Plugin

java.lang.Object
- aeonics.Plugin

Direct Known Subclasses:

Boot
```
public abstract class Plugin
extends java.lang.Object
```
This class serves as a service provider for the system extension plugins. Implementations of this class are intended to be used as service providers in the context of the Java module system's 'uses' directive.
Plugins wishing to provide an implementation of this service should declare it using 'provides' directive in their module-info.java file and provide a parameterless constructor.

Note: only one Plugin is supported per java module

All 'requires' and 'export' directives from the module-info.java file can be used to manage inter-plugin communication.

Example module declaration:
```
module my.module {
     requires aeonics.boot;
     provides aeonics.Plugin with my.MyPlugin;
 }
```
In order for the plugin lifecycle to proceed properly, it is important that nothing happens in the constructor. The start() method will be called when all plugins are preloaded in the system.

Example plugin implementation:
```
public class MyPlugin extends Plugin {
     public String summary() { return "My Plugin v1.0"; }
     public String description() { return "This is my plugin"; }
     public void start() {
         Lifecycle.on(Lifecycle.Phase.LOAD, Callback.once(() -> {
             ...
         }));
     }
 }
```

Constructor Summary

Constructors
Constructor Description

Plugin()

Method Summary

All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`static java.util.List<Plugin>`	`all()`	Returns the list of all loaded plugins
`abstract java.lang.String`	`description()`	Returns this plugin description.
`static java.lang.ModuleLayer`	`getModuleLayer()`	Returns the module layer in which all plugins are loaded
`static void`	`initialize()`	Initializes the plugin loading mechanism.
`java.lang.String`	`name()`	Returns this plugin name.
`protected abstract void`	`start()`	This method will be called by the lifecycle manager after all required dependencies are met.
`abstract java.lang.String`	`summary()`	Returns this plugin summary.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

- Constructor Detail
  - Plugin
```
public Plugin()
```
- Method Detail
  - name
```
public final java.lang.String name()
```
    Returns this plugin name. The plugin name is equal to the name of the java module that provides it.
    
    Returns:
    
    the plugin name
  - summary
```
public abstract java.lang.String summary()
```
    Returns this plugin summary.
    
    Returns:
    
    the plugin summary
  - description
```
public abstract java.lang.String description()
```
    Returns this plugin description.
    
    Returns:
    
    the plugin description
  - start
```
protected abstract void start()
```
    This method will be called by the lifecycle manager after all required dependencies are met. You should register your callback functions for other lifecycle events in this method.
  - initialize
```
public static void initialize()
```
    Initializes the plugin loading mechanism.
  - getModuleLayer
```
public static java.lang.ModuleLayer getModuleLayer()
```
    Returns the module layer in which all plugins are loaded
    
    Returns:
    
    the module layer in which all plugins are loaded
  - all
```
public static java.util.List<Plugin> all()
```
    Returns the list of all loaded plugins
    
    Returns:
    
    the list of all loaded plugins