The API

Data & variables

Renderly injects the data object into the document through variables. This page covers every syntax form — escaped, raw, with fallback and by nested path — plus how tables, QR codes and charts are driven by your data.

Anatomy of a variable

A variable is a {{...}} marker inside the content. At render time, Renderly looks up the given path inside the request’s data object and replaces it with the value found.

Syntax	Behavior	When to use
`{{x}}`	Inserts the value with HTML escaping (characters like < > & become entities).	The default and the safe one. Use for any user-supplied data.
`{{{x}}}`	Inserts the value raw, without escaping — the HTML is interpreted.	Only for HTML you trust (e.g. a snippet generated by your own system).
`{{x\|fallback}}`	Uses the text after the bar when the value is missing, null or empty.	Optional fields; avoids gaps in the document.
`{{a.b.c}}`	Walks nested paths in data using dots.	Data structured into objects.

Escaped vs. raw

The difference between {{x}} and {{{x}}} is about safety. The escaped one neutralizes HTML — if the value is <b>oi</b>, it appears literally as text. The raw one injects the HTML to be rendered. Use raw only with trusted content; with third-party data, escaping prevents markup injection.

Raw = your responsibility

{{{x}}} does not sanitize anything. If the value comes from an end user, prefer {{x}}. Reserve raw for fragments your own system generates.

Fallback — {{x|default value}}

When a piece of data can be missing, the fallback keeps the document from having an empty gap. The text after the bar | is used if the path does not resolve.

Variable	data	Output
`{{status\|pending}}`	`{ "status": "paid" }`	paid
`{{status\|pending}}`	`{}`	pending
`{{notes\|—}}`	`{ "notes": "" }`	—

Nested paths

Reach deep objects with dots. Given this data:

nested data

{
  "data": {
    "company": {
      "name": "Acme",
      "address": { "city": "San Francisco", "state": "CA" }
    }
  }
}

you reference {{company.name}} → Acme and {{company.address.city}} → São Paulo.

All together in the HTML path

In raw HTML, all three scalar forms work. An example combining fallback, nested and raw:

application/json

{
  "html": "<h1>{{title|Document}}</h1>\n<p>Customer: {{client.name}}</p>\n<div>{{{signature_html}}}</div>",
  "data": {
    "title": "Receipt",
    "client": { "name": "Acme Ltda" },
    "signature_html": "<img src='https://example.com/signature.png' />"
  }
}

Raw HTML: scalars only

In the html path, substitution is scalar — {{x}}, {{{x}}} and {{x|fallback}}. Tables that iterate over arrays, QR and charts are features of the template path, where the document is structured.

Tables — iterating over an array

In the template, a table points to an array in data through a source field (the dataField). Renderly iterates that array and generates one row per item, mapping each column to a key of the item.

data with array for a table

{
  "template": "invoice",
  "data": {
    "client": "Acme Ltda",
    "items": [
      { "description": "Pro Plan", "qty": 1, "amount": "$99.00" },
      { "description": "Extra user", "qty": 3, "amount": "$135.00" },
      { "description": "Support", "qty": 1, "amount": "$0.00" }
    ],
    "total": "$234.00"
  }
}

Here the table’s dataField is items. Each object in the array becomes a row; the columns reference description, qty and amount. Scalar fields like client and total are used normally outside the table.

Concept	What it is
`dataField`	The data key that holds the array of rows.
row	An item of the array. Repeated automatically for each element.
column	Maps a key of the item (e.g. valor) to a cell.

An empty array is valid

If the array has zero items, the table renders only the header. Use this for documents that may have no rows (e.g. a statement with no transactions).

QR codes

A QR block in the template generates the code from a value in data — typically a URL. It is exactly the mechanism behind the verification mark embedded in every output, but you can also add your own QRs (tickets, links, PIX).

data with a value for a QR

{
  "template": "ticket",
  "data": {
    "event": "Winter Concert",
    "holder": "Maria Silva",
    "qr": "https://acme.com/ticket/8f2a-1c9d"
  }
}

Charts

Charts in the template consume a data series from data — usually an array of label/value pairs — and are drawn into the document. Good for reports, printed dashboards and summaries.

data with a series for a chart

{
  "template": "monthly-report",
  "data": {
    "month": "May/2026",
    "sales": [
      { "label": "Week 1", "value": 1200 },
      { "label": "Week 2", "value": 1850 },
      { "label": "Week 3", "value": 1600 },
      { "label": "Week 4", "value": 2300 }
    ]
  }
}

Best practices with data

Practice	Why
Format numbers and currencies on your side	Renderly inserts the value as it came; “R$ 99.00” is more predictable than 99.
Use a fallback on every optional field	Documents stay intact even with partial data.
Escape by default, raw only when you trust it	Prevents HTML injection from third-party data.
Keep the data shape stable	Tables and charts depend on the keys the template expects.

Verifiable documents

SHA-256 hash, /api/verify, the verification mark and the /verify/<id> page.