We have developed applications using the Sitefinity platform since 2012 (earning a Sitefinity Gold Partner status along the way) and have seen the platform develop from a solid and capable Content Management System into a fully-fledged Digital Experience Platform (DXP) powering some of the largest enterprise applications on the web.
The rapid development of advanced features such as content personalisation, predictive analytics, headless and multichannel management has enabled MagiClick to support our clients’ ambitions to transform their businesses in a rapidly changing digital world.
The latest release, Sitefinity 14 DX, is another major upgrade for the platform and in this post we review the major new features.
Chatbots
Chatbots offer a live chat experience to customers which is powered by Artificial Intelligence, rather than a human agency typing on the other side. In recent years we have seen usage of chatbots grow markedly, and at MagiClick we have delivered numerous chatbots within the financial services sector which have enabled our clients to scale up and better serve their customers through periods of unprecedented demand.
Sitefinity 14 includes a full integration of the Progress NativeChat platform which enables business users (and developers) to rapidly build chatbots that understand natural language and can leverage integrations with your internal platforms to serve your customers.
Content editors have access to an out of the box NativeChat widget within the Sitefinity backend UI and can configure the look and feel, nickname, avatar and conversation trigger expressions for the bot directly. Users can seamlessly link this bot to the NativeChat platform by configuring an API token in the settings.
As part of MagiClick’s Sitefinity MVP status we received early access to the version 14 beta and built a number of Proof of Concept bots using the beta, and it’s clear that this feature will lower the barrier to entry for many companies to start to utilise this technology.
Low-code systems Integration
Integrating your internal (and external) systems with your DXP is critical to truly leveraging the power of digital automation and getting a 360 degree view of your customers. With the new service hooks in Version 14, this is easier than ever.
The platform now offers a wide range of hooks that are triggered by a number of internal events within Sitefinity itself, including content being published, a form being completed, or a user logging in. This can be used, for example, to send a notification to an app when a news item is published.
When an event is triggered the service hook will relay the outcome to a microservice or middleware, including low-code development platforms such as Zapier and Power Automated.
Enhanced Headless Capabilities
The drive towards omni channel in recent years has really highlighted the benefits of headless, or hybrid, CMS platforms. Sitefinity already featured next-level hybrid headless capabilities with a decoupled technical architecture that separates content management from page and template editing. This enables content editors to easily create, reuse and repurpose content for different audiences across different channels.
Version 14 has enhanced the headless capabilities of the platform, with the ability to leverage OData endpoints to deliver presentation and experience customisation, enhanced caching and performance and a new set of samples, API references and API extension procedures.
Improved SiteSync capabilities
The Sitefinity SiteSync feature can be a game changer for organisations looking to easily manage the promotion of content between different Sitefinity environments. At MagiClick we’ve used SiteSync to enable clients to manage content on a separate content staging environment, and once finalised and approved synchronise all of the content, configurations, templates and digital assets to production at the click of a button. New SiteSync features within Version 14 include the ability for content editors to sync single or multiple items and pages with different states, simplifying the promotion of smaller changes in content to production.
New composable DX packaging
Version 14 introduces a new composable DX packaging for Sitefinity, enabling customers to pick and mix the right components needed to deliver on their transformation requirements now, and easily expand on them in future. The base Sitefinity DX platform now includes Sitefinity Insights - a tool we’ve found incredibly useful at providing our clients with a deeper understanding of their users, and the usage of their Sitefinity-powered websites.
Summary
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, we’ve seen major enhancements in the Sitefinity platform in recent years and as an agency that utilises Sitefinity as one of our main CMS and DXP platforms for our clients it’s encouraging to see the continued investment that Progress are making into the platform.
Viewed in that context, the enhancements delivered in Version 14 cement its position as one of the leading DXP platforms on the market today.
Upgrading to Sitefinity 14 DX
Are you an existing Sitefinity customer looking for support in upgrading to Sitefinity DX 14? Or are you interested in exploring whether moving to Sitefinity is right for your business? Our team of Sitefinity specialists are happy to offer advice and you can contact them at sitefinity@MagiClick.com, or you can find out more about our Sitefinity capabilities here.