Compare the ways to build with AEM Sites

The following table provides a high-level comparison of the three paths. It focuses on the content authoring and experience delivery nuances of each path.

Edge Delivery Services
Headless / API-First
Traditional AEM
Best For
Websites with high traffic, performance, and scalability needs
Mobile apps, SPAs, and other headless applications
Existing projects (not most current approach)
Authoring Tools
Document-based authoring, Universal Editor
Content Fragments, Universal Editor
Page Editor
Authored Content Store
Documents or AEM Author (JCR)
AEM Author (JCR)
AEM Author (JCR)
Delivery
Edge Delivery Services
AEM Publish (w/ Adobe CDN + Dispatcher)
AEM Publish (w/ Adobe CDN + Dispatcher)
Delivery Content Store
Edge Delivery Services
AEM Publish (JCR)
AEM Publish (JCR)
Delivery Format
HTML
JSON
HTML
Development Technology
JavaScript, CSS
Any (e.g. Swift, React, etc.)
Java™, JavaScript, CSS
Implementation Stage
New & Existing Projects
New & Existing Projects
Existing Projects Only

Tutorials

Learn about each of the three paths to build with AEM Sites through the following tutorials:

Edge Delivery Services - Guides

Explore Edge Delivery Services with comprehensive guides. The Build, Publish, and Launch guides cover everything you need to get started with EDS.

Learn more

Headless/API-First - Tutorials

Learn how to build headless applications powered by AEM content. Tutorials cover frameworks like iOS, Android, and React—choose what fits your stack.

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Traditional AEM - WKND Tutorial

Learn how to build a sample AEM Sites project using the WKND tutorial. This guide walks you through project setup, Core Components, Editable Templates, client-side libraries, and component development.

Learn more