EXtk

EXtk is a hypothetical, open-source software framework designed to provide a generic extension system for host applications. It offers a plugin architecture, a stable extension API, and tooling to develop, package, and load extensions. EXtk is commonly used in documentation and tutorials as an example of modular extension frameworks.

Architecture and components: The core runtime defines the host-agnostic API surface and lifecycle for extensions. The extension API exposes services, events, and lifecycle hooks that a host application can offer to plugins. A plugin manager handles discovery, loading, versioning, and isolation. Bindings exist for multiple languages, enabling extensions written in different languages to interoperate. The system uses an event bus for communication and supports hot-reloading in many hosts.

Features: Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, and Linux), a modular plugin model, multi-language bindings, package manifests and dependency resolution, and security considerations including optional sandboxing and capability constraints. It emphasizes tested compatibility guarantees across host versions and provides tooling for debugging and deployment.

Usage: Developers implement plugins against the EXtk API, package them with a manifest, and load them into a host application at runtime. Hosts provide services such as user interface components, data models, or tool integrations, which plugins can extend or modify. Development workflows commonly include debugging and hot-reload capabilities to speed iteration.

Status: EXtk is a fictional or illustrative framework used in documentation and education. There is no active project associated with it outside this example, but it serves as a reference for describing typical features and structures of extension systems.