Editable templates versioning - AEM 6.4.8.0

[vm0718]

We have been looking out for ways to enable versioning for the Editable Templates, just like we have it for pages. The amount of updates that are happening on the templates (Initial content, content policies, updating of AEM style display names) warrants us to explore ways of versioning all the changes that are being carried out by AEM authors to editable templates. So, in worst case, given an option, we could revert to the previously working copy of the template.

While exploring further, I realized that there is an option to overlay the path in /libs (see below) to add timeline to the existing rails (top right corner of templates listing) using which versions can be created manually. 

 /libs/wcm/core/content/sites/templates/jcr:content/rails 

So far so good, it works not fully tested though. However, the approach looks a bit non-standard and more of a temporary workaround esp. with adobe marking it final and internal(greyed out) with subsequent upgrades. Just wondering if there are better alternate solutions to achieve versioning for templates. Can someone shed some light on this particular topic? Appreciate your response. 

[shubhanshu_singh]

Hi @vm0718 , In one of my projects Template Authors as a practice were creating Content Package to track changes done over templates with package versioning so that it can be reverted to an older working state.

However, if you want to do some customization for this, adding a timeline to existing rail only will not help. You may have to create a workflow to support versioning requirements and make this workflow option available to be used in /libs/wcm/core/content/sites/templates.html view.

[aanchal-sikka · Accepted solution]

Hello @vm0718 

Even if we are able to version templates, policies stay in a separate location. So, reverting to a previous version of a template would not revert the policy.

There might also be repercussions on pages created by new version of the template. The structural elements might not match.

Reverting a template version is a lot more complex activity than page. 

Its an interesting feature. I would suggest submitting it in the Community as under Ideas section.

[Jagadeesh_Prakash]

@vm0718  From my opinion its best practise to maintane the template structure at code level. And put a mode="merge" in filter.xml

and ignore condition for policies.

Why would authors want to change 'intial' and 'structure' ? Rather than changing why not create a new template environment. 

"Versioning" option is not provided defult by product because this might impact the existing pages if not handled properly. Once done their is no option to undo  

Its better we suggest the best practises to client.