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Metadata Skill

This skill guides you through working with site metadata XML for Salesforce B2C Commerce, including custom attributes, custom objects, and site preferences.

Overview

Metadata defines the structure of your B2C Commerce data:

Site Archive Structure

Metadata is organized in site archives:

/site-archive
    /meta
        system-objecttype-extensions.xml    # Custom attributes on system objects
        custom-objecttype-definitions.xml   # Custom object definitions
    /sites
        /MySite
            preferences.xml                 # Site preferences

System Object Extensions

Add custom attributes to existing system objects.

Basic Structure

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata xmlns="http://www.demandware.com/xml/impex/metadata/2006-10-31">
    <type-extension type-id="Product">
        <custom-attribute-definitions>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="myCustomAttribute">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">My Custom Attribute</display-name>
                <type>string</type>
                <mandatory-flag>false</mandatory-flag>
                <externally-managed-flag>false</externally-managed-flag>
            </attribute-definition>
        </custom-attribute-definitions>
        <group-definitions>
            <attribute-group group-id="MyCustomGroup">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">My Custom Group</display-name>
                <attribute attribute-id="myCustomAttribute"/>
            </attribute-group>
        </group-definitions>
    </type-extension>
</metadata>

Common System Objects

Attribute Types

Enum Value Definitions

Enum types (enum-of-string, enum-of-int, set-of-string, set-of-int) require value-definitions with value/display pairs :

<attribute-definition attribute-id="warrantyType">
    <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Warranty Type</display-name>
    <type>enum-of-string</type>
    <mandatory-flag>false</mandatory-flag>
    <value-definitions>
        <value-definition>
            <value>none</value>
            <display xml:lang="x-default">No Warranty</display>
        </value-definition>
        <value-definition>
            <value>limited</value>
            <display xml:lang="x-default">Limited Warranty</display>
        </value-definition>
        <value-definition>
            <value>full</value>
            <display xml:lang="x-default">Full Warranty</display>
        </value-definition>
    </value-definitions>
</attribute-definition>

Product Custom Attribute Example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata xmlns="http://www.demandware.com/xml/impex/metadata/2006-10-31">
    <type-extension type-id="Product">
        <custom-attribute-definitions>
            <!-- Simple string attribute -->
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="vendorSKU">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Vendor SKU</display-name>
                <type>string</type>
                <mandatory-flag>false</mandatory-flag>
                <externally-managed-flag>true</externally-managed-flag>
            </attribute-definition>

            <!-- Enum (dropdown) attribute -->
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="productCondition">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Product Condition</display-name>
                <type>enum-of-string</type>
                <mandatory-flag>false</mandatory-flag>
                <value-definitions>
                    <value-definition>
                        <value>new</value>
                        <display xml:lang="x-default">New</display>
                    </value-definition>
                    <value-definition>
                        <value>refurbished</value>
                        <display xml:lang="x-default">Refurbished</display>
                    </value-definition>
                    <value-definition>
                        <value>used</value>
                        <display xml:lang="x-default">Used</display>
                    </value-definition>
                </value-definitions>
            </attribute-definition>

            <!-- Boolean attribute -->
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="isHazardous">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Hazardous Material</display-name>
                <type>boolean</type>
                <mandatory-flag>false</mandatory-flag>
                <default-value>false</default-value>
            </attribute-definition>

            <!-- Multi-select attribute -->
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="productFeatures">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Product Features</display-name>
                <type>set-of-string</type>
                <mandatory-flag>false</mandatory-flag>
                <value-definitions>
                    <value-definition>
                        <value>waterproof</value>
                        <display xml:lang="x-default">Waterproof</display>
                    </value-definition>
                    <value-definition>
                        <value>recyclable</value>
                        <display xml:lang="x-default">Recyclable</display>
                    </value-definition>
                </value-definitions>
            </attribute-definition>
        </custom-attribute-definitions>

        <group-definitions>
            <attribute-group group-id="CustomProductInfo">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Custom Product Information</display-name>
                <attribute attribute-id="vendorSKU"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="productCondition"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="isHazardous"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="productFeatures"/>
            </attribute-group>
        </group-definitions>
    </type-extension>
</metadata>

Custom Object Definitions

Create entirely new data types.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata xmlns="http://www.demandware.com/xml/impex/metadata/2006-10-31">
    <custom-type type-id="StoreLocations">
        <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Store Locations</display-name>
        <description xml:lang="x-default">Physical store information</description>
        <staging-mode>source-to-target</staging-mode>
        <storage-scope>site</storage-scope>
        <key-definition attribute-id="storeId">
            <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Store ID</display-name>
            <type>string</type>
            <min-length>1</min-length>
        </key-definition>
        <attribute-definitions>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="storeName">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Store Name</display-name>
                <type>string</type>
                <mandatory-flag>true</mandatory-flag>
            </attribute-definition>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="latitude">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Latitude</display-name>
                <type>double</type>
            </attribute-definition>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="longitude">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Longitude</display-name>
                <type>double</type>
            </attribute-definition>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="phone">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Phone</display-name>
                <type>string</type>
            </attribute-definition>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="isActive">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Active</display-name>
                <type>boolean</type>
                <default-value>true</default-value>
            </attribute-definition>
        </attribute-definitions>
        <group-definitions>
            <attribute-group group-id="StoreInfo">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Store Information</display-name>
                <attribute attribute-id="storeId" system="true"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="storeName"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="latitude"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="longitude"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="phone"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="isActive"/>
            </attribute-group>
        </group-definitions>
    </custom-type>
</metadata>

Site Preferences

Site-specific configuration via custom attributes on SitePreferences.

Metadata (system-objecttype-extensions.xml)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata xmlns="http://www.demandware.com/xml/impex/metadata/2006-10-31">
    <type-extension type-id="SitePreferences">
        <custom-attribute-definitions>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="enableFeatureX">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Enable Feature X</display-name>
                <type>boolean</type>
                <default-value>false</default-value>
            </attribute-definition>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="apiEndpoint">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">API Endpoint</display-name>
                <type>string</type>
            </attribute-definition>
            <attribute-definition attribute-id="maxItemsPerPage">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Max Items Per Page</display-name>
                <type>int</type>
                <default-value>20</default-value>
            </attribute-definition>
        </custom-attribute-definitions>
        <group-definitions>
            <attribute-group group-id="CustomSettings">
                <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Custom Settings</display-name>
                <attribute attribute-id="enableFeatureX"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="apiEndpoint"/>
                <attribute attribute-id="maxItemsPerPage"/>
            </attribute-group>
        </group-definitions>
    </type-extension>
</metadata>

Values (sites/MySite/preferences.xml)

Preferences can be set per instance type (development, staging, production) or for all instances:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<preferences xmlns="http://www.demandware.com/xml/impex/preferences/2007-03-31">
    <custom-preferences>
        <all-instances>
            <!-- Values that apply to all instance types -->
            <preference preference-id="maxItemsPerPage">25</preference>
        </all-instances>
        <development>
            <!-- Development-specific values -->
            <preference preference-id="enableFeatureX">true</preference>
            <preference preference-id="apiEndpoint">https://dev-api.example.com/v1</preference>
        </development>
        <staging>
            <preference preference-id="enableFeatureX">true</preference>
            <preference preference-id="apiEndpoint">https://staging-api.example.com/v1</preference>
        </staging>
        <production>
            <preference preference-id="enableFeatureX">false</preference>
            <preference preference-id="apiEndpoint">https://api.example.com/v1</preference>
        </production>
    </custom-preferences>
</preferences>

Access in Code

var Site = require('dw/system/Site');

var enableFeatureX = Site.current.getCustomPreferenceValue('enableFeatureX');
var apiEndpoint = Site.current.getCustomPreferenceValue('apiEndpoint');
var maxItems = Site.current.getCustomPreferenceValue('maxItemsPerPage');

Attribute Definition Options

<attribute-definition attribute-id="myAttribute">
    <display-name xml:lang="x-default">Display Name</display-name>
    <description xml:lang="x-default">Description for BM tooltip</description>
    <type>string</type>
    <localizable-flag>false</localizable-flag>
    <mandatory-flag>false</mandatory-flag>
    <externally-managed-flag>false</externally-managed-flag>
    <visible-flag>true</visible-flag>
    <site-specific-flag>false</site-specific-flag>
    <order-required-flag>false</order-required-flag>
    <searchable-flag>false</searchable-flag>
    <min-length>0</min-length>
    <max-length>256</max-length>
    <default-value>default</default-value>
    <select-mode>none</select-mode>
    <unit>kg</unit>
</attribute-definition>

Best Practices

1. Use attribute groups to organize in Business Manager
2. Prefix custom attributes with organization name (e.g., acme_myAttribute)
3. Set externally-managed for data imported from external systems
4. Use enums over strings for controlled vocabularies
5. Document with descriptions - they appear as tooltips

Detailed Reference

• System Objects Reference - All system object types
• XML Examples - Complete import/export examples

Weekly Installs

69

Repository

salesforcecomme…-tooling

GitHub Stars

34

First Seen

Feb 17, 2026

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