--- description: Set up a new sandbox or realm with sample storefront data, search indexes, Storefront Next storefronts, and replication from staging to production. --- # Realm Setup Take a new sandbox or realm from an empty instance to a working storefront with the B2C CLI and your AI assistant. Load a sample site from the storefront datasets, rebuild search indexes, set up a Storefront Next storefront, and replicate from staging to production. The `b2c-setup` skill guides your assistant through these steps. The [B2C MCP](../mcp/) features it, and the [b2c-cli plugin](./agent-skills#available-plugins) includes it. ## Before You Start - Configure each instance: see [Configuration](./configuration). For a realm, add a named instance for staging, production, and any development instance. - Use an API client with access to every instance. See [Account Manager](./account-manager) and [Authentication](./authentication). - Check the setup with `b2c setup inspect -i `. ### Protect Shared Instances Staging, production, and development are shared instances. A site import there can change global settings, such as active locales and the instance time zone, for every site. Production and development get code and data from staging by replication; do not import site data on them directly. Add a [Safety Mode](./safety) policy to each shared instance. With `confirm: true`, the CLI asks before an action the safety level blocks: ```json { "configs": [ { "name": "sandbox", "hostname": "abcd-001.dx.commercecloud.salesforce.com", "safety": {"level": "NONE"} }, { "name": "staging", "hostname": "staging-abcd-example.demandware.net", "safety": {"level": "NO_DELETE", "confirm": true} }, { "name": "production", "hostname": "production-abcd-example.demandware.net", "safety": {"level": "READ_ONLY", "confirm": true} } ] } ``` See [per-instance policies](./safety#per-instance-configuration) and [confirmation](./safety#confirmation-mode). The `b2c-setup` skill also tells your assistant to name the target instance and wait for your approval before each change to a shared instance. ## Storefront Datasets Salesforce publishes sample data for the reference storefronts in [storefront-datasets](https://github.com/SalesforceCommerceCloud/storefront-datasets). Each dataset is a site archive with a site, catalogs, price books, inventory, content, and promotions. The repository is available to Commerce Cloud customers and partners. To get access, link your GitHub account through Account Manager; see [Salesforce Commerce Cloud GitHub Repositories and Access](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/commerce/b2c-commerce/guide/b2c-github-repo-access.html). Without access, GitHub shows a 404 page for the repository. | Dataset directory | Site ID | | ------------------ | -------------- | | `foundations-data` | `Foundations` | | `marketstreet` | `MarketStreet` | | `beautynext` | `BeautyNext` | | `footwear-data` | `Footwear` | | `furniture-data` | `Furniture` | | `luxury-data` | `Luxury` | Releases are tagged with the Storefront Next template version they target, such as `v1.4.0`. Use the release that matches your storefront's template. Each release also attaches a ZIP per dataset. ```bash git clone --branch v1.4.0 --depth 1 https://github.com/SalesforceCommerceCloud/storefront-datasets.git ``` `b2c job import` accepts a directory, so you do not need to zip a dataset first. Add `--split` if the upload is too large for one import. On an instance that already has sites, review the dataset's `preferences.xml` and other top-level files before you import it. ## Set Up a Sandbox Sandboxes have no replication: import data and set up the storefront directly. ```bash # Create a sandbox (billable) and save a connection for it b2c sandbox create --realm abcd --ttl 0 --wait b2c setup instance create my-sandbox --hostname abcd-001.dx.commercecloud.salesforce.com --active # Import a dataset and rebuild search indexes b2c job import ./storefront-datasets/marketstreet --show-log b2c job run Reindex --wait b2c sites list # Create a Storefront Next storefront for the site b2c mrt project create "Market Street" --site MarketStreet --mrt-backend scapi ``` The Foundations, Market Street, and Beauty Next datasets include a `Reindex` job. For other sites, run the system search index jobs; see [system jobs with custom request bodies](/cli/jobs#system-jobs-with-custom-request-bodies). Storefront creation runs asynchronously. Check progress with `b2c mrt project get -p --mrt-backend scapi`, then get the project configuration from the storefront in Business Manager. You can also use **storefront setup in Business Manager** instead of `mrt project create`; see [Storefront Next](./storefront-next#start-with-storefront-setup). > Set up my sandbox my-sandbox with the Market Street dataset for Storefront Next 1.4.0: import it, rebuild the search indexes, and create a Storefront Next storefront for the site. ## Set Up a Realm Set up staging completely, then replicate to production and development, then connect the storefront on each target. ### 1. Prepare Staging Import your site data, or a dataset for a demo site, rebuild the search indexes, and create the storefront: ```bash b2c job import ./storefront-datasets/marketstreet -i staging --show-log b2c job run Reindex -i staging --wait b2c mrt project create "Market Street" --site MarketStreet -i staging --mrt-backend scapi ``` For cartridge storefronts, deploy and activate a code version; see [code commands](/cli/code). Then set the site cartridge path, and add cartridges with custom job steps or Business Manager extensions to the Business Manager path; both replicate with the site: ```bash b2c sites cartridges set "app_custom:app_storefront_base" --site-id MarketStreet -i staging b2c sites cartridges add my_jobs --bm -i staging ``` Staging instances normally require two-factor (mTLS) code upload, so cartridge uploads without a client certificate fail, usually with `403 Forbidden`. On legacy realms, the client certificate is signed by a CA bundle from Salesforce Support and uploads go to the `cert.staging` hostname. On Hyperforce realms, you register your own CA through eCDN; see [Set Up Two-Factor Code Upload](/guide/hyperforce#set-up-two-factor-code-upload). To configure the certificate, see [Two-Factor Authentication](/guide/configuration#two-factor-authentication-mtls). If your cartridges register hooks for the Commerce API, also turn on hook execution in **Administration > Global Preferences > Feature Switches**. Otherwise the hooks don't run. ### 2. Replicate to Production Replicate from staging with replication jobs in three steps: code, global data, then site data. Global data creates the site on the target, so on the first replication, run it before site data. The `b2c-replication` skill has the job definitions. ```bash b2c job run Replicate-Code -i staging --wait --show-log b2c job run Replicate-Global -i staging --wait --show-log b2c job run Replicate-MarketStreet -i staging --wait --show-log ``` Replication changes production. Review what each job replicates before you run it. Data replication doesn't carry job definitions, inventory lists, or SLAS clients. Import job definitions and inventory on production (for example with a production-only [import set](./import-sets)), and create SLAS clients there. A newly replicated site can stay in maintenance on production until you bring it online. Code deployed to staging reaches production only by code replication, so replicate again after each fix. ### 3. Connect the Storefront Storefronts do not replicate. Creating a storefront on production makes a second Managed Runtime project. To keep staging and production in one project, export the storefront from staging and import it on production: ```bash b2c job export --storefront market-street -i staging --output ./storefront-export b2c job import ./storefront-export/ -i production --wait-for-storefront --show-log ``` The storefront import requires the `user-id` in the export to be an Account Manager user who is authorized for the target. An export made with client credentials records the API client's service user; edit `user-id` before importing. Verify with `b2c mrt env list -p -i production --mrt-backend scapi`. For all import requirements, see [Add Another Instance](./storefront-next#add-another-instance). > Our new realm has staging and production configured. Set up the Market Street dataset on staging with a Storefront Next storefront, then replicate it to production and connect the same Managed Runtime project there. Ask me before each change. ## Troubleshooting | Problem | What to check | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Import fails with a generic error | Rerun with `--show-log`; the cause is in the `[DATAERROR]` lines. | | `There must be a root directory with the same name as the archive` | Rename the ZIP or its root folder to match. | | Search returns no products | Rebuild the search indexes on that instance. | | First site replication fails with `Optimistic locking failure` or a generic error | Replicate global data first, then site data, as separate jobs. | | Storefront import reports a user that is not authorized | Set `user-id` in the exported storefront XML to an authorized user. | When something fails after launch, see [Operations](./operations). ## Related - [Storefront Next](./storefront-next) — environment variables, logs, and deployments after setup - [Operations](./operations) — job health and incident investigation - [Safety Mode](./safety) — policies and confirmation for shared instances - [Sandbox commands](/cli/sandbox), [Job commands](/cli/jobs), [MRT commands](/cli/mrt)