Pocket Dex: The Service Manual

Dashboard Specs (Syntax)

Symbol	Name	Function	Example
<% %>	Scriptlet	Executes JavaScript logic without output.	<% if (user) { %>
<%= %>	Escaped Output	Renders a value to the template; escapes HTML characters.	<%= user.name %>
<%- %>	Unescaped Output	Renders raw HTML value; No sanitation.	<%- body %>
<%# %>	Comment	Server-side comment; stripped before rendering.	<%# TODO: Fix this %>
include()	Include	Embeds another view file; must be used with unescaped tag.	<%- include('header') %>

Under the Hood (Configuration)

Essential settings for the Express application instance.

• Install EJS: npm install ejs
• Install Layouts: npm install express-ejs-layouts
• Set View Engine: app.set("view engine", "ejs")
• Set Views Path: app.set("views", path.join(__dirname, "views"))
• Enable Layouts: app.use(expressLayouts)
• Set Default Layout: app.set("layout", "./layouts/master")
• Render View: res.render("view-name", { data: value })

Blown Gaskets (Common Hazards)

Hazard	Cause	Fix
XSS Injection	Using <%- %> with untrusted user input.	Always use <%= %> for user-generated content.
Broken Paths	Using relative paths like ./views.	ALWAYS use path.join(__dirname, 'views').
Layouts Ignored	Middleware initialized after routes.	Move app.use(expressLayouts) above route definitions.
Missing Vars	Accessing a variable not passed in locals.	Ensure all expected variables are in the render payload.
Silent Failures	Logic errors inside <% %> blocks.	Check server console; scriptlets don’t print errors to UI.

Master Mechanic Notes (Pro-Tips)

• Locals Unpacking: Keys in the res.render object become top-level variables in the view.
• Partial Scope: Partials automatically inherit access to all variables available in the parent view.
• Layout Injection: The body variable in a layout file is a reserved keyword containing the rendered view string.
• Route Override: Pass layout: "./other_layout" in res.render options to swap the layout frame for a specific response.
• Extension Lookup: Express automatically appends .ejs when the view engine is set, so extensions in res.render are optional.