> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.nexrender.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Best Practice

> Best practices managing the templates

Creating reliable, scalable templates for Nexrender Cloud isn’t just about making them render — it’s about making them **repeatable**, **debuggable**, and **collaboration-friendly**.

Here are the key principles we recommend.

## Name Layers and Compositions Intelligently

Clear naming of layers and compositions directly improves automation accuracy, debuggability, and developer handoff. Treat your `.aep` or `.mogrt` like a codebase — the structure matters.

### Layer Naming Rules

| Layer Attribute       | Best Practice                                       |
| --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| `layerName`           | Use lowercase, short identifiers (`title`, `cta`)   |
| `property`            | Match AE's label exactly (`Source Text`, `Opacity`) |
| Avoid duplicates      | Ensure no two layers in the same comp share a name  |
| Use descriptive types | e.g. `product_image`, `voiceover`, `cta_background` |

> Nexrender requires exact `layerName` matches during job execution. Ambiguity or typos will cause silent render errors or broken outputs.

### Composition Naming Rules

| Composition Type    | Suggested Naming                     |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| Main output comp    | `main`, `final`, `output`, etc.      |
| Variants            | `main_1080p`, `main_instagram`, etc. |
| Reusable partials   | `cta_module`, `intro_block`, etc.    |
| Discarded or hidden | Prefix with `_` (e.g. `_scratchpad`) |

This ensures the `compositions` list returned by the API is clean, predictable, and renderable.

## Nested Compositions: Best Practices

Nested comps are a powerful After Effects feature, but you must use them carefully for cloud automation:

Use Nested Comps To:

* Group logic-heavy modules (e.g. transitions, intro bumpers)
* Encapsulate reusable visual elements (e.g. buttons, tickers)
* Reduce clutter in the main timeline

Avoid Nested Comps If:

* They rely on hard-coded paths or relative asset placement
* They contain dynamic layers you intend to override
* You have deeply nested timelines (>3 levels) — this can increase AE processing time and complicate debugging

> Keep nested comps clean, flattened when possible, and **treat the top-level comp as your automation interface**.

## Preview Rendering With Dummy Data

Before deploying a template at scale:

* Create a test job with fake but realistic values
* Set `"preview": true` to get a fast low-res render
* Check for missing fonts, broken text, or incorrect layout sizing

This helps catch structural and naming bugs early, especially with deeply nested templates.

## Think Like a Developer + Designer

Design with **automation-first principles**:

* Expose only what needs to be dynamic
* Use naming conventions for predictability
* Keep timelines shallow, modular, and reusable
* Organize assets logically inside the project and `.zip`

This makes your After Effects templates act like **parameterized functions**, not fragile, one-off assets.

## Expose Only What You Need (Especially in `.mogrt`)

If using `.mogrt`, keep the Essential Graphics panel **lean and intentional**:

* Don’t expose unused controls
* Rename each property for clarity
* Avoid overly nested structures

## Reuse Templates with Job-Level Overrides

Instead of creating dozens of near-identical templates:

* Design **modular templates** that accept asset input
* Use job payloads to swap:
  * Text
  * Images
  * Colors
  * Voiceover / audio
  * Fonts

> One clean template can power hundreds of job variants via automation.

## Clean Up Before Export

Before finalizing your `.aep` or `.mogrt`:

* Remove unused compositions and precomps
* Purge unreferenced assets (File → Dependencies → Remove Unused Footage)
* Reduce media to only what is needed
* Name all dynamic layers clearly
* Preview render in After Effects to catch broken expressions or fonts

## Version Your Templates

Use `displayName` consistently across template versions:

| Display Name            | Notes                       |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------- |
| `product-demo-v1`       | Initial rollout             |
| `product-demo-v2-fixed` | Bugfix for font issues      |
| `product-demo-v3`       | Updated to new brand colors |

This helps your team stay organized and avoid breaking changes.

## Validate Before Launching Jobs at Scale

Before integrating a template into production automation:

* Manually render with test data
* Validate composition names
* Validate all layer overrides using `GET /templates/{id}`
* Try preview rendering (`preview: true`) in jobs if needed

Following these practices helps ensure your renders are:

* **Repeatable**
* **Scalable**
* **Debuggable**
* **Designer- and dev-friendly**

***