Extension Modules

(1Q18)


This article provides an overview of how to create eXist-db extension modules (in Java) and contains a list of available extension modules.

Introduction

eXist-db provides a pluggable module interface that allows extension modules to be easily developed in Java. These extension modules can provide additional XQuery functions through a custom namespace. The extension modules have full access to the eXist-db database, its internal API, the context of the executing XQuery and the HTTP Session (if appropriate).

The source code for extension modules should be placed in their own folder inside $EXIST_HOME/extensions/modules/src/org/exist/xquery/modules. They may then be compiled in place using either $EXIST_HOME/build.sh extension-modules or %EXIST_HOME%\build.bat extension-modules depending on the platform.

Modules associated to modularized indexes must be placed in the $EXIST_HOME/extensions/indexes/*/xquery/modules/* hierarchy. They will be compiled automatically by the standard build targets or as indicated above.

eXist-db must also be told which modules to load, this is done in conf.xml and the Class name and Namespace for each module is listed below.

eXist-db will require a restart to load any new modules added.

Once a Module is configured and loaded eXist-db will display the module and its function definitions as part of the function library page or through util:decribe-function().

Extension Modules

Example Module

Demonstrates the simplest example of an Extension module with a single function. A good place to start if you wish to develop your own Extension Module.

  • Creator: Wolfgang Meier

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.example.ExampleModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/examples

Cache Module

Provides a global key/value cache

  • Creator: Evgeny Gazdovsky

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.cache.CacheModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/cache

Compression Module

Provides additional operations for compression

  • Creator: Adam Retter

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.compression.CompressionModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/compression

EXI Module

Provides additional operations to encode and decode Efficient XML Interchange format (EXI)

  • Creator: Robert Walpole

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.exi.EXIModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/exi

File Module

Provides additional operations on files and directories. WARNING: Enabling this extension module could result in possible security issues, since it allows writing to the filesystem by xqueries!

  • Creator: Andrzej Taramina

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.file.FileModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/file

Image Module

This modules provides operations on images stored in the db, including: Retreiving Image Dimensions, Creating Thumbnails and Resizing Images.

  • Creator: Adam Retter

  • Contributors: Wolfgang Meier, Rafael Troilo

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.image.ImageModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/image

JNDI Directory Module

This extension module allows you to access and manipulate JNDI-based directories, such as LDAP, using XQuery functions. It can be very useful if you want to integration and LDAP directory into an eXist-db/XQuery based application.

To compile it, set the parameter include.module.jndi = true in $EXIST_HOME/extensions/local.build.properties file (create it if missing). Then, to enable it, edit the appropriate module entry in conf.xml.

  • Creator: Andrzej Taramina

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.jndi.JNDIModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/jndi

Mail Module

This modules provides facilities for sending text and/or HTML emails from XQuery using either SMTP or a local Sendmail binary.

  • Creator: Adam Retter

  • Contributors: Robert Walpole

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.mail.MailModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/mail

Oracle Module

This module allows execution of PL/SQL Stored Procedures within an Oracle RDBMS from XQuery and returns the results as XML nodes. This module should be used where an Oracle database returns results in an Oracle REF_CURSOR and can only be used in conjunction with the SQL extension module.

  • Creator: Rob Walpole

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.oracle.OracleModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/oracle

Scheduler Module

Provides access to eXist-db's Scheduler for the purposes of scheduling job's and manipulating existing job's.

  • Creator: Adam Retter

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.scheduler.SchedulerModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/scheduler

Simple Query Language Module

This modules implements a Simple custom Query Language which is then converted to XPath and executed against the db.

  • Creator: Wolfgang Meier

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.simpleql.SimpleQLModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/simple-ql

Spatial module

Various functions for GML geometries, whether indexed or not. More information about the design is available here.

  • Creator: Pierrick Brihaye

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: experimental

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.spatial.SpatialModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/spatial

SQL Module

This module provides facilities for performing SQL operations against traditional databases from XQuery and returning the results as XML nodes.

  • Creator: Adam Retter

  • Licence: LGPL Features

  • Used: JDBC

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.sql.SQLModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/sql

XML Differencing Module

This module provides facilities for determining the differences between XML nodes.

  • Creator: Dannes Wessels

  • Contributors: Pierrick Brihaye

  • Licence: LGPL

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.xmldiff.XmlDiffModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/xmldiff

XSL-FO Module

This module provides XSL-FO rendering facilities.

  • Creator: University of the West of England

  • Licence: LGPL Features

  • Used: Apache FOP

  • Status: production

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.xslfo.XSLFOModule

  • Namespace: http://exist-db.org/xquery/xslfo

XML Calabash Module

This module provides simple integration with XML Calabash XProc engine.

  • Creator: James Fuller

  • Licence: MPL v1.1

  • Class: org.exist.xquery.modules.xmlcalabash

  • Namespace: http://xmlcalabash.com