Sitecore CLI Tips and Tricks for Developers

As a Sitecore Developer, using the Sitecore CLI for Serialization can greatly improve your workflow. Whether you're working with modules or pushing and pulling changes, the CLI offers a range of options to make your life easier. Here are a few essential tips and tricks to help streamline your Sitecore Serialization process:

1. Include or Exclude Specific Modules

When working on a serialization project with multiple modules, you might only want to serialize certain modules. Instead of serializing everything, you can use the following options:

• Include Modules: Use the -i or --include flag to specify which modules you want to serialize. This option supports multiple values and even wildcards for greater flexibility.

• Exclude Modules: If you want to exclude certain modules from serialization, use the -e or --exclude flag. This helps you focus on the relevant modules and avoid unnecessary serialization.

Example Commands
dotnet sitecore ser pull -i templates.feature
dotnet sitecore ser push --include templates.feature templates.Project  renderings
dotner Sitecore ser push -e templates.*

2. Push or Pull with ‘What-If’

Before making any changes to your Sitecore environment, you can preview the impact of those changes with the -w or --what-if option. This is especially useful when pushing or pulling items, as it allows you to check for any unexpected changes before they are actually applied. It’s an essential step for ensuring smooth deployments and minimizing the risk of unintended modifications.

3. Categorize Modules Using Tags

One great way to keep your serialization project organized is by categorizing your modules using tags. This makes it easier to manage large projects and quickly identify which modules belong together. You can then use these tags to include or exclude specific modules when running your CLI commands, further improving your control over the serialization process.

namespace": "Templates",
  "references": "",
  "tags": ["noncontent"],
  "items": {
    "path": "../../../../serialization",
    "includes": [

      {
        "name": "Templates_Project",
        "path": "/sitecore/templates/Project/sitecore-jss-app",
        "allowedPushOperations": "createUpdateAndDelete",
        "scope": "itemAndDescendants"
      }

"namespace": "pageitems",
  "references": "",
  "tags": ["content"],
  "items": {
    "path": "../../../../serialization",
    "includes": [

      {
        "name": "Page_Items",
        "path": "/sitecore/content/sitecore-jss-app/home",
        "allowedPushOperations": "createUpdateAndDelete",
        "scope": "itemAndDescendants"
      }

    ]

"namespace": "Dictionary",
  "references": "",
  "tags": ["content"],
  "items": {
    "path": "../../../../serialization",
    "includes": [

      {
        "name": "Page_Items",
        "path": "/sitecore/content/sitecore-jss-app/sitecore-jss-app Dictionary",
        "allowedPushOperations": "createUpdateAndDelete",
        "scope": "itemAndDescendants"
      }

    ]

dotnet sitecore ser pull -e content

4. Use the Watch Command

If you're tired of manually pulling changes from the file system into Sitecore, the watch command can automate this process for you. This command monitors changes in your Sitecore items and automatically synchronizes them with the file system, saving you time and ensuring your project stays up-to-date with minimal effort.

By leveraging these Sitecore CLI tips and tricks, you can streamline your development process, avoid mistakes, and work more efficiently. Keep these options in mind next time you're working with Sitecore CLI for serialization.

thank you!