Intro/Value Prop Section: This section needs to explain what a plugin slot achieves/gives the user in a non-technical way. That would be my number one question as a nontechnical user who clicked on the link to this page - I'd be wondering what a plugin slot is and why am I reading about this in the non-developer docs.
Utilizing frontend plugin slots, site operators now have the ability to customize various portions of the Learner Dashboard.
A “frontend plugin slot” refers to an area of a web page - comprising one or more visual elements - that can be “swapped out” with other visual elements. For example, one new plugin slot allows you to “swap out” the Upgrade button on the Learner Dashboard course card with another button (or more than one, or remove it entirely).
Overhead and hassle is minimized using the plugin slot system. Site operators can leverage a plugin slot using a configuration file; the codebase does not need to be copied (“forked”) nor are extensive changes needed. A snippet of code is all that is needed to use a plugin slot. A site operator places that code within a configuration file. Site operators should refer to the src/plugin-slots directory within each MFE’s codebase to view documentation for that MFE’s plugin slot(s).
Course Card Action Slot (Learner Dashboard)
Capabilities
The “course card” is what represents a course on the learner dashboard - it contains the course thumbnail, name, passing requirements, and other information. In Redwood, it also contains an “Upgrade” button:
In Sumac, this Upgrade button (or more generally, the “Action” button) is now a plugin slot! This means that the button can easily be removed, changed, or even added to. This example below shows how an instance might remove the Upgrade button and instead add two custom action buttons:
Leveraging This Slot
A commonly requested feature is to remove the Upgrade button. This slot can be leveraged to achieve that styling.
This slot can be utilized via code-based configuration. Site operators should consult the Learner Dashboard plugin slot documentation for examples of how to use this slot.
Course List Slot (Learner Dashboard)
Capabilities
The Course List appears on the learner dashboard; in Redwood, it consists of horizontal course cards that represent the courses the learner is enrolled in. The CourseListSlot appears for a given learner only when they are enrolled in at least one course.
Sumac provides the option to entirely replace the list of course cards. This involves writing code that provides for another way of displaying the entire list of course cards, and using that code within this slot. For example, one could create a CustomCourseList component that converts the horizontal course cards into vertical cards:
Leveraging This Slot
This slot, which appears on the learner dashboard for learners enrolled in one or more courses, allows instances to play around with the visual representation of course cards. One use case would be to sort the CourseCards of completed courses either to the bottom or hiding them in some way, without the user needing to do so themselves. Another use case could be to embed a “call to action” message in the top of the CourseList; since that's put at the top of that CourseList and will be visible to the learner as soon as they enter their dashboard, this could be an effective way to call attention to a message, product, or service.
This slot can be utilized via code-based configuration. Site operators should consult the Learner Dashboard plugin slot documentation for examples of how to use this slot.
No Courses View Slot (Learner Dashboard)
Capabilities
On the Learner Dashboard, when a learner is enrolled in zero courses, a special message is displayed. Now, this special message lives within a slot that can be customized. In Redwood, the message looks like this:
In Sumac, this message can be customized with any text, graphics, buttons, and links that meets the needs of your instance:
Leveraging This Slot
Instances might use this slot to give a custom call to action for learners who haven’t enrolled in a course yet. For example, instance-specific graphics/iconography and text (for example, a message from a site founder or prominent course staff member, or learner testimonial) may provide a personal touch for learners who, after making their account, land on the Learner Dashboard unenrolled in any course.
This slot can be utilized via code-based configuration. Site operators should consult the Learner Dashboard plugin slot documentation for examples of how to use this slot.
Widget Sidebar Slot (Learner Dashboard)
Capabilities
On the right-hand sidebar of the Learner Dashboard there is a message in a “card”. This card has now been wrapped in a slot. In Redwood, this sidebar consists of the “Looking for a new challenge?” card which directs learners to the course catalog:
Now, in Sumac, the widget sidebar can be updated with zero or more custom cards, each with its own images, text, and/or links:
Leveraging This Slot
Customizing the cards in the right-hand sidebar of the Learner Dashboard gives flexibility for instances to provide encouraging messages or calls to action. For example, one could imagine a sidebar consisting of multiple cards, each with a testimonial, a link to a resource, and/or a call to action specific to the needs of the instance and its learners.
This slot can be utilized via code-based configuration. Site operators should consult the Learner Dashboard plugin slot documentation for examples of how to use this slot.