To start Liferay with developer properties, which method is correct?

The correct answer, which involves including portal-developer.properties during Java startup or in portal-ext.properties, enables Liferay to run in developer mode efficiently. This file contains various settings that enhance the developer experience, such as enabling hot deployment of changes, which allows developers to see their modifications in real-time without restarting the server.

Using this approach simplifies configuration management because it integrates directly with the startup process, ensuring that the developer properties are recognized at the initial phase of Liferay's runtime environment. This is particularly advantageous in a development setting where rapid iteration and testing are required.

Other methods mentioned may not provide the same level of direct integration with the server startup process. For instance, setting portal.developer.mode in portal-ext.properties does enable developer mode but may require additional steps or be less efficient than directly including the portal-developer.properties. Navigating through the Control Panel to configure developer mode may not be practical for all scenarios, especially for automated setups or when preparing environments where manual intervention is minimized. Copying files from one directory to another also introduces overhead and potential for errors, making it a less desirable option compared to the direct inclusion of the necessary properties file during the Java startup process.