ejs basic template.md

1> ejs stands for embedded javascript

<% 'Scriptlet' tag, for control-flow, no output

<%= Outputs the value into the template (HTML escaped)

<%- Outputs the unescaped value into the template

So, everything inside <% %> tags is executed and everything inside <%= %> tags inserts itself into the returned HTML string.

In other words - JavaScript between <% %> is executed. JavaScript between <%= %> adds HTML to the result. This is a live nice example - http://www.embeddedjs.com/

Thats why whenever, I want to execute plain-old javascript and dont want to render into the html, I will use <% and NOT <%=

So thats why when just running a for or if loop I dont inlude the "=" sign.

https://github.com/mde/ejs/blob/master/docs/syntax.md#example-3

<dl>
<%for (var i = 0; i < users.length; i++) {    %><%
  var user = users[i]
      , name = user.name // the name of the user
    %><%# comment %>
  <%var age  = user.age; /* the age of the user */%>
  <dt><%= name %></dt>
  <dd><%= age %></dd>
<%}-%>
</dl>

More Explanation

A> To echo a single variable, we just use <%= tagline %>

B> The syntax to use an EJS partial is: <% include FILENAME %>. The path to the partial is relative to the current file.

<header>
    <% include ../partials/header %>
</header>

1> https://scotch.io/tutorials/use-ejs-to-template-your-node-application

2> http://ejs.co/#install

<%_ ‘Whitespace Slurping’ Scriptlet tag, strips all whitespace before it <%# Comment tag, no execution, no output <%% Outputs a literal '<%' %> Plain ending tag -%> Trim-mode ('newline slurp') tag, trims following newline _%> ‘Whitespace Slurping’ ending tag, removes all whitespace after it

Further Reading

https://github.com/mde/ejs/blob/master/docs/syntax.md - Good Official Dox