Extending Alfresco: Architecture and Frameworks to choose

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Hello all,
I'm new in Alfresco world. 😉
My post is in order to stimulate a discussion on the better architecture and frameworks to choose in order to extend both Alfresco Web Client and Alfresco Share.

Detailing, I'm going to develop two complex web applications with custom user interfaces on top of the alfresco repository.
The Alfresco version should be both Alfresco 3.2r and Alfresco 3.3.

For the first one, I need to develop a web application "formed" by Alfresco Web Client functionalities + some other domain specific functionalities (such as statistics, reports, access to external databases, etc.). I think that is not a good idea to customize Alfresco Web Client; it should be better an external web application that incorporates alfresco web client functionalities.

For the second one, I need a web application with all collaboration functionalities offered by Alfresco Share + some customisations
(a very simple example of new functionality is a form based wizard to compile and create a specific document).

I spent some weeks to study the problem and the possible integrations between Alfresco-external web applications,
but now I bit confused. I think that the literature is lacking and only this article (http://ecmarchitect.com/archives/2009/04/20/971) put some order.

Reading this article (and googling also) I concluded:
- for the first web application:
An high level API should be used (e.i. one of them: RaaR, Jibe Framework, Docasu) and, on it, build my functionalities.
- for the second web application, I'm confused :!:  Which of "add Share dashlet", "Spring Surf framework" or "Web Studio" shoud I choose?

I repeat, my questions are about the better architecture to choose.
So, are you agree with my conclusions? Have you got some advices for me?
Do you know some really experiences in developing complex web applications alfresco-based, who I may study?

Thanks in advance

joe_l3

Hello ads,
welcome to alfresco world.
What you say is correct! Alfresco is powerful precisely because it is flexible and portabile! From version 1.2 of the repository, the system configuration has been designed to be extensible and overridable. I have developed some front-end applications that are based on Alfresco. I know very well RAAR …. but unfortunately this framework is still at version 1.11, only compatible with Alfresco 3.0 (see http://wiki.rivetlogic.com/display/RAAR/Compatibility+Matrix). You may encounter compatibility problems due to refactoring of core classes on the new version of Alfresco (3.2r2 and 3.3). Take a look at this link http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Developer_Guide#Extending_the_Alfresco_Web_Client .Here you will find an Alfresco Development Overview.

Bye, joe.l3