Picking a Liferay partner is one of the few decisions that shapes a portal programme for years. The wrong choice shows up later as blown budgets, fragile custom code and an upgrade nobody wants to touch. The right one leaves you with a platform your own team can run. This guide gives you ten concrete questions to ask any Liferay partner or consultant before you sign, and what a good answer looks like.
Why the choice of Liferay partner matters more than the price
Liferay is a powerful but deep platform: OSGi modules, Client Extensions, Objects, headless APIs, multiple deployment models and a quarterly release cadence. Two vendors can quote the same number of days and deliver very different results, because the difference lies in architecture decisions, upgrade discipline and knowledge transfer, not in typing speed.
Liferay’s quarterly releases also mean the platform keeps moving. A partner who builds for today only, with heavy customisation of core behaviour, leaves you with a bigger bill at the next upgrade. If you are weighing a move now, our Liferay services overview shows how we approach platform work end to end.
The 10 questions to ask before you sign
1. Which Liferay versions have you delivered on, and how recently?
Ask for the versions of the last three projects: 6.2, 7.x DXP, or the current quarterly releases. Experience on legacy versions matters for migrations, but you also want proof that the team works on current releases and understands Client Extensions, not only classic portlets.
2. Can you show a comparable project, with a reference you can call?
Look for a similar scope: same kind of integration, same size of user base, same type of migration. A serious partner can share a case study and, ideally, a reference contact. For an example of how we document this kind of work, see our Liferay portal migration to DXP 7.4 case study.
3. What is your official relationship with Liferay?
Liferay runs a partner programme, and partners are recognised at different levels. Ask the vendor to state their status precisely and verify it in Liferay’s official partner directory or with your Liferay account contact rather than relying on a logo on a slide. Also ask how many certified developers they have on staff, and whether those people will actually work on your project.
4. Who exactly will work on my project?
The team presented in the sales meeting is not always the team that delivers. Ask for named roles, seniority, location and time zone, and what happens if someone leaves mid-project. Insist on meeting the technical lead before signing.
5. How do you decide between OSGi modules, Client Extensions and out-of-the-box features?
This question reveals architecture maturity. A good partner starts from configuration and out-of-the-box capabilities, uses Client Extensions where they fit, and reserves custom OSGi modules for what truly needs them. We explain the trade-offs in Liferay Client Extensions vs OSGi Modules. Be wary of anyone who answers “we custom-build everything”.
6. How do you keep upgrades cheap?
Upgrade cost is driven by how much custom code touches Liferay internals. Ask about their rules: avoiding overrides of core JSPs, limiting Ext-style changes, keeping a clean dependency list, and running upgrade rehearsals on a copy of production data. Our Liferay upgrade cost guide shows which factors move the budget.
7. What does your delivery process look like?
Expect a clear description of discovery, environments, code review, automated builds, testing and release steps. Ask how they handle staging, who owns the CI/CD pipeline, and how you will see progress, for example sprint demos and a visible backlog.
8. How do you handle testing and quality?
Ask what is covered by automated tests, how they test upgrades and integrations, and who signs off on acceptance. If the answer is only “our developers test it”, expect surprises in production.
9. What happens after go-live?
Clarify support terms before the contract, not after: response times, who covers incidents, how security patches and quarterly updates are handled, and whether support is a separate fee. Also ask how you can leave: a good partner documents the system so another team can take over.
10. How is pricing structured, and what is not included?
Compare fixed price, time and materials, and hybrid models. A fixed price is reassuring only if the scope is precise; time and materials needs a budget ceiling and regular reporting. Ask what is excluded: Liferay licences and subscriptions, hosting, third-party licences, data migration and training are common gaps.
Red flags to watch for
- No reference or case study that matches your scope.
- Vague answers about who will do the work.
- A proposal with no discovery phase, jumping straight to a fixed price.
- Heavy customisation proposed for features Liferay already offers.
- No plan for documentation or knowledge transfer.
- Pressure to sign quickly or to skip a technical workshop.
How to run the evaluation in practice
Send the same short brief to two or three candidates and ask them to answer the ten questions in writing. Then hold a one-hour technical workshop with each shortlisted vendor, with your own architect or lead developer present. Compare the answers on substance, not on slide quality.
Consider starting with a small paid engagement, such as an architecture review or an upgrade assessment, before committing to a large programme. It costs little and shows how the team thinks and communicates. You can read more about who we are on our About page.
FAQ
Do I need an official Liferay partner?
Not always, but it helps. An official partner has a direct line to Liferay, access to training and early product information. Whatever the status, judge the team by its references and certified people.
Should I choose a large integrator or a specialist boutique?
It depends on scope. Large integrators suit multi-country programmes with heavy governance needs. Specialist teams are often more flexible, more senior-led and more cost-effective on focused work such as upgrades, integrations or theme development.
How long should the selection process take?
For most mid-size projects, four to six weeks is realistic: brief, written answers, workshops, references and contract review.
Can I switch partners mid-project?
Yes, if the code, documentation and environments belong to you and are accessible. Make this an explicit contract term from day one.
Next step
Planning a Liferay upgrade? Get a free technical assessment and we will answer these ten questions about our own team, in writing.