Wrapper (software)
In information technology, a piece of software that surrounds another piece of software is referred to as a wrapper (English for "packaging" or "envelope") or adapter (from the Latin for "adaptation"), also called " interface " . This can relate to entire programs as well as to individual program parts or classes. The "wrapping" can be both visual and technical in nature.
Wrappers are used for different reasons, mostly for compatibility, security or architectural reasons. For example, wrappers are helpful if program parts of a different programming language are to be used, or to restrict access to certain program parts (since the program only runs within the wrapper).
Examples
- TCP wrapper
- The background program inetd of a Unix-like computer processes incoming connection requests as a TCP wrapper . The requested network service is then permitted or denied according to the configuration .
- Java Database Connectivity (JDBC)
- JDBC is a database interface of the Java platform that offers a uniform interface to databases from various manufacturers. It accesses the specific implementations of the manufacturer internally, but externally it only offers general functionality of a database interface. It thus acts as a wrapper for access to databases.
- Glide wrapper
- Glide wrappers are emulators of Voodoo Graphics graphics cards and the Glide - library , which as a wrapper to other 3D hardware accelerator and the API DirectX act.
- GL wrapper
The GL wrappers indirectxfrom Feral Interactive , toglfrom Valve Corporation and eON from Virtual Programming are used to port DirectX computer games to OpenGL .
Wrapper as a design pattern
The object-oriented programming knows the design pattern adapter and decorator , both as a wrapper are called.
The adapter design pattern is used to conceal incompatible class interfaces. In addition to the facade design pattern , it is also often used to implement wrappers for entire program parts or other programs.
A decorator is used to add additional functionality to a class. Objects of a class are wrapped in decorators . New functionalities are implemented in the decorator and old functionalities are delegated to the wrapped object .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Set up the TCP wrapper. FreeBSD , accessed October 10, 2009 .
- ↑ Github repository
- ^ Services: Virtual Programming. Retrieved February 14, 2017 (American English).