Webscripts in an Alfresco REST Architecture

Using Web Scripts in a REST-based Architecture Richard Im Solutions Engineer www.alfresco.com See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

* What is REST? * What is a Web Script? * Common uses of Web Scripts * Review a Web Script for UI components * Review a Web Script for data retrieval * Sample. Agenda: See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

Acronym for: Representational State Transfer

An architectural style. Systems following these principles referred to as 'RESTful'

Resources are URL-Addressable. Easy utilizing HTTP Methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE.

“ REST strictly refers to a collection of network architecture principles which outline how resources are defined and addressed.

The term is often used in a looser sense to describe any simple interface which transmits domain-specific data over HTTP without an additional messaging layer such as SOAP or session tracking via HTTP cookies.”

What is REST? See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

Key Rest Principles

Application state and functionality are abstracted into resources

Every resource is uniquely addressable using a universal syntax for use in hypermedia links

All resources share a uniform interface for the transfer of state between client and resource, consisting of

A constrained set of well-defined operations

A constrained set of content types, optionally supporting code on demand

A protocol which is: Client-server, Stateless, Cacheable, Layered

The Principles of REST See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

REST v. SOAP WS

Cacheable representations, leading to improved response time.

Less dependencies: i.e. no SOAP

No need for a resource directory

More scalable. No session state maintenance required across servers.

Exchange of Resources, rather than Methods – Nouns v. Verbs

REST Web Services See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

REST & Alfresco = Web Scripts

From 2.1 onward – ideally to open it up to more channels: Office, Portal, Websites

Ease of use and lightweight: Javascript, Templates

Multi use: create your own API, new UI components, widgets, expose features.

Cross language and cross platform data.

MVC – Alfresco Repository (Model), Javascript (Controller), Freemarker (View).

Alfresco Web Scripts See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

Alfresco Web Scripts Web Script REST Dispatcher Web Script REST Infrastructure Content Services Rendition Services FreeMarker Repository Search Navigation Security HTML, ATOM, RSS, JSON URL JavaScript 2 3 5 4 6 1

Content

Metadata

User Interface Components

Queries

See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

What makes a Web Script?

XML Descriptor file: define your resource

Javascript: Controller with access to various content services

Search: Search the repository and format the result any way needed.

Create: Add content into the repository.

Navigate: See what is in the repository

Security: Make sure you have the permissions to access

Freemarker: Representation/Response, format can be XML, JSON, HTML

Alfresco Web Scripts cont... See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

XML Descriptor: docActions.get.desc.xml

XML Descriptor file: define your resource and HTTP method (naming convention)‏

url: Define your resource and any parameters needed to execute

Level of authentication required to run

Optionally define whether a transaction is required.

Can define a default format to fall back to incase format is not defined when executing.

Alfresco Web Scripts Example <webscript> <shortname> Document Actions (Office Add-In) </shortname> <description> Used by the Office Add-In to perform actions on managed documents </description> <url> /office/docActions </url> <authentication> user </authentication> <transaction> required </transaction> </webscript> See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

// Client has requested server-side action /* Inputs */ var runAction = args.a; /* Outputs */ var resultString = "Action failed", resultCode = false; // Is this action targetting a document? var docNodeId = args.n; if ((docNodeId != "") && (docNodeId != null))‏ { var docNode = search.findNode("workspace://SpacesStore/" + docNodeId); if (docNode != null && docNode.isDocument) { try { if (runAction == "makepdf") { resultString = "Could not convert document"; var nodeTrans = docNode.transformDocument("application/pdf"); if (nodeTrans != null) { resultString = "Document converted"; resultCode = true; } }... Javscript Controller: docActions.get.js Alfresco Web Scripts Example See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

Alfresco Web Scripts cont... JSON ATOM HTML See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

OK Great, now how do I apply this in a REST Architecture?

Can be applied in a DM or WCM Deployment, in similar fashion

Customize a completely different UI (i.e. Flex, HTML, Portal). (Web Scripts feature, not necessarily REST)‏

Use Alfresco in your own app without exposing them to Alfresco. You will get the performance and reliability of all Alfresco services but abstract it from the user's perspective. Data API

Serve content to users through Alfresco ASRs

Provide data to other services whether they're written in .NET, PHP, Java, etc.

Web Scripts and REST Architecture See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

Office Plugin

Implemented in mini browser window

All actions available through REST API

HTML Response for UI

Other json for responses to update UI and data retrieval.

Core services accessible through plug-in

Doc management

Workflow

Search

RESTful UI See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

Portlets/Gadgets

Allow users access through a portal like iGoogle.

Since Web Scripts are jsr-168 compliant, just have to make portal aware.

Popular portals: Jboss Portal, Liferay

All data transmitted through json, xml, html, through custom REST API

RESTful UI See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

Sample DM Architecture

Client access Alfresco Web Scripts Directly

UI Web Scripts, Office Plugin Web Scripts, etc.

Or...Layer another application in between.

Webapp access Alfresco using RESTful API to retrieve data: XML, JSON, HTML

Can scale and cluster this environment

Your webapp

Alfresco ECM server

RESTful DM Alfresco ECM Server Your Webapp See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts

Sample Customer DM Architecture

Customer uses Alfresco as DAM

Manages all contents internally with Alfresco with custom UI and actions.

Same data then pushed out through transfer to serve internet

Webapp utilizes Web Scripts to get data from DMZ Alfresco

Able to perform transformations on images

Can download transformed or original.

Serves worldwide user base.

RESTful DM Alfresco ECM Server Your Webapp Alfresco ECM Server See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts Firewall

Sample WCM Architecture

Create your content on Alfresco WCM Server (Authoring)‏

Content (XML files, etc.) deployed to runtime

Web Scripts on the Alfresco Runtime serves your webapp:

Data Acess API

HTML, JSON, XML, RSS, ATOM, etc. Your choice

Supports cached results.

Use for searching, navigation, or dynamic page assembly.

Add more runtimes: load balance

RESTful WCM Alfresco WCM Server Your Webapp Alfresco Runtime Alfresco Runtime Alfresco Runtime See the recorded webinar here: http:// snurl .com/ webscripts Firewall

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