Acquia Site Studio Site Builder study plan
Acquia Site Studio Site Builder · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Site Studio fundamentals
Define Site Studio core concepts: components, templates, layouts, styles, and configuration entities
Identify the Site Studio administration menu structure and key configuration pages
Explain the relationship between Site Studio packages, components, and content templates
Set up a local Drupal site with Site Studio installed and verify the UI loads
Your checkpoint
A written glossary of 15 Site Studio terms with one-line definitions, plus a screenshot of the installed Site Studio admin menu.
Site Studio fundamentals & Building and managing components
Create a basic Site Studio component with a text field and a plain text element
Explain how component fields map to editable regions in the Site Studio UI
List the differences between component types (e.g., element, container, menu, etc.)
Build a simple component and place it on a test page
Your checkpoint
A working custom component (e.g., a callout box) saved and rendered on a Drupal page, with a short README describing its fields.
Building and managing components
Create a component with multiple field types (text, image, link) and configure field settings
Use component slots or nested components to build a compound component
Demonstrate how to edit and revise an existing component without breaking placements
Export and import a component using Site Studio's package features
Your checkpoint
A compound component (e.g., a card with image, heading, and link) exported as a package and re-imported successfully.
Building and managing components & Templates and layouts
Build a content template that uses a custom component
Explain how templates and layouts differ and when to use each
Create a layout with regions and assign a component to a region
Test template rendering with different content types
Your checkpoint
A content template applied to a test content type, showing a custom layout with at least two regions, documented with screenshots.
Templates and layouts
Create a master template and explain its role in the template hierarchy
Configure template suggestions for specific content types or paths
Build a layout with responsive breakpoints and test on multiple screen sizes
Use Site Studio's layout builder to create a two-column layout with a sidebar
Your checkpoint
A master template with two template suggestions (e.g., one for articles, one for pages) and a responsive layout verified at three breakpoints.
Templates and layouts & Styling, theming, and configuration
Apply a custom style guide to a component and observe visual changes
Create and edit a style guide with color, typography, and spacing tokens
Explain how Site Studio compiles styles and where CSS is stored
Use the Style Guide UI to override a component's default styles
Your checkpoint
A style guide with at least three custom tokens applied to a component, with before/after screenshots.
Styling, theming, and configuration
Configure Site Studio global settings (e.g., CSS/JS aggregation, image styles)
Set up permissions for Site Studio roles (builder vs. editor)
Export and import a full Site Studio configuration set
Troubleshoot a common styling issue (e.g., CSS not loading) using Site Studio's tools
Your checkpoint
A configuration export package containing a style guide, template, and component, imported into a fresh site and verified.
Site Studio fundamentals & Building and managing components & Templates and layouts & Styling, theming, and configuration
Review all domains using a self-made checklist of key concepts
Complete a timed practice exam or quiz covering all domains
Revisit weak areas identified in practice and document corrections
Build a small end-to-end site (component, template, layout, style) in under 90 minutes
Your checkpoint
A timed 90-minute end-to-end build with a written reflection listing three strengths and three areas for further review.
Milestones
Week 4: Successfully build and render a custom component within a content template, confirmed by a screenshot and a peer or self-review checklist.
Week 6: Demonstrate a style guide applied to a component, with token changes reflected in the rendered page.
Week 8: Complete the timed end-to-end build and score at least 80% on a self-made practice quiz covering all four domains.