b2c-page-designer

---
name: b2c-page-designer
description: Define Page Designer page types and component types with regions, attributes, and rendering scripts. Use this skill whenever the user needs to create a new page or component type, configure regions with allowed component constraints, define attribute_definition_groups, debug why a component does not appear in the editor, or fix enum/color attribute pitfalls. Also use when building visual merchandising experiences -- even if they just say 'my component is missing from PD' or 'add a hero banner component'.
---

# Page Designer Skill

This skill guides you through creating custom Page Designer page types and component types for Salesforce B2C Commerce.

## Scope & grounding

This skill covers B2C Commerce Page Designer (dw.experience package) with version-agnostic patterns, JSON schema structures, and code examples. JSON schemas and Script API signatures shown are illustrative and may drift across platform versions. Before answering questions that name a framework/version, or before emitting code the user will run, confirm against the docs via `docs_search`/`docs_read` (MCP) or `b2c docs search`/`b2c docs read` (CLI). The B2C Commerce documentation is the canonical grounding source for Script API methods, attribute schema requirements, and version-specific behaviors not covered here.

**Canonical docs:**
- `dw.experience.PageMgr` - rendering pages and regions
- `dw.experience.PageScriptContext` - page script context API
- `dw.experience.ComponentScriptContext` - component script context API
- `dw.experience.Page` - page object methods
- `dw.experience.Component` - component object methods
- `dw.experience.Region` - region object methods
- `dw.experience.image.Image` - image attribute type
- `dw.experience` - package overview

## Overview

Page Designer allows merchants to create and manage content pages through a visual editor. Developers create:

1. **Page Types** - Define page structures with regions
2. **Component Types** - Reusable content blocks with configurable attributes

## File Structure

Page Designer files are in the cartridge's `experience` directory:

```
/my-cartridge
    /cartridge
        /experience
            /pages
                homepage.json           # Page type meta definition
                homepage.js             # Page type script
            /components
                banner.json             # Component type meta definition
                banner.js               # Component type script
        /templates
            /default
                /experience
                    /pages
                        homepage.isml   # Page template
                    /components
                        banner.isml     # Component template
```

**Naming:** The `.json` and `.js` files must have matching names. Use only **alphanumeric** or **underscore** in file names and in any subdirectory names under `experience/pages` or `experience/components`.

**Component types in subfolders:** You can put component meta and script in a subdirectory (e.g. `experience/components/assets/`). The **component type ID** is then the path with dots: `assets.hero_image_block`. The template path under `templates/default/` must mirror that path (e.g. `templates/default/experience/components/assets/hero_image_block.isml`), and the script must call `Template('experience/components/assets/hero_image_block')` so the path matches. Stored ID is `component.{component_type_id}`; total length must not exceed 256 characters.

## Page Types

### Meta Definition (pages/homepage.json)

> Illustrative JSON schema; confirm version-specific page type schema requirements with official platform documentation.

```json
{
    "name": "Home Page",
    "description": "Landing page with hero and content regions",
    "region_definitions": [
        {
            "id": "hero",
            "name": "Hero Section",
            "max_components": 1
        },
        {
            "id": "content",
            "name": "Main Content"
        },
        {
            "id": "footer",
            "name": "Footer Section",
            "component_type_exclusions": [
                { "type_id": "video" }
            ]
        }
    ]
}
```

### Page Script (pages/homepage.js)

```javascript
'use strict';

var Template = require('dw/util/Template');
var HashMap = require('dw/util/HashMap');
var PageRenderHelper = require('*/cartridge/experience/utilities/PageRenderHelper.js');

module.exports.render = function (context) {
    var model = new HashMap();
    var page = context.page;

    model.page = page;
    model.regions = PageRenderHelper.getRegionModelRegistry(page);

    return new Template('experience/pages/homepage').render(model).text;
};
```

### Page Template (templates/default/experience/pages/homepage.isml)

> This follows SFRA's region-model pattern: the page script builds `pdict.regions` with
> `PageRenderHelper.getRegionModelRegistry(page)`, and each `RegionModel.render()` call delegates to
> the platform's `PageMgr.renderRegion()` with SFRA's render settings.

```html
<isdecorate template="common/layout/page">
    <div class="homepage">
        <div class="hero-region">
            <isprint value="${pdict.regions.hero.render()}" encoding="off"/>
        </div>

        <div class="content-region">
            <isprint value="${pdict.regions.content.render()}" encoding="off"/>
        </div>

        <div class="footer-region">
            <isprint value="${pdict.regions.footer.render()}" encoding="off"/>
        </div>
    </div>
</isdecorate>
```

## Component Types

### Meta Definition (components/banner.json)

> Illustrative JSON schema; confirm version-specific component type schema requirements with official platform documentation.

```json
{
    "name": "Banner",
    "description": "Promotional banner with image and CTA",
    "group": "content",
    "region_definitions": [],
    "attribute_definition_groups": [
        {
            "id": "image",
            "name": "Image Settings",
            "attribute_definitions": [
                {
                    "id": "image",
                    "name": "Banner Image",
                    "type": "image",
                    "required": true
                },
                {
                    "id": "alt",
                    "name": "Alt Text",
                    "type": "string",
                    "required": true
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "id": "content",
            "name": "Content",
            "attribute_definitions": [
                {
                    "id": "headline",
                    "name": "Headline",
                    "type": "string",
                    "required": true
                },
                {
                    "id": "body",
                    "name": "Body Text",
                    "type": "markup"
                },
                {
                    "id": "ctaUrl",
                    "name": "CTA Link",
                    "type": "url"
                },
                {
                    "id": "ctaText",
                    "name": "CTA Button Text",
                    "type": "string"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "id": "layout",
            "name": "Layout Options",
            "attribute_definitions": [
                {
                    "id": "alignment",
                    "name": "Text Alignment",
                    "type": "enum",
                    "values": ["left", "center", "right"],
                    "default_value": "center"
                },
                {
                    "id": "fullWidth",
                    "name": "Full Width",
                    "type": "boolean",
                    "default_value": false
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}
```

**Component meta:** Always include `region_definitions`. Use `[]` when the component has no nested regions (no slots for other components).

### Component Script (components/banner.js)

```javascript
'use strict';

var Template = require('dw/util/Template');
var HashMap = require('dw/util/HashMap');
var URLUtils = require('dw/web/URLUtils');

module.exports.render = function (context) {
    var model = new HashMap();
    var content = context.content;

    // Access merchant-configured attributes
    model.put('image', content.image);        // Image object
    model.put('alt', content.alt);            // String
    model.put('headline', content.headline);  // String
    model.put('body', content.body);          // Markup string
    model.put('ctaUrl', content.ctaUrl);      // URL object
    model.put('ctaText', content.ctaText);    // String
    model.put('alignment', content.alignment || 'center');
    model.put('fullWidth', content.fullWidth);

    return new Template('experience/components/banner').render(model).text;
};
```

**Template path:** The path passed to `Template(...)` must match the template path under `templates/default/`. If the component lives in a subfolder (e.g. `experience/components/assets/hero_image_block`), use `Template('experience/components/assets/hero_image_block')` and place the ISML at `templates/default/experience/components/assets/hero_image_block.isml`.

**Handling colors (string or color picker object):** If an attribute can be a hex string or a color picker object `{ color: "#hex" }`, use a small helper so the script works with both:

```javascript
function getColor(colorAttr) {
    if (!colorAttr) return '';
    if (typeof colorAttr === 'string' && colorAttr.trim()) return colorAttr.trim();
    if (colorAttr.color) return colorAttr.color;
    return '';
}
```

### Component Template (templates/experience/components/banner.isml)

```html
<div class="banner ${pdict.fullWidth ? 'banner--full-width' : ''}"
     style="text-align: ${pdict.alignment}">
    <isif condition="${pdict.image}">
        <img src="${pdict.image.file.absURL}"
             alt="${pdict.alt}"
             class="banner__image"/>
    </isif>

    <div class="banner__content">
        <h2 class="banner__headline">${pdict.headline}</h2>

        <isif condition="${pdict.body}">
            <div class="banner__body">
                <isprint value="${pdict.body}" encoding="off"/>
            </div>
        </isif>

        <isif condition="${pdict.ctaUrl && pdict.ctaText}">
            <a href="${pdict.ctaUrl}" class="banner__cta btn btn-primary">
                ${pdict.ctaText}
            </a>
        </isif>
    </div>
</div>
```

## Attribute Types

> Illustrative attribute schema; confirm version-specific attribute_definition syntax with official platform documentation.

| Type | Description | Returns |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `string` | Text input | String |
| `text` | Multi-line text | String |
| `markup` | Rich text editor | Markup string (use `encoding="off"`) |
| `boolean` | Checkbox | Boolean |
| `integer` | Number input | Integer |
| `enum` | Single select dropdown | String or integer (depends on values) |
| `image` | Image picker | Image object with `file.absURL` |
| `file` | File picker | File object |
| `url` | URL picker | URL string |
| `category` | Category selector | Category object |
| `product` | Product selector | Product object |
| `page` | Page selector | Page object |
| `custom` | JSON object or custom editor | Object (or editor-specific) |

**Enum — critical for component visibility:** Use a **string array** for `values`: `"values": ["left", "center", "right"]`. Do **not** use objects like `{ "value": "x", "display_value": "X" }`; that format can cause the component type to be rejected and **not appear** in the Page Designer component list. Enum attributes return string when values are strings, integer when values are numeric.

**Custom and colors:** `type: "custom"` with e.g. `editor_definition.type: "styling.colorPicker"` requires a cartridge that provides that editor on the **Business Manager** site cartridge path. If the component does not show up in the editor, use `type: "string"` for color attributes (merchant types a hex). In the script, support both: accept a string or an object like `{ color: "#hex" }` (e.g. a small `getColor(attr)` helper that returns the string).

**default_value:** Used for storefront rendering only; it is **not** shown as preselected in the Page Designer visual editor.

## Region Definitions

```json
{
    "region_definitions": [
        {
            "id": "main",
            "name": "Main Content",
            "max_components": 10,
            "component_type_exclusions": [
                { "type_id": "heavy-component" }
            ],
            "component_type_inclusions": [
                { "type_id": "text-block" },
                { "type_id": "image-block" }
            ]
        }
    ]
}
```

| Property | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `id` | Unique region identifier |
| `name` | Display name in editor |
| `max_components` | Max number of components (optional) |
| `component_type_exclusions` | Components NOT allowed |
| `component_type_inclusions` | Only these components allowed |

## Rendering Pages

### In Controllers

```javascript
var PageMgr = require('dw/experience/PageMgr');

server.get('Show', function (req, res, next) {
    var page = PageMgr.getPage(req.querystring.cid);

    if (page && page.isVisible()) {
        res.page(page.ID);
    } else {
        res.setStatusCode(404);
        res.render('error/notfound');
    }
    next();
});
```

### In ISML

```html
<isscript>
    var PageMgr = require('dw/experience/PageMgr');
    var page = PageMgr.getPage('homepage-id');
</isscript>

<isif condition="${page && page.isVisible()}">
    <isprint value="${PageMgr.renderPage(page.ID)}" encoding="off"/>
</isif>
```

## Component Groups

Organize components in the editor sidebar:

```json
{
    "name": "Product Card",
    "group": "products"
}
```

Common groups: `content`, `products`, `navigation`, `layout`, `media`

## If the component does not appear in Page Designer

1. **Enums:** Ensure all `enum` attributes use `"values": ["a", "b"]` (string array), not objects with `value`/`display_value`.
2. **Custom editors:** Replace `type: "custom"` (e.g. color picker) with `type: "string"` for the problematic attributes and redeploy; if the component then appears, the issue is likely the custom editor or BM cartridge path.
3. **Naming:** File and subdirectory names only alphanumeric or underscore.
4. **region_definitions:** Component meta must include `region_definitions` (use `[]` if no nested regions).
5. **Template path:** Script `Template('...')` path must match the template path under `templates/default/` (including subfolders like `experience/components/assets/...`).
6. **Logs:** In Business Manager, **Administration > Site Development > Development Setup**, check error logs when opening Page Designer for script or meta errors related to your component type ID.
7. **Code version:** Deploy the cartridge to the correct code version; in non-production, meta can be cached for a few seconds—try a code version switch or short wait.

## Best Practices

1. **Use `dw.util.Template`** for rendering (NOT `dw.template.ISML`)
2. **Keep components self-contained** - avoid cross-component dependencies
3. **Provide default values** for optional attributes (they apply to rendering; not shown as preselected in the editor)
4. **Group related attributes** in `attribute_definition_groups`
5. **Use meaningful IDs** - they're used programmatically
6. **Don't change type IDs or attribute types** after merchants create content (creates inconsistency with stored data); add a new component type and deprecate the old one if needed
7. **Prefer string arrays for enums** and **string for colors** unless you control the BM cartridge path and custom editors

## Detailed Reference

For comprehensive attribute documentation:
- [Meta Definitions Reference](references/META-DEFINITIONS.md) - Full JSON schema
- [Attribute Types Reference](references/ATTRIBUTE-TYPES.md) - All attribute types with examples

From salesforcecommercecloud/b2c-developer-tooling at be57627, shown as plain text under its license: Apache-2.0 (permissive). The license text is in license.txt.

• SKILL.md16 KB · f40bc64c0a8f
• evals/
• trigger-evals.json2.5 KB · 509965c2d7a0
• references/
• ATTRIBUTE-TYPES.md8.3 KB · e40b349b6d1c
• META-DEFINITIONS.md10 KB · 40d7119a6cee

4 files, 37 KB in total. Each file has a sha256 in the pin's manifest; the first 12 characters are shown.