We’ve redesigned the Global Menu to deliver a more intuitive, scalable, and visually engaging navigation experience across Liferay DXP. This update introduces a single, unified entry point to access all platform capabilities, reducing fragmentation and making it easier to move across features.

As part of this transformation, the DXP Control Panel has also been rebuilt with a cleaner UI, improved information architecture, live filtering for faster discovery, and a simplified landing home with contextual shortcuts.

Key Benefits:

• One clear entry point for all Liferay functionalities

• Reduced navigation complexity with consolidated access points

• Faster discovery through live filtering and improved structure

• Greater productivity for administrators and content teams

• Scalable foundation to support future platform growth

We are excited to announce the arrival of the Native Elasticsearch 8 Connector. This isn't just a version update; it’s a foundational shift that ensures Liferay DXP remains at the cutting edge of search and AI technology.

As it was communicated in 2025, Elasticsearch 7 has reached end-of-life on Jan 15, 2026 and is no longer available as a supported search engine for Liferay DXP 2026.Q1 and onward.

Part of this shift, 2026.Q1 ships with a native Elasticsearch 8 connector, replacing the previous Elasticsearch 7 connector, which had provided a compatibility plus mode to operate Liferay DXP with Elasticsearch 8 servers since 2023.

Key Benefits:

• Next-Gen AI & Search Capabilities: The native connector unlocks high-performance new generational features like dedicated vector search, semantic search queries, and native inference that upcoming and planned Liferay DXP features will benefit from.

• Seamless Forward Compatibility: Thanks to the Java Client API, Liferay DXP is now more resilient than ever. The client is designed to stay compatible with future Elasticsearch updates, ensuring that minor version upgrades won’t disrupt your operations or break your integration. (Liferay will still very the compatibility to ensure.)

• Future-Proof Security & Support: By moving to a fully supported, native Elasticsearch 8 connector and environment, you eliminate the risks associated with end-of-life software and ensure your infrastructure meets modern security standards.

The Bottom Line: This update transitions Liferay from "compatibility mode" to "innovation mode," providing a faster, smarter, and more stable search foundation for your enterprise.

A new, dedicated Scope configuration is now available within the Query Builder, allowing administrators to precisely limit search results to specific Sites, Asset Libraries, and Spaces.

Key Improvements

• Dedicated Configuration: We recommend using this native Scope setting instead of manual filtering via out-of-the-box or custom query elements. It provides a more intuitive and performant way to define the search boundary.

• Default Behavior: If no specific Site, Asset Library, or Space is selected, the Blueprint will search across all available scopes by default.

Behavior Note: Scope Hierarchy

When a scope is defined within a Blueprint, it acts as a strict boundary.

• No Overrides: Search-time parameters (such as those from a Search Bar widget or the Headless Search API’s scope parameter) cannot override or expand the Blueprint’s pre-defined scope.

• Filtering Logic: Any scope requested at search time must be a subset of the Blueprint’s scope. If a user or API requests a scope that falls outside the Blueprint's configuration, the search will return empty results.

 
Besides the new scope configuration, the Query Settings section has been renamed to Source and moved to the main query builder screen, simplifying the editor experience.

 Key Benefits:

• Dedicated Configuration: We recommend using this native Scope setting instead of manual filtering via out-of-the-box or custom query elements. It provides a more intuitive and performant way to define the search boundary.

• Default Behavior: If no specific Site, Asset Library, or Space is selected, the Blueprint will search across all available scopes by default.