Migration of etc/designs

[chalamcharla]

Hi, 

We are working on migration project from lower version to AEMaaCS, in which there are designs under /etc/designs, along with designs there are robots.txt, sitemap and few others are there in /etc/designs folder and there is tight coupling of backend logic, so we are thinking to leave them in /etc/designs itself, will it have any effect on functionality?

[aanchal-sikka]

@chalamcharla 

Majority of the functionalities will work from /etc/designs. But, please execute BPA tool and fix anything thats marked Critical. Preferably fix Major issues as many as possible.

For any new functionality, please use AEMaaCS recommended repository structures

Even if BPA tool doesn't call out, please validate all functionalities to rule out any surprises.

Component configs:

Until we use Static Templates, /etc/designs will work.

But, if you are planning to use these components with Editable Templates, then gradually you would have to move component-specific design configs to:

• Component policies (for template-wide configs)
• Context aware configs (For hierarchical configs)

Preferably create new versions of these components, which could be used with Editable templates and gradually move the sites.

[Albin_Issac]

The /etc/designs folder functions in AEM as a Cloud Service; however, there is a concern regarding the management of designs—specifically, publishing the design changes. The /miscadmin#/etc/designs path is not available in AEM as a Cloud Service. You may need to consider an alternative approach, such as using a workflow, to replicate design changes.
Regards
Albin
https://myprofile.albinsblog.com

[Raja_Reddy · Accepted solution]

Hi @chalamcharla 

In Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service (AEMaaCS), the `/etc/designs` folder is used to store design-related files such as CSS, JavaScript, and images. It is a best practice to keep design-related files separate from content files to ensure a clear separation of concerns.

However, it is not recommended to store files like `robots.txt` and `sitemap` under the `/etc/designs` folder. These files are not directly related to design and are typically placed at the root of the website for easy accessibility.

Leaving these files in the `/etc/designs` folder may not have a direct impact on the functionality of your website, but it can lead to confusion and may not align with best practices. It is recommended to keep the `robots.txt` and `sitemap` files at the root of your website for better visibility and accessibility.

If there is a tight coupling of backend logic with these files, it would be advisable to refactor the code to decouple the logic from the specific file locations. This will make it easier to manage and maintain the code in the long run.

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/experience-manager-cloud-service/content/migration-journe...

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/experience-manager-learn/cloud-service/migration/moving-t...