View class loads dynamically the template engine configured into application/config/settings.php as DEFAULT_VIEW_CLASS, so the syntax of the template depends on the installed template engine.

The View class uses Rain TPL by default, a fast template engine that loads HTML and uses easy syntax:
http://www.raintpl.com/Documentation/Documentation-for-web-designers/

Rain TPL purpose is to totally separate the work of developers (PHP) from the work of designers (HTML).