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Introducing AI

Understanding the ADK

If you are an adapter provider or developer, you can use the WebLogic Integration Adapter Development Kit (ADK) to create your own J2EE-compliant EIS adapters. The ADK is a collection of four frameworks, each of which comprises tools and Java classes. Together, these frameworks let you quickly develop adapters that you can easily test, package, and distribute. For details about using the ADK frameworks to create adapters, see Developing Adapters.

This section provides information about the following four component frameworks:

- Design-Time Framework

- Run-Time Framework

- Logging and Auditing Framework

- Packaging Framework

Design-Time Framework

An adapter's design-time interface lets you define and deploy application views on the instance of WebLogic Server that is hosting WebLogic Integration. Whenever you build an adapter with the WebLogic Integration ADK, you can also develop a design-time user interface for it. The design-time user interface for an adapter can be accessed from any common Web browser. The interface allows users who are not programmers to interact with the adapter without writing code. For example, by using a user interface, business analysts can log in to an adapter and define their own custom application views. Without a design-time user interface, an adapter can be used only by highly technical users.

To facilitate the development of design-time user interfaces for adapters, the ADK includes a set of Java classes and tools known as the design-time framework. This framework is a powerful feature because it allows users who are not programmers to use an adapter. By simplifying the development process, the ADK's design-time framework expands the audience for the adapter and upgrades the role played by business analysts in the implementation of business processes.

Run-Time Framework

The ADK provides a run-time framework: a complete, extensible event generator that supports the development of event adapters. To help you develop service adapters, the run-time framework provides a J2EE-compliant adapter that offers a complete set of the minimum functions. Adapter developers can save coding and debugging time by starting with this base framework and extending it to meet the needs of their enterprise.

Logging and Auditing Framework

If you are an administrator, it is essential to create adapters that automatically log alert messages on your system that can be audited later. To make it easy to develop an adapter with built-in logging and auditing support, the ADK includes a logging and auditing framework. Any adapter you develop can generate internationalized and localized alert messages and can deliver these messages to multiple output destinations.

Packaging Framework

If you are a third-party adapter provider, you can use the ADK packaging framework when preparing your adapter for delivery to a customer. This framework makes it easy to create the archive and environment files required for packaging.