Plugin Framework for Java (PF4J)
=====================
-
[![Travis CI Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/decebals/pf4j.png)](https://travis-ci.org/decebals/pf4j)
[![Coverage Status](https://coveralls.io/repos/decebals/pf4j/badge.svg?branch=master&service=github)](https://coveralls.io/github/decebals/pf4j?branch=master)
[![Maven Central](http://img.shields.io/maven-central/v/ro.fortsoft.pf4j/pf4j.svg)](http://search.maven.org/#search|ga|1|pf4j)
Plugin assembly
------------------------------
-
After you developed a plugin the next step is to deploy it in your application. For this task, one option is to create a zip file with a structure described in section [How to use](https://github.com/decebals/pf4j/blob/master/README.md#how-to-use) from the beginning of the document.
If you use `apache maven` as build manger than your pom.xml file must looks like [this](https://github.com/decebals/pf4j/blob/master/demo/plugins/plugin1/pom.xml). This file it's very simple and it's self explanatory.
If you use `apache ant` then your build.xml file must looks like [this](https://github.com/gitblit/gitblit-powertools-plugin/blob/master/build.xml). In this case please look at the "build" target.
All comment lines (line that start with # character) are ignored.
If a file with enabled.txt exists than disabled.txt is ignored. See enabled.txt and disabled.txt from the demo folder.
+Default/System extension
+-------------------
+Starting with version 0.9 you can define an extension directly in the application jar (you're not obligated
+to put the extension in a plugin - you can see this extension as a default/system extension).
+See [WhazzupGreeting](https://github.com/decebals/pf4j/blob/master/demo/app/src/main/java/ro/fortsoft/pf4j/demo/WhazzupGreeting.java)
+for a real example.
+
+This is great for starting application phase. In this scenario you have a minimalist plugin framework with one class loader
+(the application class loader), similar with Java ServiceLoader(https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/ServiceLoader.html)
+but with the following benefits:
+- no need to write provider-configuration files in the resource directory `META-INF/services`, you using the elegant
+ `@Extension` annotation from PF4J
+- anytime you can switch to the multiple class loader mechanism without to change one code line in your application
+
+Of course the code present in the `Boot` class from the demo application it is functional but you can use a more minimalist code
+skipping `pluginManager.loadPlugins()` and `pluginManager.startPlugins()`.
+
+```java
+public static void main(String[] args) {
+ PluginManager pluginManager = new DefaultPluginManager();
+ pluginManager.loadPlugins();
+ pluginManager.startPlugins();
+ List<Greeting> greetings = pluginManager.getExtensions(Greeting.class);
+ for (Greeting greeting : greetings) {
+ System.out.println(">>> " + greeting.getGreeting());
+ }
+}
+```
+
+The above code can be written:
+
+```java
+public static void main(String[] args) {
+ PluginManager pluginManager = new DefaultPluginManager();
+ List<Greeting> greetings = pluginManager.getExtensions(Greeting.class);
+ for (Greeting greeting : greetings) {
+ System.out.println(">>> " + greeting.getGreeting());
+ }
+}
+```
+
Demo
-------------------
I have a tiny demo application. The demo application is in demo folder.
Mailing list
--------------
-
Much of the conversation between developers and users is managed through [mailing list] (http://groups.google.com/group/pf4j).
Versioning