| name | umbraco-backoffice |
| description | Umbraco backoffice extension customisation - complete working examples showing how extension types combine |
| version | 1.3.0 |
| location | managed |
| allowed-tools | Read, Write, Edit, WebFetch |
Umbraco Backoffice Extensions Overview
What This Skill Does
Backoffice customisations are combinations of extension types working together:
- A "custom admin area" = Section + Menu + Dashboard
- A "data management tool" = Section + Menu + Workspace
- A "hierarchical browser" = Section + Menu + Tree + Workspace
This skill provides complete working blueprints. The source code is in ./examples/ - copy and adapt for your needs.
For details on individual extension types, invoke the referenced sub-skills.
TIP: If the Umbraco CMS source code is available in your workspace, use it as a reference and for inspiration. The backoffice client code in src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/packages/ shows production implementations of all extension types - study how the core team structures sections, workspaces, trees, and other patterns.
Required Workflow
CRITICAL: This workflow is MANDATORY for ALL extension development.
Step 0 — Version guard: Before planning, invoke umbraco-version-guard to confirm
the site's Umbraco major matches the major these skills target. Stop on a mismatch — the
backoffice API differs between Umbraco majors and these skills will produce wrong code.
1. PLAN ──► Read PRE-BUILD-PLANNING.md FIRST
│ Draw wireframe, label extension types, identify UUI components
│ ⚠️ DO NOT write code until wireframe is approved
↓
2. BUILD ──► Use examples and sub-skills to create extension
│
│ ⛔ STOP - Do not skip validation
↓
3. VALIDATE ──► MANDATORY post-build steps:
• npm run build (must pass)
• Spawn umbraco-extension-reviewer agent
• Fix High/Medium issues without asking
• Browser test per POST-BUILD-VALIDATION.md
If you skip planning: You WILL build the wrong extension type.
If you skip validation: Bugs WILL reach the user.
This workflow applies whether invoked via /umbraco-quickstart or directly.
CRITICAL: Follow this workflow for ALL extension development:
1. PLAN ──► Read PRE-BUILD-PLANNING.md, draw wireframes, identify extension types
↓
2. BUILD ──► Use examples and sub-skills to create extension
↓
3. VALIDATE ──► Read POST-BUILD-VALIDATION.md, run umbraco-extension-reviewer
- Never skip planning - Wireframes prevent building the wrong extension type
- Never skip validation - The reviewer catches issues before they reach users
Available Examples
Each example has a detailed README.md with full documentation. See the examples/ folder.
| Example | Complexity | What It Shows |
|---|
| Blueprint | Starter | Section + Menu + Dashboard + Workspace - the fundamental pattern |
| tree-example | Intermediate | Tree navigation in Settings section with Workspace |
| TimeDashboard | Advanced | 13+ extension types including Header Apps, Modals, Property Editors |
| notes-wiki | Full-stack | Complete C# backend with CRUD, hierarchical tree, multiple workspaces |
Quick Reference
- Need a new section? Start with
Blueprint
- Need tree navigation? See
tree-example
- Need specific extension type? Check
TimeDashboard for examples
- Need full-stack with API? Study
notes-wiki
Using the Examples
- Browse the
examples/ folder and read the README.md for each example
- Copy the example closest to your needs into your project
- Rename aliases from the example namespace to your own (e.g.,
Blueprint.* to MyApp.*)
- Update the
entityType values to match your domain
- Customise the UI components for your use case
- Register with Umbraco via
umbraco-package.json
- Add project reference to the main Umbraco instance - use skill
umbraco-add-extension-reference
Reference Documentation
Detailed reference material is available in separate files for on-demand loading:
| Reference | When to Read |
|---|
| PRE-BUILD-PLANNING.md | Before building any extension - visual planning, wireframes, UUI components |
| EXTENSION-MAP.md | "Where does extension type X appear in the UI?" - ASCII diagram showing all extension locations |
| SUB-SKILLS-REFERENCE.md | "What skill do I need for X?" - Complete index of all sub-skills by category |
| POST-BUILD-VALIDATION.md | After building - complete validation workflow, browser testing, debugging |
