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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.
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