[MAGNOLIA-2352] OSGi for a module container? Created: 04/Sep/08  Updated: 24/Jul/12  Resolved: 24/Jul/12

Status: Closed
Project: Magnolia
Component/s: updatemechanism
Affects Version/s: None
Fix Version/s: None

Type: New Feature Priority: Major
Reporter: Edgar Vonk Assignee: Boris Kraft
Resolution: Inactive Votes: 2
Labels: modules, osgi
Remaining Estimate: Not Specified
Time Spent: Not Specified
Original Estimate: Not Specified

Issue Links:
relation
is related to MAGNOLIA-608 Spring integration? Closed
Template:
Acceptance criteria:
Empty
Date of First Response:

 Description   

The module mechanism (bootstrapping, reloading of classes) is only done on startup of Magnolia (ignoring the deployment tools).

Maybe it is an idea to use an OSGi container (like Felix) in which to run the Magnolia modules. The advantage is that you could update modules on the fly without having to restart your application server. Of course you would still need to think about bootstrapping JCR data.

GX WebManager, a leading Dutch CMS, uses OSGi for their module mechanism (called "WCB's", WebManager Component Bundles). This works very nicely.

They have a community edition out but it is not an open source product..



 Comments   
Comment by Magnolia International [ 17/Sep/08 ]

Hi Edgar,

This is something we've considered at some point, but it seems like a big investment for us for little return (needs specific build, more complex descriptors, etc). Updating modules without restarting modules can probably be done with a custom classloader (although that's never without surprises either). Of course, if you have interesting links, how-to's or even patches, we'd be glad to have a look at it - it's not something we're ready to do in the short term, but we're willing to investigate further if there's interest.. and help

Comment by Magnolia International [ 11/Mar/09 ]

Would anyone have interesting links to share in this area ? I was checking Apache Felix's documentation very quickly, and the basic introductions/tutorial seem a bit too distant from what we want to achieve here – anything more convincing ?

Comment by Boris Kraft [ 11/Mar/09 ]

there was an article in the Javalobby newsletter today written by this guy here: http://vladimirvivien.com/blogs/ot/

Comment by Oliver Lietz [ 11/Mar/09 ]

interesting links, but maybe not more convincing.

Peter Kriens
http://www.aqute.biz/OSGi/HomePage

Apache ServiceMix Kernel is a small OSGi based runtime which provides a lightweight container onto which various components and applications can be deployed.
http://servicemix.apache.org/SMX4KNL/index.html

Spring Dynamic Modules for OSGi(tm) Service Platforms
http://www.springsource.org/osgi

Hello, OSGi, Part 3: Take it to the server side
http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-06-2008/jw-06-osgi3.html

NetBeans and OSGi
http://wiki.netbeans.org/OSGiAndNetBeans

blogs:
http://blog.luminis.nl/roller/luminis/
http://www.gridshore.nl/tag/osgi/
http://neilbartlett.name/blog/osgi-articles/

Comment by Edgar Vonk [ 10/Jul/12 ]

Hi Boris, as far as I am concerned you can close this issue. having used OSGi with another CMS product (GX WebManager) I am pretty much convinced the extra issues and troubles you get with this technology do not way up to the benefits.

Comment by Boris Kraft [ 24/Jul/12 ]

Yeah I think I'll close this, we can always revive the idea. It's not going to happen anytime soon, if ever.

Comment by Boris Kraft [ 24/Jul/12 ]

No plans for this.

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