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## Chapter 1
About This Guide

This document, the Netscape Component Developer's Guide, describes how to use the Netscape Component Developer's Kit (CDK) to incorporate Netscape ONE components into the Web applications you build.

The CDK is a supplemental tool kit that enables you to build and extend component-based Internet, intranet, and extranet applications. It introduces the concept of the JavaScript Bean (JSB) file that serves as a Netscape ONE component wrapper so that you can use and deploy components across all your applications regardless of component origin or the language used to create it. The JSB file also enables creation of JavaScript components. Finally, the documentation that accompanies the CDK describes both tool- and platform-based component requirements, and offers example components that illustrate design and implementation techniques.

In particular, the Component Developer's Guide focuses on developing and deploying components for application developed with Visual JavaScript (VJS). VJS is the first Netscape tool that enables you to incorporate Netscape ONE components into your Internet, intranet, and extranet applications. As other Netscape tools evolve to provide direct support for building component-based applications for the Netscape ONE platform, future releases of the Component Developer's Guide will offer development and deployment guidelines that apply specifically to those tools in addition to VJS. Developing Netscape ONE components and using VJS to develop applications with those components today gives you a jump on future development for the Netscape ONE platform.

Sections in this document include the following topics:

- Where To Find Information
- What You Should Already Know
- Tools You Need

## Where To Find Information

The Component Developer's Guide is divided into the following sections:

Section | Contents
--- | ---
About This Guide | This document, which describes the Component Developer's Guide, discusses what you should already know before you get started with the CDK, and lists the tools you need in order to get the most out of the CDK.
About the CDK | Describes the CDK, provides an overview of adapting, developing, and using Netscape ONE components, introduces general component concepts, and introduces the Netscape ONE component model.
Creating JavaScript Components. | Describes how to create and use JavaScript components in Netscape ONE applications.
Using Java Objects as Components | Describes how to incorporate and access Java-based components in Netscape ONE Internet applications.
Using CORBA Components | Describes how to incorporate CORBA-compliant components into Netscape ONE Internet applications.
Using Composer Plug-ins | Describes how to incorporate and interact with plug-in components, such as the multi-media player in Netscape Communicator 4.xx.
Packaging Components for Import | Describes how to use the JDK 1.1 command-line JAR file packager to package Netscape ONE components into JAR files for installation in a VJS palette.
JSB File Structure Reference | Provides an introduction to JSB files and a detailed syntax reference for the JSB file structure used to create Netscape ONE components.

Each of these sections contains links, as appropriate, to related documentation on the Netscape DevEdge web site. Also check DevEdge for the most up-to-date version of the Component Developer's Guide.

## What You Should Already Know

To use the CDK documentation you must be familiar with the object-oriented, event-driven programming paradigm. You must also be familiar with the JavaBeans component model, and the implementation of component properties, events, and methods. All Netscape ONE component development is based on the JavaBeans component model, regardless of where a component is actually implemented.

If you are developing Java objects, or components for use as Netscape ONE components, you should be familiar with Java programming. If you are creating JavaScript components, the CDK builds on your knowledge of JavaScript. If you are implementing CORBA components, you must be familiar with CORBA, IIOP, and Java or C++.

For a complete introduction to CORBA, see CORBA: Catching the Next Wave.

For a tutorial example of building an application from components using VJS, see Extranet Database Application Tutorial.

For a general overview of Netscape ONE development, n introduction to developing Netscape ONE applications, see Introduction to Developing Applications: for the Netscape ONE Platform.

## Tools You Need

To develop and test Netscape ONE applications, you need the latest version of Visual JavaScript, and a text editor. To develop, test, and deploy components for use in the Visual JavaScript Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and your Visual JavaScript applications, you need the CDK. To debug your components and applications, you need the Visual JavaScript debugger.

To develop Java components, you need the JavaBeans Developer Kit (BDK) from Sun. If you want to develop components with the Netscape Internet Foundation Classes (IFC), you must get IFC from Netscape. In addition, you must have the Java Developer's Kit, JDK 1.1. Optionally, you may also want to use a Java development tool such as Symantec Cafe or Visual Cafe.

To test client components at run time, you need Netscape Communicator version 4.xx. To test server components at run time, you need Enterprise Server 3.x.

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Last Updated: 11/20/97 13:56:29

Copyright © 1997 Netscape Communications Corporation