Visualizing OSGi Dependencies

Yesterday I blogged about how to find dependencies in features on plugins or features using a shell script to rip through feature jars.

But maybe you're less commandline, and more visual? Well, it may be over three years old, but there's a way to visualize plugin interdependencies using Ian Bull's PDE Dependency View. Frankly, I'm amazed this isn't already a core feature in PDE (and correct me if it is).

To use this tool, simply install it from:

http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/pde/incubator/visualization/site

After installing and restarting, hit CTRL-3 and type "Graph" to find the "Graph Plug-In Dependencies View". (It's also available from Window > Show View > Other... (ALT-SHIFT-Q,Q) under Plug-in Development, if you prefer to kick it old-school.)

Next, right-click in the view or hit the "Focus on" button in the view, and select the plugin on which you want to focus.

Now you can browse up or down through plugins to explore dependencies.

For example, to see what plugins depend on a given plugin, such as org.eclipse.tm.terminal, click the "Show Callers" button in the view.

Or, to see on which plugins org.jboss.ide.eclipe.as.rse.ui depends, click the "Show Callees" button in the view. You can shift-click on nodes to highlight them for emphasis, or click and drag them around.