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macro

Macros are comparable with functions in regular programming languages. They are useful to reuse template fragments to not repeat yourself.

Macros are defined in regular templates.

Imagine having a generic helper template that define how to render HTML forms via macros (called forms.html):

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{% macro input(name, value, type = "text", size = 20) %}
    <input type="{{ type }}" name="{{ name }}" value="{{ value|e }}" size="{{ size }}"/>
{% endmacro %}

{% macro textarea(name, value, rows = 10, cols = 40) %}
    <textarea name="{{ name }}" rows="{{ rows }}" cols="{{ cols }}">{{ value|e }}</textarea>
{% endmacro %}

Each macro argument can have a default value (here text is the default value for type if not provided in the call).

Macros differ from native PHP functions in a few ways:

  • Arguments of a macro are always optional.
  • If extra positional arguments are passed to a macro, they end up in the special varargs variable as a list of values.

But as with PHP functions, macros don't have access to the current template variables.

Tip

You can pass the whole context as an argument by using the special _context variable.

Importing Macros

There are two ways to import macros. You can import the complete template containing the macros into a local variable (via the import tag) or only import specific macros from the template (via the from tag).

To import all macros from a template into a local variable, use the import tag:

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{% import "forms.html" as forms %}

The above import call imports the forms.html file (which can contain only macros, or a template and some macros), and import the macros as items of the forms local variable.

The macros can then be called at will in the current template:

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<p>{{ forms.input('username') }}</p>
<p>{{ forms.input('password', null, 'password') }}</p>

Alternatively you can import names from the template into the current namespace via the from tag:

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{% from 'forms.html' import input as input_field, textarea %}

<p>{{ input_field('password', '', 'password') }}</p>
<p>{{ textarea('comment') }}</p>

Tip

When macro usages and definitions are in the same template, you don't need to import the macros as they are automatically available under the special _self variable:

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<p>{{ _self.input('password', '', 'password') }}</p>

{% macro input(name, value, type = "text", size = 20) %}
    <input type="{{ type }}" name="{{ name }}" value="{{ value|e }}" size="{{ size }}"/>
{% endmacro %}

Auto-import is only available as of Twig 2.11. For older versions, import macros using the special _self variable for the template name:

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{% import _self as forms %}

<p>{{ forms.input('username') }}</p>

Note

Before Twig 2.11, when you want to use a macro in another macro from the same file, you need to import it locally:

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{% macro input(name, value, type, size) %}
    <input type="{{ type|default('text') }}" name="{{ name }}" value="{{ value|e }}" size="{{ size|default(20) }}"/>
{% endmacro %}

{% macro wrapped_input(name, value, type, size) %}
    {% import _self as forms %}

    <div class="field">
        {{ forms.input(name, value, type, size) }}
    </div>
{% endmacro %}

Macros Scoping

2.11

The scoping rules described in this paragraph are implemented as of Twig 2.11.

The scoping rules are the same whether you imported macros via import or from.

Imported macros are always local to the current template. It means that macros are available in all blocks and other macros defined in the current template, but they are not available in included templates or child templates; you need to explicitly re-import macros in each template.

Imported macros are not available in the body of embed tags, you need to explicitly re-import macros inside the tag.

When calling import or from from a block tag, the imported macros are only defined in the current block and they override macros defined at the template level with the same names.

When calling import or from from a macro tag, the imported macros are only defined in the current macro and they override macros defined at the template level with the same names.

Note

Before Twig 2.11, it was possible to use macros imported in a block in a "sub-block". When upgrading to 2.11, you need to either move the import in the global scope or reimport the macros explicitly in the "sub-blocks".

Checking if a Macro is defined

2.11

Support for the defined test on macros was added in Twig 2.11.

You can check if a macro is defined via the defined test:

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{% import "macros.twig" as macros %}

{% from "macros.twig" import hello %}

{% if macros.hello is defined -%}
    OK
{% endif %}

{% if hello is defined -%}
    OK
{% endif %}

Named Macro End-Tags

Twig allows you to put the name of the macro after the end tag for better readability (the name after the endmacro word must match the macro name):

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{% macro input() %}
    ...
{% endmacro input %}
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