PlatformX: the NetBeans Extended Platform Project

PlatformX, otherwise known as the Extended NetBeans Platform, is a collaborative multi-party effort setup to provide peer reviewed and maintained modules/plug-ins/APIs for the NetBeans Platform which may not necessarily be useful in an IDE, but are very useful in a RCP application. Any APIs which do not necessarily belong in the base NetBeans Platform or IDE, yet are useful, belong here. In some cases, the extended platform will incubate replacement or wrapper APIs for things that are doable in NetBeans, but the API is either old and poorly designed or overly difficult to work with.

PlatformX modules have an expectation of maintenance and stability. Their design and inclusion is to follow the guidelines and processes of regular NetBeans development. In some cases the process may be lighter.

It is expected 3rd party or individual developers will support these modules, and not add extra burden on the core NetBeans developers. Developers should support what they contribute, or find and prepare a volunteer to do so. Things not in the incubation area must be in use, or soon to be in use, in at least one RCP application; they should have unit tests and have been through a NetBeans API review and conform to the API design standards that other NetBeans modules must conform.

For web content, PlatformX will use the Wiki mostly. The address, for reference, is http://wiki.netbeans.org/PlatformX. The processes and procedures for the project and contributors are under discussion. Soon we will have some initial stable and incubating APIs along with a defined process and tutorials or how-tos for others to contribute. Please check back often as we will need all the help we can get once this takes off.

Come join us on the mailing lists. We welcome input and contributions. See the other links in the menu for PlatformX for more information or issues.