Templator wants to help you create what you want, regardless of what you want. As frontend/creative developers we are faced with a multitude of challenges ranging from design idiocy, varying browser processing and rendering speed, support of different devices and form factors and restrictions imposed by predefined and often meaningless CMS output. The worst HTML is made by backend developers who take HTML for granted.
The design you are going to implement is likely to evolve, even before your current project is finished, and surely the design update scheduled next year will bring about even bigger changes. So you might as well leave it out of the equation and just think of content and semantics. CSS and JavaScript will take care of the rest. Manipulator strives to make it easier for you as a frontend developer and at the same time decrease complexity for the backend developer.
Content, Design and Functionality
The idea of fully separating Content, Design and Functionality has been around for long. It has been considered anything from an absolute necessity to an utopian ideal. Supporters are fighting for semantic content and opponents for unconstrained design. It would be nice to be able to please both sides, but it is too complicated and probably just can't be done, right? Well, Templator begs to differ.
Think of HTML as XML. Use it to structure your content semantically and forget about the design and interface functionality. The backend should merely work as a minimal and fully semantic content API. Use regular links to connect the pieces. All of a sudden you have every bit of information available right there in your DOM ready for you to build your desired interface using just JavaScript and CSS.
Mobile First
Think Mobile First when you structure your content - even if you are not building a mobile optimized website. Why? Because there simply isn't any reason not to. If you evade the mobile considerations, you degrade the accessibility of your content. Thinking mobile first forces you to forget the desktop design and focus on your actual content. Your markup will become simpler and more flexible. Considering the growth of mobile phones with internet access outpace desktops and tablets it will be wise to incorporate this approach sooner rather than later.
Semantic HTML and SEO
Templator implements Schema.org for extended semantics. Schema has been adapted by Google, Yahoo and Microsoft which makes it the broadest supported semantic model available. When using Templator markup you automatically achieve the highest level of Search engine optimization from a code point of view, but you still need to bring your own content to the party.
Progressive enhancement
As a frontend programmer you might want to think of your HTML as a content database. Remember the DOM is a fully queryable data structure. Query your data, manipulate and extend. Don't overload the DOM by default. Make it fit your design using JavaScript. Progressive enhancement means modifying the DOM to extend complexity. The simpler your starting point is, the easier the manipulation will be for each device segment. The more advanced your target browser is, the more manipulation it can handle. It all adds up.
Less is more
Always keep your markup as tight as possible. This way you get the smallest and the fastest load. It really boosts performance, especially on devices with less processing power. If your markup is minimal, nice and clean, querying data is much faster and manipulation is actually easier to implement and read when you return for that next update. Less markup means more accessibility for both Search Engines and JavaScript manipulation.
Additional levarage
Detector is your one-stop solution to support all HTML capable devices on earth and lowering your development complexity at the same time.
Manipulator is an extremely flexible, performance optimized open source JavaScript library and framework, designed to work with Templator markup and Detector segments.
Janitor is an open source PHP content management and distribution developer toolkit, designed to work with Templator, Detector and Manipulator.