Part 2. Writing applications on Liferay’s platform

Now we get to the fun stuff. In part 2, you’ll learn about using Liferay’s platform and APIs to write portlets that do pretty much anything you want.

Chapter 3 starts with the data layer. You’ll learn how to use Liferay’s Service Builder tool to create tables, SQL, and the service layer from a single XML file. You’ll also customize a generated DAO layer to create functional services.

In chapter 4, you’ll use Alloy UI tag libraries to build an interactive, formbased application that allows users to interact with your data. This application will be fully internationalized and integrated with Liferay’s permissions system.

Chapter 5 introduces Liferay themes, which let you customize the way Liferay looks so you can match your web site’s design. You’ll also learn about layout templates.

In chapter 6, you’ll learn how to use Liferay’s Social API to connect users. You can publish data from your applications as social activities and integrate Liferay applications with social networks like Facebook.

Collaboration is the focus of chapter 7. You’ll learn how to use Liferay’s assets, workflow, tags, categories, ratings, and discussions to create applications that foster collaboration.

When you’ve completed reading part 2, you’ll be a seasoned Liferay application developer, ready to use Liferay’s platform effectively to create modern, robust web applications.