diff --git a/js/src/database/central_columns.js b/js/src/database/central_columns.js
index 14b5ff8d1a..8238aef78d 100644
--- a/js/src/database/central_columns.js
+++ b/js/src/database/central_columns.js
@@ -193,13 +193,12 @@ AJAX.registerOnload('database/central_columns.js', function () {
     $('#table-select').on('change', function () {
         var selectValue = $(this).val();
         var defaultColumnSelect = $('#column-select').find('option').first();
-        var href = 'index.php?route=/database/central-columns';
+        var href = 'index.php?route=/database/central-columns/populate';
         var params = {
             'ajax_request' : true,
             'server' : CommonParams.get('server'),
             'db' : CommonParams.get('db'),
-            'selectedTable' : selectValue,
-            'populateColumns' : true
+            'selectedTable' : selectValue
         };
         $('#column-select').html('<option value="">' + Messages.strLoading + '</option>');
         if (selectValue !== '') {
diff --git a/libraries/classes/CentralColumns.php b/libraries/classes/CentralColumns.php
index db7cf5265b..92d1ff330a 100644
--- a/libraries/classes/CentralColumns.php
+++ b/libraries/classes/CentralColumns.php
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ namespace PhpMyAdmin;
 
 use PhpMyAdmin\Charsets\Charset;
 use PhpMyAdmin\Charsets\Collation;
-use PhpMyAdmin\Html\Generator;
 use function array_unique;
 use function bin2hex;
 use function ceil;
@@ -235,20 +234,6 @@ class CentralColumns
         return $has_list;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * return error message to be displayed if central columns
-     * configuration storage is not completely configured
-     */
-    private function configErrorMessage(): Message
-    {
-        return Message::error(
-            __(
-                'The configuration storage is not ready for the central list'
-                . ' of columns feature.'
-            )
-        );
-    }
-
     /**
      * build the insert query for central columns list given PMA storage
      * db, central_columns table, column name and corresponding definition to be added
@@ -316,7 +301,9 @@ class CentralColumns
     ) {
         $cfgCentralColumns = $this->getParams();
         if (! is_array($cfgCentralColumns)) {
-            return $this->configErrorMessage();
+            return Message::error(
+                __('The configuration storage is not ready for the central list of columns feature.')
+            );
         }
         $db = $_POST['db'];
         $pmadb = $cfgCentralColumns['db'];
@@ -438,7 +425,9 @@ class CentralColumns
     ) {
         $cfgCentralColumns = $this->getParams();
         if (! is_array($cfgCentralColumns)) {
-            return $this->configErrorMessage();
+            return Message::error(
+                __('The configuration storage is not ready for the central list of columns feature.')
+            );
         }
         $pmadb = $cfgCentralColumns['db'];
         $central_list_table = $cfgCentralColumns['table'];
@@ -659,7 +648,9 @@ class CentralColumns
     ) {
         $cfgCentralColumns = $this->getParams();
         if (! is_array($cfgCentralColumns)) {
-            return $this->configErrorMessage();
+            return Message::error(
+                __('The configuration storage is not ready for the central list of columns feature.')
+            );
         }
         $centralTable = $cfgCentralColumns['table'];
         $this->dbi->selectDb($cfgCentralColumns['db'], DatabaseInterface::CONNECT_CONTROL);
@@ -741,19 +732,6 @@ class CentralColumns
         return true;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Function generate and return the table header for
-     * multiple edit central columns page
-     *
-     * @param array $headers headers list
-     *
-     * @return string html for table header in central columns multi edit page
-     */
-    private function getEditTableHeader(array $headers): string
-    {
-        return $this->template->render('database/central_columns/edit_table_header', ['headers' => $headers]);
-    }
-
     /**
      * build html for editing a row in central columns table
      *
@@ -857,49 +835,6 @@ class CentralColumns
         return $columns_list;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Get HTML for "check all" check box with "with selected" dropdown
-     *
-     * @param string $themeImagePath pma theme image url
-     * @param string $text_dir       url for text directory
-     */
-    public function getTableFooter(string $themeImagePath, string $text_dir): string
-    {
-        $html_output = $this->template->render('select_all', [
-            'theme_image_path' => $themeImagePath,
-            'text_dir' => $text_dir,
-            'form_name' => 'tableslistcontainer',
-        ]);
-
-        $html_output .= '<button class="btn btn-link mult_submit change_central_columns" type="submit"'
-            . ' name="edit_central_columns" value="edit central columns"'
-            . ' title="' . __('Edit') . '">' . "\n"
-            . Generator::getIcon('b_edit', __('Edit'))
-            . '</button>' . "\n";
-
-        $html_output .= '<button class="btn btn-link mult_submit" type="submit"'
-            . ' name="delete_central_columns" value="remove_from_central_columns"'
-            . ' title="' . __('Delete') . '">' . "\n"
-            . Generator::getIcon('b_drop', __('Delete'))
-            . '</button>' . "\n";
-
-        return $html_output;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * function generate and return the table footer for
-     * multiple edit central columns page
-     *
-     * @return string html for table footer in central columns multi edit page
-     */
-    private function getEditTableFooter(): string
-    {
-        return '<fieldset class="tblFooters">'
-            . '<input class="btn btn-primary" type="submit" '
-            . 'name="save_multi_central_column_edit" value="' . __('Save') . '">'
-            . '</fieldset>';
-    }
-
     /**
      * Column `col_extra` is used to store both extra and attributes for a column.
      * This method separates them.
@@ -941,18 +876,7 @@ class CentralColumns
      */
     public function getHtmlForEditingPage(array $selected_fld, string $selected_db): string
     {
-        $html = '<form id="multi_edit_central_columns">';
-        $header_cells = [
-            __('Name'),
-            __('Type'),
-            __('Length/Values'),
-            __('Default'),
-            __('Collation'),
-            __('Attributes'),
-            __('Null'),
-            __('A_I'),
-        ];
-        $html .= $this->getEditTableHeader($header_cells);
+        $html = '';
         $selected_fld_safe = [];
         foreach ($selected_fld as $key) {
             $selected_fld_safe[] = $this->dbi->escapeString($key);
@@ -969,9 +893,6 @@ class CentralColumns
             $html .= $tableHtmlRow;
             $row_num++;
         }
-        $html .= '</table>';
-        $html .= $this->getEditTableFooter();
-        $html .= '</form>';
 
         return $html;
     }
@@ -1015,38 +936,28 @@ class CentralColumns
     }
 
     /**
-     * build dropdown select html to select column in selected table,
-     * include only columns which are not already in central list
-     *
-     * @param string $db           current database to which selected table belongs
-     * @param string $selected_tbl selected table
-     *
-     * @return string html to select column
+     * @return string[]
      */
-    public function getHtmlForColumnDropdown($db, $selected_tbl)
+    public function getColumnsNotInCentralList(string $db, string $table): array
     {
-        $existing_cols = $this->getFromTable($db, $selected_tbl);
+        $existingColumns = $this->getFromTable($db, $table);
         $this->dbi->selectDb($db);
-        $columns = (array) $this->dbi->getColumnNames(
-            $db,
-            $selected_tbl
-        );
-        $selectColHtml = '';
-        foreach ($columns as $column) {
-            if (in_array($column, $existing_cols)) {
+        $columnNames = (array) $this->dbi->getColumnNames($db, $table);
+        $columns = [];
+
+        foreach ($columnNames as $column) {
+            if (in_array($column, $existingColumns)) {
                 continue;
             }
 
-            $selectColHtml .= '<option value="' . htmlspecialchars($column) . '">'
-                . htmlspecialchars($column)
-                . '</option>';
+            $columns[] = $column;
         }
 
-        return $selectColHtml;
+        return $columns;
     }
 
     /**
-     * build html for adding a new user defined column to central list
+     * Adding a new user defined column to central list
      *
      * @param string $db             current database
      * @param int    $total_rows     number of rows in central columns
@@ -1054,16 +965,15 @@ class CentralColumns
      * @param string $themeImagePath table footer theme image directorie
      * @param string $text_dir       table footer arrow direction
      *
-     * @return string html of the form to let user add a new user defined column to the
-     *                list
+     * @return array
      */
-    public function getHtmlForMain(
+    public function getTemplateVariablesForMain(
         string $db,
         int $total_rows,
         int $pos,
         string $themeImagePath,
         string $text_dir
-    ): string {
+    ): array {
         $max_rows = $this->maxRows;
         $attribute_types = $this->dbi->types->getAttributes();
 
@@ -1132,7 +1042,7 @@ class CentralColumns
             ];
         }
 
-        return $this->template->render('database/central_columns/main', [
+        return [
             'db' => $db,
             'total_rows' => $total_rows,
             'max_rows' => $max_rows,
@@ -1149,6 +1059,6 @@ class CentralColumns
             'theme_image_path' => $themeImagePath,
             'text_dir' => $text_dir,
             'charsets' => $charsetsList,
-        ]);
+        ];
     }
 }
diff --git a/libraries/classes/Controllers/Database/CentralColumnsController.php b/libraries/classes/Controllers/Database/CentralColumnsController.php
index 416bf984b4..3203cf1f0c 100644
--- a/libraries/classes/Controllers/Database/CentralColumnsController.php
+++ b/libraries/classes/Controllers/Database/CentralColumnsController.php
@@ -69,13 +69,6 @@ class CentralColumnsController extends AbstractController
                 'collation' => $_POST['collation'] ?? null,
             ]);
         }
-        if (isset($_POST['populateColumns'])) {
-            $this->response->addHTML($this->populateColumns([
-                'selectedTable' => $_POST['selectedTable'],
-            ]));
-
-            return;
-        }
         if (isset($_POST['getColumnList'])) {
             $this->response->addJSON('message', $this->getColumnList([
                 'cur_table' => $_POST['cur_table'] ?? null,
@@ -97,10 +90,10 @@ class CentralColumnsController extends AbstractController
         ]);
 
         if (isset($_POST['edit_central_columns_page'])) {
-            $this->response->addHTML($this->editPage([
+            $this->editPage([
                 'selected_fld' => $_POST['selected_fld'] ?? null,
                 'db' => $_POST['db'] ?? null,
-            ]));
+            ]);
 
             return;
         }
@@ -130,10 +123,10 @@ class CentralColumnsController extends AbstractController
             ]);
         }
 
-        $this->response->addHTML($this->main([
+        $this->main([
             'pos' => $_POST['pos'] ?? null,
             'total_rows' => $_POST['total_rows'] ?? null,
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $pos = 0;
         if (Core::isValid($_POST['pos'], 'integer')) {
@@ -156,10 +149,8 @@ class CentralColumnsController extends AbstractController
 
     /**
      * @param array $params Request parameters
-     *
-     * @return string HTML
      */
-    public function main(array $params): string
+    public function main(array $params): void
     {
         global $text_dir, $PMA_Theme;
 
@@ -176,13 +167,15 @@ class CentralColumnsController extends AbstractController
             $pos = (int) $params['pos'];
         }
 
-        return $this->centralColumns->getHtmlForMain(
+        $variables = $this->centralColumns->getTemplateVariablesForMain(
             $this->db,
             $totalRows,
             $pos,
             $PMA_Theme->getImgPath(),
             $text_dir
         );
+
+        $this->render('database/central_columns/main', $variables);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -198,17 +191,10 @@ class CentralColumnsController extends AbstractController
         );
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @param array $params Request parameters
-     *
-     * @return string HTML
-     */
-    public function populateColumns(array $params): string
+    public function populateColumns(): void
     {
-        return $this->centralColumns->getHtmlForColumnDropdown(
-            $this->db,
-            $params['selectedTable']
-        );
+        $columns = $this->centralColumns->getColumnsNotInCentralList($this->db, $_POST['selectedTable']);
+        $this->render('database/central_columns/populate_columns', ['columns' => $columns]);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -279,15 +265,15 @@ class CentralColumnsController extends AbstractController
 
     /**
      * @param array $params Request parameters
-     *
-     * @return string HTML
      */
-    public function editPage(array $params): string
+    public function editPage(array $params): void
     {
-        return $this->centralColumns->getHtmlForEditingPage(
+        $rows = $this->centralColumns->getHtmlForEditingPage(
             $params['selected_fld'],
             $params['db']
         );
+
+        $this->render('database/central_columns/edit', ['rows' => $rows]);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/libraries/routes.php b/libraries/routes.php
index 4683d105b9..e7849a0888 100644
--- a/libraries/routes.php
+++ b/libraries/routes.php
@@ -118,7 +118,10 @@ return static function (RouteCollector $routes): void {
     $routes->get('/changelog', [ChangeLogController::class, 'index']);
     $routes->addRoute(['GET', 'POST'], '/check-relations', [CheckRelationsController::class, 'index']);
     $routes->addGroup('/database', static function (RouteCollector $routes): void {
-        $routes->addRoute(['GET', 'POST'], '/central-columns', [CentralColumnsController::class, 'index']);
+        $routes->addGroup('/central-columns', static function (RouteCollector $routes): void {
+            $routes->addRoute(['GET', 'POST'], '', [CentralColumnsController::class, 'index']);
+            $routes->post('/populate', [CentralColumnsController::class, 'populateColumns']);
+        });
         $routes->get('/data-dictionary', [DataDictionaryController::class, 'index']);
         $routes->addRoute(['GET', 'POST'], '/designer', [DesignerController::class, 'index']);
         $routes->addRoute(['GET', 'POST'], '/events', [EventsController::class, 'index']);
diff --git a/templates/database/central_columns/edit.twig b/templates/database/central_columns/edit.twig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b148b7a1b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/database/central_columns/edit.twig
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<form id="multi_edit_central_columns">
+  <table id="table_columns" class="noclick">
+    <caption class="tblHeaders">{% trans 'Structure' %}</caption>
+    <thead>
+      <tr>
+        <th>{% trans 'Name' %}</th>
+        <th>{% trans 'Type' %}</th>
+        <th>{% trans 'Length/Values' %}</th>
+        <th>{% trans 'Default' %}</th>
+        <th>{% trans 'Collation' %}</th>
+        <th>{% trans 'Attributes' %}</th>
+        <th>{% trans 'Null' %}</th>
+        <th>{% trans %}A_I{% context %}Auto Increment{% endtrans %}</th>
+      </tr>
+    </thead>
+    {{ rows|raw }}
+  </table>
+
+  <fieldset class="tblFooters">
+    <input class="btn btn-primary" type="submit" name="save_multi_central_column_edit" value="{% trans 'Save' %}">
+  </fieldset>
+</form>
diff --git a/templates/database/central_columns/edit_table_header.twig b/templates/database/central_columns/edit_table_header.twig
deleted file mode 100644
index 947d841f13..0000000000
--- a/templates/database/central_columns/edit_table_header.twig
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-<table id="table_columns" class="noclick">
-    <caption class="tblHeaders">{% trans 'Structure' %}</caption>
-    <thead>
-        <tr>
-            {% for header in headers %}
-                <th>{{ header }}</th>
-            {% endfor %}
-        </tr>
-    </thead>
diff --git a/templates/database/central_columns/main.twig b/templates/database/central_columns/main.twig
index 9d988c5b49..94610e83cd 100644
--- a/templates/database/central_columns/main.twig
+++ b/templates/database/central_columns/main.twig
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@
                     {% endfor %}
                 </tbody>
             </table>
-            {# getTableFooter #}
+
             {% include 'select_all.twig' with {
                 'theme_image_path': theme_image_path,
                 'text_dir'       : text_dir,
diff --git a/templates/database/central_columns/populate_columns.twig b/templates/database/central_columns/populate_columns.twig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8626d3831c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/database/central_columns/populate_columns.twig
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{% for column in columns %}
+  <option value="{{ column }}">{{ column }}</option>
+{% endfor %}
diff --git a/test/classes/CentralColumnsTest.php b/test/classes/CentralColumnsTest.php
index 9b4a74a9e6..53d1fda3e0 100644
--- a/test/classes/CentralColumnsTest.php
+++ b/test/classes/CentralColumnsTest.php
@@ -9,13 +9,9 @@ namespace PhpMyAdmin\Tests;
 
 use PhpMyAdmin\CentralColumns;
 use PhpMyAdmin\DatabaseInterface;
-use PhpMyAdmin\Html\Generator;
 use PhpMyAdmin\Message;
 use PhpMyAdmin\Types;
-use PhpMyAdmin\Url;
-use PhpMyAdmin\Util;
 use function array_slice;
-use function ceil;
 
 /**
  * tests for PhpMyAdmin\CentralColumns
@@ -491,29 +487,6 @@ class CentralColumnsTest extends AbstractTestCase
             ],
             'phpmyadmin'
         );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            '<form',
-            $result
-        );
-        $header_cells = [
-            __('Name'),
-            __('Type'),
-            __('Length/Values'),
-            __('Default'),
-            __('Collation'),
-            __('Attributes'),
-            __('Null'),
-            __('A_I'),
-        ];
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            $this->callFunction(
-                $this->centralColumns,
-                CentralColumns::class,
-                'getEditTableHeader',
-                [$header_cells]
-            ),
-            $result
-        );
         $list_detail_cols = $this->callFunction(
             $this->centralColumns,
             CentralColumns::class,
@@ -536,10 +509,6 @@ class CentralColumnsTest extends AbstractTestCase
             ),
             $result
         );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            $this->callFunction($this->centralColumns, CentralColumns::class, 'getEditTableFooter', []),
-            $result
-        );
     }
 
     /**
@@ -595,100 +564,6 @@ class CentralColumnsTest extends AbstractTestCase
         );
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Test for getHtmlForMain
-     */
-    public function testGetHtmlForMain(): void
-    {
-        $db = 'phpmyadmin';
-        $total_rows = 50;
-        $pos = 26;
-        $themeImagePath = 'themeImagePath';
-        $text_dir = 'text_dir';
-        $max_rows = (int) $GLOBALS['cfg']['MaxRows'];
-        // test for not empty table
-        $result = $this->centralColumns->getHtmlForMain(
-            $db,
-            $total_rows,
-            $pos,
-            $themeImagePath,
-            $text_dir
-        );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            '<form action="index.php?route=/database/central-columns',
-            $result
-        );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            '" method="post">',
-            $result
-        );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            Url::getHiddenInputs(
-                'phpmyadmin'
-            ),
-            $result
-        );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            '<input class="btn btn-secondary ajax" type="submit" name="navig" value="&lt">',
-            $result
-        );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            Util::pageselector(
-                'pos',
-                $max_rows,
-                ($pos / $max_rows) + 1,
-                (int) ceil($total_rows / $max_rows)
-            ),
-            $result
-        );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString('<span>+', $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString('class="new_central_col hide"', $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(__('Filter rows') . ':', $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(__('Add column'), $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(__('Click to sort.'), $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(Url::getHiddenInputs($db), $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(Url::getHiddenInputs($db), $result);
-        $editSelectedButton = '            <button class="btn btn-link mult_submit change_central_columns"'
-            . ' type="submit" name="edit_central_columns"' . "\n"
-            . '                    value="edit central columns" title="' . __('Edit') . '">' . "\n"
-            . '                ' . Generator::getIcon('b_edit', __('Edit')) . "\n"
-            . '            </button>' . "\n";
-
-        $deleteSelectedButton = '            <button class="btn btn-link mult_submit" type="submit"'
-            . ' name="delete_central_columns"' . "\n"
-            . '                    value="remove_from_central_columns" title="' . __('Delete') . '">' . "\n"
-            . '                ' . Generator::getIcon('b_drop', __('Delete')) . "\n"
-            . '            </button>' . "\n";
-
-        $this->assertStringContainsString($editSelectedButton, $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString($deleteSelectedButton, $result);
-        // test for empty table
-        $total_rows = 0;
-        $result = $this->centralColumns->getHtmlForMain(
-            $db,
-            $total_rows,
-            $pos,
-            $themeImagePath,
-            $text_dir
-        );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString('<span>-', $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString('class="new_central_col"', $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(__('Add column'), $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(Url::getHiddenInputs($db), $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(__('The central list of columns for the current database is empty'), $result);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Test for configErrorMessage
-     */
-    public function testConfigErrorMessage(): void
-    {
-        $this->assertInstanceOf(
-            Message::class,
-            $this->callFunction($this->centralColumns, CentralColumns::class, 'configErrorMessage', [])
-        );
-    }
-
     /**
      * Test for findExistingColNames
      */
@@ -721,40 +596,10 @@ class CentralColumnsTest extends AbstractTestCase
         );
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Test for getTableFooter
-     */
-    public function testGetTableFooter(): void
+    public function testGetColumnsNotInCentralList(): void
     {
-        $themeImagePath = 'themeImagePath';
-        $text_dir = 'text_dir';
-        $result = $this->centralColumns->getTableFooter($themeImagePath, $text_dir);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            '<input type="checkbox" id="tableslistcontainer_checkall" class="checkall_box"',
-            $result
-        );
-        $this->assertStringContainsString('With selected:', $result);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString(
-            '<button class="btn btn-link mult_submit change_central_columns"',
-            $result
-        );
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Test for getHtmlForColumnDropdown
-     */
-    public function testGetHtmlForColumnDropdown(): void
-    {
-        $db = 'PMA_db';
-        $selected_tbl = 'PMA_table';
-        $result = $this->centralColumns->getHtmlForColumnDropdown(
-            $db,
-            $selected_tbl
-        );
-        $this->assertEquals(
-            '<option value="id">id</option><option value="col1">col1</option>'
-            . '<option value="col2">col2</option>',
-            $result
-        );
+        $columns = $this->centralColumns->getColumnsNotInCentralList('PMA_db', 'PMA_table');
+        $this->assertIsArray($columns);
+        $this->assertEquals(['id', 'col1', 'col2'], $columns);
     }
 }