Solution overview

The Sitecore Commerce Platform delivers a core framework using the latest Microsoft technologies to provide a lean infrastructure for rapidly delivering commerce functionality, hosted either on premise or in the cloud. The platform comprises a lean and extensible framework as the core, with higher level functionality implemented as plugins. The Sitecore Commerce solution includes and requires the Sitecore Experience Platform.

The following figure presents a logical overview of the main Sitecore Commerce components, along with the Sitecore Experience Platform:

SolutionOverview.png

Sitecore Experience Platform (Sitecore XP). The Sitecore customer experience management software, which includes a Content Management System (CMS), integrated marketing functionality, and database services. The Sitecore Commerce solution includes Sitecore XP as a vital piece of the solution stack. Sitecore XP provides a next generation Content Foundation that includes:

  • Pipelines - A flexible pipeline-oriented processing framework.

  • Rules - A flexible rules framework.

  • Events framework.

  • Logging framework.

  • Configuration - Done through Bootstrapping.

Sitecore XP software is downloaded separately from the other Sitecore Commerce downloads.

Sitecore Commerce Engine - The extensible commerce core framework from Sitecore that hosts the following commerce services: Cart, Order, and Pricing & Promotion. Engineered as a thin ASP.NET Core application.

Commerce Server - A legacy component that is embedded in the Sitecore Commerce solution. This component is included in release 8.2.1, and will be phased out in a future release. The following Commerce Server subsystems are used in release 8.2.1: Catalog, Inventory, and Profiles

Connects Layer - An integration layer that connects the Commerce back end with other systems. It includes:

  • Sitecore Commerce Connect - Provides the interface to both Sitecore XP and to the Sitecore Commerce Reference Storefront sample site.

  • Sitecore Commerce Server Connect - A middle layer between Sitecore Commerce Connect and legacy Commerce Server.

  • Sitecore Commerce Engine Connect - A thin layer built on Sitecore Commerce Server Connect that is used specifically for integrating with the new Commerce Engine.

Sitecore Commerce Reference Storefront - A sample storefront website integrated with Sitecore Commerce solution. This may be used for evaluations, demos, or as a starting template for developing a custom website. The Storefront includes a sample catalog populated with electronics products.

Business Tools - The web-based Sitecore tools that are used by merchandisers, marketers, procurement, and customer support personnel to manage commerce content. These tools include:

  • Customer and Order Manager (COM) - This tool is new in release 8.2.1, and is integrated with the Commerce Engine via its CommerceAuthoring API.

  • Pricing and Promotions Manager (PPM) - This tool is new in release 8.2.1, and integrated with the Commerce Engine via its CommerceAuthoring API.

  • Merchandising Manager (MM) - An existing tool for managing the catalog. It integrates with Commerce Server, where catalog management is currently hosted. MM will be rebuilt in a future release when Commerce Server is phased out, and will integrate with the Commerce Engine in the same way as the other tools.