Last monday I’ve started with my new job as Product Consultant at Hippo. It has been eventful week. I started working with the JCR API/Content Management and Other Hippo Components. Here are some reflections in my understanding during last week:

Previously, I have worked with developing enterprise web applciations which are built and focused around “logic/data/business rules”. But with Hippo the fundamental focus is on “Content” centered web applications. This is rather new area for me and a shift in the paradigm of my development experience. Compared to the “logic-based” application architecture, “content-based” web application architecture needs more abstract thinking and a different approach. It took a couple of days for me reboot my brain and get used to this type of paradigm.

The Hippo CMS is one of the industry leading Open Source Content Management Systems. The latest version of CMS, Hippo CMS is extremely customizable CMS application that you can use to manage the Hippo Repository. The Hippo CMS Application, which is built using Apache Wicket,is plug-in oriented and extensible application. You can write your own Templates/Plug-Ins to customize and extend the functionality of the application to suite your needs.

Hippo Repository is a JackRabbit based Content Management Repository with advanced features like faceted search, workflows etc. Also, to make it easy for you to present the content from the Hippo Repository easily Hippo provides a lightweight framework called Hippo Site Toolkit(HST). Using HST you can develop simple to complex websites within no time.

Now a days, the line between Enterprise Web Application and Enterprise Content Management Systems seems be disappearing quickly. With Hippo Portal, you can integrate the enterprise content and business data into an integrated portal using Portlets.

I’ve just started with CMS and started working on creating content driven websites using Hippo Stack. I’ll post more about the developments in the coming weeks as I progress through my journey.