API / Apache FreeMarker Interview questions

What is the difference between a macro and a custom directive (TemplateDirectiveModel)?

Both let a template author write <@name ...>, but they are implemented very differently and suit different jobs.

Aspect	Macro (#macro)	Custom directive (TemplateDirectiveModel)
Implemented in	FTL, inside a template	Java, compiled into the application
Access to raw Environment	No	Yes - full control over output and parsing
Typical author	Template/page authors	Application developers
Good for	Reusable page fragments, layout snippets	Cross-cutting utilities: security checks, formatting helpers, i18n lookups

A rule of thumb: reach for a macro when the reusable piece is really just more FTL markup, and reach for a custom directive when the behavior needs Java-level logic, access to the environment, or must be shared as a packaged library across many unrelated template sets.

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Which is implemented directly in Java rather than in FTL markup?Neither - both require XML configuration

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A custom directive via TemplateDirectiveModel

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Both are implemented only in FTL

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A macro defined with #macro

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When is a custom directive generally preferred over a macro?Custom directives are always preferred over macros in every case

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When only template authors, not developers, will maintain it

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When the reusable content is simple static HTML with no logic

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When behavior needs Java-level logic or direct access to the Environment

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