BeeCon 2016 (Brussels) For an update, please see: https://www.slideshare.net/jvonka/exciting-new-alfresco-apis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jR2PV5w1O4 http://beecon.buzz/2016/talks/?id=20160401001 Alfresco Repository comes with a great REST API but some of these API's can be difficult to navigate and use. Alfresco will show us about the future of REST API's, where the market is moving and how we are embracing this future at Alfresco. Come and see how straightforward it will soon be to manage files, folders, custom node types, shared links and much more. The future is closer than you think ! ---- Alfresco V1 REST APIs - new capabilities to get & manage nodes (files, folders & custom metadata), associations, versioning, locks, shared links, trashcan, sites, queries, people, search, discovery, auth ... etc. These are in addition to existing capabilities to manage tags, comments, favorites, activities & site memberships. For more details, please see: - https://github.com/Alfresco/rest-api-explorer/blob/community-head/src/main/webapp/definitions Update 19/Jan/17 Community 201701 GA https://community.alfresco.com/docs/DOC-6587-alfresco-community-edition-201701-ga-release-notes Update 16/Dec/16 Community 201612 GA Update 18/Nov/16 Community 201611 EA Update 04/Nov/16 Preview build available in Community Dev Build (476+) Update 13/Sep/16 Community 201609 EA Update 29/Jun/16 Community 201606 EA Update 03/Jun/16 Early preview available in Community Dev Build (444+) Update 18/May/16 Early preview available in Community Dev Build (442+)

1. --
Alfresco REST API of the future
… is closer than you think J
Jan Vonka
Brussels, April 2016

3. Jan Vonka
Alfresco Platform & Repository development
bottom-up,repository,
storage & infrastructure
top-down, public facing APIs
& services
layers & components in-
between ;-)

4. Summary
• Introduction
• REST API of the future
• Present
• Architecture
• Alfresco 4.2 to 5.1
• Alfresco REST API
• Moving forward
• Future ... is closer than you think !
• Quick Demo
• Future Ideas
• Feedback & Questions

5. The information and features presented are
subject to change.
We look forward to collaborating with you to
improve and extend the Alfresco APIs J

6. Introduction
• APIs & Platforms are everywhere & enable ...
– platform & developer ecosystem
– main entry point for “X”aaS
– apps (Web & Mobile - iOS, Android & others)
– integrations
– add-ons into other apps (UI, extensions, ...)
– Internet of Things (IoT)
– ...

7. …/#default#/public/alfresco/versions/1/sites/{id}/members8
8
Scope8 API8Name8 Version8 En@ty8 Rela@onship8Tenant8
Source:8@maGbiehl8
Source:8Adweek8
REST%API%of%the%Future%
Usage8is8exploding8and8standardising8
Consistency8via8Guidelines8and8Framework8
Contract8First8Design8
TTL8Stats8
Start8with8collabora@on8on8defini@on8rather8than8code.8Ref: Gavin Cornwell (January 2016)

8. Ref: Gavin Cornwell (January 2016)
…/#default#/public/alfresco/versions/1/sites/{id}/members8
8
Scope8 API8Name8 Version8 En@ty8 Rela@onship8Tenant8
Consistency8via8Guidelines8and8Framework8
Contract8First8Design8
Cloud8Compa@ble8Extension8Model8
Start8with8collabora@on8on8defini@on8rather8than8code.8
No8access8to8in#process8extension8points.8

9. Present: Alfresco API architecture

10. Present: 4.2 to 5.1
• Public API (4.2, 5.0, 5.1)
• API framework built on top of WebScript engine
• set of internal RESTful guidelines
• consistent URLs, parameters & responses (including HTTP status codes)
• On-Premise and Cloud support
• /alfresco/api/-default-/public/alfresco/versions/1
• api.alfresco.com/{tenant}/public/alfresco/versions/1
• use with CMIS
• New for 5.1
• re-vamped developer documentation
• introduce API explorer (for existing REST APIs)
• V0 endpoints have been deprecated

11. Present: URL structure & entities
…/-default-/public/alfresco/versions/1/sites/{id}/members
Examples of entities & relationships …
• Sites -> Memberships
• People -> Activities, (My) Favorites -> Nodes, Sites
• Nodes -> Comments, Ratings
• Tags
• Workflow
• Networks (Cloud)
Scope API Name Version Entity RelationshipTenant

12. Alfresco REST API – moving forward
ECM BPM
Aikau Client-side SDKs & App Dev Frameworks
3rd party
Apps & Integrations
CMIS Public REST APIs
Share Mobile
iOS, Android
Web Apps Desktop

13. Alfresco REST API – moving forward
• Logical, Consistent, Fully-documented
– extend & improve REST framework & patterns
• Simple + Smart
– easy to consume & more advanced options
– less jumping through flaming hoops ;-)
• Lighter-weight & more performant
– minimum default response
– eg. use “include” to expand, “fields” to restrict
• API contract
– via Open API specification (~ Swagger)
• Major additions to V1
– Incremental => backwards compatible

14. API Explorer - try it out !
• Quick & easy to get started
– https://api-explorer.alfresco.com
• Use your favourite REST/HTTP client
• Coming soon ... possible options to try latest APIs
– Nightly builds (HEAD)
– Community EA or via SDK
– Docker image ?

15. Future … is closer than you think

16. Future … is closer than you think
Nodes
§ Files, Folders & Custom
Renditions
Deleted Nodes
§ Trashcan
Live Search
Shared Links
….
Batching
Content Modeling
Lock/Unlock
§ CheckOut/CheckIn
Async / Push
§ Polling / Long-Polling ?
§ Server-Sent Events ?
§ Web Hooks ?
§ Web Sockets ?
....
Site Mgmt
§ Create & Delete Site
Auth (Ticket)
Nodes Assocs
§ Child & Peer Assocs
More (Live) Search
Versioning
....
Note: subject to change ;-)

17. Quick Demo
Using Postman here … also just as simple with
Curl or any other HTTP/REST client

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

19. Futures Ideas (1)
• Agile API …
– new & improved APIs & services
• based on developer feedback
– API lifecyle
• EA might need to be tweaked
• GA implies backwards compatible !
– Trust
• simple, smart & reliable upgrades
• V2 only if we need to change the core pattern

20. Future Ideas (2)
• Expose more Platform Services
- existing & new
• Batch operations
- Async by default ?
- Optionally Sync w/ timeout ?
• Event Notifications
- Server-Sent Events / Web Hooks / WebSockets
- Event subscription – eg. Policy behviours?
• What else ?
- driven by App scenarios & your solution requirements J

21. Future Ideas (3)
• Client-side SDKs
– Java / Android
• see also an EA example for Activiti (by Jean Marie)
https://github.com/Alfresco/activiti-client-sdk
• uses Retrofit (from Square)
• App Dev Framework
– JavaScript

22. Reference Links
• Alfresco REST API Docs (5.1 initially …)
– http://docs.alfresco.com/5.1/pra/1/topics/pra-welcome.html
• API Explorer (5.1 initially …)
– https://api-explorer.alfresco.com/api-explorer/
• API Specification
– https://github.com/Alfresco/rest-api-explorer
– see also “develop” branch for in-progress api changes
• Tech Talk Live #93
– https://plus.google.com/events/c3155sfr64gbnn3us7fvjv8v90s

23. Feedback & Questions
Feedback (now or later) is very welcome ! Thank You J