diff --git a/codegen/template_render.cpp b/codegen/template_render.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59a3a6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codegen/template_render.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,245 @@
+/**
+ * @file template_render.cpp
+ * @brief Implementation of template-based code emission.
+ *
+ * This module provides template loading and rendering functionality
+ * for generating C++ code. Templates use {{PLACEHOLDER}} syntax.
+ */
+
+#include "template_render.hpp"
+#include <fstream>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <regex>
+
+namespace codegen {
+namespace templates {
+
+// Cache for loaded templates to avoid repeated file I/O
+static std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string> template_cache;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a template string by substituting placeholders.
+ */
+std::string render(const std::string& template_str,
+                   const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& subs) {
+    std::string result = template_str;
+
+    for (const auto& [key, value] : subs) {
+        std::string placeholder = "{{" + key + "}}";
+        size_t pos = 0;
+
+        while ((pos = result.find(placeholder, pos)) != std::string::npos) {
+            result.replace(pos, placeholder.length(), value);
+            pos += value.length();
+        }
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Loads a template file from the templates directory.
+ *
+ * Uses a cache to avoid repeated file reads. Templates are expected
+ * to be in the codegen/templates/ directory.
+ */
+std::string load_template(const std::string& name) {
+    // Check cache first
+    auto it = template_cache.find(name);
+
+    if (it != template_cache.end()) {
+        return it->second;
+    }
+
+    // Try to load from file
+    // Note: In a production build, templates would be embedded as string literals
+    // or the path would be configurable. For this prototype, we use a relative path.
+    std::string path = "codegen/templates/" + name + ".cpp.tmpl";
+    std::ifstream file(path);
+
+    if (!file.is_open()) {
+        // Try alternative path (when running from build directory)
+        path = "../codegen/templates/" + name + ".cpp.tmpl";
+        file.open(path);
+    }
+
+    if (!file.is_open()) {
+        return "";  // Template not found
+    }
+
+    std::stringstream buffer;
+    buffer << file.rdbuf();
+    std::string content = buffer.str();
+
+    // Cache the template
+    template_cache[name] = content;
+
+    return content;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Indents each line of text by the specified number of tabs.
+ */
+std::string indent(const std::string& text, int tabs) {
+    if (text.empty() || tabs <= 0) {
+        return text;
+    }
+
+    std::string prefix(tabs, '\t');
+    std::string result;
+    std::istringstream stream(text);
+    std::string line;
+    bool first = true;
+
+    while (std::getline(stream, line)) {
+        if (!first) {
+            result += "\n";
+        }
+
+        if (!line.empty()) {
+            result += prefix + line;
+        }
+
+        first = false;
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Joins statement strings into a body with proper indentation.
+ */
+std::string join_body(const std::vector<std::string>& statements, int tabs) {
+    std::string result;
+    std::string prefix(tabs, '\t');
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < statements.size(); ++i) {
+        result += prefix + statements[i];
+
+        if (i + 1 < statements.size()) {
+            result += "\n";
+        }
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+// ============================================================================
+// Convenience functions using templates
+// ============================================================================
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a for-range loop using the for_range template.
+ */
+std::string for_range(const std::string& var,
+                      const std::string& start,
+                      const std::string& end,
+                      const std::vector<std::string>& body) {
+    std::string tmpl = load_template("for_range");
+
+    if (tmpl.empty()) {
+        // Fallback to inline template if file not found
+        tmpl = "for (int {{VAR}} = {{START}}; {{VAR}} < {{END}}; {{VAR}}++) {\n{{BODY}}\n}";
+    }
+
+    return render(tmpl, {
+        {"VAR", var},
+        {"START", start},
+        {"END", end},
+        {"BODY", join_body(body, 1)}
+    });
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a for-each loop using the for_each template.
+ */
+std::string for_each(const std::string& var,
+                     const std::string& collection,
+                     const std::vector<std::string>& body) {
+    std::string tmpl = load_template("for_each");
+
+    if (tmpl.empty()) {
+        tmpl = "for (auto& {{VAR}} : {{COLLECTION}}) {\n{{BODY}}\n}";
+    }
+
+    return render(tmpl, {
+        {"VAR", var},
+        {"COLLECTION", collection},
+        {"BODY", join_body(body, 1)}
+    });
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a function definition using the function_def template.
+ */
+std::string function_def(const std::string& name,
+                         const std::string& params,
+                         const std::string& return_type,
+                         const std::vector<std::string>& body) {
+    std::string tmpl = load_template("function_def");
+
+    if (tmpl.empty()) {
+        tmpl = "{{RETURN_TYPE}} {{NAME}}({{PARAMS}}) {\n{{BODY}}\n}\n";
+    }
+
+    std::string rt = return_type.empty() ? "void" : return_type;
+
+    return render(tmpl, {
+        {"NAME", name},
+        {"PARAMS", params},
+        {"RETURN_TYPE", rt},
+        {"BODY", join_body(body, 1)}
+    });
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a struct definition using the struct_def template.
+ */
+std::string struct_def(const std::string& name,
+                       const std::vector<std::string>& fields) {
+    std::string tmpl = load_template("struct_def");
+
+    if (tmpl.empty()) {
+        tmpl = "struct {{NAME}} {\n{{FIELDS}}};\n";
+    }
+
+    return render(tmpl, {
+        {"NAME", name},
+        {"FIELDS", join_body(fields, 1)}
+    });
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders an if statement using the if_stmt or if_else_stmt template.
+ */
+std::string if_stmt(const std::string& condition,
+                    const std::vector<std::string>& then_body,
+                    const std::vector<std::string>& else_body) {
+    if (else_body.empty()) {
+        std::string tmpl = load_template("if_stmt");
+
+        if (tmpl.empty()) {
+            tmpl = "if ({{CONDITION}}) {\n{{THEN_BODY}}\n}";
+        }
+
+        return render(tmpl, {
+            {"CONDITION", condition},
+            {"THEN_BODY", join_body(then_body, 1)}
+        });
+    }
+
+    std::string tmpl = load_template("if_else_stmt");
+
+    if (tmpl.empty()) {
+        tmpl = "if ({{CONDITION}}) {\n{{THEN_BODY}}\n} else {\n{{ELSE_BODY}}\n}";
+    }
+
+    return render(tmpl, {
+        {"CONDITION", condition},
+        {"THEN_BODY", join_body(then_body, 1)},
+        {"ELSE_BODY", join_body(else_body, 1)}
+    });
+}
+
+} // namespace templates
+} // namespace codegen
diff --git a/codegen/template_render.hpp b/codegen/template_render.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ddee585
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codegen/template_render.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+/**
+ * @file template_render.hpp
+ * @brief Template-based code emission for the Bishop code generator.
+ *
+ * This file provides template loading and rendering functionality for
+ * generating C++ code from .cpp.tmpl template files. Templates use
+ * {{PLACEHOLDER}} syntax for variable substitution.
+ */
+
+#ifndef CODEGEN_TEMPLATE_RENDER_HPP
+#define CODEGEN_TEMPLATE_RENDER_HPP
+
+#include <string>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace codegen {
+namespace templates {
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a template string with the given substitutions.
+ *
+ * Replaces all occurrences of {{KEY}} with the corresponding value
+ * from the substitutions map.
+ *
+ * @param template_str The template string with {{PLACEHOLDER}} markers
+ * @param subs Map of placeholder names to replacement values
+ * @return The rendered string with all placeholders substituted
+ *
+ * @example
+ *   render("Hello {{NAME}}!", {{"NAME", "World"}})
+ *   // Returns: "Hello World!"
+ */
+std::string render(const std::string& template_str,
+                   const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& subs);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Loads a template from the templates directory.
+ *
+ * Templates are stored in codegen/templates/ with .cpp.tmpl extension.
+ *
+ * @param name Template name (without path or extension)
+ * @return The template content, or empty string if not found
+ *
+ * @example
+ *   load_template("for_range")
+ *   // Loads: codegen/templates/for_range.cpp.tmpl
+ */
+std::string load_template(const std::string& name);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Indents each line of a string by a given number of tabs.
+ *
+ * Used to properly indent body content within templates.
+ *
+ * @param text The text to indent
+ * @param tabs Number of tab characters to prepend to each line
+ * @return The indented text
+ */
+std::string indent(const std::string& text, int tabs = 1);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Joins a vector of strings into a body with proper indentation.
+ *
+ * @param statements Vector of statement strings
+ * @param tabs Indentation level
+ * @return Joined and indented string
+ */
+std::string join_body(const std::vector<std::string>& statements, int tabs = 1);
+
+// ============================================================================
+// Convenience functions for common patterns
+// ============================================================================
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a for-range loop using template.
+ *
+ * @param var Loop variable name
+ * @param start Range start expression
+ * @param end Range end expression
+ * @param body Vector of body statements
+ * @return Rendered for-range loop
+ */
+std::string for_range(const std::string& var,
+                      const std::string& start,
+                      const std::string& end,
+                      const std::vector<std::string>& body);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a for-each loop using template.
+ *
+ * @param var Loop variable name
+ * @param collection Collection expression
+ * @param body Vector of body statements
+ * @return Rendered for-each loop
+ */
+std::string for_each(const std::string& var,
+                     const std::string& collection,
+                     const std::vector<std::string>& body);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a function definition using template.
+ *
+ * @param name Function name
+ * @param params Parameter list string
+ * @param return_type Return type string
+ * @param body Vector of body statements
+ * @return Rendered function definition
+ */
+std::string function_def(const std::string& name,
+                         const std::string& params,
+                         const std::string& return_type,
+                         const std::vector<std::string>& body);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders a struct definition using template.
+ *
+ * @param name Struct name
+ * @param fields Vector of field declarations (already formatted)
+ * @return Rendered struct definition
+ */
+std::string struct_def(const std::string& name,
+                       const std::vector<std::string>& fields);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Renders an if statement using template.
+ *
+ * @param condition Condition expression
+ * @param then_body Vector of then-body statements
+ * @param else_body Vector of else-body statements (empty for no else)
+ * @return Rendered if statement
+ */
+std::string if_stmt(const std::string& condition,
+                    const std::vector<std::string>& then_body,
+                    const std::vector<std::string>& else_body = {});
+
+} // namespace templates
+} // namespace codegen
+
+#endif // CODEGEN_TEMPLATE_RENDER_HPP
diff --git a/codegen/templates/for_each.cpp.tmpl b/codegen/templates/for_each.cpp.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3868a7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codegen/templates/for_each.cpp.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+for (auto& {{VAR}} : {{COLLECTION}}) {
+{{BODY}}
+}
diff --git a/codegen/templates/for_range.cpp.tmpl b/codegen/templates/for_range.cpp.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce92206
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codegen/templates/for_range.cpp.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+for (int {{VAR}} = {{START}}; {{VAR}} < {{END}}; {{VAR}}++) {
+{{BODY}}
+}
diff --git a/codegen/templates/function_def.cpp.tmpl b/codegen/templates/function_def.cpp.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09170d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codegen/templates/function_def.cpp.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{{RETURN_TYPE}} {{NAME}}({{PARAMS}}) {
+{{BODY}}
+}
diff --git a/codegen/templates/if_else_stmt.cpp.tmpl b/codegen/templates/if_else_stmt.cpp.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4557035
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codegen/templates/if_else_stmt.cpp.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+if ({{CONDITION}}) {
+{{THEN_BODY}}
+} else {
+{{ELSE_BODY}}
+}
diff --git a/codegen/templates/if_stmt.cpp.tmpl b/codegen/templates/if_stmt.cpp.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff6da55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codegen/templates/if_stmt.cpp.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+if ({{CONDITION}}) {
+{{THEN_BODY}}
+}
diff --git a/codegen/templates/struct_def.cpp.tmpl b/codegen/templates/struct_def.cpp.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aeba8db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codegen/templates/struct_def.cpp.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+struct {{NAME}} {
+{{FIELDS}}
+};