Introduction

This chapter provides an overview about the information included in the Development Guide, the intended audience for this guide, and the conventions that are used in this guide.

Preface

About this guide

This guide describes how to develop, administer, and maintain iKnowBase solutions on top of an iKnowBase Content Services installation, as well as best practices for doing so.

• Chapter 2 provides an overview about the information included in the Development Guide, the intended audience for this guide, and the conventions that are used in this guide.
• Chapter 3 provides usage information on the development tools.
• Chapter 4-11 provides an overview of the iKnowBase Content Services. It describes how to build web pages, as well as advanced configuration, integration, and administration features.
• Chapter 12 provides information related to performance in an iKnowBase application.
• Chapter 13 provides an overview of the iKnowBase Process Services.
• Chapter 14-16 provides an overview of user, security, and metadata administration.

Audience

The information in this guide is intended for the iKnowBase developers, administrators, and meta-modelers.

Conventions used in this guide

• Bold text is used for names of user interface elements (such as names of fields, panes, windows, menus, buttons, dialog boxes) and what the user specifically selects, clicks, presses, or types.
• Italic text is used for titles of publications referenced in the text, emphasis (for example, a new term), and variables.
• Note: is used to indicate information that is important, but not hazard-related.

Overview

Development

As an iKnowBase developer you can build solutions using the iKnowBase Content Services and the iKnowBase Process Framework. A wide variety of solutions may be built, from simple web pages which present content to its users to advanced enterprise portals which provide a context-based, structured, and organized framework to integrate information, people, and processes within an organization.

The common tasks of the iKnowBase developer are related to mostly four areas:

• Building solutions, which involves configuration of components and building of pages with portlets
• Advanced configuration
• Integration with other systems
• Administration of the installation

Meta-modeling

Meta-modeling enables you to create a model or a structure for a portal. In iKnowBase, meta-modelers can also create users and user groups, and assign rights to them. These users can create, view, edit, or delete content in the portal. The meta-modelers are also referred to as administrators.

The tasks of the iKnowBase administrator are related mostly two areas:

• User and security administration, where you mange what users should have access to the system, and what permissions they should have.
• Metadata administration, where you manage metadata in the system.

Note: In order to execute the administration tasks, you must be given administrative rights to the system.