Opti CMS Markup

What It Is

Status

Last Reviewed:

I haven’t touched this in a long time. I think it would need to updated for CMS 12, but it wouldn’t be hard.

Details

This is a library to make working with static HTML easier in Episerver. It provides three things:

1. A block type to embed HTML
2. A media type to extract fragments of markup from uploaded HTML files
3. A media type to combine all the resources needed for a fully self-contained client app into a single deploy-able “app file” that editors can simply drag onto the page (here’s a video of just this)

For each method, a framework is provided to bootstrap all associated resources (JS and CSS; on-site or remote) and inject them into the page. For options #2 and #3 above, front-end developers could work on code locally, then simply drag it into an Episerver site and let editors easily inject all the necessary resources into a page.

The result is, hopefully, a toolkit to make front-end developers very happy when working with Episerver, and something that provides the ability to blur the line between managed content and static HTML in a responsible, manageable, repeatable way.

There are a couple decades-old blog posts that lay out the theoretical basis for what I built here:

• Content Management vs. Static HTML

  The article compares the benefits of using a content management system (CMS) versus using simple HTML, suggesting that having one ‘key master’ for all company platforms is not a good business practice. However, it also points out that content management systems are generally more complex and may not be necessary for all businesses, with the author sharing their personal experience of using a CMS for a complex website and then transitioning to static HTML.

• Your CMS Isn't Too Good for Static HTML

  Content management system often deride static HTML. However, static files are necessary in some cases, and we discuss some patterns for integrating them into an otherwise content-managed site.