Update Starter Store Templates

Introduction

Goal

Use WebDAV to update Freemarker frontend templates in a running Starter Store instance.

Background

As the Starter Store provides many reusable components and commands out-of-the-box, typically the customization work for a Starter Store instance will mainly consist of adapting its look and feel by modifying the provided frontend templates.

Freemarker frontend templates are stored in the content repository as web files. BRIEF exposes these web files through a secure WebDAV endpoint, enabling developers to update Freemarker templates in a running Starter Store instance on-the-fly.

This page provides instructions on how to access the templates over WebDAV, as well as some pointers on

WebDAV Endpoint

You can access the web files over WebDAV using any WebDAV client (including web browsers) at the following URL:

https://<domain>/cms/webdav/default/webfiles/

Log in as CMS user with admin privileges.

The Freemarker templates are located in subdirectories of /cms/webdav/default/webfiles/site/freemarker/.

Starter Store component templates (e.g. login form, product detail, etc.) are in /cms/webdav/default/webfiles/site/freemarker/hstdefault/.

Generic page layout templates (e.g. header, footer, etc.) are in /cms/webdav/default/webfiles/site/freemarker/starterstoreboot/.

WebDAV Clients

Depending on their personal preferences, developers can choose from any available WebDAV client such as Cadaver for a command line interface and scripting.

Best Practices

It makes sense to establish some kind of process to update templates. Consider incorporating the following best practices in your process:

• Mirror the web files directory structure in your local development environment.
• Keep the local mirror of the web files under version control (e.g. Git).
• Update templates in the running Starter Store instance by synchronizing the local and remote directory structures (perhaps from a dedicated VCS branch).
• Automate where possible.
• Keep it simple.