Basic AEM Questions (for beginners or junior roles)

1. What is Adobe Experience Manager (AEM)?

   Answer: AEM is a comprehensive content management solution (CMS) for building websites, mobile apps, and forms. It allows marketing teams to manage and deliver content across different digital channels without relying on IT. AEM is part of Adobe Experience Cloud and integrates with other Adobe tools for a complete marketing solution.

2. What are the main components of AEM?

   Answer: The key components of AEM include:

     - AEM Sites: For building and managing websites.

     - AEM Assets: A digital asset management (DAM) tool for managing images, videos, documents, etc.

     - AEM Forms: For building, managing, and delivering form-based experiences.

     - AEM Screens: For delivering content to digital signage.

3. What is the difference between Author and Publish environments in AEM?

   Answer: 

     - Author Environment: This is where content authors create, edit, and manage content. It is accessible only to internal teams.

     - Publish Environment: This is the live environment where the content is made available to the public. It serves content to end-users via a web server.

4. How do you create a page in AEM?

   - **Answer**: 

     - Go to the **AEM Sites** interface.

     - Choose the **location** where you want to create a page.

     - Click **Create** and select a **template** (which defines the structure of the page).

     - Add **components** to the page (like text, images, etc.) and publish it once it’s ready.

5. What is a Content Fragment?

   Answer: Content Fragments are reusable, structured content pieces in AEM. They allow authors to manage content without design or layout considerations. Fragments are often used when the same content needs to appear in multiple locations or channels.

 6. What is the architecture of AEM?

   Answer: AEM follows a modular architecture with Author and Publish instances. The Author instance is used to create and manage content, while the Publish instance serves the content to end users. The Dispatcher acts as a caching and/or load balancing tool in front of the Publish instance. 

Intermediate AEM Questions

1. What is the Sling Model in AEM?

   Answer: Sling Models are a way to map Java objects to AEM resources or request objects using annotations. It simplifies how developers bind and access JCR (Java Content Repository) data in AEM components. They help in making component development easier and more flexible.

2. What is the role of the Dispatcher in AEM?

   Answer: The AEM Dispatcher is Adobe's caching and load-balancing tool. It helps to:

     - Cache responses to reduce load on the Publish instance.

     - Act as a reverse proxy to filter requests and enhance security.

     - Distribute load among different AEM publish instances.

3. How do you set up a workflow in AEM?

   Answer: A workflow in AEM automates tasks such as content approval and publishing. To create a workflow:

     - Go to AEM Workflow.

     - Define steps (like approval or translation) and participants (users or groups).

     - Deploy and test the workflow using a content item.

4. What is the difference between a component and a template in AEM?

   Answer 

     - A **template** defines the structure of a page and dictates what components can be used on it.

     - A **component** is a reusable block of content (e.g., text, image, form). Components are the building blocks used to create page content within templates.

5. How does the OSGi framework fit into AEM?

   Answer: OSGi (Open Service Gateway Initiative) is a modular framework used in AEM to manage services and bundles. It allows developers to create modular applications and manage their dependencies dynamically, making AEM highly customizable and extensible.

6. What is a it.Launcher module in AEM? 

A Launcher in AEM is a feature that automatically triggers a workflow when certain actions happen in the JCR (like creating, modifying, or deleting a node).

7. What are design dialogs and how are they different from edit dialogs?

Edit dialogs are for content authors to enter content (e.g., text, images). Design dialogs are for template-level configurations like allowed styles or options, and they are visible in the Template Editor. Design dialogs store values under /conf, while edit dialog values go into /content.

8. What is the difference between PageComponent and Template in AEM?

A Template defines the structure for pages—what components can be used, layout, and policies. A Page Component is the actual component used to render the page. The template references the Page Component via jcr:content@sling:resourceType.

9. What is the difference between PageComponent and Template in AEM?

A Template defines the structure for pages—what components can be used, layout, and policies. A Page Component is the actual component used to render the page. The template references the Page Component via jcr:content@sling:resourceType.

Advanced AEM Questions

1. What is an AEM Servlet, and when would you use one?

   Answer: AEM Servlets are used to handle HTTP requests and generate dynamic responses. You might use a servlet when you need custom server-side logic, like fetching data from a third-party service or handling form submissions. Servlets can be registered at specific paths or resource types in the Sling framework.

2. Explain the difference between Classic UI and Touch UI in AEM.

   Answer: 

     -Classic UI: The older AEM user interface based on ExtJS, providing a desktop-like experience in the browser. It is no longer recommended for modern AEM projects.

     - Touch UI: The modern, responsive interface built using Coral UI and designed for touch devices (tablets, smartphones), offering a more user-friendly experience.

3. How does AEM integrate with other Adobe Marketing Cloud products?

   Answer: AEM integrates with Adobe Marketing Cloud products like:

     Adobe Analytics: For tracking content performance.

     Adobe Target: For personalized content delivery.

     Adobe Campaign: For managing email and cross-channel marketing.

     This integration allows marketers to use unified data for better customer insights and personalized experiences.

4. What are editable templates in AEM, and how do they differ from static templates?

   - Answer: 

     - Editable Templates: Allow authors to modify the structure of a page in AEM without developer intervention. They give more control to content authors.

     - Static Templates: Are fixed page layouts where developers define the structure, and authors cannot modify the layout.

     Editable templates are recommended for their flexibility and ease of use.

5. How do you optimize AEM performance?

   Answer: AEM performance can be optimized by:

     - Leveraging Dispatcher for caching.

     - Reducing server-side processing with efficient components.

     - Optimizing AEM workflows.

     - Implementing lazy loading of assets.

     - Optimizing queries to the JCR.

     - Utilizing content delivery networks (CDNs) for faster content delivery.

6. Describe the use of JCR in AEM.

   - **Answer**: JCR (Java Content Repository) is the storage mechanism used by AEM to store content in a hierarchical structure. It's based on Apache Jackrabbit, and AEM stores everything (pages, components, digital assets) as nodes and properties in this repository.

7. What is Multi-Tenancy in AEM?

Multi-tenancy refers to a software architecture where a single instance of an application serves multiple distinct users or groups, called tenants. Each tenant operates in a shared environment but with their own separate data, configurations, and resources. This is often used in cloud-based applications, SaaS (Software as a Service) platforms, and enterprise solutions like AEM.

---

Scenario-Based Questions

1. How would you handle a request to build a custom component in AEM?

   -Answer: To build a custom component:

     - Define the component using HTL (HTML Template Language) and Sling Models.

     - Create the component's dialog for authoring content.

     - Register the component under `/apps` in the JCR.

     - Deploy and test the component on a page.

2. How would you troubleshoot an AEM performance issue in production?

   - Answer: To troubleshoot performance issues:

     - Analyze logs for any exceptions or errors.

     - Use AEM Tools (e.g., CRXDE Lite) to monitor resource usage.

     - Review the Dispatcher and CDN caching strategies.

     - Check for inefficient queries in the JCR and optimize.

     - Ensure workflows  aren’t consuming excessive resources.

3.Describe a scenario where you would use a Sling Model over a regular Java class in AEM.

   - Answer: You’d use a Sling Model when developing components that require easy access to JCR data or request parameters. Sling Models simplify mapping data to component logic compared to traditional Java classes.

4. What steps would you take to secure an AEM website?

   - Answer: To secure an AEM website:

     - Implement the Dispatcher for caching and request filtering.

     - Use SSL/TLS for secure data transmission.

     - Apply user authentication and authorization mechanisms.

     - Regularly update AEM to patch known vulnerabilities.

     - Configure *content security policies to prevent attacks like XSS.

5. Imagine you have a website where certain content should only be accessible to a limited audience via a login mechanism. How would you implement that?

To restrict access to certain content in AEM, I’d use a combination of authentication and permissions. First, I’d make sure the authentication mechanism is in place—either AEM’s built-in login or an SSO integration like SAML or OAuth. Then, I’d organize the secure content under a specific path, for example /content/my-site/secure, and configure the Apache Sling Authentication Service to require login for that path. Next, I’d create a user group, assign the right users to it, and use AEM’s permission settings to give that group access to the content while denying access to others. Optionally, I’d create a custom login page and handle redirects for a better user experience.

6. How would you assign users to different roles, and how would you manage user access control in AEM? 

In AEM, I manage user access control using groups and permissions. First, I assign users to different groups based on roles, such as authors, editors, or reviewers, using the User Administration console (/useradmin). Then, I define permissions for each group via the Permissions console (/permissions.html), where I control access to specific content paths and operations like read, modify, or publish. For example, authors may have access to create and edit content under /content/my-site, while reviewers may only have read access. I also make sure permissions follow the principle of least privilege, and for larger systems, I often integrate AEM with external identity providers like LDAP or SAML to automate role assignment and sync user management with corporate systems.

7. Do you have experience working with AEM Dispatcher configuration?

Yes, I’ve worked with AEM Dispatcher configuration, mainly for setting up caching rules, filters, and URL rewrites. I’ve configured the dispatcher.any or dispatcher.yaml files to define which content should be cached and which requests should pass through to the Publish instance. I’ve also used filters to secure endpoints by blocking access to internal paths like /system, /libs, and /apps. Additionally, I’ve worked with Apache rewrite rules to implement clean URLs and redirect logic, and I always make sure invalidation rules are properly set up to clear the cache when content is published or updated.

Task	Dispatcher Config Involved
Caching setup	/cache section in dispatcher.any
Security filters	/filter section to whitelist URLs
URL rewrite	Apache HTTPD rewrite.rules
Cache invalidation	/invalidate and /statfileslevel
Hide internal paths	Deny /libs, /apps, /system via filters
Static asset caching	Add /etc.clientlibs to cache rules
Environment-specific setup	Separate config for author/publish

AEM Developer Questions

1. What is the use of the `cq:dialog` node in AEM?

   Answer: The `cq:dialog` node defines the dialog interface used by authors to configure component settings. It controls how content authors input data for components.

2. What is the purpose of the `clientlibs` folder in AEM?

   Answer: The `clientlibs` folder is used to manage CSS, JavaScript, and other client-side resources in AEM. It helps in organizing and minimizing the load of these assets by using categories and dependencies.

3. What is Sling Resolution and Sling Resource Type in AEM?

   - Answer: Sling Resolution refers to how AEM maps a URL to a resource in the JCR repository. The Sling Resource Type is the path that maps a resource (content) to a component (code) that renders it.

4. How do you handle multilingual content in AEM?

   - Answer: AEM supports multilingual content using Language Copies and Translation Projects. Authors create language copies for different regions and languages, and translation workflows ensure that content is localized.

5. What is Resource Resolver

Yes, with the Resource Resolver, you can access and interact with the JCR (Java Content Repository) in AEM code. It allows you to retrieve, create, update, and delete resources stored in the JCR programmatically.

5. What is aem Request lifecycle?

 - Request Received by Sling - It maps the URL to a JCR resource (like a page or a component node).

 - Authentication & Authorization - AEM checks whether the user is authenticated.

 - Resource Resolution - Sling resolves the URL to a JCR node (e.g., /content/mysite/en/about.html maps to a node in the JCR).

 - Script Resolution - Based on the resource type (e.g., myapp/components/content/hero), Sling chooses the appropriate script (like .html, .jsp, .html.jsp, or .htl) to render it.

 - Component Execution - This may involve rendering multiple components on the page recursively (header, footer, body, etc.). 

 - Use-Classes & Sling Models If using HTL (Sightly), the script might call a Java class or sling modals.

 - Response Rendering - The rendered HTML (or JSON/XML etc.) is returned to the client (browser, API client, etc.).

6. Which AEM configuration has the highest precedence at runtime?

Configurations shown in the Apache Felix Web Console (/system/console/configMgr) represent the runtime-effective configurations, which are stored in the OSGi Configuration Admin Service. These take highest precedence over any static or repository-based configs.

7. What does it.launcher do? 

 - Packaging the UI tests (usually from the ui.tests module)

 - Deploying those tests to the AEM server

 - Triggering the execution of those tests remotely — often through a build pipeline like Cloud Manager

8. Which meta fields does the JSON model exporter expose in AEM SPA?

In AEM SPA, the JSON Model Exporter exposes the following key meta fields in the model.json:

 - :type – Resource type of the component.

 - :path – JCR path of the component or page.

 - :items – Child components (for containers/layouts).

 - :itemsOrder – Defines the rendering order of child components.

 - :children – Sub-resources or child pages.

 - :dataLayer – Adobe Client Data Layer info (if enabled).

 - :title – Title of the page.

 - :cq:panelTitle – Title in authoring mode.

 - :cq:templatePath – Path to the template used for the page.

 - :cq:contextHubPath – Path for ContextHub configuration (if used).

9. What is the difference between the dependsOn property and the embed property in AEM? 

• dependsOn declares a dependency between client libraries. It ensures that the specified clientlib(s) are loaded before the current one when the page is rendered. The dependent clientlibs are not embedded, just referenced.
• embed, on the other hand, is used to include the actual contents (like JS or CSS) of another clientlib into the current one. So, it physically merges the embedded clientlib’s contents into the output of the current clientlib.

10. How do you include one component inside another in HTL?

data-sly-resource (for dynamic components):

<sly data-sly-resource="${'./child' @ resourceType='myproject/components/child'}" />

data-sly-include (for static HTL files):

<sly data-sly-include="childComponent.html" />