Key takeaways
- A blueprint is the source; a live copy inherits from it. In AEM's Multi-Site Manager, the blueprint is the master source page — typically the primary language version — from which one or more live copies are created for different regions or languages. Live copies inherit content from the blueprint and can be synchronized via rollout, while still allowing local customization by breaking inheritance on individual components.
- Canceling inheritance on a component protects local edits during rollouts. When a live copy component has its inheritance canceled, that component retains its local content and is not touched when the blueprint is rolled out. Only components that still have inheritance enabled will receive updates from blueprint changes. This is what makes it possible to keep globally consistent content in sync while preserving region-specific customizations.
- The live copy overview helps you see what needs attention across all sites at a glance. Accessible from a blueprint page's properties, it shows a list of child pages along with the live copy status of each across every configured site — for example, "live copy up to date," "blueprint modified," or "live copy does not exist." This makes it easy to identify exactly which pages need to be rolled out or created without having to check each site individually.
- Retranslation uses a "launch" to protect live content during the translation cycle. When content that already has a published translation needs to be updated, the new version is copied into a temporary parallel copy called a launch rather than directly overwriting the live translated pages. The translation and review process happens in the launch without disrupting what visitors see. Once the retranslated content is approved, it is copied back over the live page.
- Knowing whether you're editing in the blueprint or a live copy is essential. Edits made in the language master (blueprint) will propagate to live copies during the next rollout — updating any component that still has inheritance enabled. Edits made directly in a live copy must first have inheritance canceled on the specific component; otherwise the edit interface won't be available, and any changes made will be overwritten when the next rollout runs. Getting this distinction right is the foundation for managing both global consistency and local variation across a multi-site setup.