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What is Sitecore and what are its key features?

Sitecore is a powerful Content Management Platform (CMP) that empowers businesses to create, manage, and enhance their digital content and strategies. It offers a range of features aimed at optimizing the digital experience for both businesses and their customers.

Key Features of Sitecore include:

• Content Management: Sitecore provides tools for planning, managing, curating, and collaborating on various types of content including text, images, files, audio, and video. It includes robust database-driven data management capabilities.
• Integration Capabilities: Sitecore seamlessly connects and integrates with external interfaces and systems, enabling businesses to extend their digital presence across different platforms and channels.
• User Interface (UI): Sitecore offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface for easy content authoring, editing, and management.
• Media Management: It includes features for managing various media types such as images, videos, and PDFs, allowing businesses to efficiently organize and display multimedia content.
• Versioning: Sitecore enables businesses to track and manage different versions of content, ensuring accuracy and consistency across digital channels.
• Workflow Management: Sitecore facilitates workflow management, streamlining content creation, review, approval, and publishing processes.
• Device Optimization: Sitecore supports device optimization, ensuring that digital content is displayed appropriately across different devices and screen sizes.
• Reporting: Sitecore provides robust reporting capabilities, allowing businesses to track and analyze various metrics related to content performance, user engagement, and website traffic.
• Analytics: Sitecore offers advanced analytics tools for gaining insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and interactions with digital content.
• Marketing Automation: Sitecore includes features for marketing automation, enabling businesses to create and execute targeted marketing campaigns based on customer data and behaviour.
• Content Authoring: Sitecore provides a rich set of tools for designing and authoring web pages, making it easy to create visually appealing and engaging content.
• Multilingual Support: Sitecore supports multiple languages, allowing businesses to create and manage content in different languages for global audiences.
• User Control: Sitecore offers granular user control and permissions management, ensuring secure access to content editing and publishing functionalities.
• Authentication and Authorization: Sitecore provides robust authentication and authorization mechanisms to secure access to sensitive content and functionalities.
• Testability: Sitecore includes features for testing and validating digital experiences to ensure quality and performance.
• Exception Handling: Sitecore offers robust exception-handling mechanisms to detect and handle errors gracefully.
• Design Patterns: Sitecore follows established design patterns for creating scalable, maintainable, and extensible digital solutions.
• Logging: Sitecore includes logging capabilities for tracking system events and debugging purposes.
• Caching: Sitecore incorporates caching mechanisms to improve performance and optimize resource utilization.
• Session and Application Variables: Sitecore supports session and application variables for storing and managing user-specific data and application state.
• Personalization: Sitecore enables businesses to deliver personalized content and experiences to users based on their preferences, behaviour, and demographics.
• API Creation: Sitecore offers APIs for integrating with third-party systems and building custom applications and integrations.
• Scheduler: Sitecore includes a scheduler feature for automating tasks and processes at specified times or intervals.

Sitecore UI :

• Sitecore Experience Management
• Start Menu
• Content Editor

What are templates in Sitecore?

A template is like a blueprint. It shows how other things should look and work. In Sitecore, there are different kinds of templates. One type is called Data templates. These templates decide how data should be put in. They specify what fields should be there, what type they should be, and what they should be called.

Each data template inherits its sections and fields from its base templates, and Sitecore combines the sections and fields in the data template and all its base templates. It is important to note that:

• Data templates support sequential and multiple inheritance.
• Most data templates inherit from the Sitecore standard template, which defines fields common to all items.
• Changes to a data template appear immediately in all items based on that data template or all items that inherit from that data template.

There are a few types of templates in Sitecore:

• Data templates: These are like forms that define what fields are needed to enter data. They determine things like what fields should be there, what type they should be, and what they should be called. Essentially, they lay out the framework for each item’s content.
• Branch templates: These let you create sets of items rather than just one. It’s like a template for a group of items. Sitecore copies the items below this template, including their content, to make new instances.
• Command templates: These are more advanced and let you insert items using custom logic instead of a fixed structure.

In Sitecore, templates can also be inherited from each other. For instance, a data template might inherit sections and fields from other templates. This means that when you create a new template, you can build on top of existing ones.

All data templates automatically inherit from something called the standard template. This template doesn’t have any fields itself, but it inherits from other templates that do. It’s a way to make sure that all templates share some common features.

One important thing to remember is that you should create all templates in the Master database, not the Core database.

To create a template in Sitecore, adhere to the following steps:

1. Open Content Editor
2. Go to Sitecore
3. Templates

What is Type in Sitecore?

The field type specifies which user interface control the Content Editor displays to accept input for this field and also controls the storage format for this field.

Each field within a template is paired with a specific field type. This field type governs several aspects:

• The user interface component displayed by Sitecore for that field in interfaces like the Content Editor and the Page Editor.
• The formatting of the stored value associated with the field.
• The .NET classes and coding methodologies utilized by developers to retrieve the field’s value, including classes within the Sitecore.Data.Fields namespace, the renderField pipeline, and the FieldRenderer web control.

The following field types are available in Sitecore 10.3:

• JSS Types: These are field types specifically designed for use within Sitecore JavaScript Services (JSS) applications. They facilitate seamless integration and interaction between Sitecore and client-side JavaScript frameworks using GraphQL.
• Simple Types: These are basic field types commonly used for storing Checkbox, Date, Datetime, File, Image, Integer, Multi-Line Text, Number, Password, Rich Text, and Single-Line Text data types.
• List Types: List types include field types that allow for the selection of multiple items from a predefined list, such as Checklist, Droplist, Grouped Droplink, Grouped Droplist, Lookup Name Lookup Value List, Multilist, Multilist with Search, Multiroot Treelist, Name Lookup Value List, Name Value List, Redirect Map, Tag Treelist, Taglist, Treelist, and TreelistEx fields.
• Link Types: These field types enable the creation of links between different items within the Sitecore content tree, including internal links to other content items, media items, or external URLs. Link Types fields are Droplink, Droptree, General Link, General Link with Search, Version Identity, and Version Link.
• Developer Types: Developer types consist of field types that offer advanced functionality and customization options for developers, allowing them to extend Sitecore’s capabilities and integrate with custom business logic. Developer Types fields are Database Droplist, Domain Droplist, Grid Parameters, Icon, IFrame, Language Droplist, Site Droplist, Styling Parameters, Tristate, and Rendering Parameters.
• System Types: These field types are fundamental to Sitecore’s internal operations and include fields used for system metadata, such as Attachment, Custom, Datasource, Internal Link, Layout, Page Preview, Query Builder, Query Datasource, Rendering Datasource, Rules, Security, Template Field Source, and Thumbnail.
• Deprecated Types: Deprecated field types are those that have been marked for removal or replacement in future versions of Sitecore. It is recommended to avoid using these types in new implementations and to migrate existing instances to supported alternatives. Deprecated Types fields are File Drop Area, HTML, Link, Lookup, Memo, Reference, Server File, Test, Treelist, Treelist with Search, and Value Lookup.

What is the Task Scheduler in Sitecore and what are its applications?

In Sitecore, the Task Scheduler is a feature that enables users to schedule and automate various tasks within the Sitecore environment. These tasks can include a wide range of activities, such as:

• Content Publishing: Schedule the publishing of content items to different target databases or publishing targets at specific times. This ensures that new content becomes available to site visitors according to a predetermined schedule.
• Sitecore Maintenance: Automate routine maintenance tasks such as database cleanup, index rebuilding, or cache clearing to ensure the smooth operation and optimal performance of the Sitecore instance.
• Workflow Actions: Trigger workflow actions automatically at scheduled intervals, such as moving items through workflow states or sending notifications to content authors or approvers.
• Email Campaigns: Schedule the execution of email campaigns, including sending newsletters, promotional emails, or transactional emails to subscribers or targeted segments of the audience.
• Analytics Processing: Schedule the processing of Sitecore analytics data to generate reports, update engagement analytics, or perform other analytical tasks required for tracking website performance and visitor behavior.
• Custom Tasks: Execute custom code or scripts at specified times or intervals to perform specific actions tailored to the organization’s requirements, such as data synchronization, integration with external systems, or business logic execution.

The Task Scheduler in Sitecore provides a centralized interface for configuring and managing these scheduled tasks, allowing administrators to define parameters such as the task’s frequency, start time, recurrence pattern, and any additional settings specific to each task type. By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, the Task Scheduler helps improve operational efficiency, ensure consistency, and reduce the need for manual intervention in managing the Sitecore environment.

Below are the step-by-step instructions for configuring a Task Schedule:

You can configure scheduled tasks in Sitecore under the location /Sitecore/System/Tasks.

There are two types of Sitecore items in the Sitecore content tree, or two components that make up task scheduling:

• Commands: This is the logic (code) that must be executed when the scheduler runs the task.
• Schedules: This contains information on when a command should be called, at what time interval, and when it was last run.

There are three steps to creating and scheduling tasks:

Step 1: Write the Code to be executed
Example: We have created a class called SitecoreScheduler.cs and a method called Execute within it.

The following method is called each time the scheduler runs within a specified interval, and the code it contains is executed.

Step 2: Creating a Command
Create a new command named CommandTest using the template from the path – /Sitecore/templates/System/Tasks/Command.

Enter the assembly-qualified type in the Type field and the method name in the Method field.

Step 3: Creating a Scheduler
Create a new scheduler named ScheduleTest using a template from the path – /Sitecore/templates/System/Tasks/Scheduler.

Fill out the content section with information for the newly created scheduler:

• Command field: Select/Specify the command path (created in the earlier step).
• Schedule field: Specify the time, i.e., how frequently the job should run.
• Items field: This is where we declare the Sitecore items array if we wish to populate it in our class method.
• Last Run: Indicates the previous run date/time value.
• Async field: By checking this box, the command will run asynchronously.
• Auto remove field: We can use this field to remove the schedule definition item automatically when the task expires.

There will be several piped (|) values in the Schedule field.
20240401|20250401|127|00:00:30
yyyyMMdd|yyyyMMdd|127|HH:mm:ss

• Date of Start: 20240401
• Date of Expiration: 20250401
• Days of the Week: Calculate based on the number of days in the week.
• Sunday = 1, Monday = 2, Tuesday = 4, Wednesday = 8, Thursday = 16, Friday = 32, Saturday = 64
• To run the job every day, sum these values: (1+2+4+8+16+32+64) = 127 (Sunday + Monday + Tuesday + Wednesday + Thursday + Friday + Saturday).

We can edit scheduling and run the scheduler manually using Script->Edit Task Schedule and Run Task Schedule.

What is Serialization in Sitecore?

Serialization allows developers to easily move and share serialized items across different environments. Serialization is the process that converts database items to text files. Sitecore introduces content serialization tools, including:

• Internal tools: CLI (Command Line Interface) and GUI (Graphical User Interface)
• External tools: TDS and Unicon

Serialization can be done either manually or automatically:

1. Manual Serialization: Used when you need to push or pull content items to or from an Sitecore instance on demand.
2. Automatic Serialization: Utilize the CLI and SVS to activate a watch command, which continuously monitors for changes in Sitecore and automatically synchronizes serialized items to disk.

Key benefits of Sitecore Content Serialization:

1. Version Control: Enables version control using tools like Git, simplifying tracking, comparison, and rollback.
2. Collaboration: Facilitates collaborative work across multiple developers or teams, improving efficiency in branching, merging, and conflict resolution.
3. Deployment and Environment Management: Streamlines deployment across different environments, ensuring consistency and reducing deployment errors.
4. Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD): Supports CI/CD practices with automated serialization and deserialization, ensuring reliable deployments.
5. Disaster Recovery and Backup: Simplifies backup creation and restoration, providing added data protection alongside source code.

Configure serialization in Sitecore step by step:

Step 1: Please email us at connect@oremda.com to get the Sitecore’s Management Services Package 

Step 2: Install it on your Sitecore instance using Sitecore Control Panel -> Install a package or Development Tools -> Installation Wizard.

Step 3: Open the command line interface or PowerShell interface using the administration account and execute the following commands:

• dotnet new tool-manifest: Creates a dotnet-tools.json file, which serves as a manifest file for .NET Core global tools.
• dotnet nuget add source -n Sitecore https://Sitecore.myget.org/F/sc-packages/api/v3/index.json: Adds a NuGet package source named “Sitecore” from the specified URL.
• dotnet tool install Sitecore.CLI: Installs the Sitecore Command Line Interface (CLI) tool, enabling developers to interact with Sitecore environments from the command line.
• dotnet Sitecore init: Initializes an Sitecore project by creating the necessary configuration files and setting up the project structure.
• dotnet Sitecore plugin list: Lists installed plugins, providing visibility into the plugins currently integrated into the Sitecore environment.
• dotnet Sitecore plugin add -n Sitecore.DevEx.Extensibility.Serialization: Adds the Sitecore serialization plugin.
• dotnet Sitecore plugin add -n Sitecore.DevEx.Extensibility.Publishing: Adds the Sitecore publishing plugin.
• dotnet Sitecore login –authority https://{Sitecore identity server} –cm https://{Sitecore instance} –allow-write true: Authenticates with an Sitecore instance, allowing for write operations during the session.

Step 4: CLI Command Summary

dotnet new tool-manifest
dotnet nuget add source -n Sitecore https://Sitecore.myget.org/F/sc-packages/api/v3/index.json
dotnet tool install Sitecore.CLI
or
dotnet tool install Sitecore.CLI --add-source https://Sitecore.myget.org/F/sc-packages/api/v3/index.json
dotnet Sitecore init
dotnet Sitecore plugin list
dotnet Sitecore plugin add -n Sitecore.DevEx.Extensibility.Serialization
dotnet Sitecore plugin add -n Sitecore.DevEx.Extensibility.Publishing
dotnet Sitecore login --authority https://{Sitecore identity server} --cm https://{Sitecore instance} --allow-write true

Step 5: Configure Sitecore.json and module.json files
The Sitecore.json file is a project configuration file used in Sitecore for serialization tasks. It defines settings for how content is serialized, such as the serialization format, root paths, and automation tasks. The module.json file is used specifically for configuring serialization settings for individual Sitecore modules or features, allowing developers to customize serialization settings for specific modules within their Sitecore solution.

Step 6: Commands for Serialization

• dotnet Sitecore ser pull: Pulls serialized content from an Sitecore instance to your local development environment.
• dotnet Sitecore ser push: Pushes serialized content from your local development environment to an Sitecore instance.

Examples:

dotnet Sitecore ser pull (from CMS to solution)
dotnet Sitecore ser push (Solution to CMS)

What are Standard Values in Sitecore?

Standard values let you define default field values, default settings, and insert options for a data template. They appear in the content tree as a child item of the data template called __Standard Values. Standard values are used when a field value for an item is set to NULL. When viewing an item in the Content Editor, any field that contains a standard value is indicated by the token [standard value] immediately next to the field title.

Standard values provide initial values for all items based on a given data template. Each data template can have a standard values item, which can contain a standard value for each field in that data template and each of its base templates.

Here’s how standard values work:

1. Template Creation: When creating a template in Sitecore, you can set standard values, defining default field values for items created from that template.
2. Default Field Values: These predefined values serve as defaults for fields within items based on the template. Upon item creation, these values are automatically applied unless explicitly overridden.
3. Field Inheritance: If an item’s field lacks a value, Sitecore checks if standard values are defined for its template. If so, and the field remains empty, Sitecore populates it with the corresponding value from the standard values.

Key benefits and applications of _Standard Values in Sitecore 10 include:

1. Consistency: _Standard Values ensure consistency across items by providing default values for common fields. This consistency enhances user experience and maintains coherence in content presentation.
2. Efficiency: By automatically populating fields with default values, _Standard Values save time for content authors during item creation. This streamlines the content creation process, reduces errors, and enhances productivity.
3. Centralized Maintenance: Updates to default values or field configurations can be made centrally within the _Standard Values item. This centralized approach simplifies maintenance tasks and ensures that updates are applied consistently across all items based on the template.
4. Fallback Mechanism: _Standard Values serve as a fallback mechanism, ensuring that essential information is always present in items, even if users forget to input it manually. This helps maintain data integrity and prevents incomplete or missing content.
5. Versioning and History: Versioning of _Standard Values items allows tracking changes over time and facilitates reverting to previous versions if necessary. This provides a history of default values and enables effective management of revisions.
6. Integration with Workflow: _Standard Values seamlessly integrate with Sitecore’s workflow features, enabling the definition of approval processes and content governance rules. This ensures that changes to standard values undergo appropriate review and approval before being applied to items.

Access Management or Security Tools

The Access Management or Security Tools module in Sitecore is essential for handling access rights for users, their roles, and domains using the Security Editor. This module includes tools like User Manager, Security Editor, Access Viewer, Domain Manager, and Role Manager.

Sitecore provides website administrators with extensive control over what users can see on the site by using:

• User accounts and roles for security
• Setting access rights for different items
• Following rules to resolve conflicts in access rights

Domain Manager

The Domain Manager is a tool for creating and managing domains. With the Domain Manager, you can:

• Create, edit, and delete domains.
• Decide if the domains should be global or managed locally.
• Access other security tools from within the Domain Manager.

A domain in Sitecore is a collection of security accounts (users and roles) administered as a unit with common rules and procedures. Domains are used to group security accounts logically, such as all accounts that access Sitecore clients or accounts with access to the published website. Sitecore has three default domains:

1. Extranet: Manages website security, user accounts for website visitors, and read access roles for website content. Users in Extranet may also access Sitecore if they belong to relevant roles like Sitecore Client Authoring.
2. Sitecore: An internal domain for Sitecore clients, containing users with access to client tools and roles that determine available functionalities. Users in Sitecore may edit website content if granted access rights and may access Extranet based on domain and login page setup.
3. Default: A virtual domain existing only in memory, typically set as Extranet, assigning most users to extranet\anonymous. If not specified, users default to default\anonymous.

All domains include an Anonymous user and an Everyone role, with Everyone encompassing all users and the Anonymous user in the domain. Users typically belong to roles within their domain but can also be in roles across domains, and roles can span multiple domains.

Domain Types:

• Global domains: Users can access all system domains based on configuration by the security architect.
• Locally managed domains: Users are limited to a specific domain and cannot access others. A local administrator maintains these domains, and users within a locally managed domain only see accounts within that domain.

User Manager

The User Manager allows you to create and manage users who can access your system. With the User Manager, you can:

• Create, edit, and delete users
• Change user passwords
• Enable and disable users
• Lock and unlock users
• Access other security tools
• Reset settings
• Role Manager, Domain Manager, Access Viewer, Security Editor

User Management Functions:

1. New: Create a new user by providing necessary details such as username, email, password, etc. Click the “New” button, fill in the required fields, and then click “Next.”
2. Edit User: Modify the details of an existing user, such as their username, email, associated roles, profile, and language settings. Click the “Edit” button to edit a selected user.
3. Delete: Permanently remove a user from the system.
4. Change Password: Update a user’s password. Provide the old password along with the new one. If the old password is unknown, generate a new one using the “Generate” button.
5. Reset Settings: Reset the user’s settings to their default values.
6. Disable: Temporarily disable a user’s account, preventing them from logging in until re-enabled.
7. Enable: Re-enable a previously disabled user account, allowing them to log in again.
8. Unlock: Unlock a user’s account if it has been locked due to multiple failed login attempts.
9. Lock: Lock a user’s account, preventing further login attempts for security reasons or during investigations.
10. Role Manager: Manage roles, which define the permissions and access levels granted to users.
11. Domain Manager: Manage domains, which are logical groupings of users and roles with shared access rights.
12. Access Viewer: View access rights for users and roles.
13. Security Editor: Edit security settings and permissions.

Role Manager

The Role Manager allows you to create and manage roles assigned to your security accounts (users and roles). With the Role Manager, you can:

• Create and delete roles.
• Add or remove users and roles as members of a role.
• Access other security tools.

In Sitecore, roles serve as the master architects, outlining permission blueprints. They determine access, ensuring your website content remains structured and protected. Instead of individually managing each person, roles group users according to their responsibilities. Editors, admins, marketers—all receive access tailored to their responsibilities.

Key Sitecore Roles:

1. Sitecore\Author: Allows users to create and edit content items.
2. Sitecore\Designer: Grants access to design features within the Sitecore Client.
3. Sitecore\Developer: Provides access to development tools and features.
4. Sitecore\Forms Data Administrator: Manages data for Sitecore Forms.
5. Sitecore\Forms Editor: Edits and manages Sitecore Forms.
6. Sitecore\Forms Publisher: Grants publishing permissions for Sitecore Forms.
7. Sitecore\JSS Import Service Users: Used by the Sitecore JavaScript Services (JSS) to import data.
8. Sitecore\PowerShell Extensions Remoting: Provides remote access for PowerShell Extensions.
9. Sitecore Client Roles: Include Account Managing, Advanced Publishing, Authoring, Bucket Management, Configuring, Designing, Developing, Maintaining, Publishing, Securing, Translating, Users, Limited Content Editor, Limited Page Editor, Local Administrators, Minimal Page Editor.

Role Management Functions:

1. New: Create a new role within Sitecore.
2. Delete: Remove an existing role from the system.
3. Member: Add users to a role, assigning them the permissions and access rights associated with that role.
4. Member of: Show the roles to which a particular user belongs.
5. Domains: Specify the domain or scope within which the role operates.
6. Users: List users who are members of the selected role.
7. Access Viewer: View the access rights and permissions associated with a particular role.
8. Security Editor: Fine-tune security settings and permissions associated with a role.

Access Viewer

The Access Viewer allows you to review the access rights assigned to your security accounts. In the Access Viewer, you can:

• Review the access rights assigned to security accounts for each item in the content tree.
• Understand how the current settings have been resolved.
• Access the Security Editor and the User Manager for further management.

Access Viewer Functions:

1. Account: Select a specific user account or role to view their access rights.
2. Role and Users: Toggle between viewing access rights for roles and individual users.
3. Assign: Assign specific access rights to the selected user account or role.
4. Columns: Customize the display of access rights columns.
5. Security Editor: Access the Security Editor directly from the Access Viewer.
6. User Manager: Access the User Manager directly from the Access Viewer.

Security Editor

The Security Editor allows you to set the access rights for roles and users on items in the content tree. In the Security Editor, you can:

• Assign access rights to your security accounts.
• Protect and unprotect items.
• Access the Access Viewer and the User Manager for further management.

Security Editor Functions:

1. Account: Manage user accounts, viewing and modifying user-specific security settings.
2. Role and Users: Manage both roles and individual users, granting or revoking access rights as needed.
3. Assign: Assign specific access rights to roles or users for selected items in the content tree.
4. Columns: Customize the columns displayed in the Security Editor.
5. Protect Item: Mark certain items as protected, restricting modifications or access by unauthorized users.
6. Presets: Apply predefined sets of security settings or permissions.
7. Access Viewer: Quickly access the Access Viewer tool.
8. User Manager: Access the User Manager tool directly from the Security Editor interface.

Rendering in Sitecore CMS

In Sitecore CMS, web pages are divided into blocks, each handled by separate components with specific functions. These components use logic to create HTML, known as renderings. When all renderings come together, they form the full HTML for the webpage. Renderings in Sitecore are used to display content or functionality on webpages. They help structure and present content from Sitecore’s content management system onto the website. Rendering refers to the implementation of a component or module that defines how content is rendered and displayed on a web page. Renderings are associated with placeholders within page layouts and are responsible for rendering the content dynamically within those designated areas.

Types of Renderings in Sitecore 10.3

XSL Rendering:
Transforms XML data into different formats for display, like HTML. It’s useful for customizing how content appears on web pages without directly modifying the original content.

WebControl:
Represents a web control, which is a server-side control encapsulating user interface and other related functionality.

Method Rendering:
Executes custom C# code and displays the result on a webpage. It’s useful for dynamic content or performing specific actions when rendering a page.

URL Rendering:
Generates web page URLs for content items, making it easy to link to specific pages on a website.

Rendering Folder:
Serves as a convenient location for managing and organizing the available renderings within the Sitecore instance.

JSON Rendering:
Outputs data in JSON format from Sitecore layouts and templates, allowing developers to create APIs and integrate Sitecore content with other systems or applications.

JavaScript Rendering:
The Sitecore JavaScript Rendering SDKs (JSS) represent a set of JavaScript packages and sample applications that add first-class support for JavaScript frameworks and enable the development of modern applications that consume Sitecore data.

Controller Rendering:
Connects Sitecore with external systems or custom logic by allowing developers to write code in C# that generates HTML content for webpages. It helps customize and extend the functionality of Sitecore-powered websites.

Item Rendering:
Displays content stored in Sitecore items on web pages, showing data dynamically from Sitecore on your website.

View Rendering:
Defines how content is presented to website visitors. It determines the layout and design of web pages by combining HTML markup with dynamic data from Sitecore.

Insert from Template:
A feature within the Sitecore Experience Editor that allows users to insert a rendering onto a webpage using a template-based approach. This feature provides a convenient way to add new renderings to a page layout by selecting from predefined templates.

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Steps to Create a View Rendering in Sitecore

View Renderings are used to define how content is presented to website visitors. They determine the layout and design of web pages by combining HTML markup with dynamic data from Sitecore.

• Create a .cshtml File for Layout

Create a file named DemoLayout.cshtml.

• Create a Template

Create a template named DemoTemplateforViewRendering with fields Title, ProjectName, ImageName, Image, JSON, and URL.

• Create Content

Create content named Demo using the template DemoTemplateforViewRendering.

• Add Layout in Content

Navigate to: Demo → Present → Details → Edit → Layout → Add DemoLayout (created in step 1).

• Create a .cshtml File for View Rendering

Create a file named DemoViewRendering.cshtml in the Views folder.

• Create a View Rendering

Create a view rendering named DemoRendering with the path /Views/Demo/DemoViewRendering.cshtml.

• Add Control in Content

Navigate to: Demo → Present → Details → Edit → Controls → Add rendering with placeholder.

• Save, Publish Item, and Preview

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Creating a Controller Rendering in Sitecore

Controller Rendering connects Sitecore with external systems or custom logic by allowing developers to write code in C# that generates HTML content for webpages. It helps customize and extend the functionality of Sitecore-powered websites.

Steps to Create a Controller Rendering

• Create a .cshtml File for Layout

Example: DemoLayout.cshtml

• Create a Template

Example: DemoTemplateforViewRendering with fields Title, ProjectName, ImageName, Image, JSON, and URL

• Create Content

Example: Demo using the template DemoTemplateforViewRendering

• Add Layout in Content

Navigate to: Demo → Present → Details → Edit → Layout → Add DemoLayout (created in step 1)

• Create a .cshtml File for Controller Rendering

Example: DemoControllerRendering.cshtml in the Views folder

• Create a Controller File

Example: DemoController.cs

• Create a ViewModel File

Example: DemoViewModel.cs

• Create a Controller Rendering

Example: DemoControllerRendering with:

Controller: Sitecore.DemoProject.MVC.Web.Controller.DemoController, Sitecore.DemoProject.MVC.Web
Controller Action: DemoControllerRendering

• Add Control in Content

Navigate to: Demo → Present → Details → Edit → Controls → Add rendering with placeholder

• Save, Publish Item, and Preview

Headless SXA Site in OmniDesign

OmniDesign Experience Accelerator (SXA) is a tool within OmniDesign that allows for the rapid creation of websites using a set of predefined components, layouts, and templates. It aims to streamline the development process, enabling content editors and marketers to build and manage sites efficiently.

A headless SXA site leverages the headless capabilities of OmniDesign, allowing content to be managed and delivered via APIs rather than traditional server-rendered pages. In a headless architecture, the front-end and back-end are decoupled, meaning the presentation layer is separated from the content management system.

Key features of a headless SXA site include:

• Content as a Service (CaaS): Content is managed within OmniDesign but consumed by any front-end framework (e.g., React, Angular, Vue.js, and Next.js) via APIs.
• Flexibility: Front-end developers can use modern JavaScript frameworks and libraries, enhancing the user experience and performance.
• Omnichannel Delivery: Content can be delivered to various platforms and devices, such as websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, etc.
• Reusability: Components and templates created within SXA can be reused across different projects and channels.

Installation Guide for OmniDesign Experience Accelerator

Please email us at connect@oremda.com to get the OmniDesign Experience Accelerator

Introduction

With the release of OmniDesign 10.3, OmniDesign introduced a headless version of the existing SXA framework. This is based on the existing OmniDesign headless framework, JSS. However, the process of deploying a headless SXA site is different from the normal JSS solution. This article covers the deployment of a headless SXA site to OmniDesign 10.3.