Discover the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) and Its Dynamic Capabilities

Discover the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) and Its Dynamic Capabilities: "Discover the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) and Its Dynamic Capabilities
Given a model, EMF can generate Java source code that will allow you to create, query, update, serialize, deserialize, validate, and track changes to instances of your models. EMF provides an efficient reflective API and allows you to work with dynamic, non-generated, models.

by Elena Litani, August 26, 2005
Ed Merks and
Dave Steinberg

The Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) is a Java open source framework and code-generation facility for building tools and other applications based on a structured model. While the Eclipse Platform provides a powerful integration framework at the UI and file level, EMF enhances this capability to enable fine-grained data sharing among tools and applications.

Similar to other Java binding frameworks, e.g. JAXB or XMLBeans, given a model, EMF can generate Java source code that will allow you to create, query, update, deserialize, and serialize instances of your models. While the majority of Java binding frameworks support just one class of models, for example XML Schema, EMF supports generating code from XML Schema, UML class diagrams (Rational Rose or UML2), and annotated Java interfaces. In addition to the model code, EMF can also generate a complete application that includes a customizable editor.

The EMF-generated code has a built-in change notification mechanism and supports cross-document references. EMF provides a reflective API to access instances of your models and allows you to dynamically create models. EMF supports validation of model constraints. EMF provides powerful code generation tools that support regeneration of models and merging with user written code.

In this article, we'll explain just what the EMF is, take a look at the basic architecture."