Template Types in Sitecore CMS: A Comprehensive Overview

Sitecore CMS is a powerful and flexible content management system that enables businesses to create, manage, and deliver targeted and personalized content across multiple channels. One of the key features of the Sitecore CMS is its ability to use templates to structure and organize content.

In Sitecore, templates are pre-built structures that define the layout, presentation, and functionality of content items. Templates are critical components of Sitecore's content platform and are used to create different types of content, including web pages, emails, forms, and other marketing materials.

 

Template Types in Sitecore CMS

There are several types of templates available in Sitecore CMS that help businesses to realize their content management goals. Here's a quick overview of the main template types in Sitecore:

1. Interface/Base Template:

Creates an interface that solution logic can use, for instance by specifying the fields that a module's logic will utilize or by simply existing as a template in an item's template inheritance structure. Additionally known as a base template.

2. Branch Template:

Branch templates in Sitecore CMS are used to create a group of templates that can be reused across multiple content items. They are useful for creating pages with the same basic structure and layout, such as landing pages and microsites. The key advantage of using branch templates is that they can save time and effort when creating new content items.

3. Page Template:

Page templates in Sitecore CMS are used to create pages that have a standardized structure and layout. They contain the layout, page structure, and design elements such as header and footer, sidebar, and other elements that are common to most web pages. Page templates are especially useful for creating website pages, including landing pages, home pages, and product pages.

4. Folder Template:

Folder templates in Sitecore CMS are used to create folders that can be used to organize content items. They are useful for creating a hierarchical folder structure to store content based on the content type or category. For example, a business can use folder templates to create a folder structure to store all blog posts, product descriptions, and other marketing materials in separate folders.

5. Settings Template:

Settings templates in Sitecore CMS are used for lookup items for fields or to hold fields to configure the business logic in modules.

6. Datasource template:

Datasource templates in Sitecore CMS are used for Items and from this template are referenced by renderings as a datasource. Has no associated layout. Sometimes derives from interface templates.
 

Benefits of Using Templates in Sitecore CMS

Using templates in Sitecore CMS brings several benefits to businesses. Here are some of the key benefits of using templates in Sitecore:

Consistency:

Using templates in Sitecore CMS ensures that content is created consistently across the website. With templates, businesses can standardize the layout, structure, and design elements of content items, ensuring that they are cohesive and consistent.
 

Time-saving:

Templates in Sitecore CMS can save time and increase efficiency. By using pre-designed templates, content creators can quickly create different types of content without having to spend time designing from scratch each time they create content items.
 

Scalability:

Templates in Sitecore CMS make it easy to scale content across many pages and channels. With templates, businesses can create many pages with similar design and structure quickly and easily, thus enabling them to deliver targeted, personalized, and consistent content to their audiences across multiple channels.
 

Conclusion

Templates are critical components of Sitecore CMS, and they play a key role in enabling businesses to create, manage, and deliver targeted and personalized content across multiple channels. By using templates in Sitecore CMS, businesses can standardize their content structure, achieve consistency in their design, and create content faster, more efficiently, and at scale. With flexible template types such as Standard Template, Branch Template, Page Template, and Folder Template, businesses can create any type of content they need, ensuring that their content strategy is on point and their content is delivering value to their target audiences.