To decide save site as a template, web template or site definition

Question

hi,
I have to create a generic site template which has few tabs in the home page and on click of these links/tabs
in this site template it will navigate to the sub sites created under that[this generic site template shud contain 3 sub sites -
[1 blog, 1 search center sub site, meeting workspace as tabs in the site template’s top navigation] and
a) 2 Doc Libs
b) 2 splists by default present in this site template [ most prob. its a team site template]
 What should be the correct approach for creating this site template:
 I have thought of implementing using:
 a) save site as a template and upload this wsp into the solution gallery. and based on this site template
i will create new subsites. one problem i will be facing is that, mine is a publishing site template not team site template.
 b) create a  web template having the above subsites and doc libs and splists
 c) last option is to create a  site definition [ complex ]
which one should i choose, assuming that, there would be future changes from customer side in the
site template.like, adding a new splist, sp doclic or a new custom web part.
in that case, adding a new addtion to the already existing site template will not affect/reflect the already running
sites' content.
only those new sites which is created  based on the updated site template would be having the new additions 
implemented.
  help is highly appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi,
From your description, the most concern you might have is that customers will have the requirements to add other components into their sites and created with them afterwards.
Since SharePoint 2010, it is recommended to take use of something like “a la carte” pattern to manage SharePoint sites. If there are needs to add sites, lists or other components,
we can make them as solution(.wsp) and deploy to our sites. By doing this, we will be more flexible and easier to manage the features and structure of sites.
So you can just create a site template with simple structure and deploy the solutions you want after sites created.
Here are two links about
Plan for sites and solutions for your reference:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc789336(v=office.14).aspx
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee476993(v=office.14).aspx
What’s more, you can take a look at the two links below about
Custom Web Templates and Custom Site Definitions:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/aa979683(v=office.14).aspx
http://sharepointchick.com/archive/0001/01/01/site-definitions-vs.-webtemplates.aspx
Thanks
Patrick Liang
TechNet Community Support