--- title: Deploy a new CMS site slug: dxp/docs/creating-a-new-cms-site-and-deploying docTags: createdAt: 2026-07-30T20:33:07.109Z --- ## When is this applicable? This is an onboarding scenario for a **first-time/onboarding deployment of a new site based on the Optimizely sample templates**, to use from start for development in a cloud environment. A new site like this does not require database restore, and the database schema is created during initial deployment. ## Before you start This example uses deployment API to publish code. - See [DXP requirements](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/digital-experience-platform/docs/requirements) for recommended software versions, tools, and services when deploying. - See [Get started with DXP](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/digital-experience-platform/docs/getting-started-with-dxp) for deployment information. - See [Install Optimizely](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/content-cloud/v11.0.0-content-cloud/docs/installing-optimizely-legacy-cms-11-and-commerce-13) for instructions on how to add the Optimizely NuGet feed to Visual Studio. - Before deploying, add a wildcard binding to the site in the Manage Websites screen. This will help prevent failures due to URL-dependent code when migrating the database between environments. The following image shows an example of wildcard binding. a. Go to **Admin > Config > Manage Websites**. b. Click **Add** and add a wildcard (\*) Host Name. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/qWWCYMRwKIH-dBSiUTZiW_68cc4af96fd78ae9db1b6f3c344e52766041c2a4a4175f855588ee73d784c4fc-image.png) ## Deployment steps The following steps create a website, add Azure and Search & Navigation (formerly called Find), and deploy the code and database with content to the *Integration* environment in DXP. The deployment uses the publishing profiles provided by Optimizely with your DXP setup. :::hint{type="info"} **Note** Optimizely has a bootstrap feature for deploying content. If there is an export package located in `\App_Data\DefaultSiteContent.episerverdata`, the bootstrap feature imports that package during initialization and creates a site with content. The bootstrap is applied only if the site in the web app does not have any existing content. ::: ### Step 1 – Create an Optimizely project Follow the steps in [Create a starter project](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/content-cloud/v12.0.0-content-cloud/docs/creating-a-starter-project). ```powershell dotnet new epi-cms-empty ``` 1. Go to **Tools > NuGet Package Manager > Manage NuGet Packages for Solution** to update the website to the latest Optimizely NuGet packages. 2. In the NuGet Package manager: 1. Select **Updates**. 2. Select **Optimizely Packages** in the **Package source** field to locate the latest updates. 3. Enable **Select all packages**. 4. Click **Update** and confirm the updates. ![Update NuGet packages](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/vwd12EIo6_PTdENdG4sQV-20260722-203650.png "update-packages.png") 3. Add a cloud platform to the website. In the NuGet package manager: 1. Select **Browse**. 2. Enter **Optimizely Azure** in the search field. 3. Select the `EPiServer.CloudPlatform.Cms` package. 4. Select your project. 5. Click **Install** and confirm the installation. ![Confirm the installation](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/12MtBJvlAyQsYabtOuthG-20260722-203650.png "imagejtvs.png") 4. To configure the `EPiServer.CloudPlatform.Cms` package, add this code in `ConfigureServices` method in `startup.cs` file. ```csharp public class Startup { private readonly IWebHostEnvironment _webHostingEnvironment; private readonly IConfiguration _configuration; public Startup(IWebHostEnvironment webHostingEnvironment, IConfiguration configuration) { _webHostingEnvironment = webHostingEnvironment; _configuration = configuration; } public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services) { ... services.AddCmsCloudPlatformSupport(_configuration); } } ``` :::hint{type="info"} **Note** If you only want to add the `EPiServer.CloudPlatform.Cms` package to specific environments, you can run something similar to the following code to check the environment. ::: ```csharp public class Startup { private readonly IWebHostEnvironment _webHostingEnvironment; private readonly IConfiguration _configuration; public Startup(IWebHostEnvironment webHostingEnvironment, IConfiguration configuration) { _webHostingEnvironment = webHostingEnvironment; _configuration = configuration; } public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services){ ... if (!_webHostingEnvironment.IsDevelopment()) { services.AddCmsCloudPlatformSupport(_configuration); } } } ``` 5. Add required header scripts to Razor view before the closing of `` tag. ```csharp @Html.RequiredClientResources("Header") ``` :::hint{type="info"} **Note** Optimizely recommends this step to make Azure Application Insights works for front-end pages. If you are not using Razor to render views or are unable to add Header required resources, please manually add Application Insights JS SDK initialization script following [Microsoft's guide here](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/javascript-sdk#add-the-code-snippet). Retrieve the Application Insights instrumentation key from the `APPINSIGHTS_INSTRUMENTATIONKEY` environment variable. ::: 6. Run the solution. ### Step 2 – Publish the website to create a code package :::hint{type="info"} **Note** You can replace steps 1 through 4 with the following command in PowerShell. This creates a publish folder in the `\bin\release` folder that could be zipped up and renamed to `ProjectName.cms.app.00001.nupkg`. See [dotnet publish command - .NET CLI](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/tools/dotnet-publish). ::: ```powershell dotnet publish -c Release ``` 1. In Solution Explorer, right-click the project in Visual Studio and select **Publish**. 2. In the **Pick a publish target** dialog box, select **New Folder**. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/CIY44Wa-zwXy6MMmHG7Rx-20260722-203650.png) 3. Click **Next**. 4. Choose a location or keep the default. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/BkqKMXSBU2yV8mA1bYg9p_f0839cf6c40a68902fa9691b407e3ef4782d0700de31f14d7ae130d13b5d3278-image.png) 5. Click **Finish**. 6. Zip the contents of the publish directory and rename to `ProjectName.cms.app.00001.nupkg`. ### Step 3 – Deploy the package Get API credentials. See [Deployment API authentication](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/digital-experience-platform/docs/authentication). :::hint{type="info"} **Note** If not already installed, install the `Epicloud` and `Azure.Storage` modules, then import the modules to your session. In PowerShell, run these commands. ::: ```powershell Install-Module -Name EpiCloud Install-Module -Name Azure.Storage -Scope CurrentUser -Repository PSGallery -Force -AllowClobber Import-Module Azure.Storage Import-Module EpiCloud ``` The following sample uses PowerShell to deploy the code. Any deployment API method will work as long as you deploy a package. ```powershell # Connect EpiCloud using credentials from portal Connect-EpiCloud -ProjectId "projectId" -ClientKey "key" -ClientSecret "secret" # Upload .NET Core Alloy to blob storage $sasUrl = Get-EpiDeploymentPackageLocation Add-EpiDeploymentPackage -SasUrl $sasUrl -Path .\AlloyNetCore.cms.app.0.1.0.nupkg # Deploy package to environment. This will first build a docker image out of the package and then deploy it to the target environment. Start-EpiDeployment -DeploymentPackage "AlloyNetCore.cms.app.0.1.0.nupkg" -TargetEnvironment "Integration" -DirectDeploy -Wait ``` ### Step 4 – Verify the website 1. Go to the default access URLs for the environment, for example `http://[projectNNNNinte].dxcloud.episerver.net`. 2. Log in as an administrator to the website. 3. Verify that the website is working. ### Step 5 – Add Search & Navigation An index is automatically set up and configured as part of DXP. In this step, you add Optimizely Search & Navigation (formerly Find) as the default search for your solution and publish the changes to Integration. 1. In the NuGet package manager for your project, locate the `EPiServer.Find.Cms` package and click **Install**. ![In the NuGet package manager for your project, locate the EPiServer.Find.Cms package and click Install](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/eKLaq_qKgqExQLUUXCd3c-20260722-203650.png "add-find.png") 2. Right-click the project in Visual Studio's Solution Explorer and select **Publish**. :::hint{type="warning"} **Caution** In the **Edit > Publish > Settings** screen, ensure that **Update database** is *not* selected (deselect if needed). ::: 3. Click **Publish**. 4. Verify that the website is working. ## Related topics - [Install Optimizely (ASP.NET Core)](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/content-management-system/docs/installing-optimizely-net-5) - [Install Optimizely (CMS 11 and Commerce (PaaS) 13](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/content-management-system/v11.0.0-cms/docs/installing-optimizely-legacy-cms-11-and-commerce-13) - [Install Optimizely updates (CMS 11 and Commerce (PaaS) 13)](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/content-cloud/v11.0.0-content-cloud/docs/installing-optimizely-updates-cms-11-and-commerce-13) - [Deploy an existing CMS site](https://docs.developers.optimizely.com/digital-experience-platform/docs/deploying-an-existing-cms-site)