Quick start

Echo shows the expected output of the previous call.

<?php require('ob_html.php');
p('Lorem ipsum', id: 'paragraph');
echo '<p id="paragraph">Lorem ipsum</p>';

Instead of a string, an array can be provided, which is normally concatenated. Some exceptions apply, such as lists, where each entry is placed in its own child element. A more detailed description and further exceptions can be found here.

<?php require('ob_html.php');
ul(['Lorem', 'ipsum']);
echo '<ul><li>Lorem</li><li>ipsum</li></ul>';
dl(['Lorem'=>'ipsum', 'dolor'=>'sit']);
echo '<dl><dt>Lorem</dt><dd>ipsum</dd><dt>dolor</dt><dd>sit</dd></dl>';

Provide a function to nest tags without the need to pre-generate content. The PHP interpretation can be exited and re-entered as usual without having to worry about the output buffer. Variables from the parent scope can be made accessible with function() use (...) {} or arrow functions.

<?php require('ob_html.php');
div(function() {
  p('Lorem ipsum', id: 'paragraph');
  ?><p>Lorem ipsum</p><?php
  for($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) {}
});

The values of form inputs are passed by reference so that user input can be automatically applied. For this to happen, the input(), select(), textarea() or button() must have a name and be in a <form method="post">. Inputs that are readonly or disabled do not overwrite their variables. The optional parameter ob_action may provide a function that is called on form submission.

<?php require('ob_html.php');
class User {
  public function __construct(public string $name, public int $age) {}
  public function save() { echo 'Validate and save to database/session'; }
}
$user = new User('John Doe', 0);
form(function() use ($user) {
  textarea('Name', $user->name, name: 'name');
  // echo '<label><textarea name="name">John Doe</textarea><span>Name</span></label>';
  input('Age', $user->age, type: 'number', name: 'age');
  // echo '<label><input type="number" name="age" value="0"/><span>Age</span></label>';
  button('Submit', type:'submit', name: 'submit', ob_action: fn() => $user->save());
  // echo '<button type="submit" name="submit">Submit</button>';
}, method: 'post');

Ultimately, the essential HTML elements are still missing. The native PHP function ob_start() should be executed before the first output. At the end, ob_html() reads the body from the output buffer, closes it and adds important metadata to the head.

<?php require('ob_html.php');
ob_start();
// ...
ob_html(
  title: 'title',
  lang: 'en',

  // optional metas
  description: 'meta description',
  keywords: ['Lorem', 'ipsum'],
  author: 'author',
  // ...: ...

  base: '.',
  // common links
  manifest: 'manifest.json',
  stylesheets: ['stylesheet.css'],
  scripts: ['script.js'],
  translations: ['de'=>'de.php'],
  // other links
  links: [
    ['rel'=>'icon', 'href'=>'favicon.svg']
  ]
);