Obyx

Ben

Author

I started initial work on an XML template engine in 2003, and in early 2006 I started the major development of what was to become Obyx. Designing and developing a good language is not nearly as easy as I initially thought, and the language went through several major changes, but it is quite amazing to see just how much of the original design has persisted over the last six years.

I guess that I can be somewhat tyrannical when it comes to the overall structure and direction of Obyx as a language; I am still quite precious about the vision that I have for it. The principle of simplicity and ease is, for me, an imperative.

My wariness of PHP is well-known (even though there are times when it's use is required), as is a certain trepidation for monolithic application frameworks: I have generally preferred to use a LAMP-style architecture since the mid-nineties, especially given that we have watched applications environments come and go as frequently and as unpredictably as the London weather. Of course, we do what is required with whatever is asked for; but when given the option, Obyx is the template engine of my choice. Why? Because it meets our business needs as well as the needs of our clients.

I hope that you will find as much enjoyment and reward using Obyx as we have - developing and maintaining bespoke web applications has never been so easy or so fun.

Articles by Ben

• 01 May 2013: 2013 Roundup – 2013 roundup of new features in Obyx.
• 14 May 2012: 2012 Roundup – A quick roundup of new features in Obyx.
• 09 Oct 2009: A short xpath in the woods – A small thought about relative addressing with XPaths