Blueprints vs templates
How blueprints, templates, and reusable sections differ when you edit them later: a blueprint copies blocks once, while a template and a reusable section stay in sync.
Basker gives you three ways to reuse structure across your site. They behave differently when you edit them later. The difference comes down to one thing: a blueprint is a copy, while a template and a reusable section are shared.
- A blueprint gives a new page a head start. Basker copies its blocks in once, and from then on the page is yours to change. Editing the blueprint later only affects pages you create afterwards.
- A template controls the shared opening and closing structure for one kind of page. Website Builder templates belong to a theme. You create and edit them in Basker. Change one and every page using it changes.
- A reusable section is a block of content you build once and embed on many pages. Edit the section and every page that embeds it updates.
The one rule to remember
If you want a head start that you will then change freely, use a blueprint. You get a copy. If you want one change to reach every page at once, use a template for the overall look. Use a reusable section instead for a chunk of content.
Side by side
| Blueprint | Template | Reusable section | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it gives you | A starting set of blocks for a new page | The look a kind of page renders through | A block of content embedded on many pages |
| How it attaches | Copied in once | Shared and referenced live | Shared and referenced live |
| Effect on existing pages when edited | None (only future pages) | Every page using it updates | Every page embedding it updates |
| Editable per page afterwards | Yes, fully independent | Per-page appearance overrides only. The structure stays shared | No. Edit it in its own area |
| Where it lives | Blueprints, under Design | Templates, under Design | Sections, under Website |
| Applies to | One content type you choose | A content type, often with a default | Any page |
Blueprints copy, once
When you start a page from a blueprint, Basker copies the blocks from the blueprint into the new page. The blueprint area even tells you this directly: These blocks will be copied into new items when this blueprint is applied. Editing blocks here will not change any existing items.
After that, the new page is independent. You can add, remove, and rewrite its blocks without touching the blueprint. Updating the blueprint later does not reach back into pages you already created from it. Only future pages pick up the change.
Use a blueprint when teams reuse the same opening set of blocks for every page. Teams then edit each page differently afterward.
See Blueprints to create one, choose which content type it applies to, and show or hide it in the picker.
Templates stay in sync
A Website Builder template defines the shared blocks around a kind of page. For example, a Masthead appears before the page content for each event, and a Collection appears after it. In Templates, under Design, choose the Website Builder theme and edit one of its templates, or create a new one. A template can set its content type, layout, color scheme, introductory blocks, and closing blocks. Every page using the template shares that structure, so one change updates them all at once.
You can mark one template per content type as Set as Default Template. New pages of that type then use it automatically and stay in sync with it.
Per-page appearance
A template fixes the shared structure. You can still override the look of a single page without breaking the link to the template. See page theme settings.
Templates belong to the Website Builder theme that is active when you manage them. Global appearance stays separate. See themes and theme settings for site-wide colors, fonts, and navigation.
Reusable sections stay in sync
A reusable section carries a chunk of content you embed on many pages. Build a section once, such as a contact block, sponsor strip, or standard call to action. Then embed it across your pages. Editing it once updates every page that embeds it.
See reusable sections to build and embed them.