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.