what is the syntax for an else if statement in jinja?

When working with the Jinja templating language, you may be wondering about the syntax for an else if statement. Known variously as an elif clause or elseif, this construct allows you to add conditions to your code and is similar to an if…else statement in other programming languages. In this article, we'll examine how to use this handy function within Jinja.

The general syntax for an else if statement (elif) in Jinja looks like this:

{% if condition %}

... do something ...

{% elif another_condition %}

... do something else ...

{% endif %}

Let's break down this example by looking at each line separately:

• The {% if condition %} code block is the first conditional test. Whatever logic is included between these tags will be executed only if the condition is true.

• The {% elif another_condition %} clause was added after the first conditional test. This alows you to add additional criteria and modify behavior based on a new truth value.

• The {% endif %} tag wraps up your conditional execution and is required for correct syntax in Jinja. It effectively closes the conditional testing block so that any additional programming logic can start running again.

From a practical perspective, using an else if statement within your Jinja code allows for a cleaner, more modular structure for both non-developers and experienced software engineers alike. For example, consider the following template snippet:

MyDog = True # set a variable 'MyDog' = True

... # other code that checks environment state

{% if MyDog == True %} # test whether MyDog is true or false, MyDog being true here

Woof woof! # execute Woof woof! if condition is true {# 'Woof woof!' gets printed when the script runs #}

{% elif MyCat == True # if condition was false, then check whether MyCat is true or false instead {# nothing gets printed until either 'MyDog' or 'MyCat' variable becomes true #]

Meow meow! # execute Meow meow! as condition of second check evaluates as true {# 'Meow meow!' gets printed when either 'MyDog' or 'MyCat' variable becomes true #}

{% endif %} {# close out the conditional block upon executing either of the previous two conditions#]

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