Site Definitions help to create templates that can then be used to for new site creation etc. These basically help you create sites with pre-defined features/looks etc repeatedly without having to manually add those features/designs.
Another way of looking at this - A SharePoint Foundation website is based on particular site definition configuration. For this reason, you can think of a site definition as a family of configurations, although some families contain only one configuration.
Also, one major benefit is that in case of changes that need to reflect across all sites can be made at one place rather than in every default.aspx present in every site.
Though, site definitions are the best way to implement changes that need to reflect across sites (like adding a new company's logo), the concept of unghosting plays a negative role in achieving the same.
For detailed explanation, visit the link provided at the bottom of the post.
The site definitions are found at the location - \14\TEMPLATE\SiteTemplates
Core Schema files of a site definition:
2. Onet.xml: Has all major settings for site creation.
Location: \SiteDefinitions\site_type\xml\
The main difference between Schema.xml amd Onet.xml is that the scope of the former is limited to the lists where as the scope of Onet.xml extends to a site.
The built - in webtemp.xml and the other webtemp*.xml consitute the site definitions that are available at the time of site creation. While creating a custom site definition, one should create a new webtemp*.xml. The SharePoint Foundation then merges the WebTemp.xml with all the other webtemp*.xml file and presents the site definitions available.
Courtesy:
-- http://www.devx.com/dotnet/Article/27673/0
-- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa978512.aspx
Another way of looking at this - A SharePoint Foundation website is based on particular site definition configuration. For this reason, you can think of a site definition as a family of configurations, although some families contain only one configuration.
- Ghosting: This is a concept in SharePoint that allows it to maintain only one copy of aspx pages like default.aspx that is actually used across all the sites present. SharePoint creates a reference of the page in the new site's database. This process is called ghosting. The advantages that this concept offers are utilization of space and better performance w.r.t. the amount of cache that gets loaded.
Also, one major benefit is that in case of changes that need to reflect across all sites can be made at one place rather than in every default.aspx present in every site.
- Unghosting: Whenever a user wants to heavily customize his page, SharePoint is left with no option but to unghost the page. The concept of ghosting is valid only the page can be kept same across all the sites. If one site user wants to cusomize his page, then the page needs to be unghosted, a copy of the page will be created in the database which would be solely for that particular site.
Though, site definitions are the best way to implement changes that need to reflect across sites (like adding a new company's logo), the concept of unghosting plays a negative role in achieving the same.
For detailed explanation, visit the link provided at the bottom of the post.
The site definitions are found at the location - \14\TEMPLATE\SiteTemplates
Core Schema files of a site definition:
- WebTemp*.xml: Helps in identifying the site definations. Also makes the site definition visible in the UI.
2. Onet.xml: Has all major settings for site creation.
Location: \SiteDefinitions\site_type\xml\
The main difference between Schema.xml amd Onet.xml is that the scope of the former is limited to the lists where as the scope of Onet.xml extends to a site.
The built - in webtemp.xml and the other webtemp*.xml consitute the site definitions that are available at the time of site creation. While creating a custom site definition, one should create a new webtemp*.xml. The SharePoint Foundation then merges the WebTemp.xml with all the other webtemp*.xml file and presents the site definitions available.
Courtesy:
-- http://www.devx.com/dotnet/Article/27673/0
-- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa978512.aspx
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