Vendor library

From APIDesign

The simplest kind of library with a non-trivial proximity between the author of the API specification and author of the implementation is so-called vendor library. This kind of library is based on standardized specification. Usually multiple vendors with similar functionality sit down and agree on a specification. Each of them then provides their own different implementation. This was the case for EJB, JAX-RS, OSGi and possibly many others. On the other hand, it is almost always the case that there is only a single implementation of such specification in a running system.

The API for XML processing in Java (with entry points in DocumentBuilderFactory and SAXParserFactory) is one of the most well-known examples of a vendor library. Especially in the beginning of 21st century it was a common hobby among many programmers to write own implementation of an XML parser. Often the implementation was hidden behind the facade of SAX or DOM API. Such parsers also package their copy of the API (as providers of vendor library are supposed to do).

The close proximity of the vendor of the implementation and the API (as they are packaged together) leads to so called Final interface design: TBD

After visiting OSGiCon I can see the value of this category, but yes, I have to admit I feel uneasy. But that is OK, people are supposed to feel uneasy when they have to accept new ideas.

Talk about: ModularLibrary with 1-N and N-M proximities.