---
title: Options
---

The [Liquid][liquid] constructor accepts a plain object as options to define the behavior of LiquidJS. All of these options are optional thus we can specify any of them, for example the `cache` option:

```javascript
const { Liquid } = require('liquidjs')
const engine = new Liquid({
    cache: true
})
```

{% note info API documentation %}
Following is an overview for all the options. For exact types and signatures, see <a href="https://liquidjs.com/api/interfaces/LiquidOptions.html" target="_self">LiquidOptions | API</a>.
{% endnote %}

## cache

**cache** is used to improve performance by caching previously parsed template structures, especially in cases when we repeatedly parse or render files.

It defaults to `false`. When set to `true`, a default LRU cache of size 1024 will be enabled. It can also be a number indicating the cache size you want.

Additionally, it can also be a custom cache implementation. See [Caching][caching] for details.

## Partials/Layouts

**root** is used to specify template directories for LiquidJS to look up and read template files. Can be a single string or an array of strings. See [Render Files][render-file] for details.

**layouts** is used to specify template directories for LiquidJS to look up files for `{% layout %}`. Same format as `root` and will default to `root` if not specified.

**partials** is used to specify template directories for LiquidJS to look up files for `{% render %}` and `{% include %}`. Same format as `root` and will default to `root` if not specified.

**relativeReference** is set to `true` by default to allow relative filenames. Note that relatively referenced files also need to be within the corresponding root. For example you can reference another file like `{% render ../foo/bar %}` as long as `../foo/bar` is also within `partials` directory.

## dynamicPartials

> Note: for historical reasons, it's named dynamicPartials but it also works for layouts.

**dynamicPartials** indicates whether or not to treat filename arguments in [include][include], [render][render], [layout][layout] tags as a variable. Defaults to `true`. For example, render the following snippet with scope `{ file: 'foo.html' }` will include the `foo.html`:

```liquid
{% include file %}
```

Setting `dynamicPartials: false`, LiquidJS will try to include the file named `file`, which is weird but allows simpler syntax if your template relations are static:

```liquid
{% liquid foo.html %}
```

{% note warn Common Pitfall %}
LiquidJS defaults this option to <code>true</code> to be compatible with shopify/liquid, but if you're from <a href="https://github.com/11ty/eleventy" target="_blank">eleventy</a> it's set to <code>false</code> by default (see <a href="https://www.11ty.dev/docs/languages/liquid/#quoted-include-paths" target="_blank">Quoted Include Paths</a>) which I believe is trying to be compatible with Jekyll.{% endnote %}

## Jekyll include

{% since %}v9.33.0{% endsince %}

[jekyllInclude][jekyllInclude] is used to enable Jekyll-like include syntax. Defaults to `false`, when set to `true`:

- Filename will be static: `dynamicPartials` now defaults to `false` (instead of `true`). And you can set `dynamicPartials` back to `true`.
- Use `=` instead of `:` to separate parameter key-values.
- Parameters are under `include` variable instead of current scope.

For example in the following template, `name.html` is not quoted, `header` and `"HEADER"` are separated by `=`, and the `header` parameter is referenced by `include.header`. For more details, see [include][include].

```liquid
// entry template
{% include article.html header="HEADER" content="CONTENT" %}

// article.html
<article>
  <header>{{include.header}}</header>
  {{include.content}}
</article>
```

## extname

**extname** defines the default extension name to be appended into filenames if the filename has no extension name. Defaults to `''` which means it's disabled by default. By setting it to `.liquid`:

```liquid
{% render "foo" %}  there's no extname, adds `.liquid` and loads foo.liquid
{% render "foo.html" %}  there is an extname already, loads foo.html directly
```

{% note info Legacy Versions %}
Before 2.0.1, <code>extname</code> is set to `.liquid` by default. To change that you need to set <code>extname: ''</code> explicitly. See <a href="https://github.com/harttle/liquidjs/issues/41" target="_blank">#41</a> for details.
{% endnote %}

## fs

**fs** is used to define a custom file system implementation which will be used by LiquidJS to look up and read template files. See [Abstract File System][abstract-fs] for details.

## globals

**globals** is used to define global variables available to all templates even in cases of [render tag][render]. See [3185][185] for details.

## jsTruthy

**jsTruthy** is used to use standard JavaScript truthiness rather than Shopify's.

It defaults to `false`. For example, when set to `true`, a blank string would evaluate to false with jsTruthy. With Shopify's truthiness, a blank string is true.

## outputEscape

[outputEscape][outputEscape] can be used to automatically escape output strings. It can be one of `"escape"`, `"json"`, or `(val: unknown) => string`, defaults to `undefined`.

- For untrusted output variables, set `outputEscape: "escape"` makes them be HTML escaped by default. You'll need [raw][raw] filter for direct output.
- `"json"` is useful when you're using LiquidJS to create valid JSON files.
- It can even be a function that allows you to control what variables are output throughout LiquidJS. Please note the input can be any type other than string, e.g. a filter may return a non-string value.

## Date

**timezoneOffset** is used to specify a different timezone to output dates, your local timezone will be used if not specified. For example, set `timezoneOffset: 0` to output all dates in UTC/GMT 00:00.

**preserveTimezones** is a boolean that affects only literal timestamps. When set to `true`, all literal timestamps will remain the same when output. This is a parser option, so Date objects passed to LiquidJS as data will not be affected. Note that `preserveTimezones` has a higher priority than `timezoneOffset`.

**dateFormat** is used to specify a default format to output dates. `%A, %B %-e, %Y at %-l:%M %P %z` will be used if not specified. For example, set `dateFormat: %Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S:%LZ` to output all dates in [JavaScript Date.toJson()](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Date/toJSON) format.

## Trimming

**greedy**, **trimOutputLeft**, **trimOutputRight**, **trimTagLeft**, **trimTagRight** options are used to eliminate extra newlines and indents in templates around Liquid Constructs. See [Whitespace Control][wc] for details.

## Delimiter

**outputDelimiterLeft**, **outputDelimiterRight**, **tagDelimiterLeft**, **tagDelimiterRight** are used to customize the delimiters for LiquidJS [Tags and Filters][intro]. For example with `outputDelimiterLeft: <%=, outputDelimiterRight: %>` we are able to avoid conflicts with other languages:

```ejs
<%= username | append: ", welcome to LiquidJS!" %>
```

## Strict

**strictFilters** is used to assert filter existence. If set to `false`, undefined filters will be skipped. Otherwise, undefined filters will cause a parse exception. Defaults to `false`.

**strictVariables** is used to assert variable existence.  If set to `false`, undefined variables will be rendered as empty string.  Otherwise, undefined variables will cause a render exception. Defaults to `false`.

**lenientIf** modifies the behavior of `strictVariables` to allow handling optional variables. If set to `true`, an undefined variable will *not* cause an exception in the following two situations: a) it is the condition to an `if`, `elsif`, or `unless` tag; b) it occurs right before a `default` filter. Irrelevant if `strictVariables` is not set. Defaults to `false`.

**ownPropertyOnly** limits template property reads on plain scope objects to own properties (no inherited prototype keys). Defaults to `true`. Inherited access to proto keys (`__proto__`, `constructor`, `prototype`) is always blocked; with `ownPropertyOnly: false`, other inherited properties are allowed. Own properties named `__proto__`, `constructor`, or `prototype` are readable—sanitize untrusted input (e.g. with [bourne](https://www.npmjs.com/package/bourne)) before passing it as scope. See [Security Model](./security-model.html).

{% note info Nonexistent Tags %}
Nonexistent tags always throw errors during parsing and this behavior cannot be customized.
{% endnote %}

## Parameter Order

Parameter orders are ignored by default, for example `{% for i in (1..8) reversed limit:3 %}` will always perform `limit` before `reversed`, even if `reversed` occurs before `limit`. To make parameter order respected, set **orderedFilterParameters** to `true`. Its default value is `false`.

[liquid]: /api/classes/Liquid.html
[caching]: ./caching.html
[abstract-fs]: ./render-file.html#Abstract-File-System
[render-file]: ./render-file.html
[185]: https://github.com/harttle/liquidjs/issues/185
[render]: ../tags/render.html
[include]: ../tags/include.html
[layout]: ../tags/layout.html
[wc]: ./whitespace-control.html
[intro]: ./intro-to-liquid.html
[jekyllInclude]: /api/interfaces/LiquidOptions.html#jekyllInclude
[raw]: ../filters/raw.html
[outputEscape]: /api/interfaces/LiquidOptions.html#outputEscape