Over on the O'Reilly Network this morning, there's a new piece for those out there that like to use the PEAR classes. It covers using the PEAR:DB and Smarty template class together to create a "dynamic duo".

Total separation of business and template logic is an often-sought goal in advanced web application development. Many times, PHP leads to a compromise. Some code sets implement features by embedding markup in the business logic. Others put business logic in the template side. With the goal here being to separate the logic from the layout, the PEAR:DB and Smarty combination can be quite useful. They show you how to, with a few simple functions and examples, you can create a system that will allow you to update a site quickly and easily - through templates and small database changes.

The Smarty template system is one of the most widely used ones for a reason - it's one of the most complete, well-built systems out there. It makes it quite easy to create pages like these for your own site.