Go text/template
Go text/template: A free, logic-based Go template package with named templates and no automatic escaping. Ranked #7 of 65 in Template Engine Software by our editors (8.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for go developers needing a standard-library engine.
At a glance
- Editor score8.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forGo developers needing a standard-library engine
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Facts checked23 Oct 2026
Where it wins
- Supports actions, control structures, pipelines, variables, and functions
- Parses named templates from strings, files, globs, and filesystem abstractions
- Can execute templates in parallel after construction
Where it doesn't
- Does not automatically escape output
- Template authors must be trusted
- Focused on text output rather than automatic HTML escaping
Our verdict on Go text/template
Go text/template is a standard-library package for Go developers who need to generate text from data structures. It applies templates to data and writes the resulting output to a writer. Its logic-based syntax includes actions, control structures, pipelines, variables, and functions, making it suitable for output that needs conditional or data-driven structure. Named and associated templates let one template invoke another, so the package can support a collection of related templates rather than only a single text pattern.
The package covers a useful range of template organization and loading needs without a separate product price: templates can be parsed from strings, files, globs, and filesystem abstractions. After construction, templates can execute in parallel. These capabilities make text/template a natural fit when a Go application already uses the standard library and needs a direct way to render textual output. It is a narrower choice for teams seeking a hosted template service or a visual authoring workflow; its described model centers on parsing and executing templates in Go.
Output safety is the key tradeoff. text/template does not automatically escape output, and its documentation warns that template authors must be trusted. It is intended for textual output; Go’s separate html/template package is the alternative when automatic HTML escaping is needed. Choose text/template when trusted template authors and explicit control over text generation suit the application. Avoid it for untrusted templates or where automatic escaping is a requirement, and consider the separate HTML-oriented package for that use case.
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Go text/template pricing
Go text/template fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Rendering mode | Not verified |
| Syntax model | Logic-based |
| Template inheritance | Yes |
| Automatic escaping | No |
| Sandbox mode | Not verified |
| Async rendering | Not verified |
| License model | Open-source |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | pkg.go.dev |
| Facts checked | 23 Oct 2026 |
Alternatives to Go text/template
- JinjaJinja gives Python applications inheritance, configurable rendering, and compilation in an open-source engine.9.4
- TwigA free, open-source PHP engine for compiled templates, inheritance, escaping, and sandboxing.9.3
- Handlebars.jsA free, open-source template engine for JavaScript projects that need reusable HTML.9.2
See all Go text/template alternatives →
Go text/template vs the competition
- Go text/template vs Jinja
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- Go text/template vs Handlebars.js
- Go text/template vs Thymeleaf
- Go text/template vs Apache FreeMarker
- Go text/template vs Apache Velocity
Compare Go text/template with any tool side by side →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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