Understand the Core Breadcrumb Component: The Core Breadcrumb component provided by Adobe is a standardized, out-of-the-box solution for displaying a breadcrumb trail. It includes default functionalities and styling which meet common requirements but does not support custom icons uploaded from assets directly.

Business Requirement Analysis: The requirement is to have an identical breadcrumb as the core component but with an additional custom icon uploaded from the assets. This customization goes beyond the capabilities of the existing Core Breadcrumb component.

Evaluate Modification Options:

Requesting Adobe to Modify the Core Component: This option is not practical due to the time and effort involved in getting Adobe to make such a specific customization. Moreover, it may not align with Adobe’s development roadmap or priorities.

Reusing the Core Component with Custom Options: Although this approach could potentially save development time, it might lead to complexities in integrating custom upload functionality with the existing core component structure. This can also result in maintenance challenges during future updates to the core components.

Developing a Custom Component: Given the specific need for custom icons uploaded from assets, developing a new custom component is the most viable solution. This approach ensures that the breadcrumb functionality is tailored exactly to the business requirement. The developer can start by leveraging the core component’s code as a base and extending it to include the custom icon feature. This way, the business can achieve both the desired appearance and functionality.

Implementation Strategy:

Custom Component Creation: Create a new AEM component by extending the existing Core Breadcrumb component.

Custom Icon Feature: Add functionality to upload an icon from the DAM (Digital Asset Management) and integrate it into the breadcrumb trail.

Styling and Integration: Ensure the custom breadcrumb aligns with the site's styling guidelines and integrates seamlessly with the existing site structure.

References:

AEM Documentation on Core Components:Adobe Experience Manager Core Components

AEM Custom Component Development:Adobe Experience Manager Custom Component Development