In Chapter 1, we look at what Liferay portal is and why we should use it. Then we introduce the Liferay portal architecture and framework. Liferay portal can be extendible at three levels—Plugins SDK environment, Extension environment, and Liferay portal source code. Finally, we discuss portal development strategies in detail.

In Chapter 2, we cover the experience of Liferay portal and portlets, using JSR-286 portlets, employing portlet configuration, context, request, response, and preferences, extending JSR-286 portlets, serving resources, and coordinating portlets. It helps you to build larger applications and re-use portlets in different scenarios.

In Chapter 3, we look at how to set up, build, and deploy Ext by using ServiceBuilder, how to set up Plugins SDK, and how to use development environments in an efficient way.

In Chapter 4, we include experiencing Struts portlets in our discussion, where we first discuss how to develop a JSP portlet. Then we introduce how to develop a basic Struts portlet in Ext—defining the portlet, and specifying page action, and page layout. Accordingly, we also introduce how to develop an advanced Struts portlet in Ext—redirecting, adding more actions, setting up permissions, and so on. Finally, we address how to use Struts efficiently.

In Chapter 5, we first look at extending the Communities portlet, then we move on how to customize the Manage Pages portlet. We also look at how to customize page management with more features, and use communities and layout pages in an efficient way.

In Chapter 6, we focus on customizing the WYSIWYG editor. We first introduce how to configure the WYSIWYG editor, quickly deploy the updates, and upgrade it. Then we introduce how to customize FCKeditor to make images, links, videos, games, video queues, video lists, and playlists a part of web content. Finally, we introduce how to use the WYSIWYG editor FCKeditor.

In Chapter 7, we look at one of the most common parts of Liferay portal—CMS and WCM. We first discuss how to manage the terms of use dynamically with a journal article. Then, we present a way to build articles with multiple image icons, rating, comments, polls, related content, recently added content, and so on. Finally, we discuss how to use and extend CMS and WCM. We also discuss relationship among articles, structures, and article templates, CMS extension, and the Asset Publisher portlet extension.

In Chapter 8, we look at how to build My Community in general, and how to customize and extend this feature as well. First, we introduce how to share web site, pages, or portlets with friends. Then we introduce how to customize My Account and how to build My Street with personalized preferences. Finally, we address the best practices to use My Community efficiently, including dynamic query API, pop-up JavaScript, My Community settings, My Account Control Panel, user account extension, and user preferences.

In Chapter 9, we discuss how to develop layout templates in both Ext and Plugins SDK, and how to build themes in Plugins SDK. It introduces how to build layout templates in Ext first. Then it discusses how to build layout templates and themes in Plugins SDK and how to add Velocity services in themes. Finally, it addresses how to use Plugins SDK in an efficient way.

In Chapter 10, we focus on how to build My Social Office in general. We introduce Control Panel first—how it works and how to customize it. Then we address Inter-Portlet Communication (IPC)—how to build IPC portlets. Later, we discuss how to set up Social Office themes and portlets, and how to hook language properties, and portal properties. Finally, we discuss an efficient way to use hooking features.

In Chapter 11, we look at staging and publishing both locally and remotely, where we first discuss simple extension—how to build dynamic navigation and how to construct customized site map. Then, we address how to handle events and model listeners. Based on these features, we further introduce local staging and publishing, and staging workflow. A way to schedule pages and assets is also discussed. Finally, we address how to publish the web content remotely, where portlet-data-handler (for export and import via LAR) is addressed as well.

In Chapter 12, we first cover how to use custom attributes for both journal article templates and custom portlets. Then, we address how to build OpenSearch and how to employ search capabilities. Later, we focus on approaches on how to employ Spring services and how to construct web services. Finally, we discuss the best practices such as using JavaScript portlet URL, customizing the user and organization administration, speeding up portal, sharing UI Taglibs, producing and consuming WSRP, and integrating with SharePoint and Terracotta DSO.

This book uses Liferay portal version 5.2.3 mainly with the following settings in Windows:

Optionally, you can also work in Windows, MacOS, and Linux with the following settings:

You can use one of the following options for Servlet containers and full Java EE application servers to run the Liferay portal:

Databases that the Liferay portal can run on include:

Operating systems that the Liferay portal can run on include:

This book is for Java developers who want to build custom web sites, portals, and highly customized intranet applications using Liferay as a framework. Readers need to know the basics of Liferay and be competent Java developers. They should have some knowledge of the "standards" that Liferay adopts, but that's not so essential—we will try to explain the important ones in the book.

Although Liferay portal makes heavy use of open source frameworks such as Spring, Hibernate, Struts, and Lucene, no prior experience in using these is assumed.

In this book, you will find a number of styles of text that distinguish between different kinds of information. Here are some examples of these styles, and an explanation of their meaning.

Code words in text are shown as follows: "The above code shows that the BookReportsPortlet portlet extends StrutsPortlet and the portlet mode VIEW is specified."

A block of code will be set as follows:

<portlet>
<portlet-name>book_reports</portlet-name>
<struts-path>ext/book_reports</struts-path>
<use-default-template>false</use-default-template>
</portlet>

When we wish to draw your attention to a particular part of a code block, the relevant lines or items will be shown in bold:

PortletPreferences prefs = renderRequest.getPreferences();
String currentURL = PortalUtil.getCurrentURL(request);
%>

New terms and important words are shown in bold. Words that you see on the screen, in menus or dialog boxes for example, appear in our text like this: "when the user enters an empty book title and clicks on the Add Book button, the error page depicts an error message: Error! The Book Title is null!".

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