Overview
A Golden Page is a fully-authored reference page you create in AEM for each page template type. It contains every content pattern—Hero, Accordion, Card Grid, and so on—that Gradial should be able to use when building or editing pages of that type. Think of a Golden Page as a comprehensive example that shows Gradial exactly what components are available and how they should be structured.Note: By “template” we mean AEM page templates. In practice, a single page template may be used for multiple content types (for example, a generic “Article” template used for both news articles and blog posts).
How Gradial Uses Golden Pages
When you provide a Golden Page, Gradial runs pattern ingestion to learn from it:- Analyzes the page and identifies discrete patterns (each within an authorable container)
- Captures the blueprint of each pattern—its structure, configuration, and component relationships
- Stores patterns in a library organized by Design System
- Applies patterns when building new pages, adapting the content to each specific context
Example in Action
Your Product Detail Page (PDP) Golden Page includes a “Related Products” card grid with placeholder products. Gradial ingests this pattern and learns its structure. Later, when creating a new PDP for a specific product, Gradial can generate a “Related Products” section using that same pattern—but populated with products actually related to that page’s content.Requirements
Creating effective Golden Pages requires attention to a few key principles.One Golden Page Per Template
Create a Golden Page for each AEM page template in your project scope. Common template types include:- Product Detail Page (PDP)
- Product Listing Page (PLP)
- Article / Blog
- Landing Page
- Category Page
- Homepage
Include All Patterns
Your Golden Page should contain every pattern you want Gradial to use for that template type. If a pattern isn’t on the Golden Page, Gradial won’t know it’s available.Build in the Real Template
Author your Golden Page using the actual AEM page template—not a generic or test template. This ensures the patterns you create are fully compatible with production pages.Containerize Multi-Component Patterns
When a pattern consists of multiple components working together, group them within a single authorable container. This tells Gradial to treat them as one cohesive unit. Example: A Hero pattern might include a title component, an image component, and a CTA button. By placing all three in one container, Gradial understands they form a single “Hero” pattern rather than three separate elements.Use Realistic Placeholder Content
Populate your patterns with production-representative content. This means:- Realistic text length and structure
- Proper image dimensions and aspect ratios
- Representative data in tables and lists
- Actual (or realistic placeholder) links and CTAs
Common Patterns to Include
While every project is different, most Golden Pages include patterns like these:| Pattern Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Hero | Primary page banner with headline, image, and CTA |
| Accordion | Expandable content sections |
| Card Grid | Content cards in 2-col, 3-col, or 4-col layouts |
| Carousel | Rotating content (customer stories, featured items) |
| FAQ Section | Question and answer format |
| Promo / CTA | Promotional blocks and call-to-action sections |
| Data Table | Structured tabular information |
| Text + Media | Content blocks combining copy with images or video |
Remember: A single pattern may contain multiple components. What matters is that related components are grouped together in one container so Gradial ingests them as a single reusable unit.
Handling Pattern Variations
Some components support multiple configurations or visual styles. Here’s how to handle them:Include Major Variants
If a component can be configured in fundamentally different ways, include each major variant as a separate pattern. Example: A flexible content block that can render as either an accordion or a carousel should appear twice on your Golden Page—once configured as an accordion, once as a carousel.Skip Trivial Variants
You don’t need to include every possible configuration. Minor variations that don’t change the pattern’s structure can be handled by Gradial automatically. Example: A carousel with 3 items and a carousel with 5 items use the same pattern—just with different amounts of content. Include it once.Quality Check: The Copy-Paste Test
Before finalizing your Golden Page, validate each pattern with this simple test:- Copy a pattern from your Golden Page
- Paste it into another page using the same template
- Check if it renders correctly without manual fixes
What Not to Include
Your Golden Page should focus on the patterns you actively want Gradial to use. Exclude:- Deprecated components that are being phased out
- Rarely-used components that don’t justify the added complexity
- Template-specific structural elements that aren’t meant to be reused
- Test or experimental components not ready for production