Modyo Docs

# Variables and Data Types

In Liquid, you work with variables to store and manipulate data. This section covers how to create variables and the different data types available.

# Variables

Variables store values that you can reuse in your template. You can create your own variables or use the ones Modyo provides automatically.

# Creating variables

Use assign to create new variables:

{% assign name = "John" %}
{% assign price = 100 %}
{% assign active = true %}

{{ name }} → John
{{ price }} → 100

# Access syntax

{{ variable }}                    → Displays the value
{{ object.property }}           → Accesses a property (dot notation)
{{ object['property'] }}        → Bracket access (necessary if there are spaces)
{{ object.nested.property }}    → Nested properties

Differences between dot notation and brackets:

  • Dot: Simpler but doesn't allow spaces or dynamic variables
  • Brackets: Allows spaces, hyphens, and using variables as keys
{{ product.title }}              → Works
{{ product['title'] }}           → Also works
{{ product['special-price'] }}   → Necessary with hyphens
{{ product[variable_name] }}     → Dynamic access with variable

# Data Types

Liquid in Modyo supports the following data types:

# Strings

Strings must be in single or double quotes:

{% assign message = "Hello world" %}
{% assign name = 'John' %}
{{ message }} → Hello world

# Numbers

{% assign price = 100 %}         → Integer
{% assign discount = 0.15 %}     → Decimal
{{ price | minus: 10 }}          → 90

# Booleans

{% assign active = true %}
{% assign published = false %}

{% if active %}
  This content is active
{% endif %}

# Nil

Represents the absence of value:

{% if user == nil %}
  No user logged in
{% endif %}

# Arrays

Ordered collections of elements:

{% assign products = spaces['store'].types['product'].entries %}

{{ products[0].fields.name }}     → First element (index 0)
{{ products[2] }}                  → Third element (index 2)
{{ products.first.fields.name }}  → First element (.first method)
{{ products.last.fields.name }}   → Last element (.last method)
{{ products.size }}                → Number of elements

{% for product in products %}
  {{ forloop.index }}: {{ product.fields.name }}
{% endfor %}

Note about indices: Arrays in Liquid start at 0, so the first element is [0], the second is [1], etc.

# Hashes (objects/dictionaries)

Collections of key-value pairs:

{% assign config = site.metadata %}

{{ config.theme }}                  → Dot notation
{{ config['theme'] }}               → Bracket notation
{{ config['color-primary'] }}       → Necessary with hyphens

{% for item in config %}
  {{ item[0] }}: {{ item[1] }}     → Key: Value
{% endfor %}

# Operations with Data Types

# Type conversion

{{ "100" | plus: 0 }}              → Converts string to number
{{ 100 | append: "" }}              → Converts number to string

# Type checking

{% if products.size > 0 %}
  Products available
{% elsif products == empty %}
  No products
{% endif %}

# Default values

{{ user.name | default: "Guest" }}
{{ product.fields.price | default: 0 }}

Best Practice

Always use default when you're not sure if a value exists to avoid displaying empty content.

# Special Modyo Objects

Modyo provides predefined objects that contain system information:

  • user: Current user
  • site: Current site
  • page: Current page
  • spaces: Access to content spaces
  • account: Account information

For a complete and detailed list of all available objects, see the Objects section.

← Objects →