We source, vet, and manage hiring so you can meet qualified candidates in days, not months. Strong English, U.S. time zone overlap, and compliant hiring built in.
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Nunjucks is a powerful, flexible templating engine for Node.js and browsers, inspired by Jinja2 (Python's template language) and created by Mozilla. Unlike simpler template languages, Nunjucks includes advanced features like template inheritance, macros, filters, and logic blocks, making it suitable for building complex, maintainable HTML templates. It's used by companies building content-heavy applications, static site generators, email templates, and server-rendered Node.js applications.
The framework excels at separating presentation logic from application code while keeping templates readable and maintainable. Nunjucks supports both server-side rendering (Express.js, Koa) and client-side rendering (pre-compiled templates in the browser). Unlike template literals or JSX-only approaches, Nunjucks allows designers and developers to work in tandem on templates without touching application logic, making it ideal for larger teams with design/frontend separation.
Nunjucks gained prominence in the Node.js ecosystem as an alternative to EJS and Handlebars, particularly for applications requiring inheritance and macro systems. GitHub stars hover around 7.5k; npm downloads are steady around 500-600k weekly, with strong adoption in content management, static site generation, and email systems. It's the templating engine behind 11ty (a popular static site generator).
Hire a Nunjucks developer when you're building server-side rendered Node.js applications, static site generators, or email template systems that benefit from inheritance and maintainability. Common scenarios: content-heavy websites (blogs, documentation, marketing sites) using static generation, Node.js web applications using Express or similar, email template systems where inheritance reduces duplication, and projects where designers work independently on templates.
Nunjucks is not the best fit if you're building modern JavaScript frontends (use React, Vue, or Svelte instead). It's also less ideal if you need real-time interactivity on the frontend (Nunjucks is for rendering, not runtime). For simple template needs in monolithic Node.js apps, a lighter template engine (EJS, Handlebars) may suffice, but Nunjucks shines when template complexity grows.
Team composition: A Nunjucks developer typically pairs with Node.js backend developers or static site generation specialists. For content-heavy projects, include content creators and designers who work directly with template files. For email systems, pair with a backend engineer who manages email sending and scheduling.
Core must-haves: strong Node.js fundamentals, hands-on Nunjucks experience (template inheritance, macros, filters, custom filters), understanding of template rendering pipelines, and familiarity with separation of concerns (templates vs. business logic). They should understand when to use Nunjucks server-side vs. pre-compiling for the browser.
Nice-to-haves: experience with template inheritance patterns (DRY templates), custom Nunjucks filters and extensions, integration with Express.js or static site generators (11ty, Eleventy), and understanding of performance implications of template rendering. Background in Jinja2 (Python) or similar template languages is valuable.
Red flags: developers who treat templates as logic files (mixing business logic into templates), inability to explain template inheritance benefits, confusion about server vs. client template rendering, or dismissal of templating as outdated. Good templating matters for maintainability.
Junior (1-2 years): Basic Nunjucks syntax (variables, filters, control flow), understanding of basic template rendering, ability to build simple templates. Should be able to create pages using starter templates and basic macros.
Mid-level (3-5 years): Advanced Nunjucks patterns (inheritance, complex macro design, custom filters), integration with Node.js frameworks (Express), static site generation, email template systems. Should architect template systems that scale.
Senior (5+ years): Deep understanding of template rendering performance and optimization, building custom Nunjucks extensions, designing template architectures for large projects, mentoring on template best practices. Should make decisions about template strategy and tooling.
1. Tell me about a project where you used Nunjucks templates. How did you structure them to avoid duplication? Listen for understanding of template inheritance, base templates, and reusable macros. Strong answers show clear separation between layout templates and content. Should mention specific benefits (DRY, maintainability).
2. You're building a static site with dozens of pages and a consistent header/footer. How would you use Nunjucks to avoid duplicating layout code? Good answer covers: base template, block inheritance, overriding specific blocks, and organizing template directories. Should explain why this is better than copy-pasting HTML.
3. A designer on your team wants to work directly on HTML templates without touching Node.js code. How would you set up Nunjucks to enable that? Strong answer covers: separating templates from business logic, passing clean data structures to templates, avoiding complex logic in templates, and documentation/examples for the designer.
4. You need to send customized emails to thousands of users. Walk me through a Nunjucks email template approach.** Good answer covers: email template design with Nunjucks, data passing (user name, personalization), supporting multiple email clients (styles, inlining), and testing strategies. Should mention email-specific considerations (styles, images).
5. You're migrating a project from EJS to Nunjucks. What's your strategy and what benefits does Nunjucks provide? Strong answer covers: template syntax translation, leveraging inheritance (EJS lacks this), macro creation, gradual migration, and testing. Should articulate why the migration is worth the effort.
1. Explain Nunjucks template inheritance. How does it differ from macros? Should explain: inheritance is for page layout (base template, blocks, child templates override blocks), macros are reusable template snippets (like functions). Both reduce duplication but serve different purposes. Weak answer conflates them.
2. How do you create and use custom Nunjucks filters? Should cover: filter API (callback function), registering with Nunjucks environment, use in templates. Should mention when to create filters vs. preprocessing data in Node.js. Weak answer treats filters as black boxes.
3. You have a Nunjucks template that needs to display data formatted differently depending on context. How would you approach this? Good answer covers: passing formatted data from Node.js (preferred), using filters for simple formatting, conditional logic in templates (sparingly), and keeping templates simple. Should mention the balance between logic and presentation.
4. Explain how Nunjucks handles control flow (if, for). What are common pitfalls? Should cover: if/elif/else, for loops with loop context, break, continue. Should mention template complexity as a pitfall and the importance of keeping templates simple. Weak answer treats templates as full programming environments.
5. How would you pre-compile Nunjucks templates for browser use? Good answer covers: browser-compatible Nunjucks, precompilation process, template caching, and when to use pre-compiled templates (performance, small data files). Should mention the difference from server-side rendering.
Build a static site with Nunjucks templates (take-home, 3-4 hours): Create a simple blog site with a home page (listing posts), post page (individual post), and about page. Use a base template for common layout (header, footer, navigation). Create a macro for displaying post excerpts or cards. Use template inheritance to avoid duplication. Store post data in JSON. Generate HTML files. Scoring rubric: Are templates organized hierarchically? Does inheritance work correctly? Are macros used appropriately? Is the data structure clean? Can they explain their template structure?
Nunjucks developer salaries in Latin America (2026 market rates):
Typical US rates for comparison:
Nunjucks talent in LatAm is typically found among full-stack Node.js developers and static site generation enthusiasts. Brazil (São Paulo) and Argentina (Buenos Aires) have strong Node.js communities. LatAm developers typically cost 40-58% less than US equivalents. Nunjucks is often a secondary skill for Node.js developers, so rates reflect that.
LatAm developers bring deep experience with Node.js and modern JavaScript stacks. Nunjucks adoption is particularly strong among content-focused developers and static site generation communities where Brazilian and Argentine developers are active. The LatAm developer community engages heavily with open-source projects like 11ty and content management systems.
Time zone overlap: Most LatAm Nunjucks developers work UTC-3 (Argentina) to UTC-5 (Brazil, Colombia), providing 6-8 hours of overlap with US East Coast teams. This is valuable for collaborating on template architecture and content systems.
Cost advantage: LatAm Nunjucks developers cost 40-58% less than US peers for equivalent seniority. For content-heavy projects requiring sophisticated template systems, this savings is substantial: you can hire a senior developer experienced with large template architectures at the cost of a mid-level US hire.
English proficiency: Professional developers in LatAm typically speak English at B2-C1 level, sufficient for technical discussions, code review, and documentation. Cultural alignment with agile teams is strong.
South's process starts by understanding your templating requirements: site scale, template complexity, team structure (designers, developers), and content management approach. We then match from our network of pre-vetted Node.js developers with Nunjucks and static site generation experience.
You interview candidates directly using our structured questions (inheritance patterns, custom filters, architecture) and practical take-home projects. After selection, we handle compliance, onboarding, and ongoing support. If a developer isn't meeting your expectations after 30 days, we replace them at no cost.
South's vetting specifically assesses template architecture thinking. You get developers who understand maintainability and DRY principles, not developers treating templates as throw-away code.
Ready to hire a Nunjucks developer? Start your match with South today.
Nunjucks renders HTML templates in Node.js applications and static site generators. Common use cases: server-side rendering in Express.js apps, static site generation (blogs, documentation, marketing sites), email template systems, and projects where templates need inheritance and maintainability.
No. Nunjucks is for server-side rendering and static generation. React applications use JSX or component templating. Use Nunjucks for backend rendering, React for frontend interactivity.
Nunjucks if you need inheritance and complex template structures. EJS if you want lightweight and simple. Handlebars if you prefer logic-less templates. Nunjucks has the richest feature set; use it for complex, maintainable template systems.
Mid-level Nunjucks developers in LatAm range from $36,000-50,000/year, typically 40-58% cheaper than US equivalents. Senior developers range $52,000-72,000/year. Nunjucks is often a secondary skill; rates reflect that.
South typically matches you with qualified Node.js developers with Nunjucks experience within 3-5 days. After your interviews, onboarding is 1-2 weeks. Total time from first conversation to productive developer is usually 2-3 weeks.
For simple templating, a junior developer suffices. For complex content systems or large static sites, hire mid-level or senior. If you're designing a new template architecture for a large project, senior expertise is valuable.
Yes. South can match you with developers for part-time roles (20-30 hours/week) or fixed-term contracts (3-6 months). Part-time works well for static site projects; short-term contracts suit specific template system builds.
Most work UTC-3 (Argentina) to UTC-5 (Brazil, Colombia), giving you 6-8 hours of overlap with US East Coast (9am-5pm ET aligns with 2-10pm or 8am-4pm BRT). Good for collaborative template design sessions.
We assess Node.js fundamentals, hands-on Nunjucks experience (inheritance, macros, filters), template architecture thinking, and understanding of separation of concerns. Candidates are tested on practical template design scenarios.
South backs all hires with a 30-day replacement guarantee. If a developer isn't meeting your expectations, we replace them at no cost. No lock-in.
Yes. South handles payroll, tax compliance, benefits, and legal requirements in each country. You pay a single invoice; we manage the rest.
Absolutely. South can assemble teams of 2-6+ developers for larger projects. Common configurations: a lead developer (senior) with 2-3 mid-level developers, or specialized teams for static site generation and backend rendering.
