I'm trying to learn Eclipse RCP and read some articles online. I'm confused that Eclipse RCP tutorials talk about Eclipse plugins development. I'm not being able to understand Eclipse RCP.
What is the relationship between Eclipse RCP and Eclipse Plugins?
I want to develop application with Eclipse RCP as UI framework (it is, isn't it?). What does that have to do with Eclipse Plugin development?
What is the relationship between Eclipse RCP and Eclipse Plugins?
They both use Eclipse as the integrated development environment (IDE).
The Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP) is a generic Java platform for running applications. It provides the basic blocks for building a rich client application GUI using the OSGi framework.
Eclipse RCP is an SWT base for building GUI applications.
Eclipse plug-ins extend the functionality of the Eclipse IDE.
Internally, Eclipse RCP and Eclipse plug-ins have some OSGi similarities.
If you want to create an Eclipse RCP application you will create a dedicated application class. In that application class you will add all the swt controls you want to add. Eclips RCP is Stand alone application.
Eclipse plugin development means creating a plugin,which means creating a certain feature separately. if you want you can add it your RCP application or to any other plugin.
Basically Plugin development is developing a pluggable or unpluggable feature.
for instance i creating a RCP application "CAR" and i am creating a plugin "AC" if i want to add the "AC" feature to "CAR" i can add or not.
Only difference between a Plugin and RCP application is the Application class.
Eclipse RCP is a Plugin. That can have more plugins. In a Eclipse World everything is plugin.
If you create a RCP Plugin, it is just a foundation to build your Application on it, your starting point. You can build your Appllication by creating more plugins (non rcp plugins) and integrate them into your RCP Application.
At the end you will have plugin based application.
