Thymeleaf templates are processed on the server-side. When a client (typically a web browser) requests a web page from a server that uses Thymeleaf, the server processes the Thymeleaf templates to generate the HTML content dynamically. The generated HTML content is then sent back to the client as part of the HTTP response.
Here's an overview of the typical process of Thymeleaf template processing:
- Client Request: A client (e.g., a web browser) sends an HTTP request to the server for a specific resource, such as a web page.
- Server-Side Processing: The server receives the HTTP request and routes it to the appropriate controller or handler method in the application. This controller method retrieves data from a database, service, or any other data source as needed.
- Thymeleaf Integration: Within the controller method, the server integrates Thymeleaf by loading and processing the appropriate Thymeleaf template(s) based on the requested resource and the data retrieved.
- Template Rendering: Thymeleaf evaluates the expressions, conditions, and iterations in the template(s) and dynamically generates HTML content based on the provided data. Thymeleaf expressions (${...}) are replaced with actual values from the server-side model.
- HTML Response Generation: The generated HTML content is combined with any static content (e.g., CSS, JavaScript) and other server-side processing results to form the complete HTML response.
- HTTP Response: The server sends the HTTP response, containing the dynamically generated HTML content, back to the client in response to the original request.
- Client Rendering: The client (web browser) receives the HTML response and renders the web page for the user to interact with, displaying the dynamic content generated by Thymeleaf.
In summary, Thymeleaf templates are processed on the server-side as part of handling HTTP requests, allowing developers to dynamically generate HTML content based on server-side data and logic before sending it to the client for rendering in a web browser.
