Java Plugin Framework

This package contains framework runtime API.

The JPF consists of three major parts:

• {@link org.java.plugin.registry.PluginRegistry Plug-in registry} - the storage for meta information about all discovered plug-ins
• {@link org.java.plugin.PathResolver Path resolver} - the component, which knows all about where things are physically located
• {@link org.java.plugin.PluginManager Plug-in manager} - the framework runtime that loads and activates plug-ins

Plug-in registry is a set of interfaces that abstract whole meta information about plug-ins and plug-in fragments. The framework provides standard implementation for these interfaces that is based on concept of plug-in manifest as a special XML syntax file, created according to plug-in DTD. But in any case, the general rule is that manifest should be registered with plug-in registry for every plug-in and plug-in fragment.

The framework also provides standard implementation of path resolver, which just maps plug-in manifests to context ("home") folder of corresponding plug-ins.

To get instances of any base Framework classes, use special {@link org.java.plugin.ObjectFactory factory class} that knows what implementation classes to load for plug-in registry, manager and path resolver. For example, you can get instance of plug-in manager just in one {@link org.java.plugin.ObjectFactory#createManager() method call}. This makes usage of JPF very simple in most situations.

This package contains helper classes to start/stop JPF based applications.

The main class here is Boot that contains standard entry point for Java applications - method main(String[]). The implemented boot sequence is following:

• Load configuration from boot.properties file from the current directory. Default values are given from system properties.
• Instanciate ApplicationInitializer and BootErrorHandler using given configuration parameters.
• Call ApplicationInitializer.initApplication(org.java.plugin.boot.BootErrorHandler, String[]) method to get configured instance of Application interface.
• Call Application.startApplication() method to get application running.

For details and supported configuration parameters see documentation for corresponding classes.

Note that described scenario is quite common and can be customized and changed in any point providing other implementations of key classes.

For a list of available configuration parameters see documentation for the Boot (applicable to any scenario) and DefaultApplicationInitializer (applicable to scenario when this class being used) classes.

This package contains framework registry API.

This package contains XML syntax manifest files based framework registry API implementation.

This package contains standard implementation of main framework runtime API.

General plug-in tools related classes.

This package contains implementations of various Ant tasks aimed to make usage of JPF much simple and convenient.

JXP (Java scripted page) templates based documentation generator.

Simple mock classes to be used in unit tests.

This package contains miscellaneous utility classes.