sf-b2c-sfra

Salesforce B2C Commerce SFRA Development

Before Writing Code

Fetch live docs:

1. WebFetch github.com/SalesforceCommerceCloud/storefront-reference-architecture for SFRA source
2. Web-search site:developer.salesforce.com SFRA architecture MVC for MVC patterns
3. Web-search site:developer.salesforce.com SFRA cartridge overlay for overlay best practices
4. Web-search site:developer.salesforce.com module.superModule for extension patterns
5. Web-search site:developer.salesforce.com SFRA getting started for latest docs

Conceptual Architecture

SFRA Overview

SFRA (Storefront Reference Architecture) is the reference implementation for B2C Commerce storefronts:

• Server-side MVC -- Models, Views (ISML), Controllers
• Cartridge overlay system -- stack custom cartridges on top of base
• module.superModule -- extend base functionality without copying code
• Client-side build -- Webpack bundles JS and SCSS
• Page Designer -- visual page building with reusable components

Four Key Principles

Principle	Rule
Overlay	Never modify app_storefront_base -- create custom cartridges that layer on top
Extend	Use module.superModule to inherit and augment, not replace
Hooks	Use commerce hooks for order, payment, and shipping customization
Services	Use the Service Framework for external integrations (payment gateways, ERP)

Cartridge Path Resolution

The cartridge path (configured in Business Manager) resolves files left-to-right. The leftmost cartridge wins.

Example path: app_custom:app_storefront_base

• Request for controllers/Product.js checks app_custom first, falls back to app_storefront_base
• Templates, models, and scripts follow the same resolution

Cartridge Directory Structure

app_custom/cartridge/
├── controllers/        # Route handlers
├── models/             # Data models
├── scripts/            # Helpers, services
├── templates/          # ISML templates
├── experience/         # Page Designer
└── client/default/     # JS + SCSS source (Webpack)

module.superModule

module.superModule resolves to the next cartridge in the path that provides the same module. This is how you extend without duplicating:

• Controllers: var base = module.superModule; server.extend(base); then use append/prepend/replace
• Models: Call base constructor with base.call(this, apiProduct, options), then add properties
• Scripts: Import base, extend functions, re-export with spread

MVC Pattern

Layer	Location	Role
Controller	controllers/*.js	Route handling via server module
Model	models/**/*.js	Transform API data to view-friendly objects
View	templates/default/**/*.isml	ISML templates for HTML rendering
Client JS	client/default/js/	Browser-side behavior (Webpack bundled)
SCSS	client/default/scss/	Styles (compiled to CSS)

Extend vs Replace Controllers

Approach	When	Trade-off
server.extend(base) + append	Adding data, logging, analytics	Keeps base logic; auto-receives base updates
server.replace('Route', fn)	Fundamentally different logic	You own the entire implementation; no base updates

Prefer extend + append in nearly all cases. Only replace when the base logic is wrong for your use case.

Client-Side Build

SFRA uses Webpack to build client assets from client/default/js/ and client/default/scss/. Output goes to cartridge/static/default/. Client JS can extend base modules:

// Pattern: Extend base client module
var base = require('base/product/detail');
// Fetch live docs for base module API

Site Preferences and Custom Objects

• Site Preferences: Site.getCurrent().getCustomPreferenceValue('prefName') -- store-level configuration
• Custom Objects: CustomObjectMgr.getCustomObject('Type', 'key') -- custom data structures
• Both are managed in Business Manager and accessed via dw.* API

Best Practices

Cartridge Overlay

• Never modify app_storefront_base
• Name custom cartridges consistently: app_custom_[sitename] or int_custom_[feature]
• Use module.superModule to extend -- avoid code duplication
• Test overlays after base cartridge updates

Controllers and Models

• Use server.extend() to inherit base routes
• Keep controllers thin -- move logic to models and scripts
• Call base model constructor, then add properties
• Always call next() in middleware chain

Templates and Client Code

• Use <isinclude> for reusable components
• Use resource bundles for all text: Resource.msg('key', 'bundle', null)
• Import and extend base client JS modules
• Minimize jQuery -- prefer vanilla JS for performance

Security and Performance

• Use Transaction.wrap() for all database writes
• Encode output in templates to prevent XSS
• Use CSRF tokens for state-changing operations
• Cache expensive operations via CacheMgr

Fetch the SFRA GitHub repository, developer documentation, and module.superModule guide for exact patterns, API references, and best practices before implementing.