You have pretty much nailed it. Karaf is a convenience packaging of common libraries and utilities and is fairly well suited to branding and repackaging to create other OSGi based projects on top of it. We also try to fill a few gaps on our own (features descriptors, enhanced command line shell, etc) that we found a need for. All of the parts can be replaced, swapped out for different versions, etc. We also have some maven plugin work that makes it easier to create and verify assemblies with your own OSGi bundles.
Aries is largely an implementation of parts of the OSGi 4.2 EE spec plus I think some additional bits that are under consideration for future specs versions. So technically you could swap the Aries bits out of Karaf for other implementations just as you can swap out Apache Felix in favor of Equinox if you wish. The whole scene is evolving rapidly so I know some of this is unclear at first glance. We are just trying to keep spec implementations separate from Karaf so that it can continue to be general purpose. HTH... Chris -- Chris Custine FUSESource :: http://fusesource.com My Blog :: http://blog.organicelement.com Apache ServiceMix :: http://servicemix.apache.org Apache Felix :: http://felix.apache.org Apache Directory Server :: http://directory.apache.org On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 13:22, Les Hazlewood <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello all, > > I'm new to the Apache OSGi ecosystem and I'm having a hard time the > roles of some projects. I understand Karaf has recently become a TLP > (congrats!), but I'd like some clarification if someone would be so > kind as to oblige. > > I understand the Felix OSGi is the core OSGi container supporting > bundles, classloading, etc. (e.g. parallel to Eclipse Equinox). What > I don't understand is how Aries and Karaf might fit in or work in a > symbiotic relationship. > > If I continue with the Eclipse analogy, I assumed Aries was parallel > to Eclipse Virgo, but that may not be correct: > Virgo is a simple port of Spring DM Server donated to the Eclipse > foundation, with continued modifications. DM Server (and Virgo by > extension) is essentially a complete OSGi application server and > supports things like startup/shutdown scripts, logging, server > diagnostics, as well as supporting the OSGi 4.2 Blueprint deployment > model. > > If Aries was an exact parallel to Virgo, I assume it would also be a > standalone server. But it appears this is incorrect per the Aries > Incubator proposal: > > "... The project is not expected to deliver a complete application or > integration server runtime but will instead deliver enterprise > application componentry that can be integrated into such runtimes. > ..." > > So, is that were Karaf comes in? Is Karaf this complete OSGi > application server? > > Thanks for any clarification! > > Best, > > Les Hazlewood >
