Skeleton Template
A Skeleton Template in Salesforce is a minimal HTML/Visualforce template structure that provides the basic page framework (such as HTML doctype, head, and body tags) without predefined content or styling.
Definition
A Skeleton Template in Salesforce is a minimal HTML/Visualforce template structure that provides the basic page framework (such as HTML doctype, head, and body tags) without predefined content or styling. It is used as a starting point when developers want full control over the page layout and markup rather than using a standard Salesforce template with built-in headers and sidebars.
In plain English
“A Skeleton Template in Salesforce is a minimal HTML/Visualforce template that provides just the basic page structure (HTML doctype, head, body tags) without predefined styling or layout. You build your page design from scratch on top of the skeleton rather than modifying a themed template.”
Worked example
A developer at Pinemoor Software wants a fully custom-styled Visualforce page with no Salesforce-supplied chrome - no header, no sidebar, no platform CSS overrides. She uses a Skeleton Template - a minimal Visualforce template providing only the bare HTML structure (doctype, head, body) without standard Salesforce styling. From there, she builds the page's CSS and HTML from scratch, integrating the SLDS framework where appropriate. Skeleton Templates are the unopinionated starting point when the page's design needs full developer control instead of inheriting platform defaults.
Why Skeleton Template matters
A Skeleton Template in Salesforce is a minimal HTML/Visualforce template structure that provides the basic page framework (such as HTML doctype, head, and body tags) without predefined styling or content. Developers use skeleton templates when they want complete control over the page design, starting from a blank canvas rather than modifying a themed template.
Skeleton templates are a Visualforce and Experience Cloud concept. They're useful when you need custom page designs that don't fit any existing template's structure. Mature teams use skeleton templates sparingly, only when existing templates genuinely can't accommodate the design, because building from scratch requires more effort than modifying an existing template.
How organizations use Skeleton Template
Uses skeleton templates for highly custom page designs that don't fit standard templates.
Prefers existing templates over skeleton templates to reduce development effort.
Treats skeleton templates as the last resort when standard templates can't accommodate the design.
Test your knowledge
Q1. What is a Skeleton Template?
Q2. When should you use one?
Q3. What's the trade-off?
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