The rich client platform (RCP) is a
programmer
A computer programmer, sometimes referred to as a software developer, a software engineer, a programmer or a coder, is a person who creates computer programs — often for larger computer software.
A programmer is someone who writes/creates ...
tool that makes it easier to integrate independent
software components,
where most of the
data processing
Data processing is the collection and manipulation of digital data to produce meaningful information.
Data processing is a form of ''information processing'', which is the modification (processing) of information in any manner detectable by an ...
occurs on the
client side.
Overview
RCP is a software consisting of the following components:
* A core (microkernel), lifecycle manager
* A standard
bundling framework
* A portable
widget toolkit
* File buffers, text handling,
text editors
* A workbench (views, editors, perspectives,
wizards)
*
Data binding
* Update manager
With an RCP, programmers can build their own applications on existing
computing platform
A computing platform or digital platform is an environment in which a piece of software is executed. It may be the hardware or the operating system (OS), even a web browser and associated application programming interfaces, or other underlying s ...
s. Instead of having to write a complete application from scratch, they can benefit from proven and tested features of the framework provided by the platform. Building on a platform facilitates faster
application development and
integration
Integration may refer to:
Biology
*Multisensory integration
*Path integration
* Pre-integration complex, viral genetic material used to insert a viral genome into a host genome
*DNA integration, by means of site-specific recombinase technology, ...
, while the cross-platform burden is taken on by the platform developers. The platform allows the seamless integration of independent software modules like graphic tools, spreadsheets and mapping technologies into a software application with a simple click of the mouse.
Their creators claim that programs built with RCP are portable to many
operating systems while being as rich as
client–server applications which use traditional clients.
Open-source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
examples are the ''
Eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...
'', ''
NetBeans'' and ''
Spring Framework'' RCPs for
Java.
See also
*
rich client
In computer networking, a rich client (also called heavy, fat or thick client) is a computer (a "client" in client–server network architecture) that typically provides rich functionality independent of the central server. This kind of computer w ...
*
Component-based software engineering
Component-based software engineering (CBSE), also called component-based development (CBD), is a branch of software engineering that emphasizes the separation of concerns with respect to the wide-ranging functionality available throughout a give ...
References
{{Reflist, 2
External links
Eclipse Rich Client Platform wikiProjecto Colibri RCPNetBeans Platform
Software architecture