---
title: Render catalog content
slug: commerce-connect-15/docs/render-catalog-content
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-30T20:34:43.000Z
---

## Define content types

The rendering of products and other catalog information on the front-end site can be based on the Optimizely [content model.](docId\:MKHqEwrszh7KCqfoErRzj) This provides out-of-the-box functionality also for Optimizely Commerce Connect content types such as products and variants implementing the `IContent` interface. The following example shows a simple content type for a product variant.

```csharp
using System;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using EPiServer.Commerce.Catalog.ContentTypes;
using EPiServer.Commerce.Catalog.DataAnnotations;
using EPiServer.Core;
using EPiServer.DataAbstraction;
using EPiServer.DataAnnotations;
using EPiServer.SpecializedProperties;

namespace MyCommerceSite.Models.Catalog {
  [CatalogContentType(GUID = "8d664789-3e96-409e-b418-baf807241f7c", MetaClassName = "My_Variation")]
  public class MyVariation: VariationContent {}
}
```

See [Catalog content](docId\:Fzw0y8gKUx82f7gA5Xgva)  for information about defining content types.

## Define rendering templates

You can display Commerce Connect catalog content on your website by creating a rendering template (MVC) in the same way you would for the Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) content (see [Rendering](docId\:N9EhLwAoRUYvRy2ef0Rpr)). The following example shows a simple controller for a product variant.

```csharp
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using EPiServer;
using EPiServer.Core;
using EPiServer.Framework.DataAnnotations;
using EPiServer.Web.Mvc;
using MyCommerceSite.Models.Catalog;

namespace MyCommerceSite.Controllers {
  public class MyVariationController: ContentController<MyVariation> {
    public ActionResult Index(MyVariation currentContent) {
      return View(currentContent);
    }
  }
}
```

For the `currentPage` and `currentContent` properties, because the catalog is routed as a [partial route](docId\:ufD1M6rE54RtiZdkSzRGU) to the CMS route, the `currentPage` gives you the `PageData` that the route is registered under. Default for that is the start page of the site. However, for Commerce Connect content, `currentContent` is the requested catalog content.

For information about templating, see [Render content](docId\:N9EhLwAoRUYvRy2ef0Rpr) in CMS.

## Register routing

To use a renderer template, you need to register the catalog content routes. The recommended way is to do it is in an `EPiServer.Framework.IInitializableModule` using the `CatalogRouteHelper`. See [Routing](docId\:GTZpor-4AKQujfqU0SO8K).