Overlays

Overlays (powered by the Sling Resource Merger) are AEM's mechanism for customising or extending the product UI without modifying the original files under /libs. By recreating a file with the same path under /apps, Sling merges your version with the original, letting you add, modify, hide, or replace individual nodes and properties.

This is how you customise the AEM Touch UI - navigation items, console columns, dialog fields, toolbar actions, and more.

How the Sling Resource Merger Works

The Sling Resource Merger is active by default in AEM for merged virtual paths such as /mnt/overlay and /mnt/override. Normal Sling resource resolution still uses the search path (/apps before /libs); Granite UI consoles request their definitions through the merger so matching /apps nodes can merge with product nodes under /libs:

Scenario	Behaviour
Node exists only in /libs	Used as-is (product default)
Node exists only in /apps	Added to the merged result
Node exists in both /libs and /apps	/apps version wins (properties merged, /apps takes precedence)
Node in /apps has sling:hideResource=true	Node is hidden from the merged result
Node in /apps has sling:hideChildren	Specified child nodes are hidden
Node in /apps has sling:orderBefore	Controls the order of the node relative to siblings

Merger properties reference

Property	Type	Purpose
sling:hideResource	Boolean	Hides this node entirely from the merged result
sling:hideChildren	String[]	Hides specific child nodes by name (e.g., [child1, child2])
sling:hideProperties	String[]	Hides specific properties from the merged result
sling:orderBefore	String	Places this node before the named sibling in the merge order

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Creating an Overlay

Via CRXDE Lite

1. Navigate to the node you want to overlay in CRXDE Lite (e.g., /libs/cq/core/content/nav)
2. Right-click the node and select Overlay Node
3. Confirm the target path (/apps/cq/core/content/nav)
4. CRXDE creates the matching structure under /apps
5. Modify the overlay as needed

Via your project code

For deployment via your Maven project, recreate the same directory structure under ui.apps:

ui.apps/src/main/content/jcr_root/
└── apps/
    └── cq/
        └── core/
            └── content/
                └── nav/
                    └── .content.xml    ← Your overlay

Add the path to your filter.xml:

ui.apps/src/main/content/META-INF/vault/filter.xml

<filter root="/apps/cq/core/content/nav" mode="merge"/>

warning

Always use mode="merge" in your filter for overlays. Using the default mode="replace" would delete all product nodes not present in your overlay, potentially breaking the UI.

AEM as a Cloud Service

/libs is immutable on AEM as a Cloud Service. Keep overlays in /apps, keep them minimal, and only overlay supported public or abstract product areas. Nodes marked with mixins such as granite:InternalArea or granite:FinalArea are implementation details and can change without compatibility guarantees.

---

Practical Examples

Hide main navigation items

Hide unwanted items from the AEM homepage (http://localhost:4502/aem/start.html):

ui.apps/.../apps/cq/core/content/nav/.content.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0"
          xmlns:nt="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/nt/1.0"
          xmlns:sling="http://sling.apache.org/jcr/sling/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
    id="root">
    <projects jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
        sling:hideResource="{Boolean}true"/>
    <screens jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
        sling:hideResource="{Boolean}true"/>
    <personalization jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
        sling:hideResource="{Boolean}true"/>
    <commerce jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
        sling:hideResource="{Boolean}true"/>
    <communities jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
        sling:hideResource="{Boolean}true"/>
</jcr:root>

To find the node names of navigation items, inspect /libs/cq/core/content/nav in CRXDE.

Add a custom navigation button

Add a "HelpDesk" link to the AEM homepage navigation:

ui.apps/.../apps/cq/core/content/nav/.content.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0" xmlns:nt="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/nt/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
    <helpdesk
        jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
        jcr:title="HelpDesk"
        href="https://support.mycompany.com"
        icon="callCenter"
        order="{Long}1600"
        target="_blank"/>
</jcr:root>

Adjust the order value to position the button (lower numbers appear first). Inspect /libs/cq/core/content/nav to see the order values of existing items.

Customise Sites console columns

Add or remove columns in the Sites console list view:

ui.apps/.../apps/cq/core/content/sites/jcr:content/views/list/columns/.content.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0"
          xmlns:nt="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/nt/1.0"
          xmlns:sling="http://sling.apache.org/jcr/sling/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
    <!-- Hide the "Published" column -->
    <published jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
               sling:hideResource="{Boolean}true"/>
    <!-- Add a custom column -->
    <template jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
              jcr:title="Template"
              sortable="{Boolean}true"
              sling:orderBefore="published"/>
</jcr:root>

Overlay a dialog field

Change the default value or behaviour of a product dialog field. For example, modify the Core Component Image dialog to change a field label:

ui.apps/.../apps/core/wcm/components/image/v3/image/_cq_dialog/.content.xml (partial)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0"
          xmlns:nt="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/nt/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
    <content jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
        <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
            <tabs jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
                <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
                    <properties jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
                        <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
                            <!-- Only override the specific field you need to change -->
                            <alt jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                                 fieldLabel="Accessibility Text (required)"
                                 required="{Boolean}true"/>
                        </items>
                    </properties>
                </items>
            </tabs>
        </items>
    </content>
</jcr:root>

tip

When overlaying dialogs, you only need to include the nodes on the path to the field you want to change. The Sling Resource Merger merges your changes with the original dialog. You do not need to copy the entire dialog XML.

Hide dialog fields with sling:hideChildren

Remove specific fields from an inherited or overlaid dialog without replacing the entire node:

<items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
       sling:hideChildren="[decorative,linkURL]">
    <!-- The "decorative" and "linkURL" fields from /libs will be hidden -->
</items>

Override page properties tabs

Add a custom tab to the page properties dialog:

ui.apps/.../apps/myproject/components/page/tabs/socialmedia/.content.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0"
          xmlns:nt="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/nt/1.0"
          xmlns:sling="http://sling.apache.org/jcr/sling/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
    jcr:title="Social Media"
    sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/container"
    sling:orderBefore="cloudservices">
    <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
        <ogTitle jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                 sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/form/textfield"
                 fieldLabel="OG Title"
                 name="./ogTitle"/>
        <ogDescription jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                       sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/form/textarea"
                       fieldLabel="OG Description"
                       name="./ogDescription"/>
        <ogImage jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                 sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/form/pathfield"
                 fieldLabel="OG Image"
                 rootPath="/content/dam"
                 name="./ogImage"/>
    </items>
</jcr:root>

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Toolbar Action Customisation

The AEM page editor toolbar provides actions for each editable component (Edit, Configure, Copy, Delete, etc.). You can customise these actions via client-side JavaScript.

Available actions can be inspected in the browser console:

// List all available toolbar actions
Object.keys(Granite.author.EditorFrame.editableToolbar.config.actions);

Disable the Edit Dialog button for a specific component

Hide the "Configure" (wrench) button for a specific component type:

ui.apps/.../clientlibs/clientlib-authoring/js/disableComponentEditing.js

(function($document, author) {
    'use strict';

    $document.on('cq-layer-activated', function(ev) {
        if (ev.layer === 'Edit') {
            var originalCondition = author.EditorFrame.editableToolbar.config.actions.CONFIGURE.condition;

            author.EditorFrame.editableToolbar.config.actions.CONFIGURE.condition = function(editable) {
                // Hide the configure button for this specific component
                if (editable &&
                    editable.config &&
                    editable.config.dialog &&
                    editable.config.dialog === '/apps/myproject/components/abstractcomponent/cq:dialog') {
                    return false;
                }
                // Fall back to the original condition for all other components
                return originalCondition.call(this, editable);
            };
        }
    });

})($(document), Granite.author);

Disable the "Convert to Building Block" button

ui.apps/.../clientlibs/clientlib-authoring/js/hideBuildingBlocks.js

(function($document, author) {
    'use strict';

    $document.on('cq-layer-activated', function(ev) {
        if (ev.layer === 'Edit') {
            author.EditorFrame.editableToolbar.config.actions.BBCONVERT.condition = function() {
                return false;
            };
        }
    });

})($(document), Granite.author);

Add a custom toolbar action

ui.apps/.../clientlibs/clientlib-authoring/js/customToolbarAction.js

(function($document, author) {
    'use strict';

    $document.on('cq-layer-activated', function(ev) {
        if (ev.layer === 'Edit') {
            // Add a custom "Analytics" action to the toolbar
            author.EditorFrame.editableToolbar.config.actions.ANALYTICS = {
                icon: 'graphBarVertical',
                text: 'View Analytics',
                handler: function(editable) {
                    var path = editable.path;
                    window.open('/mnt/overlay/dam/gui/content/assets/analysisreport.html?path='
                        + encodeURIComponent(path), '_blank');
                },
                condition: function(editable) {
                    // Only show for page components
                    return editable.type === 'wcm/foundation/components/responsivegrid';
                }
            };
        }
    });

})($(document), Granite.author);

Clientlib for toolbar customisations

Toolbar JavaScript should be loaded via a page-editor clientlib category such as cq.authoring.editor:

ui.apps/.../clientlibs/clientlib-authoring/.content.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:cq="http://www.day.com/jcr/cq/1.0"
          xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="cq:ClientLibraryFolder"
    categories="[cq.authoring.editor]"
    allowProxy="{Boolean}true"/>

js.txt

#base=js
disableComponentEditing.js
hideBuildingBlocks.js
customToolbarAction.js

---

Audio Asset Finder Controller

By default, the AEM Assets side panel doesn't include an audio file filter. You can add one by registering a custom asset controller via a clientlib (preferred) rather than overlaying the product JS files.

Creating the audio controller

The product controllers live at /libs/cq/gui/components/authoring/editors/clientlibs/core/js/assetController. Copy the pattern from videoController.js and change the name and mimeType:

ui.apps/.../clientlibs/clientlib-sidepanel/js/audioController.js

(function($, ns, channel, window, undefined) {
    'use strict';

    var self = {},
        name = 'Audio';

    self.searchRoot = '/content/dam';
    self.viewInAdminRoot = '/assetdetails.html{+item}';

    var searchPath = self.searchRoot,
        imageServlet = '/bin/wcm/contentfinder/asset/view.html',
        itemResourceType = 'cq/gui/components/authoring/assetfinder/asset';

    self.setUp = function() {};
    self.tearDown = function() {};

    self.loadAssets = function(query, lowerLimit, upperLimit) {
        var param = {
            '_dc': new Date().getTime(),
            'query': query.concat('order:"-jcr:content/jcr:lastModified" '),
            'mimeType': 'audio',
            'itemResourceType': itemResourceType,
            'limit': lowerLimit + '..' + upperLimit,
            '_charset_': 'utf-8'
        };

        return $.ajax({
            type: 'GET',
            dataType: 'html',
            url: Granite.HTTP.externalize(imageServlet) + searchPath,
            data: param
        });
    };

    self.setServlet = function(servlet) { imageServlet = servlet; };
    self.setSearchPath = function(path) { searchPath = path; };
    self.setItemResourceType = function(rt) { itemResourceType = rt; };
    self.resetSearchPath = function() { searchPath = self.searchRoot; };

    // Register as an asset finder tab
    ns.ui.assetFinder.register(name, self);

}(jQuery, Granite.author, jQuery(document), this));

Clientlib setup

ui.apps/.../clientlibs/clientlib-sidepanel/.content.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:cq="http://www.day.com/jcr/cq/1.0"
          xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="cq:ClientLibraryFolder"
    categories="[cq.authoring.editor]"
    allowProxy="{Boolean}true"/>

js.txt

#base=js
audioController.js

After deployment, a new "Audio" option appears in the asset finder dropdown.

Enabling drag and drop for audio assets

Configure _cq_editConfig.xml to accept audio MIME types on your component:

ui.apps/.../components/mycomponent/_cq_editConfig.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:sling="http://sling.apache.org/jcr/sling/1.0"
          xmlns:cq="http://www.day.com/jcr/cq/1.0"
          xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0"
          xmlns:nt="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/nt/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="cq:EditConfig">
    <cq:dropTargets jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
        <file
            jcr:primaryType="cq:DropTargetConfig"
            accept="[application/pdf,audio/.*,video/.*,application/zip]"
            groups="[media]"
            propertyName="./fileReference">
            <parameters
                jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                sling:resourceType="myproject/components/mycomponent"/>
        </file>
    </cq:dropTargets>
    <cq:listeners
        jcr:primaryType="cq:EditListenersConfig"
        afteredit="REFRESH_PAGE"/>
</jcr:root>

The accept property uses regex patterns for MIME types. audio/.* matches all audio formats (MP3, WAV, OGG, etc.).

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Overlay vs sling:resourceSuperType

There are two ways to customise AEM UI elements. Understanding the difference is important:

Approach	Mechanism	Use when
Overlay (/apps mirrors /libs)	Sling Resource Merger	Modifying product UI elements (navigation, consoles, product dialogs)
sling:resourceSuperType	Component inheritance	Creating custom components that extend existing ones

When to overlay

• Hiding navigation items, console columns, or toolbar buttons
• Changing labels, default values, or field properties in product dialogs
• Adding custom tabs to page properties
• Modifying admin console behaviour

When to use inheritance

• Creating custom components that extend Core Components or Foundation Components
• Building container components that extend the responsive grid
• Adding fields to a component dialog while keeping the parent dialog intact

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Best Practices

Keep overlays minimal

Only overlay the specific nodes and properties you need to change. The Sling Resource Merger handles the rest. The less you overlay, the fewer conflicts you'll have on AEM upgrades.

<!-- ✅ Good: only change one property -->
<alt jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
     fieldLabel="Accessibility Text (required)"
     required="{Boolean}true"/>

<!-- ❌ Bad: copy the entire dialog and change one field -->
<!-- (Don't do this - it breaks on AEM upgrades) -->

Never overlay clientlibs

Overlaying /libs clientlibs (js.txt, css.txt, or JS/CSS files) is fragile and breaks on AEM upgrades. Instead, create your own clientlib with the appropriate category and add your custom code there.

Use mode="merge" in filter.xml

Always use merge mode for overlay paths:

<filter root="/apps/cq/core/content/nav" mode="merge"/>

Using the default replace mode would delete product nodes not in your overlay.

Document your overlays

Overlays are "invisible" - they only take effect at runtime. Document what each overlay does and why, so future developers know what was customised.

Test after AEM upgrades

Adobe regularly updates /libs content. After every AEM upgrade or service pack, verify that your overlays still produce the expected result. Overlays that conflict with new product nodes can cause subtle UI bugs.

Use sling:orderBefore for positioning

When adding new items (navigation buttons, dialog tabs), use sling:orderBefore to control placement rather than relying on JCR node ordering:

<myCustomTab jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
             jcr:title="My Tab"
             sling:orderBefore="cloudservices"/>

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Common Pitfalls

Pitfall	Solution
Overlay has no effect	Verify the path matches /libs exactly (case-sensitive); check filter.xml includes the overlay path
Navigation item still visible after hiding	Clear browser cache and the AEM clientlib cache (/libs/granite/ui/content/dumplibs.rebuild.html)
Overlay breaks after AEM upgrade	Minimise overlays; only overlay what you need; test after every upgrade
filter.xml with mode="replace" deletes product content	Always use mode="merge" for overlay paths
Dialog overlay doesn't merge correctly	Ensure you replicate the full node path from root to the target field (every parent node must exist)
Custom navigation button doesn't appear	Check the order value; set it between existing items' order values
Toolbar action JS doesn't load	Verify the clientlib category is cq.authoring.editor
Overlay only works in CRXDE, not after deploy	Add the overlay path to filter.xml and ensure it's included in the content package

External Resources

• Overlays Documentation
• Sling Resource Merger
• Customising the AEM Sites Console

See also

• Touch UI (Author UI) - Touch UI architecture
• Coral UI - client-side component library
• Render Conditions - conditionally show/hide UI elements
• Custom Dialog Widgets - dynamic pathfields, asset finder roots, datasources
• Component Dialogs - dialog field types
• Custom Component Guide - component inheritance
• Client Libraries - loading custom JS/CSS
• Extending the Responsive Grid - container components via inheritance