DynamicMatic

DynamicMatic is a tiny Sinatra extension that integrates Sinatra with StaticMatic. It allows most of your site to be static while having a few dynamic pages that can use the StaticMatic layouts and partials.

Setup

Your Sinatra and StaticMatic apps live side-by-side. The StaticMatic site directory is used as the directory for Sinatra's public files, and the src directory contains the source for the static pages and the layouts that are shared between StaticMatic and Sinatra. Otherwise the standard Sinatra directories are used.

If the Sinatra :root option is changed, DynamicMatic will respect that and set the StaticMatic paths appropriately.

Usage

If you're using a classic-style Sinatra application, all you have to do is require 'sinatra/dynamicmatic'. If you're using a modular application, you'll also have to include Sinatra::DynamicMatic in your Sinatra::Base subclass.

How it Works

The static pages and stylesheets in the StaticMatic src directory are served statically - they should be compiled before the server is started. This can be done using staticmatic.run("build") in your Sinatra app.

Any dynamic Sinatra pages can make use of the StaticMatic layouts and helpers, but are rendered dynamically on each request.

Layouts

StaticMatic layouts are made available as normal Sinatra templates. For example, if you have src/layouts/application.haml and src/layouts/help.haml, application.haml will be used as the :application template, and help.haml will be used as the :help template. application.haml will also be used for the default layout for Sinatra pages.

Helpers

All the StaticMatic helpers, including those for partial-rendering, are available in Sinatra views. The reverse is not true; Sinatra helpers are generally not available for StaticMatic pages, since they are rendered statically.

Sinatra helpers are, however, available for StaticMatic layouts but only when they're being used for dynamic views. It's not safe to rely on them being there, although you can check for their existence with defined? and call them if they're there.

Configuration

StaticMatic is configured using src/configuration.rb. Sinatra is configured using the set method. In other words, configuration happens as usual.

Preview

When you run your app in development mode, your static pages are actually generated dynamically on each request, just like with staticmatic preview. Once you're in production, though, they're all served swiftly from the site folder.