Learn about WebSphere programming extensions

Use this section as a starting point to investigate the WebSphere® programming model extensions for enhancing your application development and deployment.

See WebSphere Application Server: Overview for a brief description of each WebSphere extension.

Your applications can use the Eclipse extension framework. Your applications are extensible as soon as you define an extension point and provide the extension processing code for the extensible area of the application. You can also plug an application into another extensible application by defining an extension that adheres to the target extension point requirements. The extension point can find the newly added extension dynamically and the new function is seamlessly integrated in the existing application. It works on a cross Java™ Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) module basis.

The application extension registry uses the Eclipse plug-in descriptor format and application programming interfaces (APIs) as the standard extensibility mechanism for WebSphere applications. Developers that build WebSphere application modules can use WebSphere Application Server extensions to implement Eclipse tools and to provide plug-in modules to contribute functionality such as actions, tasks, menu items, and links at predefined extension points in the WebSphere application.

For more information about this feature, see Application extension registry.