How to Create a Custom Feature Model Project

About this How-To

• Back To: How to Start Sling with the Kickstarter
• Back to the: Feature Model How-To Guide

Prerequisites

In order to follow this how-to you'll need the following on your computer:

• Java 8
• Maven 3
• Bash shell

What's the Sling Feature Model

The Sling Feature Model provides a robust approach for configuring and assembling OSGi-based applications. Here are some of its high-level capabilities:

• Declarative description of an entire application or part of an application
• Support for aggregating Feature Models into a single Feature Model for simpler packaging and distribution
• Easy application startup through the Feature Launcher or the Kickstarter

What's a Feature Model project

A Feature Model project is a standard Maven project with the following additional features:

• Sling Feature Maven Plugin
• Kickstarter launch profile

Step 1: Create a Sling bundle project

Let's start by creating a simple Sling project using the traditional Maven Sling Bundle Archetype.

$  mvn -X archetype:generate -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.sling -DarchetypeArtifactId=sling-bundle-archetype \
  -DgroupId=org.apache.sling.example \
  -DartifactId=feature-model-sample \
  -Dversion=1.0.0-SNAPSHOT \
  -Dpackage=org.apache.sling.example
$ cd feature-model-sample 

Step 2: Update the POM

Now, let's update the POM and add a few elements to layer on support for Feature Models.

1. Add the following to the <properties> element.

<slingfeature-maven-plugin.version>1.3.4</slingfeature-maven-plugin.version>
<sling-kickstart-maven-plugin.version>0.0.2</sling-kickstart-maven-plugin.version>
<oak.version>1.26.0</oak.version>

2. Add the Sling Feature Maven Plugin under <build> -> <plugins>.

<plugin>
    <groupId>org.apache.sling</groupId>
    <artifactId>slingfeature-maven-plugin</artifactId>
    <version>${slingfeature-maven-plugin.version}</version>
    <extensions>true</extensions>
    <executions>
        <execution>
            <id>create-fm</id>
            <phase>package</phase>
            <goals>
                <goal>include-artifact</goal>
            </goals>
        </execution>
        <execution>
            <id>aggregate-configuration</id>
            <phase>package</phase>
            <goals>
                <goal>aggregate-features</goal>
            </goals>
            <configuration>
                <aggregates>
                    <aggregate>
                        <classifier>feature_model_sample</classifier>
                        <filesInclude>**/*.json</filesInclude>
                        <title>Sling Sample Feature Model</title>
                    </aggregate>
                </aggregates>
            </configuration>
        </execution>
        <execution>
            <id>install-fm</id>
            <phase>package</phase>
            <goals>
                <goal>attach-features</goal>
            </goals>
        </execution>
    </executions>
</plugin>

The Sling Feature Maven Plugin is responsible for creating a Feature Model JSON file for your project. The only pieces that change from project to project are the <classifier> and <title> element values. Set these values to something descriptive for your project. The classifier value will be used as part of the Feature Model JSON filename: target/slingfeature-tmp/feature-classifier.json

3. Add a Maven profile called launch under <project> -> <profiles>.

<profile>
    <id>launch</id>
    <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.sling</groupId>
                <artifactId>sling-kickstart-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>${sling-kickstart-maven-plugin.version}</version>
                <extensions>true</extensions>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <id>start-sling</id>
                        <phase>install</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>start</goal>
                        </goals>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
                <configuration>
                    <launchpadDependency>
                        <groupId>org.apache.sling</groupId>
                        <artifactId>org.apache.sling.kickstart</artifactId>
                        <version>0.0.3-SNAPSHOT</version>
                    </launchpadDependency>
                    <parallelExecution>false</parallelExecution>
                    <keepLaunchpadRunning>true</keepLaunchpadRunning>
                    <servers>
                        <server>
                            <port>8080</port>
                            <controlPort>8081</controlPort>
                            <additionalFeatureFile>
                                target/slingfeature-tmp/feature-feature_model_sample.json
                            </additionalFeatureFile>
                            <debug>true</debug>
                        </server>
                    </servers>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>
</profile>

This profile is responsible for starting your application using the Kickstarter. Simply, set the <additionalFeatureFile> to the file in your target directory that contains your application's Feature Model JSON.

Step 4: Launch your application

$ mvn clean install -Plaunch 

Now, log into Sling and visit the System Console. You should see your bundle (feature-model-sample) listed.

Mission Accomplished

Well, that was fun. We'll revisit this sample project soon, But first, let's see how the Feature Model can help us handle complex application configurations. In the next section, we'll take a look at the Composite NodeStore and how to configure it with the Feature Model.