What are Stencils?

Stencils, while similar to templates are different in the sense that it is a combination of template and plug-in capabilities and does not need a template language to provide power for code generation.

CodeStencil has a  powerful and intelligent string/keyword replacement architecture. That is why there is no template language built in.

The concept of Templates is widely recognized by people. In the programming realm, templates are utilized to generate code and typically come with a predetermined syntax embedded within an engine or tool.

Plug-ins, on the other hand, are also familiar and refer to external code that can be activated to enhance functionality or provide additional features as an add-on to the host application. In the context of CodeStencil, these plug-ins are called Code Nanites.

While Stencils share similarities with templates, they possess distinct characteristics. Stencils combine the capabilities of templates and plug-ins without relying on a specific template language to enable powerful code generation.

CodeStencil features a robust and intelligent architecture for string and keyword replacement. This is precisely why it does not incorporate a built-in template language.