Notice: this Wiki will be going read only early in 2024 and edits will no longer be possible. Please see: https://gitlab.eclipse.org/eclipsefdn/helpdesk/-/wikis/Wiki-shutdown-plan for the plan.
Difference between revisions of "FAQ What is the difference between a product and an application?"
m (Remove character codes. Simplify language. Divide into sections.) |
|||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
and both are used to bring order to the chaos of an otherwise random | and both are used to bring order to the chaos of an otherwise random | ||
collection of executing Eclipse plug-ins. However, the two | collection of executing Eclipse plug-ins. However, the two | ||
| − | concepts have some important differences. First, | + | concepts have some important differences. |
| − | behavior | + | |
| − | That is, a product provides properties, such as icons and text, that are used | + | First, an application defines behavior, so it has code associated with it. |
| − | to customize the appearance of a running application. A second distinction | + | A product on the other hand is purely declarative. That is, a product provides properties, such as icons and text, that are used to customize the appearance |
| + | of a running application. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A second distinction | ||
is that there is typically only one product, but that product may include | is that there is typically only one product, but that product may include | ||
several applications. For example, the Eclipse Platform is a single product | several applications. For example, the Eclipse Platform is a single product | ||
Latest revision as of 08:20, 8 May 2017
At first glance, the notions of product and application in Eclipse seem similar. Both are contributed via an extension point, and both are used to bring order to the chaos of an otherwise random collection of executing Eclipse plug-ins. However, the two concepts have some important differences.
First, an application defines behavior, so it has code associated with it. A product on the other hand is purely declarative. That is, a product provides properties, such as icons and text, that are used to customize the appearance of a running application.
A second distinction is that there is typically only one product, but that product may include several applications. For example, the Eclipse Platform is a single product but includes several applications, such as the workbench application and an application for running custom Ant build files. All applications under a given product have the same branding elements associated with them.
See Also:
FAQ_What_is_an_Eclipse_application?
FAQ_What_is_an_Eclipse_product?
This FAQ was originally published in Official Eclipse 3.0 FAQs. Copyright 2004, Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. This text is made available here under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0.