Sitecore Content Serialization FAQ

Current version: 10.0

Here you can read answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Sitecore Content Serialization (SCS).

Which problems does SCS solve?

Sitecore items are created and updated all the time, and these changes must be synchronized across Sitecore instances and between developers working on the Sitecore solution, in the same way as they would share code.

However, the process of synchronizing item changes is prone to error and time-consuming because of limited automation facilities.

SCS addresses this with out-of-the-box item serialization that lets you automate synchronization of item changes.

What are the benefits of using Sitecore Command Line Interface or Sitecore for Visual Studio?

Sitecore Command Line Interface (CLI) is a command line interface that interacts with Sitecore instances. This provides for increased automation and version control. Sitecore for Visual Studio (SVS) is a graphical tool that interacts with Sitecore instances from within Visual Studio. SVS provides the same capabilities as Sitecore CLI but is intended for users who are not familiar with command line tools.

Are there any features available exclusively in Sitecore CLI or SVS?

In Sitecore 10.0, Sitecore CLI and SVS have feature parity for day-to-day development tasks. Developers can choose how they want to work without giving up any functionality.

Does Sitecore still offer Team Development for Sitecore?

Sitecore will make a version of Team Development for Sitecore (TDS) compatible with Sitecore 10 available. It is a separate tool from SVS and uses a different project file format and workflow.

What functionality does TDS offer that is not in SVS?

TDS has the following functionality that is not available in SVS:

  • File deployment into a local Sitecore instance

  • Web Deployment Package (WDP) generation

  • Code generation

  • Validators

  • Environment Validation

Does my TDS license entitle me to use SCS and Sitecore CLI?

TDS and SVS are both offered under the same license so development teams can choose which tool meets their needs best. There is no way to obtain a license for SVS only. You must purchase a TDS license in order to use SVS. Sitecore CLI is not licensed and is provided to you whether you have a TDS license or not.

Does Sitecore CLI work on Linux machines?

Yes, the Sitecore CLI works with Linux.

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