Alfresco 5.2 Introduces New Public REST APIs For an update, please see: https://www.slideshare.net/jvonka/exciting-new-alfresco-apis https://www.meetup.com/Alfresco-Meetups/events/236987848/ An overview of the new and enhanced APIs will be discussed and some of the key endpoints demonstrated via Postman so that by the time you leave you should have enough knowledge to create a simple client or integration. These APIs will also be the foundation for new clients developed for the Alfresco Digital Business Platform. We'll have a sneak peek at what's coming next and leave plenty of time for questions, feedback and open discussion.

1. Jan Vonka - London Meetup (March 2017)
Alfresco 5.2 REST APIs

2. Introduction
Image Credit: H Vonka

3. Introduction
Jan Vonka
• Senior Developer @ Alfresco
• Balloonist
• flying balloons over cities takes a lot of planning J
• For background, see:
• http://www.slideshare.net/jvonka/alfresco-rest-api-of-the-future-is-
closer-than-you-think
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jR2PV5w1O4
Image Credit: https://www.adventureballoons.co.uk

4. REST API Agenda
• Overview & Architecture
• Documentation
• What’s New & Changed ?
• Demo
• What’s Next ?
• References

5. Overview & Architecture
Image Credit: H Vonka

6. Alfresco Digital Business Platform
Applications – Engaging UX - Mobile, Web, App Dev Framework, Desktop
Alfresco Process
Services
Alfresco Content
Services
Alfresco Governance Services
Integrations / Extensions
Open APIs and Open Standards
On-Premise, Cloud, Hybrid, Managed
Intelligence and Analytics

7. Alfresco API Overview
Content
Services
(Repository)
Process
Services
(Activiti)
REST APIREST API
Alfresco Platform
Micro-Services / Containers
Search
Services
(Solr)
Governance Services (RM)
RM
ECMBPM
CMIS (Browser Binding)
ADF
JavaScript Client Binding
HTTPS / JSON /Binary
App App
Java Client Binding (EA)
App App
Other Libs/Fwks
RM

8. REST API components

9. REST API Introduction
• REST Framework
– pragmatic, follows well-defined RESTful guidelines
• Open API
– consistent, documented, functional, performant, secure, reliable …
• The API for all new clients
– enabler for Alfresco Digital Business Platform
• Roles
– End-User vs Administrators
– permissions – Groups / Users
• CMIS is still a good option
– eg. heterogeneous environments

10. URL Structure
https://host:port/alfresco/api/-default-/public/alfresco/versions/1/…
Scope API Name Version
Entity Relationship (or Operation**)
Tenant
/nodes
/nodes/{id}
/nodes/{id}/children
/nodes/{id}/copy
* Where applicable
** Operations are new for 5.2 (used for specific scenarios where relationship does not make sense)
GET, POST
GET, PUT, DELETE
GET, POST
POST
Deployed Environment
Method (*)

11. Documentation
Image Credit: www.renishaw.com

12. API Docs
Image Credit: http://www.commitstrip.com/en/2017/02/20/no-ones-fault/?

13. • Is your friend !
• Single source of truth
• Open API Spec (~ Swagger)
• Generate client-side bindings
• Developer resource
– http://api-explorer.alfresco.com
– https://github.com/Alfresco/rest-
api-explorer
– http://artificats.alfresco.com
• GAV: org.alfresco.api-explorer (5.2.e/5.2.0)
API Explorer

14. Example: Content Services Core API
Activities
Comments
Favorites
Networks
Nodes
People
Preferences
Queries
Ratings
Renditions
Shared-links
Sites
Tags
Trashcan
Versions
Provides access to the core features of Alfresco Content Services
to retrieve, manage and find entities such as:

15. https://community.alfresco.com/docs/DOC-6532-alfresco-52-rest-apis
Alfresco 5.2 REST APIs
• Cheat-sheet
• Links to lots of resources
– Blogs
– Videos
– Presentations
– Bindings
– Sample clients
– Docs

16. • Gavin Cornwell
• Series has 8 parts so far
– more coming soon
– includes Postman collections
Community Blog Post Series
https://community.alfresco.com/community/ecm/blog/2016/10/11/v1-rest-api-part-1-introduction

17. What’s New & Changed ?
Image Credit: H Vonka

18. What’s New
• 56 new endpoints!
– Core API
– Authentication API
– Discovery API
– Search API
• REST Framework enhancements
– return less => fields query parameter
– return more => include query parameter (API specific)
– operations (eg. /copy, /move, /lock, /unlock, /revert, /restore, …)
– @WebApiNoAuth

19. Upload content
curl -utest:test –X POST
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/api/-default-/public/alfresco/versions/1/nodes/-my-/children -F filedata=@test.txt
Download content
curl -utest:test -X GET
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/api/-default-/public/alfresco/versions/1/nodes/99a40be1-268f-4b8e-ab49-866747bbd660/content
Simple Example

20. Core API
…/alfresco/api/-default-/public/alfresco/versions/1/…
• /nodes/{nodeId}
– Navigation
– Content
– Information
– Operations include: Copy, Move, Lock, Unlock
– Associations
• /nodes/{nodeId}/renditions
• /nodes/{nodeId}/versions
– Operations include: Revert

21. Core API
…/alfresco/api/-default-/public/alfresco/versions/1/…
• /deleted-nodes
– Operations: Restore
• /queries
– /nodes
– /people
– /sites
• /shared-links
– public share, unshare, find, …
– expiration (new)

22. Authentication API
…/alfresco/api/-default-/public/authentication/versions/1/…
• /tickets
– Login
– Logout
– Validate

23. Discovery API
…/alfresco/api/…
• /discovery
– Version information
– License information (Enterprise only)
– Status
• isReadOnly
• isQuickSharedEnabled
• …
– Installed modules

24. Search API
…/alfresco/api/-default-/public/search/versions/1/...
• /search
– Low level search API (effectively exposes Java API)
– AFTS, CMIS, Lucene support
– Faceting
– Spellcheck
– Term highlighting
– Search nodes, versions or deleted-nodes

25. Enhanced APIs
…/alfresco/api/-default-/public/alfresco/versions/1/…
• /sites
– Create site (no custom preset support yet)
– Update site details
– Delete site
• /people
– List people (no filtering)
– Create person
– Update person
• Enable/Disable (admin only)

26. Demo
Image Credit: Press Association

27. Postman Collection
• File -> Import -> Import From Link
https://www.getpostman.com/collections/e28cf833734602fb4609

28. Simple File Sharing prototype (using new APIs)
Files & Folders
Upload & Download
Preview
Live Search
Shared Links
Move & Copy
Delete & Undo
….

29. Client Bindings & Example Apps
• Alfresco ADF (Application Development Framework)
– JavaScript client-side
– see: ADF 101 tutorial blogs
– example: HealthCare Demo App
• Java Client SDKs (Early Access)
– see: Java Client blogs
– example: basis for new Android client(s)
• Developer Ecosystem … Partners & Community J

30. What’s Next ?
Image Credit:www.timeout.com

31. Futures
• More Services exposed
– Group Management
– Download as Zip
– …
– Audit ?
– Repository Actions ?
• Other Enhancements
– more REST Framework improvements (eg. batch)
– …
– new features based on your (client-driven) feedback !

32. References
Image Credit: H Vonka

33. References
• Alfresco 5.2 REST APIs (with more links)
https://community.alfresco.com/docs/DOC-6532-alfresco-52-rest-apis
• API Explorer
https://api-explorer.alfresco.com
https://github.com/Alfresco/rest-api-explorer
• Tech Talk Live #102
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpSksoy-zkk

34. Thank You
Jan Vonka
https://www.slideshare.net/jvonka