path: root/lib/cpluff/libcpluff/docsrc/plugin.dox

/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 * C-Pluff, a plug-in framework for C
 * Copyright 2007 Johannes Lehtinen
 * 
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 * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
 * to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
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 * and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
 * Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
 *
 * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
 * in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
 *
 * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
 * OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
 * MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
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 * TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
 * SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 *-----------------------------------------------------------------------*/

/**
 * @page plugin Plug-in
 *
 * @section pluginOverview Overview
 *
 * Plug-in is the core element of an extensible application. The extensions and
 * also the main application logic are implemented as plug-ins. Plug-ins can
 * be developed, distributed and deployed independently, subject to
 * inter-plugin dependencies. Deploying a new plug-in does not require
 * recompilation or relinking if the operating system platform supports
 * required dynamic linking facilities.
 *
 * @section pluginStructure Structure
 *
 * A plug-in includes the following structural elements.
 *
 * - @ref pluginDescriptor "Plug-in descriptor"
 * - @ref pluginRuntime "Plug-in runtime library"
 * - @ref pluginData "Static plug-in data"
 *
 * @subsection pluginDescriptor Plug-in descriptor
 *
 * A plug-in descriptor is an XML document describing a plug-in. It includes
 * information about the contents of the plug-in, the features provided by
 * the plug-in, plug-in version information and static dependencies of the
 * plug-in. Most of the elements are optional. Most of the descriptor
 * information described here is available to software via
 * @ref cp_plugin_info_t structure. The plug-in descriptor must be located
 * in the plug-in directory as @c plugin.xml.
 *
 * The formal declaration of plug-in descriptor is available as
 * XML Schema Definition in @c plugin.xsd located in the top level source
 * directory. Currently there is no namespace associated with the plug-in
 * descriptor. Here is an example of a plug-in descriptor. Click element name
 * to jump into documentation for that element.
 *
 * <div class="fragment">
 * <pre class="fragment">
 * &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPlugin">plugin</a> id=<span class="charliteral">"org.c-pluff.example"</span> name=<span class="charliteral">"Example Plug-in"</span> version=<span class="charliteral">"0.3.2"</span> provider-name=<span class="charliteral">"Johannes Lehtinen"</span>&gt;
 *     &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginBWC">backwards-compatibility</a> abi=<span class="charliteral">"0.3"</span> api=<span class="charliteral">"0.2.8"</span>/&gt;
 *     &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginRequires">requires</a>&gt;
 *         &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginReqCP">c-pluff</a> version=<span class="charliteral">"0.1"</span>/&gt;
 *         &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginReqImport">import</a> plugin=<span class="charliteral">"org.c-pluff.util"</span> version=<span class="charliteral">"0.2"</span>/&gt;
 *         &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginReqImport">import</a> plugin=<span class="charliteral">"org.c-pluff.extra"</span> optional=<span class="charliteral">"true"</span>/&gt; 
 *     &lt;/<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginRequires">requires</a>&gt;
 *     &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginRuntime">runtime</a> library=<span class="charliteral">"libruntime"</span> funcs=<span class="charliteral">"org_cpluff_example_funcs"</span>/&gt;
 *     &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginEP">extension-point</a> id=<span class="charliteral">"editors"</span> name=<span class="charliteral">"Text Editors"</span> schema=<span class="charliteral">"editors_schema.xsd"</span>/&gt;
 *     &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginEP">extension-point</a> id=<span class="charliteral">"url-families"</span>/&gt;
 *     &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginE">extension</a> point=<span class="charliteral">"org.c-pluff.util.archivers"</span> id=<span class="charliteral">"tar"</span> name=<span class="charliteral">"Tar Archiver Support"</span>&gt;
 *         &lt;type random-access=<span class="charliteral">"false"</span>/&gt;
 *         &lt;exec bin=<span class="charliteral">"tar"</span>/&gt;
 *     &lt;/<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginE">extension</a>&gt;
 *     &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginE">extension</a> point=<span class="charliteral">"org.c-pluff.example.editors</span>&gt;
 *         &lt;editor name=<span class="charliteral">"Text Editor"</span> runtime=<span class="charliteral">"org_cpluff_example_txteditor_runtime"</span>&gt;
 *             &lt;file-types&gt;
 *                 &lt;file-type mime-type=<span class="charliteral">"text/plain"</span>/&gt;
 *             &lt;/file-types&gt;
 *         &lt;/editor&gt;
 *     &lt;/<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPluginE">extension</a>&gt;
 * &lt;/<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPlugin">plugin</a>&gt;</pre>
 * </div>
 *
 * A descriptor can also be much simpler, depending on the plug-in.
 * Here is an example of a minimal descriptor (of a useless plug-in).
 *
 * <div class="fragment">
 * <pre class="fragment">
 * &lt;<a class="code" href="#pluginDescPlugin">plugin</a> id=<span class="charliteral">"org.c-pluff.useless"</span>/&gt;</pre>
 * </div>
 *
 * @subsubsection pluginDescPlugin plugin
 *
 * This is the top level element of the plug-in descriptor. It can have
 * following attributes.
 *
 * - @a id: A mandatory unique identifier for the plug-in. Plug-in identifiers
 *   should preferably be generated using a reversed DNS domain name as
 *   prefix to prevent identifier conflicts.
 * - @a name: An optional human-readable name for the plug-in.
 * - @a version: An optional version number for the plug-in. Version numbers
 *   are used for checking compatibility when resolving versioned plug-in
 *   dependencies. See also information about
 *   @ref pluginVersions "plug-in versions".
 * - @a provider-name: The name of the plug-in provider or author. Optional.
 *
 * This element can contain following elements.
 *
 * - @ref pluginDescPluginBWC "backwards-compatibility": Optional information about backwards
 *   compatibility of this plug-in version.
 * - @ref pluginDescPluginRequires "requires": Information about static plug-in dependencies. Can be omitted
 *   if the plug-in does not have static dependencies.
 * - @ref pluginDescPluginRuntime "runtime": Information about the plug-in runtime library. Can be omitted
 *   if the plug-in does not have a runtime library but only data.
 * - @ref pluginDescPluginEP "extension-point": Information about extension points provided by the
 *   plug-in. This element is repeated if there are multiple extension points
 *   and omitted if there are none.
 * - @ref pluginDescPluginE "extension": Information about extensions provided by the plug-in.
 *   This element is repeated if there are multiple extensions and omitted
 *   if there are none.
 *
 * @subsubsection pluginDescPluginBWC backwards-compatibility
 *
 * This element includes optional information about the backwards compatibility
 * of this plug-in version. It can have following attributes.
 *
 * - @a abi: Backwards compatibility of the application binary interface (ABI)
 *   of the plug-in. ABI includes any public symbols exported by the plug-in,
 *   data structures associated with exported symbols and any extension points
 *   provided by the plug-in. The ABI of the current plug-in version is
 *   backwards compatible with any plug-in version from the version specified
 *   here to the current version. This information is used when resolving
 *   versioned plug-in dependencies. See also information about
 *   @ref pluginVersions "plug-in versions".
 * - @a api: Backwards compatibility of the application programming interface
 *   (API) of the plug-in. API compatibility means that source code developed
 *   against one version of the plug-in also compiles against another version
 *   of the plug-in. This information is not used by framework but it can be
 *   used by a developer developing dependent plug-ins.
 *
 * These apply to plug-ins that provide header files and runtime libraries.
 * For example, a plug-in might export global functions to other plug-ins or it
 * might provide an extension point where an extension installed by other
 * plug-in must conform to data structures defined by the plug-in.
 * Both attributes are optional.
 *
 * @subsubsection pluginDescPluginRequires requires
 *
 * This element includes information about static plug-in dependencies.
 * It can be omitted if there are no dependencies. It can contain following
 * elements.
 *
 * - @ref pluginDescPluginReqCP "c-pluff": An optional version dependency
 *   on the C-Pluff implementation.
 * - @ref pluginDescPluginReqImport "import": Declares a static dependency
 *   on other plug-in. This element is repeated if there are multiple
 *   dependencies and omitted if there are none.
 *
 * @subsubsection pluginDescPluginReqCP c-pluff
 *
 * This element declares a version dependency on the C-Pluff
 * implementation. It can be used to ensure that the plug-in is not loaded by
 * incompatible C-Pluff version. It has the following attribute.
 *
 * - @a version: The required version of the C-Pluff implementation.
 *   This is used when resolving the plug-in. It is checked that the used
 *   C-Pluff implementation is backwards compatible with the version specified
 *   here when it comes to the application binary interface (ABI) of C-Pluff.
 *
 * @subsubsection pluginDescPluginReqImport import
 *
 * This element declares a static dependency on other plug-in. It must be
 * used when a plug-in uses global symbols or data from other plug-in or when
 * a plug-in uses an extension point defined by other plug-in or whenever some
 * other plug-in needs to be there for the plug-in to work. The framework takes
 * care of resolving and starting the dependencies whenever the plug-in is
 * resolved or started.
 *
 * This element can have following attributes.
 *
 * - @a plugin: The identifier of the imported plug-in.
 * - @a version: An optional version dependency on the imported plug-in.
 *   The plug-in can be resolved only if the version of the imported plug-in
 *   is backwards compatible with the version specified here when it comes
 *   to the application binary interface (ABI) of the imported plug-in.
 * - @a optional: Is the import optional or not ("true" or "false"). Default is
 *   false, a mandatory import.
 *   An optional import behaves just like the mandatory import as long as the
 *   imported plug-in is present. However, if it is not present then the
 *   import is ignored. Optional import can be used if the plug-in works
 *   in limited capacity even without the specified plug-in.
 *
 * @subsubsection pluginDescPluginRuntime runtime
 *
 * This element contains information about the plug-in runtime library. It is
 * omitted if the plug-in does not have a runtime library but contains only
 * data. It can have following attributes.
 *
 * - @a library: The name of the plug-in runtime library in the plug-in
 *   directory. A platform specific extension (for example, ".so" or ".dll")
 *   is added to the value specified here when loading the library.
 * - @a funcs: The functions to be used to create an instance of the plug-in
 *   runtime. This attribute is optional. It is needed if the plug-in has
 *   a start or stop function. The value specified here is a name of an
 *   exported symbol which contains a pointer to @ref cp_plugin_runtime_t
 *   structure.
 *
 * @subsubsection pluginDescPluginEP extension-point
 *
 * This element defines an extension point provided by the plug-in.
 * It can have following attributes.
 *
 * - @a id: The local identifier of the extension point. The value specified
 *   here is prefixed with the identifier of the plug-in and dot to construct
 *   the global identifier of the extension point.
 * - @a name: An optional human-readable name describing the use of the
 *   extension point.
 * - @a schema: An optional path to the extension point XML schema in
 *   the plug-in directory. This information is not currently used by the
 *   framework. But it can be used by a developer to determine what information
 *   should be provided by extensions attached to this extension point.
 *
 * @subsubsection pluginDescPluginE extension
 *
 * This element defines an extension installed into a specified extension
 * point provided by the defining plug-in or some other plug-in.
 * It can have following attributes.
 *
 * - @a point: The global identifier of the associated extension point.
 * - @a id: An optional local identifier for the extension. The value specified
 *   here is prefixed with the identifier of the plug-in and dot to construct
 *   the global identifier for the extension.
 * - @a name: An optional human-readable name describing the extension.
 *
 * The extension element can contain XML elements specific to the associated
 * extension point (conforming to the schema defined by the extension point).
 *
 * @subsection pluginRuntime Plug-in runtime library
 *
 * A plug-in runtime library is an optional plug-in element. Plug-ins only
 * supplying static data in form of XML data and files do not need a runtime
 * library. However, a typical plug-in does provide program logic as well.
 *
 * The plug-in runtime library includes all program logic and program
 * data provided by the plug-in. It is simply a shared library, or a
 * dynamically linked library, which is linked in to the application when
 * the plug-in is started. When plug-in is unloaded, the runtime library is
 * unloaded as well. The framework has been designed to manage dependencies
 * so that unloading of the runtime library does not cause problems, provided
 * that plug-ins behave properly.
 *
 * A plug-in can expose functionality to other plug-ins either as exported
 * global symbols that are directly resolved by other plug-ins or by supplying
 * extensions. When other plug-ins are directly using exported symbols the
 * plug-in acts just like any standard shared library. Nothing special there.
 * The more interesting case is exposing functionality as extensions. Because
 * the extension is registered at a specific extension point, the logic in
 * other plug-ins can use the extension and the associated program logic even
 * if they are not aware of the existence of the extension supplying plug-in.
 *
 * The extension points accepting program logic as extensions define a way
 * to specify the name of the symbol pointing to the supplied logic. This is
 * typically an attribute of an XML element contained in the extension
 * definition. The plug-in supplying the extension can then export the program
 * logic as a global symbol with arbitrary name and then place the name of the
 * symbol in extension data. Alternatively, the plug-in can define a virtual
 * symbol at runtime using ::cp_define_symbol. Other plug-ins that are using
 * extensions registered at the extension point can then resolve the named
 * symbol using ::cp_resolve_symbol at runtime. The framework automatically
 * creates a dependency from the symbol using plug-in to the symbol supplying
 * plug-in to prevent failures in case the symbol supplying plug-in is stopped
 * or unloaded.
 *
 * @subsection pluginData Static plug-in data
 *
 * Plug-in can supply static data to other plug-ins using at least two
 * different mechanisms. A plug-in can easily provide static XML data as part
 * of extension elements. Additionally, a plug-in directory can contain
 * files that may be accessed by other plug-ins. Currently the platform does
 * not provide assistance in accessing data files provided by other plug-ins.
 * However, a plug-in can locate the plug-in directory and thus any included
 * data files by using plug-in path available in @ref cp_plugin_info_t
 * structure of the data providing plug-in.
 */