:sig
String component(String name, [DValue props], [Request& context])

:see
>ob
>component_render
>1_COMPONENT
>1_RENDER

:content
Renders another `.uce` file as a component and returns the captured output as a `String`.

`component()` resolves the target file relative to the current page and also tries the `components/` prefix automatically, mirroring the shorthand used by the starter example project.

Component props are passed in `context.props`.

Calling a missing component or named component handler is a server error and sets HTTP status 500. Probe intentionally optional components with `component_exists()` before calling `component()`.

Because `<?= ... ?>` HTML-escapes its value, embed component markup with `<?: component(...) ?>`, `print(component(...))`, or use `component_render(...)` for direct output.

## Named Components

When `name` contains a colon, such as `components/card:BODY`, the part after the colon selects a named component handler exported from the component file through `COMPONENT:BODY(Request& context)`.

The default handler is `COMPONENT(Request& context)`.

When `name` starts with a colon, such as `:BODY`, the target resolves against the current `.uce` file so component files can call their own named handlers without repeating the file name.

When a component unit defines `ONCE(Request& context)`, the runtime calls that hook once per request, per resolved component file, before the first `COMPONENT()` or `COMPONENT:NAME()` handler from that file runs.

## Resolution Order

- exact file name
- exact file name with `.uce`
- the same two forms under `components/`

## Common Patterns

Default component handler:


Named component handler:


Self-targeted named handler from inside the same file:


Preparing props in C++ before rendering:


Embedding returned component markup inside a literal block:


Because `<?= ... ?>` escapes HTML, use `<?: ... ?>` when inserting the returned markup from `component()`.

## Lifecycle Notes

- `INIT(Request& context)` runs once when the worker loads that unit into memory.
- `ONCE(Request& context)` runs once per request before the first component or render entrypoint from that file.
- `component()` then calls either `COMPONENT(Request& context)` or the selected `COMPONENT:NAME(Request& context)` handler.

:example
print(component("examples/sample_unit"), "\n");
