# Recipes
> Short, tested solutions to common template tasks.
Each recipe is a complete, tested example.
## Show something only if it is there
`if` alone is not enough, because `""` and `[]` are truthy. Compare with
`blank`:
```vascula
{% if settings.subtitle != blank %}{{ settings.subtitle }}
{% endif %}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"subtitle": ""}}
```
```output
```
## Fall back to a default
`default` treats `nil`, `false`, `""` and empty collections as missing:
```vascula
{{ settings.heading | default: "Featured" }}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"heading": ""}}
```
```output
Featured
```
## Join a list with commas and "and"
```vascula
{% for name in settings.names %}{% if forloop.last and forloop.length > 1 %} and {% elsif forloop.index > 1 %}, {% endif %}{{ name }}{% endfor %}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"names": ["Ada", "Grace", "Hedy"]}}
```
```output
Ada, Grace and Hedy
```
## Plural words
```vascula
{{ settings.count }} {% if settings.count == 1 %}item{% else %}items{% endif %}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"count": 1}}
```
```output
1 item
```
## A grid with a fixed number of columns
`forloop.index0` with `modulo` finds the first item of each row:
```vascula
{% for item in (1..5) %}{% assign column = forloop.index0 | modulo: 2 %}{% if column == 0 %}{% endif %}{{ item }}{% if column == 1 or forloop.last %}
{% endif %}{% endfor %}
```
```output
12
34
5
```
## The first few items, then "and more"
```vascula
{% for tag in settings.tags limit: 2 %}{{ tag }} {% endfor %}{% if settings.tags.size > 2 %}and {{ settings.tags.size | minus: 2 }} more{% endif %}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"tags": ["new", "sale", "tea", "gift"]}}
```
```output
new sale and 2 more
```
## Filter, sort and pick
```vascula
{% assign cheapest = settings.products | where: "available" | sort: "price" | first %}Cheapest available: {{ cheapest.title }}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"products": [
{"title": "Pot", "price": 30, "available": true},
{"title": "Cup", "price": 8, "available": false},
{"title": "Jug", "price": 12, "available": true}
]}}
```
```output
Cheapest available: Jug
```
## Put data in an attribute or a script
`json` is safe in both places:
```vascula
```
```json data
{"settings": {"config": {"autoplay": true, "delay": 3}}}
```
```output
```
## A short excerpt from rich text
```vascula
{{ settings.body | strip_html | truncatewords: 5 }}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"body": "Our first flush Darjeeling has arrived this week.
"}}
```
```output
Our first flush Darjeeling has...
```
## Mark the current item
```vascula
{% for link in settings.links %}{{ link.title }}{% endfor %}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"current": "/teas", "links": [{"title": "Home", "url": "/"}, {"title": "Teas", "url": "/teas"}]}}
```
```output
HomeTeas
```
## Group items under headings
There is no `group_by`; sort by the group, then print a heading whenever it
changes:
```vascula
{% assign last = nil %}{% for t in settings.teas | sort: "kind" %}{% if t.kind != last %}{{ t.kind }}
{% assign last = t.kind %}{% endif %}{{ t.name }}
{% endfor %}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"teas": [{"name": "Sencha", "kind": "green"}, {"name": "Assam", "kind": "black"}, {"name": "Matcha", "kind": "green"}]}}
```
```error
expected "%}"
```
A loop's collection cannot take filters directly. Assign the sorted list first:
```vascula
{% assign sorted = settings.teas | sort: "kind" %}{% assign last = nil %}{% for t in sorted %}{% if t.kind != last %}{{ t.kind }}
{% assign last = t.kind %}{% endif %}{{ t.name }}
{% endfor %}
```
```json data
{"settings": {"teas": [{"name": "Sencha", "kind": "green"}, {"name": "Assam", "kind": "black"}, {"name": "Matcha", "kind": "green"}]}}
```
```output
black
Assam
green
Sencha
Matcha
```