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Jitterbit custom plugins

Introduction

Plugins are Jitterbit’s deprecated method of extending Harmony’s native capabilities. The recommended and supported way to extend the Harmony platform is by using the Jitterbit Connector SDK.

Using the Jitterbit Plugin SDKs, you can create and publish your own plugins for use with private agents.

Important

Custom plugin creation is deprecated. See Deprecation and support in Plugins at the Jitterbit documentation site.

Create a custom plugin

To create a custom plugin, Jitterbit provides libraries in Java or C++ that you can use to interface with Jitterbit iPaaS.

The SDKs, in essence, provide incorporation of the plugin code that you write into a Jitterbit iPaaS activity or script. Using the SDKs lets you take advantage of classes that reduce the amount of code you are required to write. (You can use any computer language capable of generating executable files on the platform you are using, provided it meets these requirements.)

Creating a plugin involves providing a list of input and output files and data elements. Using a plugin changes the data of the input files and its data elements into the output file and its data elements.

A plugin is passed the filename of an XML file that represents the input, and the plugin then creates an output XML file:

  • Input: The input XML file contains a list of files that are relevant at that point in the pipeline. If the plugin runs after the source files have been fetched from a remote site, the corresponding local file names are listed in the XML input. The XML input also lists data elements that have been defined by transformation scripts or by other plugins.
  • Output: After the work is performed, the XML output is generated, consisting of new (or the same) files and modified or new data elements.

If you are using the SDK classes, they automate the process of parsing and creating these XML files.

SDK files are provided for use with either Java or C++.

Warning

If you are using a custom plugin, you are responsible for the security of the custom plugin.

Java Plugin SDK

When writing a custom plugin in Java, use these Java SDK libraries and examples:

  • Java SDK Libraries: Contains the three Java libraries (JAR files) that comprise the SDK.
  • Java SDK Examples: Contains a build README file and several examples demonstrating how to write a plugin using the SDK.

C++ Plugin SDK

When writing a custom plugin in C++, use the Jitterbit C++ 9.0 Plugin SDK:

Plugin Creation Training

Training is available through Jitterbit University and the Jitterbit plugin creation training course.