Thymeleaf template engine for Java/Spring. Covers HTML templates, expressions, fragments, i18n, and email templates. USE WHEN: user mentions "thymeleaf", "spring template", "HTML template Spring", "email template Java", "th:text", "th:each", "th:if", "fragments", "layout" DO NOT USE FOR: REST API JSON - use `spring-rest` skill, SPA frontend - use React/Vue/Angular skills, PDF generation - use JasperReports or iText
Scanned 9/8/2026
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---
name: thymeleaf
description: |
Thymeleaf template engine for Java/Spring. Covers HTML templates, expressions,
fragments, i18n, and email templates.
USE WHEN: user mentions "thymeleaf", "spring template", "HTML template Spring",
"email template Java", "th:text", "th:each", "th:if", "fragments", "layout"
DO NOT USE FOR: REST API JSON - use `spring-rest` skill,
SPA frontend - use React/Vue/Angular skills,
PDF generation - use JasperReports or iText
allowed-tools: Read, Grep, Glob, Write, Edit
---
# Thymeleaf - Quick Reference
> **Deep Knowledge**: Use `mcp__documentation__fetch_docs` with technology: `thymeleaf` for comprehensive documentation.
## Pattern Essenziali
### Basic Syntax
```html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns:th="http://www.thymeleaf.org">
<head>
<title th:text="${title}">Default</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1 th:text="${message}">Hello</h1>
<p th:text="'Welcome, ' + ${name}">Welcome, User</p>
</body>
</html>
```
### Variables & Loops
```html
<!-- Variable -->
<p th:text="${user.name}">Name</p>
<!-- Loop -->
<tr th:each="user : ${users}">
<td th:text="${user.name}">Name</td>
<td th:text="${user.email}">Email</td>
</tr>
<!-- Conditionals -->
<p th:if="${user.active}">Active</p>
<p th:unless="${user.active}">Inactive</p>
```
### Email Service
```java
@Service
@RequiredArgsConstructor
public class EmailService {
private final TemplateEngine templateEngine;
private final JavaMailSender mailSender;
public void sendWelcome(User user) {
Context ctx = new Context();
ctx.setVariable("userName", user.getName());
ctx.setVariable("actionUrl", "https://app.com/verify");
String html = templateEngine.process("emails/welcome", ctx);
MimeMessage msg = mailSender.createMimeMessage();
MimeMessageHelper helper = new MimeMessageHelper(msg, true);
helper.setTo(user.getEmail());
helper.setSubject("Welcome!");
helper.setText(html, true);
mailSender.send(msg);
}
}
```
### Fragments & Layouts
```html
<!-- fragments/common.html -->
<nav th:fragment="navigation">
<ul>
<li><a th:href="@{/}">Home</a></li>
<li><a th:href="@{/about}">About</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
<footer th:fragment="footer(year)">
<p th:text="'© ' + ${year} + ' My Company'">© 2024 My Company</p>
</footer>
```
```html
<!-- Usage: th:replace vs th:insert -->
<!-- th:replace - replaces host tag completely -->
<div th:replace="~{fragments/common :: navigation}"></div>
<!-- th:insert - inserts fragment inside host tag -->
<div th:insert="~{fragments/common :: navigation}"></div>
<!-- With parameters -->
<div th:replace="~{fragments/common :: footer(${#dates.year(#dates.createNow())})}"></div>
```
### Layout Dialect
```xml
<!-- pom.xml -->
<dependency>
<groupId>nz.net.ultraq.thymeleaf</groupId>
<artifactId>thymeleaf-layout-dialect</artifactId>
</dependency>
```
```html
<!-- layouts/main.html -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns:th="http://www.thymeleaf.org"
xmlns:layout="http://www.ultraq.net.nz/thymeleaf/layout">
<head>
<title layout:title-pattern="$CONTENT_TITLE - $LAYOUT_TITLE">My App</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" th:href="@{/css/main.css}"/>
</head>
<body>
<header th:replace="~{fragments/common :: navigation}"></header>
<main layout:fragment="content">
<!-- Page content goes here -->
</main>
<footer th:replace="~{fragments/common :: footer}"></footer>
<script layout:fragment="scripts"></script>
</body>
</html>
```
```html
<!-- pages/home.html -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns:th="http://www.thymeleaf.org"
xmlns:layout="http://www.ultraq.net.nz/thymeleaf/layout"
layout:decorate="~{layouts/main}">
<head>
<title>Home</title>
</head>
<body>
<main layout:fragment="content">
<h1>Welcome!</h1>
<p th:text="${message}">Content</p>
</main>
<th:block layout:fragment="scripts">
<script th:src="@{/js/home.js}"></script>
</th:block>
</body>
</html>
```
### Form Binding
```html
<form th:action="@{/users}" th:object="${userForm}" method="post">
<div>
<label for="name">Name:</label>
<input type="text" id="name" th:field="*{name}"
th:classappend="${#fields.hasErrors('name')} ? 'error' : ''"/>
<span th:if="${#fields.hasErrors('name')}"
th:errors="*{name}" class="error-msg">Name error</span>
</div>
<div>
<label for="email">Email:</label>
<input type="email" id="email" th:field="*{email}"/>
<span th:if="${#fields.hasErrors('email')}"
th:errors="*{email}" class="error-msg">Email error</span>
</div>
<div>
<label for="role">Role:</label>
<select id="role" th:field="*{role}">
<option value="">-- Select --</option>
<option th:each="role : ${roles}"
th:value="${role}"
th:text="${role.displayName}">Role</option>
</select>
</div>
<button type="submit">Save</button>
</form>
```
### JavaScript Inlining
```html
<script th:inline="javascript">
// Natural templates with fallback
const user = /*[[${user}]]*/ { name: 'default' };
const userId = /*[[${user.id}]]*/ 0;
const isAdmin = /*[[${user.admin}]]*/ false;
// Array
const items = /*[[${items}]]*/ [];
// Conditional in JS
/*[# th:if="${user != null}"]*/
console.log('User:', user.name);
/*[/]*/
</script>
<!-- CSS inlining -->
<style th:inline="css">
.user-bg {
background-color: [[${user.favoriteColor}]];
}
</style>
```
### Utility Objects
```html
<!-- Dates -->
<p th:text="${#dates.format(user.createdAt, 'dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm')}">Date</p>
<p th:text="${#dates.dayOfWeekName(date)}">Monday</p>
<!-- Strings -->
<p th:text="${#strings.toUpperCase(name)}">NAME</p>
<p th:text="${#strings.abbreviate(text, 100)}">Truncated...</p>
<p th:text="${#strings.isEmpty(value) ? 'N/A' : value}">Value</p>
<p th:text="${#strings.listJoin(items, ', ')}">a, b, c</p>
<!-- Numbers -->
<p th:text="${#numbers.formatDecimal(price, 1, 2)}">10.50</p>
<p th:text="${#numbers.formatCurrency(amount)}">$1,234.56</p>
<!-- Lists -->
<p th:text="${#lists.size(users)}">Count</p>
<p th:if="${#lists.isEmpty(users)}">No users</p>
<p th:text="${#lists.contains(roles, 'ADMIN')}">Has admin</p>
<!-- Aggregates -->
<p th:text="${#aggregates.sum(prices)}">Total</p>
<p th:text="${#aggregates.avg(scores)}">Average</p>
```
### Switch/Case
```html
<div th:switch="${user.role}">
<p th:case="'ADMIN'">Administrator</p>
<p th:case="'MANAGER'">Manager</p>
<p th:case="'USER'">Regular User</p>
<p th:case="*">Unknown Role</p>
</div>
```
### Iteration Status
```html
<tr th:each="user, stat : ${users}"
th:class="${stat.odd} ? 'odd' : 'even'">
<td th:text="${stat.index}">0</td>
<td th:text="${stat.count}">1</td>
<td th:text="${user.name}">Name</td>
<td th:if="${stat.first}">First!</td>
<td th:if="${stat.last}">Last!</td>
</tr>
```
## Expressions
| Expr | Uso |
|------|-----|
| `${var}` | Variable |
| `*{prop}` | Selection (con th:object) |
| `@{/url}` | Link URL |
| `#{msg}` | Message i18n |
| `~{frag}` | Fragment |
## Best Practices
| Do | Don't |
|----|-------|
| Use th:text for escaped output | Use th:utext with user input (XSS) |
| Use fragments for reusable components | Duplicate HTML across templates |
| Keep templates simple | Put complex logic in templates |
| Use i18n messages | Hardcode text strings |
| Use layout dialects | Repeat layout in every page |
## When NOT to Use This Skill
- **REST APIs** - Use `spring-rest` skill for JSON responses
- **SPA frontends** - Use React, Vue, or Angular
- **PDF reports** - Use JasperReports or iText
- **High-traffic APIs** - Consider static frontends
## Anti-Patterns
| Anti-Pattern | Problem | Solution |
|--------------|---------|----------|
| th:utext with user input | XSS vulnerability | Use th:text for escaping |
| Complex logic in templates | Hard to test, maintain | Move logic to controller |
| Missing th namespace | Silent failures | Always declare xmlns:th |
| Inline styles everywhere | Inconsistent UI | Use CSS classes |
| No fragment reuse | Code duplication | Extract common fragments |
## Quick Troubleshooting
| Problem | Diagnostic | Fix |
|---------|------------|-----|
| Variables not rendering | Check th: prefix | Use th:text, th:value |
| Template not found | Check path | Place in templates/ folder |
| Iteration not working | Check th:each syntax | Verify collection is passed |
| Fragments not included | Check path syntax | Use ~{fragments/name :: fragment} |
| i18n not working | Check messages.properties | Verify file location and keys |
## Reference Documentation
- [Thymeleaf Docs](https://www.thymeleaf.org/documentation.html)
- [Spring + Thymeleaf](https://docs.spring.io/spring-framework/reference/web/webmvc-view/mvc-thymeleaf.html)
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