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Simple Template System (STS)

osCommerce 2.2 doesn't come with a built in template management system.  Traditional osCommerce 2.2 templates require you to overwrite your store files and can be complicated to integrate and modify.  The Simple Template System (STS) is an easy-to-install module that makes it easy to install, use and modify true templates without overwriting store files.

The major reasons to consider using the Simple Template System (STS) module

1. Traditional templates overwrite store files.  STS templates don't overwrite anything.
2. Traditional templates often require you re-install all of your store's modifications/add-ons to the new system (due to a complete overwrite).  STS templates work with your existing store.
3. Traditional templates can be hard to modify; you may have to edit every major page file for even a basic change.  STS templates are easy to modify; you only have to make changes to the one template file and/or the CSS file.
4. Traditional templates often change the layout and structure of your store.  STS templates completely change the appearance of your site, but leave your store in your control, working the same way it did before.
5. STS templates are easy to modify, can be turned on/off, and integrate easily with most stores.

Installation time for the STS module depends on how heavily modified your store is.  If you're installing a new store, STS can be installed in about 10 minutes.  If your store is modified, it may take about half an hour.  A small time investment compared to the amount of time you'll have saved by updating your osCommerce installation with a practical and user-friendly template management system.

The osCommerce 2.2 templates available on this website were built on the STS 4.5.8 framework.  For more information on STS, visit the official STS page on the osCommerce website.