Wizard API - Plan of redesign

This is preliminary plan for Wizard API redesign in core platform.
The plan defines:

• highlevel areas,
• tasks in detail for each area,
• milestones in which the plan can be implemented.

The plan is still quite high level and needs to go into more details if realistic estimates are needed. At the moment it just captures all what has to be done, all what is unknown and needs to be analyzed and defines dependencies between these tasks.

If there is no status or owner mentioned it means that no work was done yet and task is not planned yet.
The tasks in issuezilla hasn't be filed yet, will be made soon.

Highlevel Areas

The Wizard API redesign plan can be split into these highlevel areas:

• A1: Propose Wizard API
  Prototype API&SPI, discuss and reflecting changes and pass the standard Architecture review.
  

• A2: Changes in Templates management
  Prototype new Templates management (w/o old datasystems) and new wizard built on the top of Wizard API.
  

• B1: Migrate to Wizard API
  Implement NetBeans wizard default implementation and all core module's usages of old WizardDescriptor should be rewritten to use new Wizard API.
  

• B2: Create new TemplateWizard implementation
  Implement new TemplateWizard implementation with new templates management.
  

• C1: Provide examples how to use Wizard API
  Provide examples how to use Wizard API features use the supported use-cases, write Migration guide from old wizard's implementation to Wizard API.
  

Areas in more detail

A1: Propose Wizard API

• A1.1: create proposal for the module and its public API &SPI
  Status: in progress.
  Comment: The Wizard API is available on openide/wizards on branch wizards_36584.
  
  
• A1.2: create prototype for all the supported use-cases
  

Status: in progress.
Comment: prototypes are available on openide/wizards/prototype on branch wizards_36584.

A1.3: discuss them on mailing list and incorporate feedback

A1.4: finalize Wizard API

• A1.4.1: document all API contracts
• A1.4.2: completing API documentation

A1.5: process Architecture Review

Status: in progress.
IssueZilla: 36584
Owner: jrechtacek@netbeans.org

Dependencies:
A1.3 and A1.4 depends on A1.2,
A1.4 also depends on A2.5, A1.4 and A1.5 wait to each other.

A2: Changes in Templates management

• A2.1: Propose a concept of Templates management
  
IssueZilla:

36709
Owner: pnejedly@netbeans.org

A2.2: Separate openide/datasystems from wizard for templates

IssueZilla: 34043
Owner: jrechtacek@netbeans.org

A2.3: Propose Templates registration in module's layer

IssueZilla: 36709
Owner: pnejedly@netbeans.org

A2.4: Investigate backward compatibility for Templates

IssueZilla: 36709
Owner: pnejedly@netbeans.org

A2.5: Prototype Template wizard as Wizard API use-case

Dependencies:
A2.5 depends on A1.2,
A2.3 depends on A2.1,
A2.4 depends on A2.3.

B1: Migrate to Wizard API

Implement NetBeans wizard default implementation and all core module's usages of old WizardDescriptor should be rewritten to use new Wizard API.

• B1.1: Create default NetBeans WizardUI

• B1.1.1: Provide NetBeans WizardUI customization API
• B1.1.2: Implement default NetBeans WizardUI

B1.2: Rewrite core's modules wizard. e.g. Mount wizard, AutoUpdate wizard

B1.3: Document experience with using API and hints how to effective use them

Dependencies:
B1.1 depends on A1.2,
B1.2 depends on A1.4 and B1.1,
B1.3 depends on B1.2.

B2: Create new TemplateWizard implementation

Implement TemplateWizard separated from old datasystems (package org.openide.loaders) uses proposed Templates registration. Also document how to migrate

• B2.1: Create TemplateWizard and prepare shared wizard's pages

• B2.1.1: Prepare shared wizard's page e.g. TemplateChooser. TargetChooser

B2.1.2: Make ready registration Templates in registry

B2.2: Enable reading old format Templates folder

B2.3: Document migration to Wizard API

Dependencies:
B2.1.1 depends on A2.1,
B2.1.2 depends on A2.3,
B2.2 depends on A2.4.

C1: Provide examples how to use Wizard API

Write code examples built on the top Wizard API, write User view how to use this API and provide support on mailing lists and internally to help use this API.

• C1.1: Write code examples demonstrates API features

C1.2: Write User view

Dependencies:
C1.1 depends on all above,
C1.2 depends on B1.3.

Milestones

The above tasks can be grouped into these milestones.

M1: Wizard API - basic implementation ready

• finish A1.2
• Note: Merge Wizard API to main trunk as devel.
• status: in progress
• Expected date: postponed (new date will be TBD)

M2: Pass Architecture Review

• finish A1.5
• depends on: M1 and Architecture reviewers
• Note: Deprecate WizardDescriptor.
• status: in progress
• Expected date: postponed (new date will be TBD)

M3: New Templates - basic management ready

• finish A2.5
• status: not in progress but must be started soon
• Expected date: postponed (new date will be TBD)

M4: Core's wizards migrated - full implementation Wizard API

• depends on: M1
• finish B1.2
• Expected date: postponed (new date will be TBD)

M5: New Templates - full implementation TemplatesWizard ready

• depends on: M3, M4
• finish B2.2
• Expected date:

M5: API documentation and examples ready

• depends on: M3, M5
• finish B1.3, B2.3 and C1.2
• Expected date:

Current plan is to finish M1, process M2 and start M3 as soon as possible.