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Modernizing Liferay: Moving from Plugins SDK to Client Extensions

by | Oct 17, 2025 | Blog, Digital Experience, Liferay DXP

Modernizing Liferay- Moving from Plugins SDK to Client Extensions

SUMMARY:

Liferay DXP has decisively moved away from the fragile, monolithic Plugins SDK architecture by adopting Client Extensions, providing developers with a modern, decoupled, and API-driven framework to safely customize the platform for cloud-native, continuous delivery environments.

  • Decoupling Customizations: Client Extensions are lightweight, externally deployed components that interact with Liferay through APIs, eliminating the tight coupling and system disruption risks associated with traditional Plugins SDK WAR file deployments.
  • Simplified Upgrades: Since custom logic is isolated and decoupled from the Liferay core platform, Client Extensions make upgrades dramatically easier and quicker by avoiding heavy dependencies on Liferay internals.
  • Modern Development Stacks: The shift embraces contemporary development stacks, allowing frontend developers to utilize technologies like React, Vue, and Node.js for extending Liferay without needing deep Java or OSGi knowledge.
  • Enterprise Scalability: Client Extensions align perfectly with enterprise DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and containerized environments like Docker or Kubernetes, ensuring they are suitable for mission-critical, high-availability, and horizontally scalable deployments.

Ultimately, embracing Client Extensions is key to future-proofing the digital experience strategy, transforming Liferay development into a cloud-first, continuous innovation model that the legacy Plugins SDK could not sustain.

Table of contents

From Legacy Plugins to Modern Client Extensions

For more than a decade, Liferay developers relied on the Plugins SDK to build and manage platform customizations. Portlets, hooks, themes, and even Ext plugins all lived inside large WAR deployments that had to be packaged and redeployed into the platform. This architecture worked well enough in the early 2000s, but as enterprise projects grew in scale and complexity — and as businesses demanded faster, continuous delivery — the traditional model began to show its age.

Deployments became fragile; a slight change in a hook could take down the entire portal. Upgrades were time-consuming, often requiring weeks of regression testing to ensure stability and reliability. With the rise of cloud-native infrastructure and DevOps automation, monolithic deployment models are no longer aligned with the agility that modern teams require.

Starting with Liferay DXP 7.4 and continuing to the present day, the platform’s development strategy has shifted decisively toward modular, OSGi-based architectures and the emerging Client Extensions framework. These approaches provide the flexibility, scalability, and cloud compatibility that the legacy Plugins SDK can no longer deliver.

The Plugins SDK is effectively obsolete – not through a formal deprecation notice, but because the Liferay ecosystem itself has evolved beyond it. Over the past decade, Liferay has transformed from a traditional portal system into a cloud-native Digital Experience Platform (DXP) designed for composable, API-driven, and containerized environments.

In this modern landscape, Client Extensions have become the default method for extending and customizing Liferay. They replace the tight coupling and redeployment challenges of the old SDK with a decoupled, upgrade-safe, and DevOps-friendly approach. This shift isn’t just about technology – it’s about aligning Liferay with the way enterprises now build, deploy, and evolve digital experiences.

What Are Liferay Client Extensions? The Next Generation of Platform Customization

Liferay Client Extensions are the modern way to extend and customize Liferay DXP without deploying traditional WAR files or modifying the core platform. Introduced as part of Liferay 7.4, Client Extensions represent a major architectural shift toward cloud-native, decoupled, and upgrade-friendly development.

In essence, a Client Extension is a lightweight, externally deployed component that interacts with Liferay through APIs, remote endpoints, or frontend assets – rather than being packaged inside the Liferay server itself. This approach enables developers to extend Liferay safely, utilizing modern technologies such as React, Node.js, or RESTful microservices, while maintaining the platform’s modular integrity.

A Decoupled Model for Modern Development

In older Liferay versions, any customization — whether a theme, hook, or portlet — required deep integration with the platform. These were packaged as WAR files via the Plugins SDK, deployed directly into the Liferay runtime, and managed alongside the core server. This meant every change carried risk: redeployments could disrupt the system, and upgrades often broke existing customizations.

Client Extensions eliminate that fragility by decoupling custom logic from the platform’s core runtime. Instead of modifying Liferay directly, developers register and configure extensions that communicate through remote APIs, configuration files, or static resources hosted outside the container. This separation not only simplifies deployment but also enhances scalability, maintainability, and security.

Types of Liferay Client Extensions

Liferay currently supports several extension types, each designed for a specific layer of the DXP:

  • Frontend Client Extensions – Enable the integration of custom JavaScript, CSS, or UI components (often built with React, Vue, or vanilla JS) into Liferay’s frontend experience. These can include theme contributions, custom UI elements, or navigation enhancements.
  • Configuration and Object Client Extensions – Allow developers to define and manage dynamic configurations or extend Liferay Objects and applications via YAML or JSON descriptors – perfect for customizing business logic without direct code deployment.
  • Remote Apps (Custom Elements) – Let you host standalone applications outside Liferay (for example, in Node.js or a container) and surface them seamlessly within the DXP UI. Remote Apps integrate through secure REST endpoints and Liferay’s authentication mechanisms.
  • Theme and Style Extensions – Modernize the classic theme development model by enabling lightweight styling and branding updates without requiring redeployment of the WAR file.

Each Client Extension type is deployed independently, often through Liferay Workspace or Liferay Cloud, and can be versioned, tested, and rolled back individually. This aligns perfectly with CI/CD pipelines and containerized environments, such as Docker or Kubernetes.

Why Client Extensions Are the Future of Liferay Development

The difference between Liferay’s legacy Plugins SDK and modern Client Extensions is more than just technical – it represents a complete shift in how organizations build, deploy, and scale their digital experiences.

For years, the Plugins SDK defined how developers extended Liferay. It was a Java-centric, XML-driven model where customizations — portlets, hooks, and themes — were tightly coupled to the platform. Every change required a complete rebuild and redeploy of the Liferay WAR, making updates fragile and time-consuming. This model worked in the early days of on-premise deployments, but in an era dominated by cloud-native infrastructure, microservices, and continuous delivery, it’s no longer sustainable.

Client Extensions turn that model on its head. Instead of embedding custom code within the core platform, extensions are deployed externally, independently of Liferay’s runtime, and interact through APIs, configuration files, or frontend assets. This decoupled approach means that a single customization no longer risks breaking the entire system, and upgrades become far easier since the platform and custom code evolve separately.

From a developer experience perspective, the shift is equally transformative. While the Plugins SDK assumed a Java-heavy skill set, Client Extensions embrace modern development stacks like React, Vue, Angular, Groovy, and Node.js, empowering frontend developers to contribute without deep Java or OSGi knowledge. They integrate naturally with CI/CD pipelines, allowing teams to automate deployment and rollback processes in ways that were never possible with monolithic WARs.

By 2026, Client Extensions will have become the standard model for Liferay customization — not because of a forced migration, but because the advantages are too compelling to ignore. They enable organizations to:

  • Adopt microservices and modular architectures instead of traditional monolithic architectures.
  • Deploy continuously without downtime or complete platform redeploys.
  • Isolate custom logic from core APIs to reduce upgrade complexity.
  • Develop with modern frontend frameworks and RESTful integrations.
  • Leverage Liferay DXP Cloud and containerized deployments for scalability and speed.

Ultimately, Client Extensions are not just a new development pattern – they represent a cultural shift in how Liferay is extended and maintained. They align perfectly with today’s cloud-first, DevOps-driven enterprise environments, empowering teams to move faster, integrate smarter, and innovate continuously without the friction of legacy deployment models.

Migrating from the Plugins SDK to Client Extensions: A Modernization Strategy

For organizations that have spent years building on the Liferay Plugins SDK, moving to Client Extensions is often presented as a clear path to modernization — audit your existing plugins, plan your migration, and steadily evolve toward a more modular future. In theory, that’s a sound approach, and it’s entirely possible to execute it successfully with the proper structure and leadership in place.

In practice, most organizations quickly discover that this kind of transition isn’t just about new frameworks or deployment models — it’s about new skills, new workflows, new features, new functionality, and new ways of thinking. Developers who have spent years working with Java-based portlets and hooks must now become comfortable with technologies such as React, REST APIs, and cloud-native toolchains. The learning curve can be significant, and the biggest challenge often isn’t the technology itself but the knowledge gaps that surface along the way.

This is where having an experienced Liferay partner can make a measurable difference. A team like XTIVIA, with hands-on experience in both legacy Liferay architectures and modern DXP deployments, can help you plan your migration realistically, avoid common pitfalls, mentor your developers through the shift in skills and mindset, and assist you in retooling your CI/CD pipeline.

Why a “Big Bang” Migration Can Be the Best Move Forward

While many teams choose to migrate incrementally, a comprehensive “big bang” migration to Liferay Client Extensions can often be the more innovative and more strategic path forward – especially for organizations ready to modernize both their technology stack and their digital experience strategy.

A large-scale migration offers a rare opportunity to reimagine not just how your platform is built, but how your business operates digitally. When approached thoughtfully, it becomes far more than a technical refactor — it’s a digital transformation initiative that can unify IT, marketing, and customer experience teams under a shared vision for modernization.

A “big bang” transition enables your organization to:

  • Re-tool and skill up your teams for the modern Liferay ecosystem. Developers can learn Client Extensions, React, and API-first design, while operations teams can adopt containerization and CI/CD pipelines that align with cloud-native best practices.
  • Modernize your core web infrastructure in one unified effort, replacing fragmented legacy systems with a cohesive, scalable, and future-ready DXP foundation.
  • Rebrand and refresh your digital experience. Many organizations pair their migration with a visual redesign – updating themes, improving navigation, and creating new opportunities for marketing to showcase a modernized brand identity.
  • Address long-standing customer pain points. A platform overhaul provides the perfect opportunity to incorporate customer feedback, fix UX bottlenecks, and deliver the type of frictionless experience today’s users expect.
  • Simplify future upgrades. Once the transition is complete, you’re positioned to benefit from Liferay’s decoupled architecture – enabling faster innovation, seamless upgrades, and more reliable deployments going forward.

In other words, a well-planned “big bang” migration isn’t just about moving from the Plugins SDK to Client Extensions – it’s about future-proofing your digital foundation. It’s a moment to align technology with business vision, energize your teams with new capabilities, and launch a digital experience platform that can evolve as fast as your business does.

With the right expertise and governance, and with a partner experienced in complex Liferay transformations, a large-scale migration can become the catalyst for a new era of agility, innovation, and growth.

Key Takeaways: The Evolution from Plugins SDK to Client Extensions

Liferay’s move from the Plugins SDK to Client Extensions represents far more than a tooling update – it’s a shift in philosophy. It reflects the evolution of Liferay from a traditional portal framework into a cloud-native, composable Digital Experience Platform (DXP) built for speed, agility, and scalability.

The Plugins SDK served its purpose in a time when deployment cycles were slow, monolithic architectures were the norm, and Java-heavy teams dominated enterprise development. But that era is over. Today’s digital leaders need to deliver continuous innovation, integrate seamlessly with modern frontend frameworks, and scale across distributed, cloud-based environments.

Client Extensions deliver exactly that – a decoupled, API-driven model that empowers teams to extend Liferay without being locked into its deployment lifecycle. They bring the freedom to innovate rapidly, the flexibility to utilize modern technologies, and the stability to upgrade with confidence.

For organizations ready to modernize, the path forward is clear:

  • The Plugins SDK defined the past.
  • OSGi modules bridged the transition.
  • Client Extensions define the future.

And with Liferay DXP 7.4 and beyond, that future is already here.

Whether your goal is to modernize infrastructure, streamline deployments, or deliver richer digital experiences, embracing Client Extensions is the key to unlocking the next generation of Liferay development.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Client Extensions allow me to run my site without a traditional Liferay theme?

Yes – that’s one of their biggest strengths. Client Extensions make it possible to run Liferay without a traditional Theme WAR in most cases. You can use Style Book definitions, CSS/JS Client Extensions, or even Remote Apps to control layout, design, and behavior. Many organizations are now building headless or decoupled experiences using Liferay purely as a content and identity platform. At the same time, the frontend is managed through React, Angular, or Vue-based Client Extensions.

Can developers create and run Client Extensions apps without a running instance of Liferay?

Absolutely. Developers can build, test, and run Client Extensions independently of a Liferay instance. Because they are decoupled and often hosted externally, you can develop using standard web tooling (Node.js, npm, Vite, etc.) and connect to Liferay via REST APIs or mock services. Once ready, you register the extension with Liferay using a simple YAML descriptor. This approach drastically reduces local setup time and improves developer productivity.

Will we see performance improvements when we move to Client Extensions?

Yes, we often see significant performance improvements when customers migrate to Client Extensions. The Liferay DXP platform itself is highly performant and optimized. Deploying custom code is typically where performance issues start to occur. By moving applications to UI frameworks like React and separating the service logic from Liferay’s JVM and servlet container, Client Extensions reduce server load, speed up deployments, and improve scalability. External hosting through CDNs or cloud infrastructure also enhances global content delivery. Additionally, since you’re no longer redeploying WARs, downtime and startup overhead are virtually eliminated.

How do Client Extensions affect upgrades and maintenance?

Client Extensions make upgrades dramatically easier. Since they’re deployed externally and communicate with Liferay through APIs, they’re insulated from most core platform changes. Upgrading from one Liferay version to another is often much quicker, as it avoids the heavy dependencies on Liferay internals. This isolation reduces regression testing and accelerates upgrade cycles – a major cost-saving factor for enterprises managing large DXP environments.

Are Client Extensions suitable for mission-critical, enterprise-scale deployments?

Yes. In fact, this is where Client Extensions shine. They align with enterprise DevOps practices, including CI/CD, version control, observability, and containerization, making them ideal for mission-critical applications. Properly configured, Client Extensions can run in high-availability environments, scale horizontally, and integrate seamlessly with enterprise systems through APIs and SSO.

Final Thoughts

The transition from the Plugins SDK to Client Extensions isn’t just about modernization – it’s about future-proofing your digital experience strategy. With Client Extensions, Liferay has embraced the same architectural principles that power modern cloud platforms: decoupling, composability, and continuous innovation.

For organizations ready to modernize, now is the time to plan that transformation. Whether you choose a phased approach or a full “big bang” migration, XTIVIA can help design, implement, and optimize a Client Extension strategy that aligns with your business goals and technical roadmap.

To understand how XTIVIA can help you adapt to a composable architecture using Liferay, please engage with us via comments on this blog post, or contact us at http://www.xtivia.com/contact/ or [email protected]. Our experts can guide you through planning, implementation, and long-term success using Liferay DXP as a core component of your digital experience strategy.