Unlike previous versions, CAS 5 attempts to automate all required Spring Webflow changes on a per-module basis. In this new model, all one should have to do is to declare the appropriate module in the build script…and viola! CAS will take care of the rest.

If you wish to learn how that is done internally and furthermore, how you may take advantage of the same approach to extend CAS webflows and introduce your own, this is the right post for you.

This tutorial specifically requires and focuses on:

• CAS 5.3.x
• Java 8
• Maven WAR Overlay

This post might equally apply to CAS 5.2.x. YMMV. To learn the same answers with CAS 5.0.x, please see this post.

Webflow Configurers

Every CAS module that needs to dynamically augment the Spring Webflow routes simply takes on the following form:

package com.example.cas;

public class SomethingWebflowConfigurer extends AbstractCasWebflowConfigurer {

    public SomethingWebflowConfigurer(final FlowBuilderServices flowBuilderServices,
                                    final FlowDefinitionRegistry loginFlowDefinitionRegistry,
                                    final ApplicationContext applicationContext,
                                    final CasConfigurationProperties casProperties) {
        super(flowBuilderServices, loginFlowDefinitionRegistry, applicationContext, casProperties);
    }

    @Override
    protected void doInitialize() throws Exception {
        final Flow flow = super.getLoginFlow();
        // Magic happens; Call 'super' to see what you have access to...
    }
}

CAS modules register their WebflowConfigurer instances in @Configuration classes:

package com.example.cas;

@Configuration("SomethingConfiguration")
public class SomethingConfiguration implements CasWebflowExecutionPlanConfigurer  {

    @Autowired
    @Qualifier("loginFlowRegistry")
    private FlowDefinitionRegistry loginFlowDefinitionRegistry;

    @Autowired
    private FlowBuilderServices flowBuilderServices;

    @Autowired
    private ApplicationContext applicationContext;

    @Autowired
    private CasConfigurationProperties casProperties;

    @ConditionalOnMissingBean(name = "somethingWebflowConfigurer")
    @Bean
    public CasWebflowConfigurer somethingWebflowConfigurer() {
        return new SomethingWebflowConfigurer(flowBuilderServices, loginFlowDefinitionRegistry,
            applicationContext, casProperties);
    }
    
    @Override
    public void configureWebflowExecutionPlan(final CasWebflowExecutionPlan plan) {
        plan.registerWebflowConfigurer(somethingWebflowConfigurer());
    }
    
}

Note that each CasWebflowConfigurer implementation may be assigned a specific order which is a numeric weight that determines its execution position once webflow auto-configuration kicks into action.

Next, we just need to ensure that CAS is able to pick up our special configuration. To do so, create a src/main/resources/META-INF/spring.factories file and reference the configuration class in it as such:

org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.EnableAutoConfiguration=com.example.cas.SomethingConfiguration

…and that should be it.

So…

CAS itself handles Spring Webflow changes related to its first-class features by default automatically. That strategy equally applies, should you need to write your own configurers if you absolutely need to. Be sure to take extra as accidents may happen. What if you have two WebflowConfigurers who all decide to inject actions and state into the same Spring Webflow areas? What if multiple WebflowConfigurers are competing to set themselves up as starting points of the CAS webflow? Who wins, who mourns?

Indeed, these are questions you ought to be thinking about as a developer. With power comes responsibility.

Remember

• Changes are all scoped to one technology, that is Java.
• You have the full power of Java to dynamically augment the Spring Webflow as you see fit.
• Your changes are all self-contained.
• Unlike XML, your changes are now part of the CAS APIs. If you upgrade and something breaks, you will be notified immediately at build time.

That’s all.

Misagh Moayyed