Endpoints
An endpoint is an abstraction that represents a set of publishers and subscribers in communicating programs.
Within an application program, an endpoint begins as a name. Program code uses the endpoint name to create endpoint instances, that is, publisher and subscriber objects. Then programs use the publishers to send messages, and the subscribers to receive messages.
For many applications or communicating application suites, a single endpoint name suffices.
Each subscriber object and each call to a publisher send method introduces an ability requirement (see Abilities). Application developers record these requirements in endpoint coordination forms (see TIBCO FTL Endpoint Coordination Form).
Administrators configure transport connectors to satisfy those ability requirements. Connectors bind transports to endpoints. Those transports implement the endpoints, transferring message data from publishers to subscribers.
Administrators view an endpoint as a complex entity, embracing four separate communication abilities. A transport connector can separately enable any subset of those four abilities.
- Abilities
An endpoint has four communication abilities. A separate aspect of the API embodies each of these abilities. The following table summarizes the four abilities. - Endpoints and Stores
When an application uses persistence stores and durables, endpoints play an additional role. Administrators can associate each application endpoint with at most one persistence store. - Send: Blocking versus Non-Blocking
Administrators determine the behavior of send calls when a transport bus is full. Program developers may advise administrators concerning the correct behavior.