Eclipse (software)

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Eclipse
Image:Eclipse-logo.png
Screenshot
Developed by Eclipse Foundation members companies and community contributors
Latest release 3.3.2 / February 29, 2008 (2008-02-29); 102 days ago
Preview release 3.4 RC2 / June 4, 2008 (2008-06-04); 6 days ago
Written in Java
OS Cross-platform
Available in Multilingual
Development status Active
Genre Software development
License Eclipse Public License
Website http://www.eclipse.org

Eclipse is an integrated development environment (IDE) written primarily in Java. The initial codebase originated from VisualAge[1]. In its default form it is meant for Java developers, consisting of the Java Development Tools (JDT). Users can extend its capabilities by installing plug-ins written for the Eclipse software framework, such as development toolkits for other programming languages, and can write and contribute their own plug-in modules. Language packs provide translations into over a dozen natural languages.[2]

Released under the terms of the Eclipse Public License, Eclipse is open source software.

Contents

[edit] Architecture

The basis for Eclipse is the Rich Client Platform (RCP). The following components constitute the rich client platform:

Eclipse's widgets are implemented by a widget toolkit for Java called SWT, unlike most Java applications, which use the Java standard Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) or Swing. Eclipse's user interface also leverages an intermediate GUI layer called JFace, which simplifies the construction of applications based on SWT.

Eclipse employs plug-ins in order to provide all of its functionality on top of (and including) the rich client platform, in contrast to some other applications where functionality is typically hard coded. This plug-in mechanism is a lightweight software componentry framework. In addition to allowing Eclipse to be extended using other programming languages such as C and Python, the plug-in framework allows Eclipse to work with typesetting languages like LaTeX,[3] networking applications such as telnet, and database management systems. The plug-in architecture supports writing any desired extension to the environment, such as for configuration management. Java and CVS support is provided in the Eclipse SDK.

The key to the seamless integration (but not of seamless interoperability) of tools with Eclipse is the plugin. With the exception of a small run-time kernel, everything in Eclipse is a plug-in. This means that a plug-in you develop integrates with Eclipse in exactly the same way as other plug-ins; in this respect, all features are created equal. Eclipse provides plugins for a wide variety of features, some of which are through third parties using both free and commercial models. Examples of plugins include UML plugin for Sequence and other UML diagrams, plugin for Database explorer, etc.

The Eclipse SDK includes the Eclipse Java Development Tools, offering an IDE with a built-in incremental Java compiler and a full model of the Java source files. This allows for advanced refactoring techniques and code analysis. The IDE also makes use of a workspace, in this case a set of metadata over a flat filespace allowing external file modifications as long as the corresponding workspace "resource" is refreshed afterwards. The Visual Editor project (discontinued since June 30, 2006) allows interfaces to be created interactively, hence allowing Eclipse to be used as a RAD tool.

[edit] History

Eclipse began as an IBM Canada project. It was developed by OTI (Object Technology International) as a replacement for VisualAge[1], which itself had been developed by OTI. In November 2001, a consortium was formed to further the development of Eclipse as open source. In 2003, the Eclipse Foundation was created.

Eclipse 3.0 (released on June 21 2004) selected the OSGi Service Platform specifications as the runtime architecture.[citation needed]

Eclipse was originally released under the Common Public License, but was later relicensed under the Eclipse Public License. The Free Software Foundation has said that both licenses are free software licenses, but are incompatible with the GNU General Public License (GPL).[4] Mike Milinkovich, of the Eclipse Foundation has commented that moving to the GPL will be considered when version 3 of the GPL is released.[5]

[edit] Simultaneous releases

Since 2006, the Eclipse Foundation has coordinated an annual Simultaneous Release. Each release includes the Eclipse Platform as well as a number of other Eclipse projects. The purpose is to provide a distribution of Eclipse software with static features and versions. Ostensibly, this simplifies deployment and maintenance for enterprise systems, and others may simply find it convenient. So far, each Simultaneous Release has been named after a moon of Jupiter, and has occurred at the end of June.

Release Date Platform version Projects
Callisto June 30, 2006 3.2 Callisto projects
Europa June 29, 2007 3.3 Europa projects
Ganymede (planned) June 25, 2008 3.4 Ganymede projects

[edit] See also

Free software Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Where did Eclipse come from?. Eclipse Wiki. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  2. ^ Eclipse Language Pack
  3. ^ TeXlipse homepage - LaTeX for Eclipse
  4. ^ Various Licenses and Comments about Them. Free Software Foundation (2007-05-17). Retrieved on 2007-05-20.
  5. ^ Peter Galli (2005-11-02). Moglen: GPL 3.0 Rewrite Drive Is No Democracy. eWeek. Retrieved on 2007-05-20.

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

Wikibooks
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Eclipse Foundation
Projects
License: Eclipse Public License · Website: http://www.eclipse.org