Introduction to GEF & EMF and GMF

Graphical Editor framework (GEF)
GEF allows developers to easily develop a Graphical Editor using an existing application model. GEF allows developers to quickly migrate existing models to a graphical editing environment. This graphical environment is based on the SWT drawing plug-in "draw2d ". GEF is based on the MVC framework. It allows developers to conveniently implement the basic functions of the graphic editor, such as drop/drag, undo/Redo, move, delete, and resize. GEF is ideal for developing process editors, Gui builder, UML graph editors, workflow editors, and even WYSIWYG text editors like HTML. However, it should be noted that the software developed by GEF must work in the eclipse environment, that is, as a plug-in Program , if you want to run without the eclipse platform as an independent software, you can refer to the rich client platform (RCP) being developed in the eclipse 3 series ). Combined with GEF and RCP, you can develop a graphic editor that runs on and off the eclipse platform.

EMF (eclipse Model Framework)
Eclipse modeling framework is designed to provide a framework for simple design and implementation of structural models. EMF providesCodeGenerate tools so that developers can focus on the model itself rather than its implementation details. The fundamental concept of this framework is: Metadata (meta-data), Code Generation (code generation ), default serialization (dafault serialization)
The initial purpose of the EMF project is to implement an Object Management Group (OMG) Metadata tool. At the same time, EMF is part of the ecilpse series tool for implementation of MDA.
EMF can be used to describe and build models. Based on these definitions, Java code can be automatically generated. These implementation models can be used as the basis for any Java program development. This is the problem that EMF should solve.
So far, EMF is only a part of the implementation of MDA, so it does not include the map required for enterprise-level applications for mixed XML, EAI, ejbs, web services, and other technologies.

GMF (Graphical Modeling Framework)

The eclipse graphical modeling framework (GMF) provides a generative component and runtime infrastructure for developing graphical editors based onEMFAndGEF.
GEF site http://www.eclipse.org/gef/

EMF site: http://www.eclipse.org/emf

GMF site http://www.eclipse.org/gef/