These documents provide an overview of the technologies and skills
that are required to use WebSphere Portal.
Java and related technologies
Resources for Java newcomers (Sun site)
(Web site)
The Programming Center at java.sun.com is a portal for developers
who are new to the Java programming language and technologies
Basic Java programming concepts (Sun site)
(Web site)
Another resource for Java newcomers is the Java Tutorial. It contains
hundreds of exercises in a variety of subject areas.
Before you can create portlets, you must prepare your development
environment by installing WebSphere Portal. You can perform a standard production
installation of one of the WebSphere Portal for Multiplatforms offerings,
or you can perform a customized development installation for use with the
Portal Toolkit.
Installing for development
(Information center)
Portal Toolkit Version 5.0 allows you to set up a portlet development
environment by plugging in to WebSphere Studio.
Quick Start for Installing WebSphere Portal V5 and the Portlet Development Environment
(Article)
Get a jumpstart to installing IBM WebSphere Portal V5.0 with IBM
DB2 V8.1 and extended security, using an LDAP directory, IBM Directory Server
V5.1, on a single Windows node. See also how to set up a portlet development
environment by installing and configuring WebSphere Studio Application Developer
5.0.
Just as migration from one version of WebSphere Portal to another
can require special attention, there are also considerations you must take
into account when migrating portlets and portlet applications for use with
a different version of WebSphere Portal.
Migrating from the V4.2 Composition Model API to the V5.0 Object Model
(Whitepaper)
Accessible by entitled customers only. Describes how to migrate
existing code that uses the Composition Model API in WebSphere Portal 4.2.
to the WebSphere PortalV5.0 object model that applies to more resources than
just navigation.
To create a truly customized portal experience, you can create
your own portlets and portlet applications. The resources in this section
explain the various aspects of portlet development, including such topics
as how to use the Portlet API, how to incorporate the security features of
WebSphere Portal into your portlets, and how to take advantage of advanced
function like Click-to-Action.
IBM Portlet API (pre-JSR 168)
(Information center)
Information center topic that describes the Portal API (including the pre-JSR168 portlet API), which provides
standard interfaces for portal function.
Portlet development basics
(Information center)
Information center topic that introduces you to the concepts of
portlet creation, starting with a simple portlet that is modified throughout.
Best practices: IBM Portlet API
(Article)
This document is a collection of best practices for portlet development,
divided into major categories. It is intended to be used as coding guidelines
for designing and developing portlets with WebSphere Portal.
JSP tag reference
(Information center)
Information center topic that explains the tags used with portlet
and portal JSPs.
Comparing the JSR 168 Java Portlet Specification with the IBM Portlet API
(Article)
This article details similarities and differences between the Java
Standardization Request for the Java Portlet Specification (hereafter called
JSR 168) and the IBM Portlet API supported by WebSphere Portal Version 5.0.
It explains the basic concepts and features of JSR 168, compares them to the
IBM Portlet API, and provides an example portlet of each of the two portlet
programming interfaces.
Collaborative Components API
(Information center)
Information center topic describing Lotus Collaborative Components,
which provides Java API methods and tags for Java Server Pages (JSPs) for
extending the functionality of Lotus advanced collaboration in portlets. Application
developers using Collaborative Components can design and implement functional
extensions in portlets that incorporate the features of Domino and Notes,
Lotus QuickPlace, Lotus Sametime, and Lotus Discovery Server.
IBM WebSphere Portal V5 A Guide for Portlet Application Development
(Redbook)
In this redbook, you will find step-by-step examples and scenarios
showing ways to integrate your enterprise applications into a WebSphere Portal
environment using the WebSphere Portal APIs provided by the Portal Toolkit
to develop portlets as well as extend your portlet capabilities to use other
advanced functions such as cooperative portlets, national language support,
action events, portlet messaging, Credential Vault, Web Services and portlet
debugging capabilities.
IBM WebSphere Portal Catalog
(Download site)
To add function to your portal, you can download additional portlets
from the IBM WebSphere Portal Catalog. The catalog contains portlets created
by IBM and IBM partners.
Cooperative portlets
Cooperative portlets
(Information center)
Information center topic describing how to develop cooperative
portlets, which refers to the capability of portlets on a page to interact
with each other by sharing information.
Using Cooperative Portlets in WebSphere Portal V5
(Article)
With cooperative portlets, you can coordinate the behavior of multiple
portlets in a seamless fashion. This extension to the Click-to-Action technology
introduced in WebSphere Portal V4, adds a persistent connection, called a
wire, between portlets. Property transfers can occur as a side-effect of user
interactions with a source portlet, so that users no longer have to explicitly
pick an action on the target from a menu.
Struts
Struts Portlet Framework
(Information center)
Struts is a popular open source project for implementing Web applications
using a Model-View-Controller design pattern. This document introduces the
Struts Portlet Framework, which adds support for writing Struts applications
that can be deployed in WebSphere Portal.
Developing and Deploying a Struts Application as a WebSphere Portal V5 Portlet
(Article)
This article describes and illustrates how to use the Jakarta Struts
Framework, which is incorporated into the IBM Struts Portlet Framework, to
develop and deploy an application as a portlet that runs under WebSphere Portal
V5.
Extending the State Pattern for Multi-Portlet Applications
(Article)
This article describes how to extend the state pattern to multi-portlet
applications and provides techniques to effectively design these applications.
It then shows how to implement multi-portlet applications and provides an
implementation example for WebSphere Portal V5.
A Portal Composite Pattern Using WebSphere Portal V5
(Redbook)
The Patterns for e-business are a group of proven, reusable assets
that can speed the process of developing applications. The Portal composite
pattern combines Business and Integration patterns to help implement a portal
solution.
Depending on the offering of WebSphere Portal that you are using,
there could be a number of different components installed. When a problem
occurs, you must determine the scope of the problem and which components are
involved. To help you do this, the resources in this section provide information
on troubleshooting problems with WebSphere Studio and its components.
Getting Started with the Portal Toolkit Java Debugger for WebSphere Studio V5.01
(Article)
This article shows portlet programmers how to install, configure,
and start using IBM's Java source debugger, a component of the Portal Toolkit,
for portlet development. You see how to install it into IBM WebSphere Studio
Site Developer; you could also choose to install it into WebSphere Studio
Application Developer.
System event logging (Multiplatforms)
(Information center)
Information center topic that describes the system event logging
facility of WebSphere Portalm which enables the recording of information about
the operation of the portal.
Using logs (Multiplatforms)
(Information center)
Information center topic that contains information on using log
files to prevent, identify, and correct problems with WebSphere Portal.
Troubleshooting (Multiplatforms)
(Information center)
Information center topics providing specific troubleshooting advice
for known problems with WebSphere Portal components.
WebSphere Portal for Multiplatforms support page
(Web site)
This site provides access to hints, tips, and other support resources,
such as Technotes, which describe known problems and their solutions.
Although WebSphere Portal incorporates many well known Web technologies,
IBM offers education specifically tailored to WebSphere Portal to help you
develop your own portlets and portal applications.
IBM WebSphere Portal Version 5 Application Development (SW531)
(Classroom course)
This course offers WebSphere Portal application developers the
opportunity for building the skills and knowledge to code robust portlet applications
using WebSphere Studio Application Developer and WebSphere Portal's Portlet
Toolkit.
(Web site)
Find WebSphere Portal Redpapers and Redbooks. Dynamic query finds
new materials as they become available.
WebSphere Portal Library page
(Web site)
Contains all available product documentation, in online, PDF, and
downloadable formats.
