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Install a sample site

Describes how to install an Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) sample site, so you can try out the user interface and API features and learn more about how Optimizely works.

This topic describes how to install an Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) sample site, so you can try out the user interface and API features and learn more about how CMS works.

Installing CMS is easy! Inform yourself about the prerequisites in Installing Optimizely (CMS 11 and Commerce 13) and follow the steps 1-7 under Installing a sample site below, to create an MVC-based sample site with the Alloy templates. You can also watch the following Optimizely installation video to see how it is done.

About the Alloy MVC sample site

The sample site is a local installation running on IIS Express. This is indicated by the port number which will be something like "localhost:NNNN". The Alloy-MVC site uses ASP.NET identity, which is why you will be prompted to create a local administrator account when building and opening the site in a browser.

The sample site depicts a fictional company "Alloy", with a set of example templates illustrating typical functions that exist on most websites. Continue to Learning basic editing, to explore the sample site and learn the basics about editing in CMS.

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Note

Usually when exploring Alloy and playing around with your first sites, you do that locally. When working locally, there is no need to set up IIS. However, when you start working on production sites, you need to move from IIS Express to IIS and that requires some configuration of the IIS. Also, you don't need a license until you start using IIS.

Apps

Install apps on existing site

To install apps (add-ons) to an existing CMS site with the Alloy templates, do the installation in the following order:

  1. Copy all configuration files from the /[Configuration]/EPiServer/ to the site root folder.
  2. Install all required add-ons (Forms, A/B testing etc).
  3. Copy back all configuration files from the site root folder to the /[Configuration]/EPiServer/.
  4. Rebuild the Alloy templates project.

Install apps on new site

To install apps on a new CMS site together with the Alloy templates, do the installation in the following order:

  1. Install an empty CMS site.
  2. Install all required add-ons (Forms, A/B testing and so on).
  3. Install the Alloy templates.