Common Server
Under Development

See:
Description

Common Server

org.netbeans.api.server	API providing the common server instances.
org.netbeans.api.server.properties	Support API for persistence of server instance properties.
org.netbeans.spi.server	SPI for registering different kinds of servers in the IDE.

The Server module provides the CommonServerSPI that contains SPIs needed for the UI presentation of servers (anykind). It covers the services tab, server manager and server add wizard.

There is also API part of the module CommonServerAPI that provides API representation of the server instance. API access if required in future will be placed here.

Clients can provide its instances through the SPI. They can also provide wizards to define UI way for the server instance addition. It is done with CommonServerLayerSPI where the SPIs implementation must be registered.

To provide easy way for clients to persist properties of its instances easily, module provides support API CommonServerPropertiesAPI to do that. This support API is not mandatory for clients to use in any way.

What is New (see all changes)?

• Feb 10 '08 Support API for server instance persistence

  Support API providing easy way for persistence of instance properties. Not manadatory for clients to use.

• Jan 12 '08 Initial version released

  First initial release of the Common Server SPI.

Use Cases

Registering the server instance provider

An external module can register itself as the server instance provider. In order do that it must register the implementation of ServerInstanceProvider in Servers folder in the layer.xml.

When this is done the module will handle displaying of instances at appropriate IDE dialogs and views. Note that more specific SPIs can still be required for the technology specific dialogs and actions. This module covers the areas where the "common server" term makes sence.

Every ServerInstance returned by the provider is handled by this module. Some features of the ServerInstance are not mandatory (as described in javadoc). If new instances can be added or removed during the lifecycle of external module it has to notify all listeners of the ServerInstanceProvider.

Registering the server wizard

An external module can register the wizard(s) in order to allow the user to add new instances. In order to do that it must register the implementation of ServerWizardProvider in Servers folder in the layer.xml.

When this is done the module will offer this wizard in UI (at contexts where it makes sense).

Persisting instance properties

The Commons Server SPI implemetor has to usually implement persistence of its instances somehow. There are many ways how this can be done. To make it easier InstancePropertiesManager can be used. It provides a way how to store and retrieve properties of the server instance.

Exported Interfaces

This table lists all of the module exported APIs with defined stability classifications. It is generated based on answers to questions about the architecture of the module. Read them all...

Group of java interfaces

Interface Name	In/Out	Stability	Specified in What Document?
CommonServerSPI	Exported	Under Development	.../netbeans/spi/server/package-summary.html
CommonServerAPI	Exported	Under Development	.../netbeans/api/server/package-summary.html
CommonServerPropertiesAPI	Exported	Under Development	.../server/properties/package-summary.html

Group of layer interfaces

Interface Name	In/Out	Stability	Specified in What Document?
CommonServerLayerSPI	Exported	Under Development	overview-summary.html

Implementation Details

Where are the sources for the module?

The sources for the module are in the NetBeans Mercurial repositories.

What do other modules need to do to declare a dependency on this one, in addition to or instead of a plain module dependency?

Nothing.

Read more about the implementation in the answers to architecture questions.