Once interested parties has come to an agreement on the web project design, the layout stage comes into action. After that, the prepared layout is integrated with the Bitrix templates.

Check the template parameters: "Settings > System Settings > Websites > Templates", open the template you need to check. This will require some basic knowledge of HTML and PHP.

1. A website template must have a clear, comprehensive and distinctive name. "Template 1" is what you should not call your templates.
2. The template must specify the HTML version at the beginning of the template file in "<!DOCTYPE>". This element is extremely important because it affects how a client browser renders the website.
3. The "<HTML>" tag must specify the template language. Use the website language settings, for example: <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="<?=LANGUAGE_ID?>" lang="<?=LANGUAGE_ID?>">
4. Check if the web page title is set correctly. Use automatic page titles because it will allow you to manage the title via the Control Panel interface. Example: <title><?$APPLICATION->ShowTitle()?></title>?>
5. Check if the meta tags are set correctly (keywords, description, content-type, robots) as well as styles and scripts. Example: <?$APPLICATION->ShowHead();?>
6. Check if the website favorite icon is set: <link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="<?=SITE_TEMPLATE_PATH?>/favicon.ico" />
7. Check if the Control Panel toolbar is activated for authorized users. Use the "ShowPanel()" method. Example: <body>…<div id="panel"><?$APPLICATION->ShowPanel();?></div>
8. The elements that are usually displayed in the webpage footer (phone number, copyrights, privacy policy link) and other include areas should be editable by common users using the standard system functions without web developer's assistance.
9. The website template should contain advertising areas that can be edited by common users without web developer's assistance.
10. All the complex or dynamic layout should be moved to the webpage header and footer. The main area (WORK_AREA) should contain only simple HTML flow that cannot be broken if a webpage is edited in the visual editor.
11. The website and template styles must be thoroughly formatted and documented (commented).