# html_dsl
[](https://qinbeans.github.io/html-dsl/)
[](https://github.com/Qinbeans/html-dsl/actions/workflows/test.yml)
A fun, modular, and simple way to create HTML in Gleam.
## Premise
I wanted a simple framework to build HTML and I saw a way forward with strings. Think of this as building a one way buffer to generate HTML. I wanted to avoid using a lot of intermediate steps like using a list of tuples or a list of records. I wanted to get straight to the point and build the HTML string as I go along. This is a very simple way to build HTML and I wanted to keep it that way.
I thought that Gleam had a very unique type system in which I could wrap strings around a named type like `Html` or `Head`. The way I implemented it does restrict general reactivity through Gleam itself, but I never thought making this a standalone framework as an option. The idea was to combine this with existing frontend libraries like HTMX to add that touch of reactivity. The backend/DSL would choose what to generate based on requests and headers for a more dynamic experience.
## Going forward
I'm refining the way the elements are built as well as adding more elements to the DSL. I add deeper documentation based one what I think could cause problems. If you find something difficult, feel free to reach out!
## Installation
```sh
gleam add html_dsl
```
## Examples
```gleam
import gleam/io
import html_dsl/types/html.{body, button, h1, header, html, nav}
import html_dsl/types/html/head.{charset, head, meta, script, title}
import html_dsl/types/html/lists.{ul}
import html_dsl/types/html/form.{Submit, Text, element, form, input, label}
import html_dsl/types/attribute.{class, id}
import html_dsl/types/html/form/select.{select}
import gleam/option.{None}
/// Example of creating an HTML string
pub fn main() {
html(
lang: "en",
head: head()
|> title("Hello, Gleam!")
|> charset("UTF-8")
|> meta("viewport", "width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0")
|> meta("description", "A Gleam program that generates HTML.")
|> script("https://cdn.tailwindcss.com")
|> head.end(),
body: body(
attributes: id(None, "main-content")
|> class("bg-black text-white"),
inner: header(
class(None, "grid place-content-center"),
nav(None, "Hello"),
)
<> case False {
True -> h1(None, "True")
False -> h1(None, "False")
}
<> ul(None)
|> lists.add(
attribute.new()
|> class("text-blue-400"),
"This is a list item",
)
|> lists.add(None, "This is another list item")
|> lists.end()
<> form(
class(None, "flex")
|> attribute.add("method", "GET")
|> attribute.add("action", "#"),
)
|> label(None, "Name:")
|> input(None, Text, "name")
|> input(None, Submit, "submit")
|> element(button(None, "Click me!"))
|> select(None)
|> select.add(
attribute.add(None, "selected", "selected")
|> attribute.add("disabled", "disabled"),
"",
"--Please choose an option--",
)
|> select.add(None, value: "something", label: "Something")
|> select.add(None, value: "else", label: "Else")
|> select.end()
|> form.end(),
),
)
|> html.force()
|> html.html_to_string()
|> io.println()
}
```
So why use strings to build each element? Ultimately everything is parsed into a string so I wanted to get straight to the point with little to no intermediate step. Don't get me wrong, I still have intermediate's here and there, but that's more for explicitness. It prevents bad [HTML](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML) from being written.
## Development
This is for use for contributors to the project.
```sh
./dev.sh run # Run the project
./dev.sh test # Run the tests
./dev.sh docs # Generate the documentation
./dev.sh build # Build the project
```
