Openfire provides ways to customize application code as well as the Admin console, while maintaining that code in a separate location from the distribution source. The base code and custom code are integrated during the build process.

File Structure

To customize files, create the following file structure in your openfireHome directory (where all the source files are on your filesystem).

custom/
        | - i18n/                    <- Directory to place translation files to be overridden
        | - conf/                    <- Directory to place configuration files to be overridden
        | - lib/                     <- Directory to place any private or 3rd prty jar files
        | - source/                  <- Directory to place java source files to be overridden
        | - webapp/                  <- Directory to place any web file (image, CSS or jsp)
        

In the custom/conf directory, mirror the contents under the src/conf directory. Any files you place under custom/conf will override the current conf files under conf in the build. For example, to override the openfire.xml config file, you would place a openfire.xml file under the directory custom/conf/.

Any files you place under the custom/lib directory will be placed along side the other jar files under the openfire/lib/ directory. For example, if you require a 3rd party jar file for use with changes you made under custom/source/, you would place the jar file in custom/lib/ and it will be placed in the lib/ in the build.

In the custom/source directory, mirror the contents under the src/java directory. Any files you place under custom/source will override the current source files in the build. For example, to override the class org.jivesoftware.openfire.Channel you would place a Channel.java file under the directory custom/source/org/jivesoftware/openfire/.

In the custom/webapp directory, mirror the contents of the src/web directory. Any files you place there will override the current source files in the build. For example, if you want to modify src/web/login.jsp then add login.jsp to the directory custom/webapp.

In the custom/resources/jar directory, mirror the contents of the src/resources/jar directory. Any files you place there will override the current source files in the build. These files will be placed in the root of the generated Openfire.jar file.

In the custom/resources/nativeAuth directory, mirror the contents of the src/resources/nativeAuth directory. Any files you place there will override the current source files in the build.

Currently, overridden files will simply be included in the built war or jar files. We have not added functionality to bundle these changes in a separate jar file.

The texts that are used in the administration panel (as well as some other texts) are taken from various translation files under the src/i18n directory. To customize such a file, a file by the same name can be added in the custom/i18n directory. The build process will merge both files, which you to add your own properties, as well as override existing properties, without the need to copy all properties that aren't of interest to you.

Build

Simply build the application as normal. You may need to run the ant clean task for your changes to be picked up.