Understanding blocks

In Cascade, blocks [block icon] are content chunks that can be used (and re-used) on pages.

There are 5 types of blocks used on the UCOP website, and each can be used on certain kinds of pages:

  1. Category item block — category/list pages
  2. Contact block — landing and content pages
  3. Flex block — landing and content pages
  4. Link list block — landing and content pages
  5. Staff block — all page types

Category item and staff blocks are usually stored in a folder alongside the page on which they’ll be displayed. Contact, flex, and link list blocks are often stored centrally in a “_blocks” folder.

  • Blocks are either stored in the same folder as the pages they appear on OR in a central “_blocks” folder.
  • Blocks can be added to category pages either automatically (by storing them in the same folder and using the “Use folder contents” option) OR manually through the block chooser.
  • On landing and content pages, blocks must be added through the block chooser.
  • To make a block — or changes to a block — show up on the public-facing web server, the page(s) containing the block must be published.