Menu Templates

Templates define reusable layout layers applied to a Menu before decorate() runs. They handle decoration (borders, fillers, fixed buttons) so individual menus only declare their interactive content.

MenuTemplate interface

public interface MenuTemplate {
    void apply(Menu menu);
}

AbstractMenuTemplate

Provides protected helpers for common patterns:

public abstract class AbstractMenuTemplate implements MenuTemplate {
    protected void applyBorder(Menu menu, ItemStack filler) { ... }
    protected void applyFill(Menu menu, ItemStack filler) { ... }
}

• applyBorder — fills the outer ring of slots (top row, bottom row, left and right edges).
• applyFill — fills every slot.

Built-in templates (Templates factory)

// Border with default gray glass pane filler
Templates.bordered()

// Border with custom filler
Templates.bordered(new ItemBuilder(Material.BLACK_STAINED_GLASS_PANE).name(" ").build())

// Fill all slots with default filler (content overwrites after)
Templates.filled()

// Fill with custom filler
Templates.filled(myFillerItem)

Using a template in a menu

Override template():

@Override
protected MenuTemplate template() {
    return Templates.bordered();
}

The template is applied first; decorate() runs after, so content overwrites template items in any slot.

Custom templates

Extend AbstractMenuTemplate for reusable layouts:

public final class ShopTemplate extends AbstractMenuTemplate {

    @Override
    public void apply(Menu menu) {
        applyBorder(menu, new ItemBuilder(Material.PURPLE_STAINED_GLASS_PANE).name(" ").build());

        // Fixed close button in the bottom center
        menu.set(49, MenuItem.of(
                new ItemBuilder(Material.BARRIER).name("<red>Close").build(),
                event -> menu.back()));
    }
}

Apply it: return new ShopTemplate();

YAML-driven templates

Define templates in menus.yml without recompiling:

my-template:
  filler:
    material: GRAY_STAINED_GLASS_PANE
    name: " "
  border: true
  items:
    title-icon:
      material: NETHER_STAR
      name: "<aqua><bold>My Menu"
      lore:
        - "<gray>A config-driven layout."
      slots: [4]

Load and apply with YamlMenuTemplate:

Config menus = service(ConfigManager.class).load("menus.yml");
MenuTemplate template = new YamlMenuTemplate(menus, "my-template");

Then return it from template():

@Override
protected MenuTemplate template() {
    return new YamlMenuTemplate(menusConfig, "my-template");
}

YAML item format

Key	Description
material	Bukkit Material name (e.g. DIAMOND)
name	MiniMessage display name
lore	List of MiniMessage lore lines
slots	List of slot indices the item occupies

border: true uses applyBorder; border: false uses applyFill.