How can developers ensure that a template system is efficient and not overloaded with unnecessary features?

Developers can ensure that a template system is efficient and not overloaded with unnecessary features by carefully planning and designing the system to only include essential functionalities. They should avoid adding unnecessary complexity or features that are rarely used. Regular code reviews and refactoring can help maintain a lean and efficient template system.

// Example of a simple and efficient template system implementation in PHP

class Template {
    private $data = [];

    public function assign($key, $value) {
        $this->data[$key] = $value;
    }

    public function render($templateFile) {
        extract($this->data);
        ob_start();
        include $templateFile;
        return ob_get_clean();
    }
}

// Example usage
$template = new Template();
$template->assign('title', 'Hello World');
$template->assign('content', 'This is a simple template system.');
echo $template->render('template.php');