Open source offers support in every layer of the architecture.

• Portal frameworks bundle and present a consistent stream of content while adding general technical services (login, navigation, etc.).
• The business logic is offered by a variety of applications such as the aforementioned CRM components, but also eCommerce, web content management and selected elements from the existing infrastructure.
• The functions and information of the application components are orchestrated and integrated to present a consistent and reliable view on the application and its business information.

Internet portal frameworks offer the technical framework to efficiently manage the aggregation and delivery of services and content to the online user. The portal framework implements a number of content-independent functions such as rendering/presentation, searching and sitemaps, navigation, authentication and authorization, personalization, etc.



Not all portal-related functions are pre-integrated within a single portal framework, but the open source world offers several products that solve individual functions for you. Some relevant examples are given in the table below.

A number of open source application development frameworks have emerged, making application development substantially more effective. Some relevant examples are given in the table below.


The topic of application integration is a key component of most CRM solutions, with a wide variety of concepts and products involved. Service oriented architectures are addressing this complexity. The white paper "Service Oriented Architecture and Open Source Solutions"  addresses this topic in great detail, also discussing the most interesting open source offerings in this field.