Introduction: Sitecore JavaScript Rendering SDK (JSS)

The JSS, Sitecore JavaScript Rendering SDKs, represent a set of JavaScript packages that add first-class support for JavaScript frameworks and enable the development of modern applications that consume data from Sitecore.

JSS extends the dynamic, component-based layout model of Sitecore to the front-end frameworks for building robust applications.

To undetstand the value front-end frameworks add to client applications, the challenges of integrating front-end frameworks with Sitecore and how JSS solves these challenges, see the following video from Anastasiya Flynn, Front-End Technical Evangelist.

In the video you learned that in Sitecore the content authors are responsible for page composition instead of developers and hence it was the big challenge of using the Sitecore data in JavaScript applications.

JSS is the saviour here and supports JavaScript frameworks (like Next.js, React, Vue) as an implementation platform for Sitecore-backed web applications, along with providing fecility of authoring features through Experience Editor or Horizon.

JSS features and capabilities

The Sitecore JavaScript Rendering SDK (JSS) provide following features and capabilities to help developers in developing the modern, cross-platform, scalable, and performant front-end applications powered by Sitecore data:

  • JSS CLI – a Node.js based command line tool to help create and manage applications.
  • The Sitecore Headless Services and Sitecore Experience Edge endpoints consumption through REST or GraphQL from core JavaScript package.
  • Abstractions for front-end developers that allow working with Sitecore declaratively.
  • The utility functions and front-end components remove the complexities of fetching dynamic Sitecore data
  • Support popular front-end frameworks through dedicated SDKs:
  • Providers disconnected from or connected to a Sitecore instance mode of development. The front-end and back-end development teams can work in parallel.
  • Officially supported application samples for quick setup of development environment.
  • Multiple rendering options – Server-side rendering for improved SEO using framework capabilities (Next.JS) or tools provided by JSS. JSS provides static generation, incremental regeneration, and hybrid rendering option for Next.js framework.
  • Supports integration of advanced Sitecore editors to allow content and layout management, and preview options.
  • Supports Sitecore language versioning, localized routes, and language defaults.
  • Supports Sitecore experience management and optimization.
  • Support for Sitecore MVC applications allowing developers to use JSS in existing Sitecore MVC implementation through client-side embedding or use JSS to generate MVC applications as static HTML.

In the next article we will learn about architectures supported by JSS.

Jatin Prajapati's Blog

Some little contribution to Sitecore community