# Views & Templates
PHPFast makes it easy to create dynamic web pages with its flexible view system. All views are stored in the `application/Views/` folder, where you can use layouts, reusable components, and pass data to structure your templates efficiently.
## Views Structure
```
ROOT
├── application/ # Application-specific files
│ └── Views/ # Views for frontend and backend
│ ├── Backend/ # Backend views
│ ├── Frontend/ # Frontend views (assets, components)
│ │ ├── Assets/ # Frontend assets (CSS, JS)
│ │ │ ├── css/ # CSS files
│ │ │ └── js/ # JS files
│ │ ├── Component/ # Reusable components (e.g., menu, search)
│ │ │ ├── header.php # Header component
│ │ │ ├── footer.php # Footer component
│ │ │ └── sidebar_main.php # Sidebar main component
│ │ └── home_index.php # Homepage view
│ ├── backend.php # Backend layout
│ ├── frontend.php # Frontend layout
│ ├── dashboard.php # Dashboard layout
│ └── 404.php # Error layout
```
## Creating a View
1. Go to the `application/View/` directory inside your PHPFast project.
2. Inside your preferred folder, create a new **PHP file** (e.g., `frontend/home_index.php`).
3. Open the file and insert your **HTML and PHP code** to structure the page.
```php
Welcome to PHPFast Framework
This is the Home page.
```
## Using manual way
A layout is a reusable template (e.g., header, footer) that wraps around the main content of your pages. You can store layouts in the `View/` directory for better organization and reuse.
Example `frontend.php` layout:
```php
<?php echo $title ?? 'PHPFast Framework'; ?>
// $view will depend on Controller
```
### Setup Controller
```php
'Welcome to PHPFast Framework',
'message' => 'This is the Home page.'
];
// Set components
$sidebar = Render::component('Frontend/Component/main_sidebar');
// Setup CSS and JS
$this->assets->add('css', 'css/style.css', 'head');
$this->assets->add('js', 'js/main.js', 'footer');
// Send data to view
$this->data('sidebar', $sidebar);
$this->data('data', $data);
// Send data contains CSS and JS
$this->data('assets_header', $this->assets->header('backend'));
$this->data('assets_footer', $this->assets->footer('backend'));
// Render view
$this->render('frontend', 'Frontend/Home/index');
}
}
```
`index()` return `$data` to view `Frontend/Home/index.php` and in layout `frontend.php` will include this view.
### Get data in view
Example in `Frontend/Home/index.php:`
```php
```
## Using Blocks
The PHPFast Framework organizes complex website interfaces by breaking them into independent blocks like head, header, content, and footer. This makes components easier to manage, reuse, and maintain, while also keeping interface and logic separate for better scalability.
That's why the PHPFast Framework implements a Block structure, making interface management more logical, structured, and efficient.
Find out how to use [Blocks](https://docs.cmsfullform.com/documents/blocks)
## When to use Manual or Blocks?
Depending on the first parameter of the `render()` method. If this layout uses Blocks, it will follow the second way.
Example:
Use the same [`HomeController`](#setup-controller) above, but the layout display different.
### Manual
If the code in layout frontend.php like this:
```php
<?php echo $title ?? 'PHPFast Framework'; ?>
// $view will depend on Controller
```
### Blocks
If the code in layout frontend.php like this:
```php
```
## Error Pages
You can create custom error pages and store them in the `application/Views/` directory. For example, to handle 404 errors, create a file named `404.php` in that folder.
```php
if (!$pageFound) {
$this->render404();
}
```