Download the Java Application Platform SDK Update 2.

The Portlet Container 1.0 Beta not only implements the Java Portlet Specification (JSR 168), but also provides a portlet driver, a lightweight portlet rendering environment. This driver simulates some basic capabilities of a typical portal product (like the Sun Java System Portal Server). This Portlet Container 1.0 Beta software also provides an extension to the Java Portlet standard allowing Inter Portlet Communication, a feature similar to what the Portlet 2.0 specification(JSR 286) will introduce.

Java Application Platform SDK Update 2 also includes a Mashup Portlet blueprint. This blueprint focuses on developing a portlet(MashupMapPortlet) that can aggregate geospatial data from data sources and combine it with an online mapping service based on AJAX to generate a mashup.

If you are building your portlets for your business needs, you need not use a fully featured commercial grade Portal Server, but can use this lightweight environment for your purposes. You will find that the Portlet Container is easier to get started with and easier to understand.

Few highlights

• Deploying and Undeploying of portlets using UI
• The Portlet Preferences are stored per user and per portlet window.
• Inter Portlet Communication

Link to resources and docs for Portlet Container 1.0 Component

• Release Notes
• Installation Instructions
• Screencast: Learn how to deploy and test portlets using the Portlet Container
• Article: Understanding the Portlet Container 1.0 Beta Software and Deploying Portlets

Netbeans Portlet Plugin is available that helps developers to develop, deploy and test portlets on the Portlet Container 1.0.
Also you are free to use your choice of tools to develop portlets and test it on the Portlet Container.

Portlet Container is an open source project on https://portlet-container.dev.java.net.