Understanding Configuration Scope
Liferay DXP settings are applied at four levels, or scopes: System, Virtual Instance, Site, and Widget. System Settings define the system-wide defaults. For all other scopes, these values act as the baseline and can be overridden at more granular levels. Configurations under System Scope cannot be overridden.
Scope Definitions
System Scope: Configuration made for system scoped entries are the final value for the application in a system-wide fashion. They affect the whole system and are not overridden anywhere else.
Configurations for the System Scope are not available on Liferay SaaS.
Virtual Instance Scope: Configuration at the Virtual Instance level is overridden in Instance Settings.
Site Scope: Configuration at this scope is overridden in each site.
Widget Scope: Configuration at this scope is overridden in each Widget Instance.
Example: Configuring and Overriding Blogs Comments
If a configuration changed in System Settings it’s also configurable at a different scope. The System Settings value is a default that can be overridden. Once a configuration change is made at a more granular scope, a change at the system level does nothing.
For example, allowing comments is configurable for each Blogs widget.
-
Set the default behavior at Control Panel → Configuration → System Settings → Blogs (in the Content and Data category).
-
In the Blogs Entry under Widget Scope, disable the Enable Comments checkbox.
-
Add a Blog Entry to a Site’s Content & Data → Blogs application.
-
Go to a page and add the Blogs Widget to the page.
-
Click Options (
) in the widget header → Configuration.NoteBefore Liferay DXP 2025.Q1, the Configuration option appeared in the widget’s top-right corner.
The same Enable Comments checkbox appears, and its default is now false (unchecked). Checking the box in the Widget Configuration overrides the System Settings entry. Changing the System Settings configuration no longer affects this widget.
System Settings and Instance Settings
Instance Settings are similar to System Settings but apply at the Virtual Instance scope. Like System Settings, Instance Settings offer a Reset to Default Values option, which reverts custom configurations to the system-level defaults.