CMIS, JCR(-RMI) and the like

[mwildam]

I am really getting headaches with accessing Alfresco from a separate outside application. I need to do basically CRUD things onto documents including update and retrieval of metadata.

Whatever option I look at - for instance at http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Is_JCR-RMI_Right_for_Me%3F (but also many other topics, blog entries and so on) - I can see major drawbacks.

I am used to work with other 3rd-party APIs where I usually face at least one mature API. It seems like the best way would be to choose the Alfresco specific REST API. But in reality looking at CMIS or JCR - there would be APIs that I would be more attractive because of the interoperability between different repositories (not Alfresco). Is it correct that those are not mature yet or missing important features (like full support of aspects for instance)? - That is just my impression now from about 3 or 4 days of evaluation.

[mrogers]

CMIS is the way to go for CRUD access to a content repository.  Failing that use the Alfresco WebScripts.  Failing that use WebServices.

I've edited that wiki page.

[mwildam]

Thank you very much for your response and updating the Wiki.

You write "JCR is being superceded by CMIS" - from what I read both specs are still under development/evolution and JCR offers more "functionality" than CMIS.

The argument that JCR is Java specific and did not get adopted yet (and maybe will never be 😉 ) by Microsoft (most appearently just for the reason being Java 😉 ) is an important one even although I stopped caring about the ignorance of Microsoft. That because Microsoft is (still) most relevant on client related stuff. If Microsoft adopts it, it will survive. From that point of view it seems that CMIS is definitely the better choice. Actually I was not considering that - so thank you very much for pointing that out in the Wiki editing.

[mwildam]

CMIS is the way to go for CRUD access to a content repository.  Failing that use the Alfresco WebScripts.  Failing that use WebServices.

In reality I don't want to mix a thousands of stuff. Am I interpreting right, that the WebServices (I guess you don't mean the CMIS web services here) have the most comprehensive feature-set?

[mwildam]

Just to let the other newcomers know: I decided to go with the remote API from SDK after trying out different stuff and have not been very successful.