Creating Templates | Templates

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will explore how to create templates using HTML and CSS. Templates are essential for maintaining a consistent look and feel across multiple web pages. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a solid understanding of how to create and utilize templates effectively.

Setting Up the HTML Structure

To begin, let's set up a basic HTML structure that we will use as our template. This structure will include common elements such as the header, navigation menu, main content area, and footer.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Template Page</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
    <div class="swf-lsn-container">
        <header>
            <h1>My Website</h1>
            <nav>
                <ul>
                    <li><a href="#">Home</a></li>
                    <li><a href="#">About</a></li>
                    <li><a href="#">Contact</a></li>
                </ul>
            </nav>
        </header>
        <main>
            <h2>Welcome to My Website</h2>
            <p>This is the main content area.</p>
        </main>
        <footer>
            <p>© 2023 My Website</p>
        </footer>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

Applying Styles with CSS

Next, we will apply some basic styles to our template using CSS. This will help us achieve a more visually appealing and consistent layout.

body {
    font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
    background-color: #f9f9f9;
    color: #000;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
}
.container {
    width: 100%;
    margin: 0 auto;
    padding: 20px;
    background-color: #fff;
    box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}
header, footer {
    text-align: center;
    padding: 10px 0;
    background-color: #333;
    color: #fff;
}
nav ul {
    list-style: none;
    padding: 0;
}
nav ul li {
    display: inline;
    margin: 0 10px;
}
nav ul li a {
    color: #fff;
    text-decoration: none;
}
main {
    padding: 20px 0;
}

Using Template Parts

In real-world projects, it's common to split the template into reusable parts (e.g., header, footer) and include them in multiple pages. Here’s how you can achieve that with server-side includes (SSI) or templating engines like Handlebars.

Example using PHP Includes

Create separate files for the header, footer, and main content:

<!-- header.php -->
<header>
    <h1>My Website</h1>
    <nav>
        <ul>
            <li><a href="#">Home</a></li>
            <li><a href="#">About</a></li>
            <li><a href="#">Contact</a></li>
        </ul>
    </nav>
</header>

<!-- footer.php -->
<footer>
    <p>© 2023 My Website</p>
</footer>

<!-- index.php -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Template Page</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
    <div class="swf-lsn-container">
        <?php include 'header.php'; ?>
        <main>
            <h2>Welcome to My Website</h2>
            <p>This is the main content area.</p>
        </main>
        <?php include 'footer.php'; ?>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

Conclusion

Creating templates is a fundamental skill for web development. It ensures consistency and makes maintenance easier. By following this tutorial, you should now have a good understanding of how to create and use templates in your projects.