AEM Guides Learning Journey Day 1 - Introduction to Structured Content Management

Imagine you’re a technical writer at Samsung, responsible for creating user manuals for the latest Galaxy smartphones. Every time a new model is released, you need to update multiple documents—installation guides, troubleshooting steps, and feature descriptions—across different formats like PDF, HTML, and in-app help. Manually managing these updates across multiple versions and languages can be a nightmare, right?

This is where AEM Guides comes in. It’s a structured content management solution that helps enterprises manage, create, and deliver large-scale documentation efficiently. Unlike AEM Sites, which is primarily used for web content management, AEM Guides is tailored for DITA-based technical documentation.

Let’s dive into the fundamentals and see how it can simplify technical documentation for companies like Samsung.

What is AEM Guides?

AEM Guides is an XML-based component content management system (CCMS) built within Adobe Experience Manager (AEM). It enables enterprises to create, manage, and deliver structured technical content efficiently.

How is it different from AEM Sites?

AEM Sites is mainly for marketing content, allowing easy authoring and publishing of webpages.
AEM Guides is designed for structured content like technical documents, product manuals, and compliance guides, using DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture).

Real-world example: Samsung Galaxy Documentation Imagine Samsung is launching the Galaxy S25. Instead of rewriting the same charging instructions for different phone models, AEM Guides allows Samsung to create a single, reusable content module for charging procedures. This module can be automatically included in the user manuals for the S25, S25 Ultra, and other compatible devices, ensuring consistency across all guides.

Understanding DITA and Its Role in Structured Content

What is DITA?

DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) is an XML-based open standard that breaks content into structured components, such as: Concept – Background information Task – Step-by-step instructions Reference – Technical specifications

Real-world example: Samsung Galaxy User Manual Samsung can structure its Galaxy S25 user manual as follows:

Concept: What is Super Fast Charging and how does it work?
Task: How to enable and use Super Fast Charging on a Samsung phone.
Reference: Table comparing charging speeds for different power adapters.

With DITA, these chunks of content can be reused across multiple devices and documentation formats—saving time and ensuring accuracy.

Hands-on: Setting Up AEM Guides Locally

Enough theory—let’s get AEM Guides up and running!

Step 1: Install a Local AEM Instance

Download the AEM Quickstart JAR from Adobe’s official site.

Run the command: java -jar aem-author-publish.jar.
Navigate to Access AEM at http://localhost:4502/.
Login with admin credentials (admin/admin).

Troubleshooting Tip: If the installation fails, check your Java version (AEM requires Java 11 or later) and ensure you have enough system memory.

Step 2: Install AEM Guides as a Package

Download the AEM Guides Package from [Adobe Software Distribution](General downloads | Software Distribution).
Open AEM Package Manager (http://localhost:4502/crx/packmgr/index.jsp).
Click Upload Package and select the downloaded AEM Guides package. Click Install to deploy AEM Guides.

Step 3: Enable AEM Guides

Navigate to Tools → Guides. Activate the XML Documentation Add-on. Configure a DITA repository to store structured content. Create a sample DITA topic and map.

Why is this important? Once you enable AEM Guides, you can start creating structured content with DITA and explore authoring workflows like content review, approval, and versioning.

Conclusion & What’s Next?

Congratulations! 🎉 You now have a basic understanding of AEM Guides, DITA, and its role in structured content management. Today, we: ✅ Learned how AEM Guides differs from AEM Sites ✅ Understood DITA and why it’s essential for technical content ✅ Installed AEM locally and enabled AEM Guides

Next Up: Day 2 – Setting Up an Authoring Environment in AEM Guides We’ll configure metadata, taxonomy, and start creating structured content!

Stay tuned! 🚀