Developer Platform Proposal

Proposal/plan for developer platform support. We'll use this proposal to schedule tasks for the .5 release, and as a roadmap beyond that.

drivers (ted)

• PyCon 2005 (late March 2005)
  • session - here's how you build a sample app with CPIA
  • sprint - use the api discussed in the session, on site performance sprint (interaction w/ python core devs)
• OSCON 2005 (late July 2005)
  • 3 hour building parcel tutorial
• Kibble Release
• CSG / feedback / validation
• Morgen would like to note that "extension framework" is probably the most important aspect of "developer platform" for 0.5; i.e., without strong definitions of what an extension is, other developers can't participate.

parcel management/deployment (morgen)

• Mechanisms for:
  • (For 0.5) enable+disable -- Do we allow the user to temporarily disable a parcel, and if so, what does that mean? A standardized way of stopping a parcel's background tasks? Removing any applicable items from the sidebar? I say we tackle this for 0.5 as part of the "extension framework" umbrella. [1wk]
  • (0.7) download+install -- One-click (with user approval) parcel download and install [5wks for this and next two]
    • dependency management -- Part of the installation framework, it figures out which other parcels are needed.
  • (0.7) upgrade -- Check-for-updates mechanism, with auto-download-and-upgrade; depends on schema evolution support
  • (0.7) uninstall -- Remove all items from the parcel's "read-only" portion of the repository. What happens to userdata that was based on schema from an uninstalled parcel? (after 0.5)

extension framework (katie)

• developers should be able to do these things:
  • extend content model
  • create a scheduled task
  • add a network service
  • add an action/command
  • add a view, customizing generic blocks by noting what attributes to display (detail view/summary view)
  • add an attribute editor (used by generic detail view or generic summary table view)
  • create a new detail view or summary view block
  • hook into chrome: sidebar/menu/toolbar/preferences

• tasks for .5
  • attribute editor framework and a set of basic attribute editors
  • resolve capplet/kind filter/sidebar issues

• tasks for beyond .5

chandler as server (morgen)

• (For 0.5) Enable portions of the system to be used outside of the Chandler application; modularize Application.py -- we need this ASAP for things like unit tests, schema doc generator, etc.
  • The proposal is to break out much of what happens in OnInit^?( ) into callable methods in Util.py (better module name suggestions welcomed) -- a fairly small task that's already begun.
• (Nice for 0.5) Be able to run a "headless"/server version without relying on wxwidgets framework/event-loop
  • The proposal is to weed out non-UI portions of the code that depend on wx (such as how cross-thread event posting takes place)
• (Nice for 0.5) Modify the web servlet framework so that it's not Twisted-dependent (allows servlets to be more portable)
  • The proposal is to create a thin layer that fits between Twisted and our servlets.
• (Nice for 0.5) Separate repository views per sevlet -- this allows each servlet to commit independently
  • The proposal is to automatically give each servlet its own view

tools (ted)

• generic item edit/display - repository viewer
• schema editor
• debugging aids/tools/tips
  • interactive query evaluator (twl and donn)
  • sane logging (hazmat)
• data migration/upgrade tool (deal with repository version changes)
• schema evolution tool (allow updates to existing content models)
• community driven/assisted

interoperability (morgen)

• (After 0.5) Add a SOAP (or other similar RPC) interface so that outside applications can make use of repository data
• (After 0.5) Add a framework which allows 3rd party developers to write conduits for synchronization
• (After 0.5) Add import/export (to XML perhaps)

apis and documentation (ted)

• Process for API review, design, redesign (0.5)
  • Designate api as platform API
    • epydoc required
    • check whether should be included in an overview document
  • Review of new API's
  • Prior to changing API, must be reviewed
  • Prior to end of release, re-review for changes/alterations

• Documentation
  • Roadmaps (leading up to and including Kibble)
    • CPIA (0.5)
    • Parcels (0.5)
    • Repository (0.5)
  • Functional specs (taken from design group)
    • see ZeroPointFivePlanning
  • Architecture
    • Overall system architecture document (0.5)
    • Architectural principles document (0.7)
  • Subsystem overviews
    • CPIA (0.5)
      • Using Blocks (0.5)
      • Building your own Blocks (0.7)
    • Content Model
      • Description of content model schemas (0.5)
      • Principles/guidelines for designing content model schemas to work well with Chandler (0.6)
    • Services
      • IMAP (0.5)
      • SMTP (0.5)
      • Twisted / Web (0.5)
      • WebDAV (0.6)
      • CalDAV (0.6)
      • XMPP (0.7)
      • Notification (0.6)
      • Tasks (0.6)
      • Integrating new network services/protocols (0.6)
    • Parcels
      • Writing, installing, uninstalling (0.5)
    • Repository
      • Busy Developer' Guide (Items, Kinds, Attributes, Clouds?) (0.5)
      • Data model spec (0.5)
      • Queries (0.5)
      • Transactions/Threading/Views (0.5)
      • Import/Export/Backup/Migration (0.5)
  • API docs (need to specify which classes, etc)
    • CPIA (all)
    • Parcels (all)
    • Repository (all)
  • Tutorials
    • How to write a simple parcel (0.5, extended example 0.6)
  • Release status / project dashboard (0.5)

sample apps and sample code (katie)

• examples of extensions developers should be able to write
  • Morgen's photo (servelts and possible GUI extensions)
  • ZaoBao (GUI extensions and service)
  • VOIP service
  • Address book (GUI extensions)
  • Jabber/IM client (GUI extensions and service)
  • import/export services (integration with apple address book)
  • project management/workflow (GUI extensions)
  • document management
  • mp3 application

• sample code

• tasks for .5
  • pick a representative sample extension and do a modest version of it for .5, well documented
  • set of sample

• tasks for beyond .5

-- KatieCappsParlante - 23 Oct 2004