What is eclipse?
Eclipse is an open-source and Java-based scalable development platform. In itself, it is only a framework and a set of services, used to build a development environment through plug-in components. Fortunately, eclipse comes with a standard plug-in set, including Java development tools (jdt ).
Although most users are happy to use eclipse as a Java IDE, the goal of eclipse is not limited to this. Eclipse also includes the plug-in Development Environment (plug-in development environment, PDE). This component is mainly used by software developers who want to expand eclipse, because it allows them to build tools that are seamlessly integrated with the eclipse environment. Because everything in eclipse is a plug-in, for eclipse to provide plug-ins, and to provide users with a consistent and unified integrated development environment, all Tool developers have the same place to play.
This equality and consistency is not limited to Java development tools. Although eclipse is developed in Java, its usage is not limited to Java. For example, plug-ins supporting programming languages such as C/C ++, COBOL, and Eiffel are available, or is expected to be released. The eclipse framework can also be used as the basis for other application types unrelated to software development, such as the content management system.
An outstanding example of eclipse-based applications is IBM's WebSphere Studio workbench, which forms the basis of the IBM Java development tool series. For example, WebSphere Studio Application Developer adds support for JSP, Servlet, EJB, XML, Web Services, and database access.
Eclipse is open-source software.
Open-source software is such a software that carries a license designed to ensure that certain rights are granted to users upon release. Of course, the most obvious right is that the source code must be available so that users can freely modify and re-distribute the software. This kind of user rights protection is implemented through a strategy called Copyleft: software licenses claim copyright protection, and users shall not distribute the software unless such rights are explicitly granted to users. Copyleft also requires the same license to cover any software that is redistributed. This actually reverses the purpose of copyright-using copyright to grant user rights, rather than retaining copyright for software developers-Copyleft is often described as "retaining all copyrights ".
Many fears, worries, and doubts about open-source software have spread everywhere, are related to the so-called "virus" nature of some Copyleft licenses-if you use open source software as part of your program, you will lose your intellectual property rights, this license will "infect" the proprietary part of your development. In other words, this license may require that all software packaged with open source software must be released under the same license. Although this may be true for the most famous Copyleft license (that is, the GNU General Public License, for example, Linux is issued under this license, other licenses provided a good balance between commercialization and community considerations.