What Is a Template?

In Joomla Component Builder (JCB), a Template is a high-level wrapper that organizes how one or more Layouts (and optionally Snippets and Libraries) are applied to a given view — whether Site View, Modules, or Custom Admin View.

Where a Layout handles the specific rendering of content (like a list or item), a Template defines the full structure of the page or view. It may control multiple layout regions, add external libraries (JavaScript/CSS), and serve as the entry point for custom design frameworks or data logic.

Key Features

• 🧱 Layout-Driven
  Templates reference one or more Layouts that define the actual content rendering — separating structure from logic.
• 📁 Library Injection
  Load JavaScript or CSS libraries (local or CDN) for use in the template — including UI frameworks, charting libraries, or animations.
• 🧩 Snippet Support
  Templates can reference reusable Snippets (HTML/PHP) to render toolbars, modals, breadcrumbs, or utility blocks.
• 🔁 Reusable Across Views
  A single template can be used in multiple views — enabling visual consistency across your admin or site pages.
• 🎯 Dynamic Placeholder Injection
  Insert JCB variables or logic into templates via PHP placeholder keys.
• 🧬 View-Type Aware
  Templates can be built specifically for list, item, or hybrid views and adapt their structure accordingly.
• 📦 Versionable & Resettable
  Templates support Git-style entity workflows: you can init, reset, push, and fork template definitions like any other JCB entity.

Template vs Layout vs Snippet

Layouts are injected into Templates. Snippets can be embedded in Layouts.

How It Works

• Go to the Templates section in JCB.
• Create a new Template and give it a name and description.
• Assign one or more Layouts for the content rendering.
• Optionally inject JS/CSS Libraries by selecting from the repository or entering a URL.
• Insert Snippets or logic placeholders for reusable regions (toolbars, notices, actions).
• Assign this Template to any view (Site or Admin).
• On compilation, JCB builds a PHP view file that wraps all child elements.

Example Use Cases

• Wrapping a Site View in a Bootstrap or UIkit layout with external scripts
• Creating a reusable card-based admin interface
• Adding modal logic and script loading for import tools
• Rendering header + content + footer sections with toggleable sections
• Integrating visual dashboards with Chart.js, D3, or ECharts

Why Templates Matter

• Centralize view structure for consistent styling
• Minimize repeated layout logic across views
• Enable clean injection of JavaScript/CSS dependencies
• Separate presentation concerns from business logic
• Adapt the output of your Joomla component with design-focused flexibility

Libraries: Local or CDN?

Templates let you inject JS/CSS assets either by referencing a local file or a remote CDN. You can:

• Add libraries via the Library entity and link them in the Template
• Use the CDN/Local toggle to control delivery per environment
• Update and reset libraries via JCB repositories