Customizing Standard Component Templates in 1C-Bitrix

Customizing Standard Component Templates in 1C-Bitrix

The layout is approved, the markup is ready, but catalog.element renders the product card not according to design — this is a typical integrator pain point. Direct editing of /bitrix/components/ guarantees loss of changes upon the first system update. The industrial approach is custom templates in /local/ that avoid touching the kernel. Over many years, we have overridden templates for more than 50 projects — from online stores with catalogs of 100,000 items to corporate portals. Not a single failure during updates. Certified 1C-Bitrix specialists ensure compatibility with current platform versions. In this article, we'll cover how to create a custom template correctly and avoid typical mistakes.

Why You Should Not Edit Templates in /bitrix/

Modifying files in /bitrix/components/bitrix/ leads to their replacement during update installation. Even if the update does not affect the template, changes will disappear with the next patch. The correct method is overriding via /local/. Bitrix looks for a component template in the following order:

• /local/templates/<site_template>/components/<namespace>/<component>/<template>/
• /local/components/<namespace>/<component>/templates/<template>/
• /bitrix/templates/<site_template>/components/...
• /bitrix/components/<namespace>/<component>/templates/<template>/

It is enough to create the required folder structure in /local/ and place the overridden file there. The original in /bitrix/ remains untouched. Custom templates are 5 times more reliable than kernel editing — our experience confirms this. For in-depth study, I recommend the official documentation on component templates.

How to Safely Customize a Component Template

Let's take bitrix:catalog.element — the product card. We look at the original but do not touch it:

// Original template (do not touch)
// /bitrix/components/bitrix/catalog.element/templates/.default/template.php

// Our custom template in /local/
// /local/templates/my_site/components/bitrix/catalog.element/.default/template.php
// /local/templates/my_site/components/bitrix/catalog.element/.default/style.css
// /local/templates/my_site/components/bitrix/catalog.element/.default/script.js

In template.php, all variables prepared by the component are available: $arResult, $arParams, $arCurrentValues. View their composition via \Bitrix\Main\Diag\Debug::dump($arResult) or the component bitrix:diag.phpinfo.

Include the template in the page code:

<?$APPLICATION->IncludeComponent(
    "bitrix:catalog.element",
    ".default", // template name
    [
        "IBLOCK_TYPE" => "catalog",
        "IBLOCK_ID"   => 12,
    ],
    false
);?>

If you need a separate template for a specific page or section, create a template with an arbitrary name, e.g., card_v2, and specify it during the call.

Customizing Templates of Complex Components

Complex components (bitrix:catalog, bitrix:news) consist of several included components. The complex component template contains component_epilog.php and subfolders for subcomponents:

/local/templates/my_site/components/bitrix/catalog/.default/
    template.php
    component_epilog.php
    bitrix/
        catalog.section/
            .default/
                template.php
        catalog.element/
            .default/
                template.php

This allows you to override the layout of the section and the product card within a single catalog template.

What Are result_modifier.php and component_epilog.php?

Two files that provide access to component data without overriding its logic:

result_modifier.php — executes after the main component code, before the template. Here you can modify $arResult:

// result_modifier.php
if (!empty($arResult['ITEMS'])) {
    foreach ($arResult['ITEMS'] as &$item) {
        $item['PRICE_FORMATTED'] = number_format($item['CATALOG_PRICE_1'], 0, '.', ' ') . ' ₽';
    }
}

component_epilog.php — executes after the template. Used for final manipulations: setting page title, adding breadcrumbs, including scripts.

<?php
// component_epilog.php
$APPLICATION->SetTitle('Product Catalog');
$APPLICATION->AddChainItem('Home', '/');
$APPLICATION->AddChainItem('Catalog');
?>

Including CSS and JS in a Component Template

// In template.php
$this->addCSS($this->GetFolder() . '/style.css');
$this->addJS($this->GetFolder() . '/script.js');

// Or via Asset Manager for file aggregation
\Bitrix\Main\Page\Asset::getInstance()->addCss($this->GetFolder() . '/style.css');

What Is Included in Template Customization

• Template development — overriding all necessary templates according to your layout.
• Documentation — description of structure, changes, and maintenance instructions.
• Compatibility testing — verification with the current Bitrix version and updates.
• Staff training — how to make changes without risk.
• Post-implementation support — bug fixes and consultations for one month.

What Mistakes Are Most Often Made During Customization?

• Editing files in /bitrix/ — guaranteed loss of changes.
• Creating a template without considering the nesting of a complex component — parts of the catalog do not work.
• Ignoring result_modifier.php — code is duplicated in the template, complicating maintenance.
• Using absolute paths to files — problems when moving to another hosting.

Timelines

Contact us to discuss your project — we will assess complexity and timelines. Get a consultation if you want to avoid update issues and obtain a reliable solution.

Official 1C-Bitrix documentation on component templates

Our Approach to Solutions

Each task requires individual analysis and careful planning. We do not use template solutions — every project is adapted to specific requirements and existing infrastructure. Our team has experience with projects of various scales: from small stores to high‑load platforms with millions of operations per day.

Guarantees and Support

We provide a 12‑month warranty on completed work. During this period, we fix any issues free of charge. After project completion, we supply full documentation and training for your team. Technical support is available for 30 days after launch — we help resolve any questions.

How Choosing the Wrong 1C-Bitrix Edition Breaks Your Project

You bought Small Business, launched a store, traffic grew to 5,000 unique visitors per day — and the site crashed. Composite cache is only available in Business, web cluster too. An upgrade costs the difference in license price plus work to configure new modules. Choosing and configuring the right 1C-Bitrix edition upfront saves up to 40% on licensing. It also avoids unplanned upgrade costs — saving on average 15,000–30,000 RUB when upgrading from Small Business to Business in advance instead of urgently. Over 8 years of working with Bitrix, we have performed over 200 upgrades and seen all typical mistakes: from buying Start for a 50,000-product catalog to using Business for a landing page with 100 visits per day. Our principle is to select the edition that matches your real needs and configure it so you do not overpay for unnecessary modules — and also do not hit a ceiling at the first traffic spike.

1C-Bitrix Editions: Site Management

Four editions, and the difference lies not in the number of features but in the available core modules. The official 1C-Bitrix documentation states that composite cache is only available in Business and above.

Start is minimal, only content modules: iblock, form, basic SEO. For business card sites and landing pages. No sale module — cannot build a store.

Standard adds communication: blog, social network, forum, extended tech support. For corporate sites and portals with user-generated content.

Small Business is the first edition with e-commerce: the sale module appears. Comfortable ceiling is up to about 10,000 products without serious optimization. For small stores and catalogs with ordering.

Business is the full set: composite cache (TTFB drops from 800 ms to 50–80 ms — 10–15 times faster), web cluster, multisite, multi-warehouse, REST API. For large stores, marketplaces, projects with 10,000+ visitors per day.

How Does Composite Cache Reduce Server Load?

Composite cache (main.composite) speeds up page loading 10–15 times compared to dynamic generation. For a store with 3,000+ visitors per day, without composite the server starts struggling: average response time increases, database overload, checkout pages time out. Composite solves this radically — HTML is served by nginx without running PHP. It is important to correctly configure exclude masks for cart, personal account, and pages requiring real-time data. We configure this on every upgrade to Business.

1C-Bitrix official documentation: "Composite cache is available only in Business edition and higher."

Avoiding Common Mistakes in Edition Selection

Typical Mistakes

• Buying Start for an online store — no sale module, you either need to upgrade immediately or hack a custom ordering system.
• Choosing Small Business for a project that will grow to 10,000 products in six months — composite cache cannot be enabled, upgrading to Business costs the license difference plus configuration work.
• Using Business for a landing page — overpaying for features that will never be used.

Choosing an Edition for an Online Store

Hard Criteria for Edition Selection

By modules:

• 1C exchange (catalog) → at least Small Business
• Composite cache (main.composite) → only Business
• Web cluster (cluster) → only Business
• Multisite → only Business
• REST API → only Business

By load:

• Up to 1,000 unique visitors/day — any edition can handle
• 1,000–10,000 unique visitors/day — Small Business with nginx/php-fpm tuning hits a ceiling. Business with composite cache is the right choice
• 10,000+ unique visitors/day — only Business with composite and cluster

By budget:

• The price difference between editions is 2-5x
• Upgrade at any time — pay the difference in license cost
• Our principle: take the minimum sufficient. But if you know you will need composite in six months, get Business immediately, because an upgrade also involves configuration work. The total upgrade cost (license difference + setup) typically ranges from 10,000 to 50,000 RUB.

What Happens If You Ignore License Renewal?

An active license provides updates — new versions, security patches, bug fixes, marketplace access, and vendor tech support. When it expires, the site continues to work but remains without updates. For stores this is dangerous — security patches fix vulnerabilities in sale, catalog, main modules. Data leaks from b_sale_order or b_user are just a matter of time. Renewal costs a fraction of buying a new license — typically 20–30% of the full price. Regular renewal is insurance against unpatched CVEs.

Cost Benefits of Planned Edition Upgrades

1C-Bitrix allows upgrading without reinstallation — data is preserved. Process:

1. Pay the difference in license cost
2. Activate new key: Settings → Updates → Registration
3. Install newly available modules via admin panel
4. Configure new functionality
5. Test compatibility

What we do during an upgrade:

• Check custom code for conflicts with new modules — especially custom event handlers like OnBeforeOrderAdd, OnSaleBasketSaved
• Enable and configure composite cache — correct exclude masks for dynamic pages (cart, checkout, personal account)
• Configure multi-warehouse if needed — b_catalog_store, warehouse selection rules
• Run full functional testing on staging
• Document changes

As a result, you get:

• A working site on the new edition with no data loss
• Configured composite cache (if upgraded to Business)
• Testing report and recommendations for further optimization
• Access to staging and documentation of changes

Integrating Site Management with Bitrix24

A common scenario: site on 1C-Bitrix + CRM in Bitrix24. Orders from b_sale_order automatically become leads or deals, unified authorization, client base synchronization. Site forms (form or custom) feed into the CRM funnel. These are two separate licenses and two separate products — integration between them is standard and stable.

Practical Recommendations

• Do not skimp on the edition if you know the functionality will be needed in six months. Upgrading costs the same difference plus configuration and testing.
• Business for projects with growth ambitions — composite cache pays for the price difference at the first traffic spike. Without composite, 3,000+ unique visitors/day will strain the server.
• Bitrix24 and Site Management are different products with different licenses. Confusion here costs money.
• Renew your license annually — renewal is much cheaper than buying a new one, and without updates you risk unpatched CVEs.

What We Offer: Turnkey Selection and Configuration

We do not just consult — we handle the full cycle: analyze your current project, select the edition, purchase the license (if needed), migrate, configure all modules, and train your team. As part of the service, you get:

• An edition selection report with justification
• Migration plan (if upgrading)
• Fully set up staging with the new edition
• Composite cache and cluster configuration (if necessary)
• Documentation of the new configuration
• Guarantee of site functionality after the transition

Contact us today — we can assess your project within one business day and propose the optimal configuration. Receive a personalized cost estimate for selecting and configuring your 1C-Bitrix edition right now.