diff --git a/cli/src/template_parser.rs b/cli/src/template_parser.rs
index 04d186354..c898b27fd 100644
--- a/cli/src/template_parser.rs
+++ b/cli/src/template_parser.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ use std::{error, mem};
 use itertools::Itertools as _;
 use jj_lib::dsl_util::{
     self, collect_similar, AliasDeclaration, AliasDeclarationParser, AliasExpandError,
-    AliasExpandableExpression, AliasId, AliasesMap, InvalidArguments, StringLiteralParser,
+    AliasExpandableExpression, AliasId, AliasesMap, ExpressionFolder, FoldableExpression,
+    InvalidArguments, StringLiteralParser,
 };
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use pest::iterators::{Pair, Pairs};
@@ -272,6 +273,53 @@ pub enum ExpressionKind<'i> {
     AliasExpanded(AliasId<'i>, Box<ExpressionNode<'i>>),
 }
 
+impl<'i> FoldableExpression<'i> for ExpressionKind<'i> {
+    fn fold<F>(self, folder: &mut F, span: pest::Span<'i>) -> Result<Self, F::Error>
+    where
+        F: ExpressionFolder<'i, Self> + ?Sized,
+    {
+        match self {
+            ExpressionKind::Identifier(name) => folder.fold_identifier(name, span),
+            ExpressionKind::Boolean(_) | ExpressionKind::Integer(_) | ExpressionKind::String(_) => {
+                Ok(self)
+            }
+            ExpressionKind::Unary(op, arg) => {
+                let arg = Box::new(folder.fold_expression(*arg)?);
+                Ok(ExpressionKind::Unary(op, arg))
+            }
+            ExpressionKind::Binary(op, lhs, rhs) => {
+                let lhs = Box::new(folder.fold_expression(*lhs)?);
+                let rhs = Box::new(folder.fold_expression(*rhs)?);
+                Ok(ExpressionKind::Binary(op, lhs, rhs))
+            }
+            ExpressionKind::Concat(nodes) => Ok(ExpressionKind::Concat(
+                dsl_util::fold_expression_nodes(folder, nodes)?,
+            )),
+            ExpressionKind::FunctionCall(function) => folder.fold_function_call(function, span),
+            ExpressionKind::MethodCall(method) => {
+                // Method call is syntactically different from function call.
+                let method = Box::new(MethodCallNode {
+                    object: folder.fold_expression(method.object)?,
+                    function: dsl_util::fold_function_call_args(folder, method.function)?,
+                });
+                Ok(ExpressionKind::MethodCall(method))
+            }
+            ExpressionKind::Lambda(lambda) => {
+                let lambda = Box::new(LambdaNode {
+                    params: lambda.params,
+                    params_span: lambda.params_span,
+                    body: folder.fold_expression(lambda.body)?,
+                });
+                Ok(ExpressionKind::Lambda(lambda))
+            }
+            ExpressionKind::AliasExpanded(id, subst) => {
+                let subst = Box::new(folder.fold_expression(*subst)?);
+                Ok(ExpressionKind::AliasExpanded(id, subst))
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl<'i> AliasExpandableExpression<'i> for ExpressionKind<'i> {
     fn identifier(name: &'i str) -> Self {
         ExpressionKind::Identifier(name)
diff --git a/lib/src/dsl_util.rs b/lib/src/dsl_util.rs
index ed2f987bd..e2989d4f7 100644
--- a/lib/src/dsl_util.rs
+++ b/lib/src/dsl_util.rs
@@ -130,6 +130,73 @@ pub struct InvalidArguments<'i> {
     pub span: pest::Span<'i>,
 }
 
+/// Expression item that can be transformed recursively by using `folder: F`.
+pub trait FoldableExpression<'i>: Sized {
+    /// Transforms `self` by applying the `folder` to inner items.
+    fn fold<F>(self, folder: &mut F, span: pest::Span<'i>) -> Result<Self, F::Error>
+    where
+        F: ExpressionFolder<'i, Self> + ?Sized;
+}
+
+/// Visitor-like interface to transform AST nodes recursively.
+pub trait ExpressionFolder<'i, T: FoldableExpression<'i>> {
+    /// Transform error.
+    type Error;
+
+    /// Transforms the expression `node`. By default, inner items are
+    /// transformed recursively.
+    fn fold_expression(
+        &mut self,
+        node: ExpressionNode<'i, T>,
+    ) -> Result<ExpressionNode<'i, T>, Self::Error> {
+        let ExpressionNode { kind, span } = node;
+        let kind = kind.fold(self, span)?;
+        Ok(ExpressionNode { kind, span })
+    }
+
+    /// Transforms identifier.
+    fn fold_identifier(&mut self, name: &'i str, span: pest::Span<'i>) -> Result<T, Self::Error>;
+
+    /// Transforms function call.
+    fn fold_function_call(
+        &mut self,
+        function: Box<FunctionCallNode<'i, T>>,
+        span: pest::Span<'i>,
+    ) -> Result<T, Self::Error>;
+}
+
+/// Transforms list of `nodes` by using `folder`.
+pub fn fold_expression_nodes<'i, F, T>(
+    folder: &mut F,
+    nodes: Vec<ExpressionNode<'i, T>>,
+) -> Result<Vec<ExpressionNode<'i, T>>, F::Error>
+where
+    F: ExpressionFolder<'i, T> + ?Sized,
+    T: FoldableExpression<'i>,
+{
+    nodes
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|node| folder.fold_expression(node))
+        .try_collect()
+}
+
+/// Transforms function call arguments by using `folder`.
+pub fn fold_function_call_args<'i, F, T>(
+    folder: &mut F,
+    function: FunctionCallNode<'i, T>,
+) -> Result<FunctionCallNode<'i, T>, F::Error>
+where
+    F: ExpressionFolder<'i, T> + ?Sized,
+    T: FoldableExpression<'i>,
+{
+    Ok(FunctionCallNode {
+        name: function.name,
+        name_span: function.name_span,
+        args: fold_expression_nodes(folder, function.args)?,
+        args_span: function.args_span,
+    })
+}
+
 /// Helper to parse string literal.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct StringLiteralParser<R> {
@@ -267,7 +334,7 @@ pub trait AliasDeclarationParser {
 }
 
 /// Expression item that supports alias substitution.
-pub trait AliasExpandableExpression<'i>: Sized {
+pub trait AliasExpandableExpression<'i>: FoldableExpression<'i> {
     /// Wraps identifier.
     fn identifier(name: &'i str) -> Self;
     /// Wraps function call.