test function.""" self.tests[name] = func - 2
Create Your Engine Class
# my_engine/engine.py from pathlib import Path from typing import Any from bengal.core import Site from bengal.protocols import EngineCapability from bengal.rendering.engines.errors import TemplateError, TemplateNotFoundError from bengal.rendering.template_functions import register_all from .environment import MyEnvironment class MyEngine: """Custom template engine implementation.""" def __init__(self, site: Site): self.site = site self.template_dirs = self._build_template_dirs() # Create environment that satisfies TemplateEnvironment protocol self._env = MyEnvironment() # Register all 200+ Bengal template functions, filters, and tests automatically! register_all(self._env, site, engine_type="generic") def _build_template_dirs(self) -> list[Path]: """Build ordered list of template directories.""" dirs = [] # Project templates (highest priority) project_templates = self.site.root_path / "templates" if project_templates.exists(): dirs.append(project_templates) # Theme templates (simplified - for theme inheritance, see Kida engine) # For basic cases, this works. For parent/child theme support, use # resolve_theme_chain() as shown in bengal.rendering.engines.kida if hasattr(self.site, 'theme_path') and self.site.theme_path: theme_templates = self.site.theme_path / "templates" if theme_templates.exists(): dirs.append(theme_templates) return dirs def render_template(self, name: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str: """Render a named template with context.""" template_path = self.get_template_path(name) if not template_path: raise TemplateNotFoundError(f"Template not found: {name}") source = template_path.read_text() return self._render(source, context) def render_string(self, template: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str: """Render an inline template string.""" return self._render(template, context) def _render(self, source: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str: """Core rendering logic - implement for your engine.""" # Merge globals into context full_context = {**self._env.globals, **context} # Your rendering implementation here # Access filters via self._env.filters # Access tests via self._env.tests ... def template_exists(self, name: str) -> bool: """Check if template exists.""" return self.get_template_path(name) is not None def get_template_path(self, name: str) -> Path | None: """Find template in search directories.""" for dir in self.template_dirs: path = dir / name if path.exists(): return path return None def list_templates(self) -> list[str]: """List all available templates.""" templates = set() for dir in self.template_dirs: for path in dir.rglob("*.html"): templates.add(str(path.relative_to(dir))) return sorted(templates) def validate(self, patterns: list[str] | None = None) -> list[TemplateError]: """Validate templates for syntax errors.""" errors = [] for name in self.list_templates(): try: path = self.get_template_path(name) if path: source = path.read_text() self._validate_syntax(source) except Exception as e: errors.append(TemplateError(name=name, message=str(e))) return errors @property def capabilities(self) -> EngineCapability: """Declare engine capabilities.""" return EngineCapability.NONE def has_capability(self, cap: EngineCapability) -> bool: return cap in self.capabilities - 3
Register Your Engine
# my_engine/__init__.py from bengal.rendering.engines import register_engine from .engine import MyEngine # Register with Bengal register_engine("myengine", MyEngine) - 4
Configure Bengal
# config/_default/site.yaml (or [site] in bengal.toml) site: template_engine: myengine
Verification
Verify your environment satisfies the protocol:
from bengal.protocols import TemplateEnvironment
env = MyEnvironment()
# Runtime check (protocol is @runtime_checkable)
assert isinstance(env, TemplateEnvironment), "Environment doesn't satisfy protocol"
# Check required attributes exist
assert hasattr(env, 'globals') and hasattr(env.globals, 'update')
assert hasattr(env, 'filters') and hasattr(env.filters, 'update')
assert hasattr(env, 'tests') and hasattr(env.tests, 'update')
print("✓ Environment satisfies TemplateEnvironment protocol")
What You Get Automatically
Once your environment satisfiesTemplateEnvironment, register_all()provides:
| Category | Functions | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Strings | 15+ | truncate, slugify, markdownify, strip_html |
| Collections | 15+ | sort_by, group_by, where, first, last |
| Dates | 10+ | strftime, days_ago, relative_date |
| URLs | 5+ | absurl, relurl, url_encode |
| Content | 10+ | markdown, highlight, excerpt, excerpt_for_card, card_excerpt |
| Navigation | 10+ | breadcrumbs, toc, auto_nav, pagination |
| SEO | 5+ | meta_tags, og_tags, schema_org |
| i18n | 5+ | t, current_lang, available_langs |
| Debug | 5+ | dump, inspect, type_of |
Engine Capabilities
Declare optional capabilities your engine supports:
from bengal.protocols import EngineCapability
@property
def capabilities(self) -> EngineCapability:
return (
EngineCapability.BLOCK_CACHING | # {% cache %} support
EngineCapability.INTROSPECTION # Template analysis
)
Available capabilities:
BLOCK_CACHING— Supports{% cache %}blocksBLOCK_LEVEL_DETECTION— Can detect block-level changesINTROSPECTION— Can analyze template structurePIPELINE_OPERATORS— Supports|>operatorPATTERN_MATCHING— Supports{% match %}syntax
Examples
Minimal Engine (Dict-Based)
class DictEngine:
"""Minimal engine using Python string formatting."""
def __init__(self, site):
self.site = site
self.template_dirs = [site.root_path / "templates"]
# Minimal environment
self._env = type('Env', (), {
'globals': {},
'filters': {},
'tests': {}
})()
register_all(self._env, site)
def render_template(self, name: str, context: dict) -> str:
path = self.template_dirs[0] / name
template = path.read_text()
return template.format(**{**self._env.globals, **context})
Wrapping an Existing Engine
class MakoEngine:
"""Wrap Mako template engine."""
def __init__(self, site):
from mako.lookup import TemplateLookup
self.site = site
self.template_dirs = [site.root_path / "templates"]
self._lookup = TemplateLookup(directories=self.template_dirs)
# Create protocol-compatible wrapper
self._env = MakoEnvironmentWrapper(self._lookup)
register_all(self._env, site)
class MakoEnvironmentWrapper:
"""Make Mako compatible with TemplateEnvironment protocol."""
def __init__(self, lookup):
self._lookup = lookup
self.globals = {}
self.filters = {}
self.tests = {}
Next Steps
- Template Functions Reference — All available functions
- Engine Protocol Reference — Full protocol details
- Kida Source Code — Reference implementation
Seealso
- Add Custom Filter — Add functions to existing engines
- Extension Points — Other customization options