What level of Java knowledge is required to use JA-SIG's uPortal framework?

This is really three different questions rolled into one, because there are three different "levels" that we can use to discuss what you have to understand in order to "use" the uPortal framework. These levels aren't totally distinct - there's considerable overlap between them. Let's consider them one at a time.

One level addresses what you have to know in order to keep an instance of the portal, customized for your campus' requirements and IT infrastructure, running under your chosen application server. I'll call that the "administrative" level, since a lot of the tasks are closely analogous to administering a DBMS or HTTP server. See the section called "Deploying, administering and maintaining your portal", below.

The second level addresses what you must know in order to do the development necessary to produce an instance of the portal, customized for your campus' needs and IT infrastructure, that you'll use to facilitate the delivery of content and services to end-users. I'll call that the "implementation" level. See the section called "Developing your campus portal", below.

The third level addresses what you must know in order to develop programs (which the uPortal developers call channels) that will work within the portal to actually deliver the content and services. I'll call that the "content development" level. See the FAQ section entitled Developing content and applications for use with uPortal.