The EDS Dilemma : Battle of choice Document-based vs DA.Live vs AEM Cloud with Universal Editor | Community
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Shashi_Mulugu
Community Advisor
Shashi_MuluguCommunity Advisor
Community Advisor
January 29, 2026

The EDS Dilemma : Battle of choice Document-based vs DA.Live vs AEM Cloud with Universal Editor

  • January 29, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 83 views

Edge Delivery Services has changed the game for Lighthouse scores, but the authoring experience is now the big conversation.

 

I’m looking to gather some real-world perspectives on the best 'flavor' of authoring for AEM Edge Delivery Services (EDS).

​i see we have three distinct paths and I'd love to hear from anyone who has moved between them:

​Pure Document Authoring (Google Drive/SharePoint): The speed is unmatched, but how are you handling complex governance at scale?

​DA.live (Document Authoring): Is this the 'Goldilocks' zone for asset integration, or does it add an unnecessary layer?

​Universal Editor with AEM Sites: For those who need MSM and heavy localization, does the performance of EDS still feel 'magical' when coming from a full AEM Cloud Service backend?

​Which combination have you found offers the best balance of author velocity and developer sanity? Looking forward to your insights!"

 

    1 reply

    kautuk_sahni
    Community Manager
    kautuk_sahniCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    January 30, 2026

    ​@Shashi_Mulugu This is a great discussion, thanks for raising it! 

    From my experience, each approach really has trade-offs depending on scale, localization needs, and governance complexity. Adobe guidance clarifies the authoring options for AEM EDS:

    • Universal Editor: Recommended for most teams that supports full AEM capabilities like MSM, localization, workflows, and integrates seamlessly with EDS for high-performance delivery. | Documentation

    • Document-Based Authoring: Best for simpler content and quick turnaround, especially if your authors are already using these tools. Documentation

    • Document Authoring: A document-centric editor built for EDS. Ideal for teams wanting a lightweight, document-first workflow, but it doesn’t replace the Universal Editor for full AEM workflows. Documentation

    I’d love to hear from you and others, for teams managing multi-market or multi-language setups, which approach have you found balances author speed and maintainability best?

    Kautuk Sahni
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