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RAZL Best Practices: Lightning Mode and Deep Compare

August 29, 2017 | Kliment Klimentov

With Razl, developers can have a complete side-by-side comparison of two Sitecore databases; the comparison highlights features that are missing or not up to date. Whether it's finding that one missing template, moving an entire database or shifting just one item, Razl allows developers to simply move the missing item. As with TDS Classic, there are a few tips and tricks that can make the Razl experience faster and more seamless, such as: 

Schedule Razl scripts to sync changes between Production and QA environments

You can automatically sync your latest content items from your Production websites to QA and Dev environments, using Razl scripts. They can be executed by the Task Scheduler in Windows, so it's easy and good practice to keep your test environments up to date with the latest content.

Execute scheduled Razl scripts in hours with low server load

To keep the Sitecore server's fast response, find a time of the day or week, when the number of the website visitors is relatively low. Another thing to check is for other scheduled tasks or server activities. Scheduling the Razl scripts in time with low loads will ensure the performance of your website, during the script execution.

Keep logs from scheduled Razl scripts

It's always good practice to keep logs of your scheduled scripts. You can configure a folder for logs from the Razl GUI or piping the CMD output to a text file.

Compare items to troubleshoot problems with them

If an item works in one environment and doesn't work in another, you can fast check if there's a database difference between the two environments.

Use Lightning Mode in combination with Deep Compare to find item differences faster

Lightning Mode will check only the Revision ID, so when it's turned on you can navigate to the parts of the Sitecore tree you're looking for faster. After you find the needed item, use Deep Compare to find all differences under the selected parent item.

Learn more about Lightning Mode, Deep Compare, and the impact that Razl can have on your projects!

Razl development best practices

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