In Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), a template is a set of predefined page structures and content components that provide a framework for creating pages. Templates define the layout, structure, and functionality of pages, and allow content authors to create consistent and well-structured content.
A template consists of several components:
- Design: A design is a collection of assets that define the visual look and feel of a website, including the colors, fonts, and layout. The design is created in Adobe Photoshop or Adobe XD and is imported into AEM.
- Structure: A structure defines the layout of a page, including the number and location of page components, such as headers, footers, and sidebars. It also defines the page hierarchy and how content is organized.
- Components: Components are reusable building blocks that can be added to a page to create content. Examples of components include text blocks, images, videos, and forms.
- Policies: Policies define the permissions and restrictions for a template. They control who can access the template and what actions they can perform.
Templates are created by developers and can be customized by content authors. They provide a consistent framework for creating pages, which ensures that content is structured and formatted in a consistent manner. Templates can also be shared across multiple sites, making it easy to reuse content and maintain consistency across different sites.
To create a template in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), you will need to follow these steps:
- Open the AEM authoring environment and navigate to the site where you want to create the template.
- In the left-hand sidebar, select “Templates.”
- Click the “Create” button and select “Template.”
- In the “New Template” dialog box, enter a name for the template.
- In the “Design” section, select the design that you want to use for the template. You can choose from a list of existing designs or upload a new design.
- In the “Structure” section, define the page structure by selecting a layout and adding components to the layout. You can use the drag-and-drop interface to add components, resize them, and rearrange them.
- In the “Policies” section, define the permissions and restrictions for the template. You can set permissions for viewing, editing, and deleting the template, as well as restrict access to certain groups or individuals.
- Click the “Create” button to create the template.
- Once the template is created, you can customize it by adding or removing components, changing the layout, or adjusting the policies.
- To use the template, navigate to the page where you want to create a new page, select the template from the list of available templates, and start adding content.
Restrict Template use for specific pages
In Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), you can restrict the use of a template for specific pages using a feature called “Allowed Parent Templates.” This feature allows you to specify which templates can be used as parents for a particular page.
Here’s how you can restrict template use for specific pages in AEM:
- Open the page in AEM that you want to restrict the template use for.
- Click on the “Properties” icon on the toolbar.
- In the “Properties” dialog box, click on the “Advanced” tab.
- Under the “Allowed Parent Templates” section, select the templates that are allowed to be used as parents for the page.
- Save the changes.
By specifying the allowed parent templates, you are restricting the use of other templates for that particular page. When a content author tries to create a child page for the restricted page, they will only be able to choose from the templates that are specified in the “Allowed Parent Templates” section.
Properties while creating Template in AEM
When creating a template in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), there are several important properties that should be considered. These properties help to define the structure, behavior, and functionality of the template. Here are some of the key properties to consider when creating a template in AEM:
- Title: The title of the template, which is displayed in the AEM interface and is used to identify the template. It should be a descriptive name that accurately reflects the purpose of the template.
- Description: A brief description of the template that provides information about its purpose and functionality. This helps content authors to understand the purpose of the template and how it should be used.
- Components: The list of components that are included in the template, along with their structure and layout. This can include pre-built components, as well as custom components that have been created specifically for the template.
- Pages: The list of pages that are included in the template, along with their structure and layout. This can include pre-built pages, as well as custom pages that have been created specifically for the template.
- Default Page Properties: Default page properties define the default values for various properties of the pages created using the template. These properties can include the page title, meta description, and page structure.
- Allowed Parent Templates: Allowed parent templates define which templates can be used as parents for the pages created using the template. This helps to ensure that the pages created using the template are consistent and adhere to a specific structure.
- Policies: Policies define the permissions and restrictions for the template. They control who can access the template and what actions they can perform.
In AEM, templates can be created using the Template Editor tool, which allows developers to define the structure, components, and policies of the template. Content authors can then use the template to create pages by selecting the appropriate layout, adding content components, and configuring the page properties.
