Getting the Liferay Session ID in Javascript

Issue

• We can't extract the session ID using JavaScript, because the Liferay.ThemeDisplay.getSessionId() function consistently returns an empty string.

Environment

• Liferay DXP 7.4

Resolution

• By default, the Liferay.ThemeDisplay.getSessionId() function will always return a blank string. To change this, you need to adjust your settings.
• This is how you can resolve the issue:
  1. You need to set the property 'session.enable.url.with.session.id' to 'true' within the portal-ext.properties file.
  2. Once this change is made, the session ID can be retrieved using the Liferay.ThemeDisplay.getSessionId() function.

Additional Information

• While this solution will allow you to retrieve the session ID, it's crucial to understand the potential risk involved:
  • The 'session.enable.url.with.session.id' property is usually set to 'false' to safeguard against potential security risks associated with session IDs being visible.
  • Keeping session identifiers in cookies is generally safer and more efficient.
  • This is because if a session ID is attached to a URL, there's a risk that if you share that URL, you could inadvertently share your session with the recipient if the code doesn't manage this scenario appropriately.
• Follow the link for more information regarding Session Management in Liferay.