Changes for page How to Customize XWiki Without Creating Upgrade Problems

Last modified by Agnease on 2026/05/26 11:00

Manage
- Copy
Actions
- Export
- Print Preview
Viewers
- Source
- Siblings
- Content
- Comments
- Attachments
- History
- Information
- Likes

From 2.1 to 3.1 From 12.4 to 12.5

From version 3.1

edited by Agnease
on 2026/05/18 19:23

Change comment: There is no comment for this version

To version 12.4

edited by Agnease
on 2026/05/26 11:00

Change comment: There is no comment for this version

Raw
Rendered

Summary

Page properties (2 modified, 0 added, 0 removed)
Objects (0 modified, 1 added, 0 removed)
- Agnease.Code.SEODetailsClass[0]

Details

Page properties

Title

@@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
--XWiki custom development
++How to Customize XWiki Without Creating Upgrade Problems

Content

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
          </div>
        </div>
--      <h1 id="hero-title">How to customize XWiki without creating upgrade problems</h1>
++      <h1 id="hero-title">Why XWiki custom development needs structure, documentation and upgrade awareness</h1>
        <p class="resource-summary">
          XWiki can be adapted to complex business needs. The important part is to keep custom work documented,
@@ -23,6 +23,18 @@
    <section class="resource-page">
      <div class="container">
        <div class="resource-layout">
++        <aside class="resource-sidebar" aria-label="Page summary">
++          <h4>In this guide</h4>
++          <ul>
++            <li><a href="#why-customize">Why customize XWiki</a></li>
++            <li><a href="#where-risk-appears">Where risk appears</a></li>
++            <li><a href="#safe-model">Safe model</a></li>
++            <li><a href="#upgrade-validation">Upgrade validation</a></li>
++            <li><a href="#practical-checklist">Checklist</a></li>
++            <li><a href="#strategic-advantage">Strategic advantage</a></li>
++            <li><a href="#custom-development-faq">FAQ</a></li>
++          </ul>
++        </aside>
          <article class="resource-content">
@@ -41,6 +41,20 @@
            <div class="resource-note">
              <p>
++              <strong>In practice:</strong> XWiki custom development should be separated from standard platform pages,
++              documented, kept under source control, tested on staging and reviewed during upgrades. This makes custom
++              features easier to maintain instead of turning them into hidden dependencies.
++            </p>
++          </div>
++
++          <p>
++            XWiki custom development is the process of adapting the platform with custom pages, classes, objects, sheets,
++            templates, scripts, macros, UI extensions, Java components or integrations. The goal is to support real
++            business processes while keeping the instance understandable, maintainable and upgrade-aware.
++          </p>
++
++          <div class="resource-note">
++            <p>
                <strong>The main point:</strong> custom code is not the problem. Uncontrolled custom code is. XWiki can be
                customized safely when changes are separated from standard pages, tracked, documented and tested.
              </p>
@@ -78,6 +78,21 @@
              path.
            </p>
++          <p>
++            Customizations should also be reviewed as part of the wider platform risk model. See
++            <a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-security-review')">what an XWiki security review should actually include</a>
++            for related checks around permissions, authentication, extensions, infrastructure and operational practices.
++          </p>
++
++          <div class="resource-inline-cta">
++            <p>
++              <strong>Unsure how maintainable your XWiki customizations are?</strong>
++              A customization review can help identify hidden scripts, undocumented logic,
++              upgrade risks and features that should be documented, cleaned up or packaged properly.
++            </p>
++            <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="$xwiki.getURL('contact.WebHome')">Request a customization review</a>
++          </div>
++
            <h2 id="safe-model">A safer model for XWiki custom work</h2>
            <h3>1. Keep custom code separate from standard XWiki pages</h3>
@@ -95,11 +95,11 @@
              into a maintainable part of the platform.
            </p>
--          <h3>3. Track important changes in a version control system</h3>
++          <h3>3. Keep custom code under source control</h3>
            <p>
--            Serious custom development should not exist only inside the production wiki. Java code, scripts, XAR packages,
--            deployment files and important templates should be stored in a version control system, such as Git. This gives
--            the team a history of what changed, when it changed and why.
++            Custom development should not exist only inside the production wiki. Java code, scripts, XAR packages,
++            deployment files and templates should be stored in a source control system, such as Git. This gives the team a
++            history of what changed, when it changed and why.
            </p>
            <h3>4. Choose the right implementation level</h3>
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@
              touched.
            </p>
++          <p>
++            For a broader upgrade preparation model, see
++            <a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.why-upgrade-xwiki')">why regular XWiki upgrades matter</a>.
++          </p>
++
            <div class="resource-note">
              <p>
                <strong>A practical rule:</strong> production can receive urgent fixes when necessary, but it should not become
@@ -139,12 +139,26 @@
              </p>
            </div>
--          <h2 id="practical-checklist">A compact checklist</h2>
++          <div class="resource-inline-cta">
++            <p>
++              <strong>Not sure how risky your current XWiki version is?</strong>
++              A short technical review can clarify the upgrade path, extension compatibility,
++              custom code risks and validation needs before production is touched.
++            </p>
++            <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="$xwiki.getURL('contact.WebHome')">Request a quick review</a>
++          </div>
++          <h2 id="practical-checklist">XWiki custom development checklist</h2>
++
++          <p>
++            A maintainable XWiki customization should be easy to locate, explain, test and update. The following checklist
++            can be used as a starting point when reviewing existing custom work or planning a new feature.
++          </p>
++
            <ul class="resource-checklist">
              <li>Separate custom pages, scripts and configuration from standard XWiki content.</li>
              <li>Document the business purpose, technical location and validation steps.</li>
--            <li>Use a version control system, such as Git, for code and important assets.</li>
++            <li>Keep custom code and important assets under source control, for example in Git.</li>
              <li>Test custom features on staging before production upgrades.</li>
              <li>Review old customizations and remove what is no longer used.</li>
            </ul>
@@ -163,6 +163,62 @@
              flexible without becoming fragile.
            </p>
++          <h2 id="custom-development-faq">XWiki custom development FAQ</h2>
++
++          <details class="resource-faq-item" open>
++            <summary>Does custom development make XWiki harder to upgrade?</summary>
++            <p>
++              Not automatically. Custom development becomes harder to upgrade when it is undocumented, mixed with regular
++              content, applied directly in production or missing from the upgrade validation plan. Well-organized custom work
++              can remain maintainable across upgrades.
++            </p>
++          </details>
++
++          <details class="resource-faq-item">
++            <summary>Where should XWiki custom code be stored?</summary>
++            <p>
++              Custom wiki pages, scripts, templates and configuration should usually be kept in dedicated technical spaces.
++              Code and important assets should also be tracked in a source control system, such as Git, so changes are not
++              stored only in the production wiki.
++            </p>
++          </details>
++
++          <details class="resource-faq-item">
++            <summary>When should an XWiki customization become an extension?</summary>
++            <p>
++              Packaging a customization as an extension is useful when the feature becomes complex, reusable, business-critical
++              or shared across multiple instances. Java components, event listeners, scheduled jobs and integrations often
++              benefit from an extension-based approach.
++            </p>
++          </details>
++
++          <details class="resource-faq-item">
++            <summary>What should be tested after an XWiki upgrade?</summary>
++            <p>
++              Besides standard pages, the validation should include custom dashboards, templates, macros, workflows,
++              permissions, notifications, PDF exports, scheduled jobs, integrations and any custom applications used by the
++              organization.
++            </p>
++          </details>
++
++          <details class="resource-faq-item">
++            <summary>Why should configuration be kept outside custom code?</summary>
++            <p>
++              Values such as group names, target spaces, external URLs, email recipients and workflow settings can change over
++              time. Keeping them in configuration pages or preference objects makes custom features easier to adapt without
++              changing the implementation.
++            </p>
++          </details>
++
++          <div class="resource-note">
++            <p>
++              Related resources:
++              <a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-security-review')">what an XWiki security review should actually include</a>
++              and
++              <a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.why-upgrade-xwiki')">why regular XWiki upgrades matter</a>
++            </p>
++          </div>
++
            <div class="resource-cta">
              <h3>Need help reviewing XWiki customizations?</h3>
              <p>
@@ -174,22 +174,58 @@
            </div>
          </article>
--
--        <aside class="resource-sidebar" aria-label="Page summary">
--          <h4>In this guide</h4>
--          <ul>
--            <li><a href="#why-customize">Why customize XWiki</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#where-risk-appears">Where risk appears</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#safe-model">Safe model</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#upgrade-validation">Upgrade validation</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#practical-checklist">Checklist</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#strategic-advantage">Strategic advantage</a></li>
--          </ul>
--        </aside>
--
        </div>
      </div>
    </section>
++  <script type="application/ld+json">
++  {
++    "@context": "https://schema.org",
++    "@type": "FAQPage",
++    "mainEntity": [
++      {
++        "@type": "Question",
++        "name": "Does custom development make XWiki harder to upgrade?",
++        "acceptedAnswer": {
++          "@type": "Answer",
++          "text": "Not automatically. Custom development becomes harder to upgrade when it is undocumented, mixed with regular content, applied directly in production or missing from the upgrade validation plan. Well-organized custom work can remain maintainable across upgrades."
++        }
++      },
++      {
++        "@type": "Question",
++        "name": "Where should XWiki custom code be stored?",
++        "acceptedAnswer": {
++          "@type": "Answer",
++          "text": "Custom wiki pages, scripts, templates and configuration should usually be kept in dedicated technical spaces. Code and important assets should also be tracked in a source control system, such as Git, so changes are not stored only in the production wiki."
++        }
++      },
++      {
++        "@type": "Question",
++        "name": "When should an XWiki customization become an extension?",
++        "acceptedAnswer": {
++          "@type": "Answer",
++          "text": "Packaging a customization as an extension is useful when the feature becomes complex, reusable, business-critical or shared across multiple instances. Java components, event listeners, scheduled jobs and integrations often benefit from an extension-based approach."
++        }
++      },
++      {
++        "@type": "Question",
++        "name": "What should be tested after an XWiki upgrade?",
++        "acceptedAnswer": {
++          "@type": "Answer",
++          "text": "Besides standard pages, the validation should include custom dashboards, templates, macros, workflows, permissions, notifications, PDF exports, scheduled jobs, integrations and any custom applications used by the organization."
++        }
++      },
++      {
++        "@type": "Question",
++        "name": "Why should configuration be kept outside custom code?",
++        "acceptedAnswer": {
++          "@type": "Answer",
++          "text": "Values such as group names, target spaces, external URLs, email recipients and workflow settings can change over time. Keeping them in configuration pages or preference objects makes custom features easier to adapt without changing the implementation."
++        }
++      }
++    ]
++  }
++  </script>
++
  {{/html}}
  {{/velocity}}

Agnease.Code.SEODetailsClass[0]

metaDescription

...	...	@@ -1,0 +1,1 @@
	1	+Learn how to organize XWiki custom development, scripts, extensions and templates so your platform stays easier to maintain, document and upgrade.

metaTitle

...	...	@@ -1,0 +1,1 @@
	1	+How to Customize XWiki Without Creating Upgrade Problems \| Agnease