diff --git a/framework/base/Application.php b/framework/base/Application.php
index f64e352..40e8437 100644
--- a/framework/base/Application.php
+++ b/framework/base/Application.php
@@ -359,6 +359,15 @@ class Application extends Module
 	}
 
 	/**
+	 * Returns the view renderer.
+	 * @return ViewRenderer the view renderer used by this application.
+	 */
+	public function getViewRenderer()
+	{
+		return $this->getComponent('viewRenderer');
+	}
+
+	/**
 	 * Sets default path aliases.
 	 */
 	public function registerDefaultAliases()
diff --git a/framework/base/View.php b/framework/base/View.php
index dccfb26..410e3c5 100644
--- a/framework/base/View.php
+++ b/framework/base/View.php
@@ -137,13 +137,37 @@ class View extends Component
 
 	/**
 	 * Renders a view file.
-	 * This method will extract the given parameters and include the view file.
-	 * It captures the output of the included view file and returns it as a string.
+	 *
+	 * If a [[ViewRenderer|view renderer]] is installed, this method will try to use the view renderer
+	 * to render the view file. Otherwise, it will simply include the view file, capture its output
+	 * and return it as a string.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $file the view file.
+	 * @param array $params the parameters (name-value pairs) that will be extracted and made available in the view file.
+	 * @return string the rendering result
+	 */
+	public function renderFile($file, $params = array())
+	{
+		$renderer = Yii::$application->getViewRenderer();
+		if ($renderer !== null) {
+			return $renderer->render($this, $file, $params);
+		} else {
+			return $this->renderPhpFile($file, $params);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Renders a view file as a PHP script.
+	 *
+	 * This method treats the view file as a PHP script and includes the file.
+	 * It extracts the given parameters and makes them available in the view file.
+	 * The method captures the output of the included view file and returns it as a string.
+	 *
 	 * @param string $_file_ the view file.
 	 * @param array $_params_ the parameters (name-value pairs) that will be extracted and made available in the view file.
 	 * @return string the rendering result
 	 */
-	public function renderFile($_file_, $_params_ = array())
+	public function renderPhpFile($_file_, $_params_ = array())
 	{
 		ob_start();
 		ob_implicit_flush(false);
diff --git a/framework/base/ViewRenderer.php b/framework/base/ViewRenderer.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ecb216d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/framework/base/ViewRenderer.php
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * ViewRenderer class file.
+ *
+ * @link http://www.yiiframework.com/
+ * @copyright Copyright &copy; 2008 Yii Software LLC
+ * @license http://www.yiiframework.com/license/
+ */
+
+namespace yii\base;
+
+/**
+ * ViewRenderer is the base class for view renderer classes.
+ *
+ * @author Qiang Xue <qiang.xue@gmail.com>
+ * @since 2.0
+ */
+abstract class ViewRenderer extends Component
+{
+	/**
+	 * Renders a view file.
+	 *
+	 * This method is invoked by [[View]] whenever it tries to render a view.
+	 * Child classes must implement this method to render the given view file.
+	 *
+	 * @param View $view the view object used for rendering the file.
+	 * @param string $file the view file.
+	 * @param array $params the parameters to be passed to the view file.
+	 * @return string the rendering result
+	 */
+	abstract public function render($view, $file, $params);
+}
diff --git a/framework/console/View.php b/framework/util/ConsoleColor.php
similarity index 99%
rename from framework/console/View.php
rename to framework/util/ConsoleColor.php
index 38f0b94..1fadc40 100644
--- a/framework/console/View.php
+++ b/framework/util/ConsoleColor.php
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 /**
- * View class file.
+ * ConsoleColor class file.
  *
  * @link http://www.yiiframework.com/
  * @copyright Copyright &copy; 2008 Yii Software LLC
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ namespace yii\console;
  * @author Carsten Brandt <mail@cebe.cc>
  * @since 2.0
  */
-class View extends \yii\base\Component
+class ConsoleColor
 {
 	const FG_BLACK = 30;
 	const FG_RED = 31;
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
index 7517b07..60e37c5 100644
--- a/todo.md
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 	  * mongodb (put it under framework/db/mongodb)
 	* key-value-based (should allow storage-specific methods additionally to generic ones)
 	  * redis (put it under framework/db/redis or perhaps framework/caching?)
+- base
+	* TwigViewRenderer
+	* SmartyViewRenderer
 - logging
 	* WebTarget (TBD after web is in place): should consider using javascript and make it into a toolbar
 	* ProfileTarget (TBD after web is in place): should consider using javascript and make it into a toolbar