Experience Builder templates let you create branded sites where your employees, customers, and partners can connect. Built on the Lightning Component framework, Experience Builder templates include many ready-to-use features and Lightning components. But the real power of the Lightning Component framework is that you can develop custom Lightning components and features to meet your unique business needs and completely transform the look and feel of your site.
As of Spring ’19 (API version 45.0), you can build Lightning components using two programming models: the Lightning Web Components model, and the original Aura Components model. Lightning web components are custom HTML elements built using HTML and modern JavaScript.
The rename to Experience Cloud in Spring ’21 (API version 50.0) introduced some new terminology, and it can be tricky to know what’s what. Here’s the rundown.
Experience Builder sites (formerly called Lightning communities) are template-based sites that you customize in Experience Builder. And with the launch of the Lightning Web Runtime (LWR), we added two new terms for even greater clarity.
Tip
You can configure both Lightning web components and Aura components as drag-and-drop components for Experience Builder. Admins and end users don’t know which programming model was used to develop the components—to them, they’re simply Lightning components.
Whether you’re a developer, partner, or ISV, this guide describes how to create custom Aura sites and components, theme layout components, and Lightning Bolt Solutions.
Before you begin developing custom Experience Builder sites, ensure that you’re familiar with developing in Lightning.
Salesforce Lightning makes it easier to build responsive applications for any device, and encompasses the Lightning Component framework and helpful tools for developers.
Which Experience Builder Template Do I Use?
Depending on which Experience Builder template that you use, you can build Experience Builder sites using two programming models: the Lightning Web Components model, and the original Aura Components model. The Build Your Own (LWR) template is based on the new Lightning Web Runtime (LWR) and can only be used with Lightning web components, not Aura components. Other templates are based on the Aura Components model and can use both Lightning web components and Aura components.
Experience Cloud Developer Release Notes
Use the Salesforce Release Notes to learn about the most recent updates and changes to the Experience Cloud developer experience.
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