What's the difference between templates and extensions?

[JosephBARBIERDARNAL]

Description

Hi!

I think my title is straightforward, but what I'm trying to understand here is whether there's a difference between the two (I'm sure there is). I haven't found a page devoted to templates in the quarto site, even though they are mentioned everywhere.

[mcanouil]

Templates are the skeleton of documents: https://quarto.org/docs/journals/templates.html
Extensions are the way to package things to allow easier sharing of Quarto components such as custom formats that use templates/partials https://quarto.org/docs/extensions/

[JosephBARBIERDARNAL]

Ok thanks I think I get extensions now.

But if that's the case, I don't understand why you can use an extension without a template? https://quarto.org/docs/extensions/starter-templates.html#extensions-templates When it says that it's suggested to have a starter template, does that mean that you don't have to have it (e.g not have a skeleton)? Or have I not understood the metaphor?

[mcanouil]

Extensions are not limited to formats. Look at the documentation I have linked.
And even for formats extensions, why would you define templates or partials if you only want to change default options?

[JosephBARBIERDARNAL]

Mmh ok. Thanks for the replies, I think after spending a bit more time playing with it, it will make more sense in my head.