WebEngine is a framework for building RESTful web applications on the Nuxeo platform using JAX-RS. It provides an object model with web modules, objects, and adapters to expose Java objects as web resources. Templates are used to generate client responses and Groovy scripting is supported throughout the framework. The goal is rapid development of content-oriented web applications and services.

1. Nuxeo WebEngine
a practical introduction
Bogdan Stefanescu |

2. Overview
● What is WebEngine?
● Architecture
● JAX-RS
● Object Model
● Scripting
● Templates

3. Overview
● Examples
● Creating a JAX-RS resource
● Creating a Web Module
● Working with Web Objects
● Working with Web Adapters
● Managing Links
● Internationalization

4. WebEngine – What Is?
A framework to build RESTful Web Applications
on top of the Nuxeo Platform. Goals:
● Rapid development of Web Applications: intuitive
and extensible model, scripting, fast startup time,
hot reload etc.
● An unique platform to develop all kind of content
oriented Web Applications including
– Content oriented Web sites.
– REST services for Nuxeo Platform.
– Rich front ends based on AJAX frameworks like GWT.
● Pleasant coding experience
● Light packaging

5. WebEngine - Features
● Powerful Object Model built on top of JAX-RS.
● Full Groovy Scripting support.
● Powerful template engine based on Freemarker
● Content Management through Nuxeo Platform
● Packaged in several flavors:
● Standalone server with GlassFish v3 embedded
● Standalone server with Jetty embedded
● Tomcat Web Application
● Nuxeo EP plug-ins

6. Architecture - JAX-RS
● WebEngine model is based on JAX-RS
standard.
● JAX-RS is a Java API to build RESTful Web
Services.
● JAX-RS is exposing Java objects as Web
resources. Binging objects to Web resources is
done by using Java annotations.
● HTTP requests will be resolved to JAX-RS
resources that will be manipulated using
common HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT,
DELETE, HEAD.

7. Architecture – Object Model
● Why an Object Model on top of JAX-RS?
● Provides a coherent model to build modular
applications.
● An Web Application is deployed as an Web Module.
● Web Modules can extend other Web Modules.
● Web Modules are bound to a fixed Web path and
provides access to Web Resources defined inside
the module or in extended modules.
● Web Resources are extensible and can be shared
between modules.

8. Architecture – Object Model
● Why an Object Model on top of JAX-RS?
● Provides a coherent model to expose Java
Objects as Web Resources.
● Web Module Entry Point – the root resource that is
the entry point for any request on the module. It is
explicitly bound to a Web path using @Path
annotation.
● Web Objects – sub-resources that are exposing
concrete functionality.
● Web Adapters – sub-resources that enable to easily
extends existing Web Objects.

9. Architecture – Web Modules
● An Web Module is defining:
● Web Resources and templates to expose.
● Static and i18n resources (CSS, PNG etc)
● An Web Path under which the module
resources can be found
● A JAX-RS root resource – which will usually
dispatch any request to sub-resources like Web
Objects and Web Adapters
● Inherited Web Modules

10. Architecture – Web Objects
● Web Objects are JAX-RS resources that
expose concrete objects to the Web.
● Web Objects have a type and a set of optional
facets.
● Web Object types can be derived to create new
types that inherit behaviors from the super type.
● Facets describes the Web Object behaviors.
● Web Objects may define views using template
files.

11. Architecture – Web Adapters
● Web Adapters are JAX-RS resources that can
be used to expose additional functionalities
on existing Web Objects.
● Is a specialized Web Object and have a type
and optional facets like any other Web Object.
● Can be restricted to adapt only specific Web
Objects by using filters based on target Web
Object type and facets.
● Are invoked using a @ prefix
● Example: GET /my/doc/@versions

12. Architecture – Documents
● WebEngine is providing built-in support to
expose Nuxeo Documents as Web Objects.
● Document Types are mapped to Web Objects
by respecting the document type hierarchy.
● Provides a generic Document Object that will catch
any document type which is not explicitly exposed.
● Document types and facets are transparently
mapped as Web Object type and facets.
● Several Web Adapters are provided: Versioning
Adapter, Lock Adapter, Relations Adapter etc.

13. Architecture – Scripting
● Built-in Groovy scripting.
● Any Web Resource can be defined as a Groovy
object.
● Java and Groovy share the same Class Path.
● One can build mixed Web Modules with both
Groovy and Java objects.
● A Groovy object may call or extend any Java object
and vice-versa.
● Hot reload of Groovy classes in debug mode.

14. Architecture - Templates
● The template engine is building client
responses using template files.
● Based on Freemarker engine.
● Custom extensions to add dynamic blocks, Wiki
rendering etc.
● Dynamic Blocks are used to create extensible
templates.
● Templates that define dynamic blocks may e
extended by other templates that may redefine any
block.

15. Examples – JAX-RS

16. Examples – Web Module

17. Examples – Web Object

18. Examples – Web Adapter

19. Examples – Templates

20. Examples – Links

21. Examples – Internationalization

22. Thank you!