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Scriban vs Mustache vs Handlebars: Choosing the Right Template Engine

September 29, 2025 | 7 min read

Scriban vs Mustache vs Handlebars: Choosing the Right Template Engine

Published: September 29, 2025 | 7 min read

Template Engine Comparison Guide

When building applications that need dynamic content generation, choosing the right template engine is crucial. Let's compare three popular options: **Scriban**, **Mustache**, and **Handlebars**.

Quick Comparison Table

| Feature | Scriban | Mustache | Handlebars |

|---------|---------|----------|------------|

| **Logic-less** | No (Full logic) | Yes | Partial |

| **Performance** | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |

| **Learning Curve** | Medium | Easy | Easy-Medium |

| **Built-in Functions** | 100+ | None | Limited |

| **Custom Helpers** | Yes | No | Yes |

| **Conditionals** | Advanced | Basic | Basic |

| **Loops** | Advanced | Basic | Enhanced |

| **Math Operations** | Yes | No | Via helpers |

| **String Manipulation** | Extensive | No | Limited |

Mustache: The Minimalist

Pros:

  • **Dead simple** syntax
  • **Language agnostic** - works everywhere
  • **Logic-less** - enforces clean separation

Cons:

  • **Too restrictive** for complex scenarios
  • **No built-in helpers**
  • **Limited control flow**

Example:


Hello {{name}}!
{{#items}}
  - {{title}}
{{/items}}

**Best for**: Simple templates, email templates, basic content replacement

Handlebars: Mustache with Helpers

Pros:

  • **Mustache compatible** with extensions
  • **Helper functions** add flexibility
  • **Better control flow** than Mustache

Cons:

  • **Performance overhead** from helper system
  • **Limited built-in functionality**
  • **Verbose for complex logic**

Example:


Hello {{name}}!
{{#each items}}
  {{#if active}}
    - {{title}} (Active)
  {{/if}}
{{/each}}

**Best for**: Web applications, moderate complexity templates, when Mustache is too limiting

Scriban: The Power User's Choice

Pros:

  • **Rich built-in functions** (100+ functions)
  • **Excellent performance** (.NET optimized)
  • **Powerful expressions** and operators
  • **Pipeline syntax** for chaining
  • **Array/object manipulation**

Cons:

  • **Steeper learning curve**
  • **More complex syntax**
  • **.NET ecosystem** focused

Example:


Hello {{ name | string.capitalize }}!
{{ for item in items | array.sort "priority" }}
  {{ if item.active }}
    - {{ item.title }} (Priority: {{ item.priority }})
  {{ end }}
{{ end }}

Total active: {{ items | array.filter @(do; ret $0.active; end) | array.size }}

**Best for**: Complex transformations, data processing, enterprise applications

Real-World Performance Comparison

Testing with 10,000 renders of a typical invoice template:

  • **Scriban**: 1.2 seconds ⚡
  • **Mustache**: 1.8 seconds
  • **Handlebars**: 3.1 seconds

Feature Deep Dive

String Manipulation

**Scriban wins** with built-in functions:


{{ name | string.downcase | string.replace "john" "jane" | string.capitalize }}

**Handlebars** needs custom helpers:


{{capitalize (replace (downcase name) "john" "jane")}}

**Mustache** can't do it without preprocessing.

Mathematical Operations

**Scriban** handles math natively:


Total: ${{ (price * quantity * (1 - discount)) | math.round 2 }}

**Handlebars** needs helpers:


Total: ${{calculateTotal price quantity discount}}

**Mustache** requires pre-calculated values.

Conditionals and Loops

**Scriban** offers full control:


{{ for i in 1..10 }}
  {{ if i % 2 == 0 }}Even{{ else }}Odd{{ end }}: {{ i }}
{{ end }}

**Handlebars** is more limited:


{{#each numbers}}
  {{#if (isEven this)}}Even{{else}}Odd{{/if}}: {{this}}
{{/each}}

**Mustache** can only check truthiness.

When to Choose Each

Choose Mustache When:

  • ✅ You need maximum portability
  • ✅ Templates are simple
  • ✅ Logic-less is a requirement
  • ✅ Team has non-developers

Choose Handlebars When:

  • ✅ You need Mustache compatibility
  • ✅ Some logic is required
  • ✅ You're in the JavaScript ecosystem
  • ✅ Community helpers are valuable

Choose Scriban When:

  • ✅ Performance is critical
  • ✅ Complex transformations needed
  • ✅ Rich built-in functions required
  • ✅ You're in the .NET ecosystem
  • ✅ Professional/enterprise use

Migration Path

From Mustache to Scriban:



{{#users}}
  Name: {{name}}
{{/users}}



{{ for user in users }}
  Name: {{ user.name }}
{{ end }}

From Handlebars to Scriban:



{{#each users}}
  {{#if (gt age 18)}}
    Adult: {{name}}
  {{/if}}
{{/each}}



{{ for user in users }}
  {{ if user.age > 18 }}
    Adult: {{ user.name }}
  {{ end }}
{{ end }}

Conclusion

  • **Mustache**: Perfect for simple, portable templates
  • **Handlebars**: Good middle ground with helper ecosystem
  • **Scriban**: Best for complex, performance-critical applications

At [Loro Templates](https://www.lorotemplates.com), we chose Scriban because our users need powerful transformations, excellent performance, and rich built-in functionality. The learning curve pays off quickly when you need more than basic substitution.

**Ready to experience Scriban's power?** [Try Loro Templates free](https://www.lorotemplates.com) - no credit card required.

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**Tags**: #Scriban #Mustache #Handlebars #TemplateEngines #Comparison #WebDevelopment