Traditional Fat Jar

Normally, everything might be in one folder (fat jar):

• Avoid complexity
  • Setting up another folder as engine need effort
• Convenience
  • Easier to test.
  • Deploy to the cloud
  • Debug
• Microservices
  • Each "logic" part gets its own tiny server.
  • They talk to each other over the internet/network (slow).

Code Logic + Server

• Engine vs. Application

  • Liferay as OS (the Engine)
    • Include Tomcat web server, Liferay core platform, OSGi container.
  • Code as Apps (the Logic)
    • Write project actual logic, themes, and services.

  <aside> 💡

  No need rewrite Windows every time you install a new app; just plug the app into the OS.

  </aside>

• Upgradability

  • If Liferay releases a security patch for the "Engine", just update the engine folder.
  • No need to rebuild or change custom portal code.

• Save Resource, Fast

  • 10 modules talk to each other directly inside the same server's memory (super fast).

• Team Efficiency

  • One team managing the server infrastructure (the Engine).
  • Other teams writing different features (the Logic).

Workflow

[ code folder ]
	    ↓ build
	.jar modules
	    ↓ deploy
[ engine folder ]
	    ↓
runs your portal

Steps

1. Activate the engine (with cert)

   Put the cert into /deploy:
   activation-key-xxx.xml → liferay/deploy/
   
   Engine:
   reads → activates DXP features