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We are using Django+HTMX for internal applications. Some random tips: - Write a "Django context processor" to inspect requests for "Hx-Request" header, and se

We are using Django+HTMX for internal applications. Some random tips: - Write a "Django context processor" to inspect requests for "Hx-Request" header, and set a "base_template" variable accordingly. This means that any template that {% extends base_template %} will react to being a full page or just a fragment and you don't even have to think about that in your view logic. Great for progressive enhancement. - You can get reactive JS elements (for example, a d3.js viz that updates when new data comes in) in a few lines of inline JS by using MutationObserver, and "abusing" HTMX by using views that return JSON targeting a <script> element (`json_script` templatetag can also be used here). In summary, you tell your fancy JS element to render or update whenever a particular <script> element is mutated, and all of it is orchestrated by HTMX.

greenie_beans 4y ago
do you have any code examples you'd be able to share that uses the base_template thing?
- pphysch 4y ago
  Sure, Django docs say this about custom context processors: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/templates/api/#writing-your-own-context-processors https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/templates/api/#wri... So in my context_processors.py file, I write something like: def base_template(request): template = "templates/base.html" # full page if "HX-Request" in request.headers: template = "templates/base_ajax.html" # minimal template return {"base_template": template} And then my template just needs to start with `{% extends base_template %}`. Nothing needs to be done in the view (although you could technically override "base_template" there, if you need to).
0xblinq 4y ago
I’m all in into the sprinkles approach (I’m a big fan of Hotwire and most of the times that’s what I use) but the Django templates are extremely outdated and limited. I don’t miss it at all. They’re really bad. Compare it to Blade (Laravel) or even ERB (Rails) and it’s night and day.
- pphysch 4y ago
  Django templating is limited, but it's not necessarily a problem because you should be putting most of the business logic in the view/service/model anyways. After some initial friction, I don't have any issue with how limited they are.

greenie_beans 4y ago

do you have any code examples you'd be able to share that uses the base_template thing?

pphysch 4y ago
Sure, Django docs say this about custom context processors: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/templates/api/#writing-your-own-context-processors https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/templates/api/#wri... So in my context_processors.py file, I write something like: def base_template(request): template = "templates/base.html" # full page if "HX-Request" in request.headers: template = "templates/base_ajax.html" # minimal template return {"base_template": template} And then my template just needs to start with `{% extends base_template %}`. Nothing needs to be done in the view (although you could technically override "base_template" there, if you need to).

0xblinq 4y ago

I’m all in into the sprinkles approach (I’m a big fan of Hotwire and most of the times that’s what I use) but the Django templates are extremely outdated and limited. I don’t miss it at all. They’re really bad. Compare it to Blade (Laravel) or even ERB (Rails) and it’s night and day.

pphysch 4y ago
Django templating is limited, but it's not necessarily a problem because you should be putting most of the business logic in the view/service/model anyways. After some initial friction, I don't have any issue with how limited they are.