The repository is comparable to a database, except that it holds more than data. The actual binary streams of the content are stored in files managed in the repository, although these files are for internal use only and don’t reflect what you might see through the user interfaces. The repository also holds the associations among content items, classifications, and the folder/file structure. The folder/file structure is maintained in the database and is not reflected in the internal file storage structure.
The repository implements services including:
- Definition of content structure (modeling)
- Creation, modification, and deletion of content, associated metadata, and relationships
- Query of content
- Access control on content (permissions)
- Versioning of content
- Content renditions
- Locking
- Events
- Audits
- Import/Export
- Multilingual
- Rules/Actions
The repository implements and exposes these services through an Alfresco ReST API (see REST API Guide) and CMIS protocol bindings. The storage engine of the repository stores and retrieves content, metadata, and relationships.