# Mako Processor
## Purpose
Renders Mako template files into output files using the Python Mako template library.
## How It Works
Files matching configured extensions in `templates.mako/` are rendered via `python3` using
the `mako` Python library. Output is written with the extension stripped and the
`templates.mako/` prefix removed:
```
templates.mako/app.config.mako → app.config
templates.mako/sub/readme.txt.mako → sub/readme.txt
```
Templates use the [Mako](https://www.makotemplates.org/) templating engine. A
`TemplateLookup` is configured with the project root as the lookup directory, so
templates can include or inherit from other templates using relative paths.
## Source Files
- Input: `templates.mako/**/*{src_extensions}`
- Output: project root, mirroring the template path (minus `templates.mako/` prefix) with the extension removed
## Configuration
```toml
[processor.mako]
src_extensions = [".mako"] # File extensions to process (default: [".mako"])
dep_inputs = ["config/settings.py"] # Additional files that trigger rebuilds when changed
```
| `src_extensions` | string[] | `[".mako"]` | File extensions to discover |
| `dep_inputs` | string[] | `[]` | Extra files whose changes trigger rebuilds |
## Batch support
Each input file is processed individually, producing its own output file.
## Clean behavior
This processor is a Generator — `rsconstruct clean outputs` removes each declared output file individually with no directory recursion. After all per-product cleans complete, the orchestrator removes any parent directories that are now empty. Pass `--no-empty-dirs` to keep them. See [Clean behavior](../processors.md#clean-behavior) and [`rsconstruct clean`](../commands.md#rsconstruct-clean).