---
title: mako
category: Python
layout: 2017/sheet
---
### Basic usage
```
Variable x has content: ${x}
Expression: ${x + 1}
Escaped for HTML: ${x | h}
```
### Control structures
```html
% for x in range(5):
% if x % 2 == 0:
${x} is even!
% else:
${x} is odd!
% endif
% endfor
```
### Including Python code
```python
<%
greeting = "Hello world!"
# arbitrary python code
%>
<%!
# arbitrary python code run at toplevel
# cannot access variables!
def sign_string(number):
if number > 0:
return "positive"
elif number < 0:
return "negative"
else:
return "zero"
%>
```
### Special blocks
```html
<%text filter="h">
This is a raw block where ${nothing is evaluated}
<%
not even this
%>
and too with "h" filter
<%def name="myfunc(x)">
this is a reusable macro, with arguments: ${x}
${myfunc(42)}
<%doc>
this is a comment
```
### Inheritance
#### shared.html
```html
<%block name="title" />
${self.body()}
```
#### home.html
```html
<%inherit file="shared.html" />
<%block name="title">Welcome to my site
This is the body
```
#### article.html
```html
<%inherit file="shared.html" />
<%block name="title">${post.title}
${post.content}
```
## Library
### Basic usage
```python
from mako.template import Template
mytemplate = Template("hello, ${name}!")
print(mytemplate.render(name="jack"))
```