Haml

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

Haml provides a markup language for HTML templating that is clean, DRY, well-indented, and accelerates template creation.

Target Customer

Ruby on Rails developers and web development teams seeking cleaner, faster HTML templates and easier maintenance.

Key Differentiator

Indentation-based syntax that describes HTML structure, reducing repetition and improving readability; acts as a drop-in replacement for ERB and emphasizes well-structured, human-friendly markup.

Implementation Timeline

Value can be realized quickly: a quick read of the tutorial (about 5 minutes) and an initial template conversion can be performed within tens of minutes; users reported rapid adoption and continued use after trying it.

Pain Points

1HTML templates can be repetitive and verbose (DRY concerns).
2Readability and indentation of templates can be poor with traditional HTML/ERB approaches.
3ERB requires more boilerplate and can lead to less readable templates.

Key Features

1Indentation-based nesting to define HTML structure
2Tag syntax using a percent sign (e.g., %div, %strong) and Ruby code embedding with =
3Attributes defined via Ruby hash or CSS-like shorthand (.class, #id)
4Default to %div when no tag is specified
5Drop-in replacement for ERB, integration with Rails
6MIT License (open source)

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1CTO
2Head of Engineering
3Lead Developer
4Engineering Manager

Client Results

1Faster template development and production speed
2Improved readability and maintainability of templates
3Cleaner, DRY HTML templates with less boilerplate

Competitive Advantages

1DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) markup reduces repetition
2Well-indented, readable templates improve maintenance
3Indentation-based structure clarifies HTML hierarchy
4Faster template creation and production speed
5Open source under the MIT License

Key Benefits

1Beautiful, readable markup

2DRY templates with less repetition

3Faster template development and production speed

4Easy maintenance due to clear structure and indentation

5MIT License open source availability

Case Studies & Success Stories

Unspace Interactive and professional Rails shops using Haml exclusively

Case #1

Haml is valued for its cleanliness, readability, and production speed, and is used exclusively in projects by Unspace Interactive and several other Rails-focused shops.

Additional Product Information

Product Description

Haml is a markup language that cleanly and simply describes the HTML of web documents without inline code, serving as a replacement for inline templating systems like PHP, ASP, and ERB.

Target Market

Ruby on Rails developers, web development teams, and design/agency shops building web applications.

Unique Value Proposition

A markup language that describes HTML through indentation, delivering readable, DRY templates with faster development compared to traditional HTML/ERB approaches.

Technical Requirements

Requires Ruby and Rails integration; used as a drop-in replacement for ERB; templates can be mixed with ERB during migration; gem installation is assumed in tutorials