Migrating to Liferay 7.4 is not just a technical upgrade—it's a strategic move toward modernizing your digital infrastructure. Liferay 7.4 brings enhanced low-code tools, robust headless APIs, personalized user experiences, and streamlined content delivery, making it a valuable upgrade for businesses running on Liferay 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, or 7.3.
However, a Liferay migration can be complex without proper planning, especially with custom modules, themes, and integrations in place. That’s where professional Liferay migration services help ensure a secure, error-free transition with minimal downtime.
What’s New in Liferay 7.4?
Key Enhancements in Liferay 7.4:
- Liferay Objects: Build and manage custom objects without code
- Low-Code/No-Code Tools: Empower business users to configure applications
- Enhanced Search & Filtering: Elasticsearch 7.x integration
- Improved Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 support
- Headless CMS Enhancements: Stronger RESTful and GraphQL APIs
- Cloud Support & DevOps: Native support for cloud deployments
These enhancements improve development speed, security, and user engagement across your portal.
Liferay 7 to 7.4 Migration: Step-by-Step Guide
Migrating to Liferay 7.4 involves more than just deploying new code. Below is a breakdown of the essential steps to guide your transition:
1. Pre-Migration Planning
Before initiating the migration:
1. Assess Your Current Setup:
- List custom modules, themes, portlets, and third-party integrations
- Identify deprecated APIs and obsolete functionality
2. Set Migration Goals:
- Performance optimization
- UI/UX redesign
- Feature upgrades
3. Create Backups:
- Full backup of database, files, and custom code
- Use Git or another version control system
4. Evaluate Hardware/Hosting Requirements:
- Ensure the infrastructure supports Liferay 7.4
2. Analyze Breaking Changes
Review Liferay’s official documentation to understand breaking changes introduced in 7.4. Key areas include:
- Deprecated taglibs and APIs
- OSGi component lifecycle
- Upgraded versions of AlloyEditor, Elasticsearch, and others
3. Upgrade Development Environment
Update your development tools and dependencies:
- Use the latest Blade CLI version
- Update build.gradle or pom.xml files for custom modules
- Migrate legacy code to use supported APIs
🛠️ Tip: The Upgrade Planner Tool (available via Liferay IDE) helps detect deprecated code and dependencies.
4. Database & Theme Migration
- Run upgrade:execute or upgrade:check to migrate database schemas
- Update themes using the Liferay Theme Generator
- Test all frontend components for responsiveness and accessibility
5. Testing & QA
- Conduct unit, integration, and UI testing
- Validate workflows, asset publishers, and permission structures
- Use both manual and automated testing (e.g., Selenium)
6. Go Live & Monitor
- Deploy the upgraded codebase to the production server
- Monitor logs for errors or exceptions
- Provide user training for updated workflows and UI features
Why Use Professional Liferay Migration Services?
Partnering with certified experts like Aixtor offers:
- End-to-end migration support
- Code refactoring and plugin compatibility
- Zero data loss and minimal downtime
- Post-migration support and performance optimization
Conclusion: Migrate Smarter, Not Harder
Migrating to Liferay 7.4 isn’t just about staying updated—it’s about embracing a smarter, more scalable platform that enables innovation. By planning carefully, understanding architectural changes, and leveraging expert Liferay migration services, you can ensure a successful transition that drives long-term business value.
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