Sitecore MCP Server

# Bidirectional Template-Based Discovery **Versie:** 1.5.0 **Datum:** 17 oktober 2025 **Status:** ⚠️ CRITICAL INSTRUCTION **Impact:** Alle relationship discovery workflows --- ## 🎯 Core Principle **Templates zijn de brug tussen content en architectuur.** Bij **ELKE** discovery in Sitecore MCP MOET je bidirectioneel navigeren via templates: ``` Content ←→ Template ←→ Related Content ``` **Dit is NIET optioneel. Dit is CRITICAL voor correcte Helix discovery.** --- ## ⚠️ CRITICAL RULE ### Content Item Discovery **Wanneer je een content item vindt:** 1. ✅ **ALTIJD** de template analyseren 2. ✅ **ALTIJD** zoeken naar andere content items met dezelfde template 3. ✅ **ALTIJD** feature locaties zoeken (templates, renderings, resolvers) ### Template Discovery **Wanneer je een template vindt:** 1. ✅ **ALTIJD** zoeken naar alle content items die deze template gebruiken 2. ✅ **ALTIJD** content distributie analyseren (sites, languages, locaties) 3. ✅ **ALTIJD** usage statistics genereren --- ## 🔄 Bidirectional Flows ### Flow A: Content → Template → Related Content (Upward) ```typescript // STAP 1: Get content item const item = await sitecore_get_item({ path: '/sitecore/content/MySite/Home/Article1', language: 'en' }); // STAP 2: Extract template information const templatePath = item.template.path; // Result: "/sitecore/templates/Feature/Articles/Article" const featureName = templatePath.split('/')[4]; // Result: "Articles" const templateName = item.template.name; // Result: "Article" // STAP 3A: Search ALL content using same template (CRITICAL!) const relatedContent = await sitecore_search({ templateName: templateName, // "Article" rootPath: '/sitecore/content', language: 'en', maxItems: 100 }); // Result: Article1, Article2, Article3, ... (12 items found) // STAP 3B: Search feature definition locations const templateItems = await sitecore_search({ rootPath: `/sitecore/templates/Feature/${featureName}`, language: 'en' }); const renderingItems = await sitecore_search({ rootPath: `/sitecore/layout/Renderings/Feature/${featureName}`, language: 'en' }); const resolverItems = await sitecore_search({ rootPath: `/sitecore/system/Modules/Layout Service/Rendering Contents Resolvers/Feature/${featureName}`, language: 'en' }); ``` **Output:** ``` 📄 Content Item: Article1 Template: Article (Feature: Articles) 🔗 Related Content (same template): - Article1 (/sitecore/content/MySite/Home/Article1) - Article2 (/sitecore/content/MySite/News/Article2) - Article3 (/sitecore/content/MySite/Blog/Article3) ... (12 total) 📁 Feature Locations: Templates: /sitecore/templates/Feature/Articles (5 items) Renderings: /sitecore/layout/Renderings/Feature/Articles (3 items) Resolvers: /sitecore/system/.../Feature/Articles (2 items) ``` --- ### Flow B: Template → Content (Downward) ```typescript // STAP 1: Get template definition const template = await sitecore_get_template({ templatePath: '/sitecore/templates/Feature/Articles/Article', language: 'en' }); // STAP 2: Extract template name const templateName = template.name; // Result: "Article" // STAP 3: Search ALL content items using this template (CRITICAL!) const contentInstances = await sitecore_search({ templateName: templateName, rootPath: '/sitecore/content', language: 'en', maxItems: 200 }); // STAP 4: Analyze content distribution const sites = {}; const languages = {}; const locations = []; contentInstances.forEach(item => { const siteName = item.path.split('/')[3]; sites[siteName] = (sites[siteName] || 0) + 1; languages[item.language] = (languages[item.language] || 0) + 1; locations.push(item.path); }); const stats = { totalItems: contentInstances.length, sites: sites, // { MySite: 8, AnotherSite: 4 } languages: languages, // { en: 10, nl: 2 } locations: locations }; ``` **Output:** ``` 📋 Template: Article Path: /sitecore/templates/Feature/Articles/Article 📊 Usage Statistics: Total Content Items: 12 By Site: - MySite: 8 items - AnotherSite: 4 items By Language: - en: 10 items - nl: 2 items Locations: - /sitecore/content/MySite/Home/Article1 - /sitecore/content/MySite/News/Article2 - /sitecore/content/MySite/Blog/Article3 ... (12 total) ``` --- ## 🎯 Complete Example: TestFeatures Module ### Scenario: Discover ALL TestFeatures Related Items ```typescript // USER VRAAG: "Find everything related to TestFeatures" // ================================================== // FLOW A: Start met content item discovery // ================================================== // 1. Search content items with "TestFeatures" in name/path const contentItems = await sitecore_search({ searchText: 'TestFeatures', rootPath: '/sitecore/content', language: 'en', maxItems: 50 }); // Result: Found 3 content items // - /sitecore/content/MySite/Home/TestItem1 // - /sitecore/content/MySite/Home/TestItem2 // - /sitecore/content/MySite/Features/TestItem3 // 2. Get first content item to analyze template const firstItem = await sitecore_get_item({ path: contentItems[0].path, language: 'en' }); // firstItem.template.path = "/sitecore/templates/Feature/TestFeatures/TestFeature Item" // firstItem.template.name = "TestFeature Item" // 3. Search ALL content using same template (CRITICAL!) const allTestFeatureContent = await sitecore_search({ templateName: 'TestFeature Item', rootPath: '/sitecore/content', language: 'en', maxItems: 100 }); // Result: Found 12 items (not just the 3 with "TestFeatures" in name!) // This discovers ALL content using this template, regardless of name // ================================================== // FLOW B: Template definition discovery // ================================================== // 4. Search template folder const templates = await sitecore_search({ rootPath: '/sitecore/templates/Feature/TestFeatures', language: 'en' }); // Result: Found 5 templates // - TestFeature Item // - TestFeature Settings // - TestFeature Data // - _TestFeature Base // - Data Templates/ // 5. For each template, search content usage (CRITICAL!) for (const template of templates) { const templateUsage = await sitecore_search({ templateName: template.name, rootPath: '/sitecore/content', language: 'en' }); console.log(`Template "${template.name}" used by ${templateUsage.length} items`); } // Result: // - TestFeature Item: 12 content items // - TestFeature Settings: 1 content item // - TestFeature Data: 0 content items (not used yet) // - _TestFeature Base: 0 (base template, not directly instantiated) // ================================================== // Additional: Renderings and Resolvers // ================================================== // 6. Search renderings const renderings = await sitecore_search({ rootPath: '/sitecore/layout/Renderings/Feature/TestFeatures', language: 'en' }); // 7. Search resolvers const resolvers = await sitecore_search({ rootPath: '/sitecore/system/Modules/Layout Service/Rendering Contents Resolvers/Feature/TestFeatures', language: 'en' }); ``` **Complete Output:** ``` 🎯 TestFeatures Module - Complete Discovery 📄 Content Items (12 found): Using Template "TestFeature Item": - /sitecore/content/MySite/Home/TestItem1 - /sitecore/content/MySite/Home/TestItem2 - /sitecore/content/MySite/Features/TestItem3 - /sitecore/content/MySite/Data/TestData1 ... (12 total) Distribution: - MySite: 10 items - AnotherSite: 2 items Languages: - en: 10 items - nl: 2 items 📋 Templates (5 found): Location: /sitecore/templates/Feature/TestFeatures - TestFeature Item (used by 12 content items) - TestFeature Settings (used by 1 content item) - TestFeature Data (not used) - _TestFeature Base (base template) - Data Templates/ 📊 Renderings (3 found): Location: /sitecore/layout/Renderings/Feature/TestFeatures - TestFeature List - TestFeature Detail - TestFeature Navigation 🔧 Resolvers (2 found): Location: /sitecore/system/.../Feature/TestFeatures - TestFeature List Resolver - TestFeature Detail Resolver 🔗 Helix Relationship Map: Feature Module: TestFeatures ├── Templates (5 items) │ └── Used by 13 content items total ├── Renderings (3 items) ├── Resolvers (2 items) └── Content Items (12 items) ├── 2 sites └── 2 languages ``` --- ## ❌ Common Mistakes (AVOID!) ### ❌ FOUT 1: Alleen naam-based search ```typescript // FOUT: Zoekt alleen items met "TestFeatures" in naam const items = await sitecore_search({ searchText: 'TestFeatures', rootPath: '/sitecore/content' }); // Miss: Content items met andere namen maar zelfde template! ``` **✅ CORRECT:** ```typescript // 1. Zoek met naam const namedItems = await sitecore_search({ searchText: 'TestFeatures', rootPath: '/sitecore/content' }); // 2. Get template van eerste item const item = await sitecore_get_item({ path: namedItems[0].path }); // 3. Zoek ALLE items met zelfde template const allItems = await sitecore_search({ templateName: item.template.name, rootPath: '/sitecore/content' }); ``` --- ### ❌ FOUT 2: Template niet analyseren ```typescript // FOUT: Stopt na content item vinden const item = await sitecore_get_item({ path: '/sitecore/content/MySite/TestItem' }); // Miss: Geen related content, geen feature locations! ``` **✅ CORRECT:** ```typescript // 1. Get item const item = await sitecore_get_item({ path: '/sitecore/content/MySite/TestItem' }); // 2. Search related content (same template) const related = await sitecore_search({ templateName: item.template.name, rootPath: '/sitecore/content' }); // 3. Search feature locations const feature = item.template.path.split('/')[4]; const templates = await sitecore_search({ rootPath: `/sitecore/templates/Feature/${feature}` }); ``` --- ### ❌ FOUT 3: Template zonder content usage ```typescript // FOUT: Template info zonder usage check const template = await sitecore_get_template({ templatePath: '/sitecore/templates/Feature/Articles/Article' }); // Miss: Hoeveel content items gebruiken dit? Waar? ``` **✅ CORRECT:** ```typescript // 1. Get template const template = await sitecore_get_template({ templatePath: '/sitecore/templates/Feature/Articles/Article' }); // 2. Search ALL content using this template const usage = await sitecore_search({ templateName: template.name, rootPath: '/sitecore/content' }); // 3. Analyze distribution console.log(`Template used by ${usage.length} content items`); ``` --- ## 📋 Checklist Bij **ELKE** discovery taak: ### Content Item Discovery - [ ] Content item gevonden? - [ ] Template geanalyseerd? - [ ] Alle content met zelfde template gezocht? - [ ] Feature locaties onderzocht? - [ ] Helix map gegenereerd? ### Template Discovery - [ ] Template gevonden? - [ ] Alle content instances gezocht? - [ ] Usage statistics gegenereerd? - [ ] Distribution geanalyseerd (sites, languages)? - [ ] Related templates onderzocht (base templates)? ### Feature Module Discovery - [ ] Templates onderzocht? - [ ] Renderings onderzocht? - [ ] Resolvers onderzocht? - [ ] Content items gezocht (per template)? - [ ] Complete Helix map? --- ## 🎓 Learning Examples ### Example 1: Article Feature ```typescript // Given: Article content item // Task: Find all related items // Step 1: Content → Template const article = await sitecore_get_item({ path: '/sitecore/content/MySite/News/Article1' }); // template: "Article", feature: "Articles" // Step 2: Template → Related Content const allArticles = await sitecore_search({ templateName: 'Article', rootPath: '/sitecore/content' }); // Result: 25 articles across 3 sites // Step 3: Feature Locations const articleTemplates = await sitecore_search({ rootPath: '/sitecore/templates/Feature/Articles' }); // Result: Article, Article List, Article Category templates // Complete map generated! ``` --- ### Example 2: Navigation Feature ```typescript // Given: Navigation template // Task: Find all navigation instances // Step 1: Template → Content const template = await sitecore_get_template({ templatePath: '/sitecore/templates/Feature/Navigation/Navigation' }); // Step 2: Search content usage const navItems = await sitecore_search({ templateName: 'Navigation', rootPath: '/sitecore/content' }); // Result: 15 navigation items // Step 3: Analyze distribution const sites = groupBy(navItems, item => item.path.split('/')[3]); // Result: { MySite: 8, AnotherSite: 5, ThirdSite: 2 } // Usage report generated! ``` --- ## 📚 Related Documentation - **HELIX-RELATIONSHIP-DISCOVERY.md** - Complete Helix workflow - **TESTFEATURES-MCP-WORKFLOW.md** - MCP tools workflow - **.github/copilot-instructions.md** - AI assistant instructions - **MCP-CONTEXT-INSTRUCTIONS.md** - Cross-IDE context --- ## ✅ Success Criteria **You know you're doing it right when:** ✅ Content discovery ALTIJD includes template analysis ✅ Template discovery ALTIJD includes content search ✅ Related content wordt ALTIJD gevonden (via template) ✅ Feature locations worden ALTIJD onderzocht ✅ Usage statistics worden ALTIJD gegenereerd ✅ Helix relationship maps zijn COMPLEET ✅ Geen orphaned items (content without template check) ✅ Geen incomplete discoveries (template without usage) **Status: CRITICAL INSTRUCTION - ALWAYS FOLLOW** 🚀