Content connector

The content you manage in Magnolia is typically stored in the JCR repository, but it doesn't have to be. A content connector defines where the content resides. With a content connector you can decouple content management from content storage. You can store content in a database, cloud storage or a Web service. You can create a connector that lets authors choose image assets from Flickr, for example. Authors benefit as they can manage all content in familiar Magnolia content apps. They don't have to leave Magnolia just because the content resides somewhere else.

Implementing a content connector

In technical terms, a content connector is a bridge to a data source. It allows you to access content outside the JCR repository.

The ContentConnector interface defines APIs that map arbitrary objects to three representations:

1. A unique identifier known as itemId.
2. A Vaadin Item that you can use in a detail form, for example.
3. A unique String representation that the content app uses as a location fragment.

A content app does not fetch data directly from the content connector but from a Vaadin Container. In your content app you need to also provide content views (tree, list) that work with the container. These views and their presenter classes are configured in the workbench definition.

If required, you can inject your own content connector in the constructor of your class. Content connector has its own provider: info.magnolia.ui.contentapp.contentconnector.ContentConnectorProvider. The provider creates one instance of a connector per subapp by default.

The Content app with non-JCR content tutorial explains how to implement a non-JCR content app, including a custom content connector.

Content connector definition

A connector definition specifies the data source. In case of a JCR connector, the definition requires you to specify a workspace and a path in that workspace. Each content app subapp must provide its own content connector definition. If you implement your own connector, extend info.magnolia.ui.vaadin.integration.contentconnector.ContentConnectorDefinition.

subapps:
  browser:
    contentConnector:
      class: info.magnolia.ui.vaadin.integration.contentconnector.JcrContentConnectorDefinition
      implementationClass: info.magnolia.ui.vaadin.integration.contentconnector.JcrContentConnector

Properties:

Example: JCR content connector

JCR content apps have at least two subapps. A browser subapp displays items and a detail subapp edits them. Both subapps need their own connector definition.

browser subapp

A JCR content connector definition introduces properties that identify a JCR workspace as a data source. It also defines the node types to operate on.

subapps:
  browser:
    contentConnector:
      defaultOrder: jcrName
      includeProperties: false
      rootPath: /
      workspace: contacts
      nodeTypes: 
        - name: mgnl:contact  
          icon: icon-user-public        

Properties:

detail subapp

The connect definition for a detail subapp is much simpler. You only need to define the workspace.  

subapps:
  detail:
    contentConnector:
      workspace: contacts

Example: non-JCR content connector

This is an example content connector definition for a content app that manages files on the local file system. This is a simplified example.

subApps:
  browser:
    contentConnector:
      class: info.magnolia.filesystembrowser.app.contentconnector.FSContentConnectorDefinition
      rootFolder: /Users/jsmith/Documents/magnolia

Credits:

• Database icon by Anton Outkine from The Noun Project
• Cloud icon by Edward Boatman from The Noun Project