6.4. Component Infrastructure Technology

To support a component-based approach, it is common to use some form of component infrastructure (sometimes also called "component-oriented middleware") to handle all of the complex details of component coordination [8]. Essentially, the component infrastructure provides a common set of component management services made available to all components interested in using that infrastructure. The component infrastructure imposes constraints on the design and implementation of the components. However, in return for abiding by these constraints, the component developer and application assembler is relieved from the burden of developing many complex services within their application.

To understand component infrastructures, it is necessary to understand the kinds of services the infrastructure can make available, and the different competing infrastructure implementations currently available.