What is iBATIS? - iBATIS in Action - page 50

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The i BATIS framework is designed to be very flexible. It can be a very lightweight
and simple framework that simply executes SQL and returns data, or it can be
used to do much more.
One key to that flexibility is in the proper configuration of the framework. In
the next chapter, we are going to look at the two main types of configuration files,
and then we'll look at some patterns for solving difficult situations through the
use of configuration.

The configuration files are very standard XML documents. That means
that if you have a modern XML editor, the Document Type Definition
( DTD ) can be used to validate the document, and in some cases even
provide code completion while editing.

NOTE

You've now seen i BATIS in its simplest form. Before we continue, let's talk a bit
about where i BATIS is going, so that you can be confident in your decision to use it.

2.6 T he future: where is iBATIS going?

i BATIS has gained a great deal of momentum in recent months. As a result, the
team has grown, the product has moved, and we've started talking about support-
ing new platforms. Let's discuss the future in more detail.

2.6.1 Apache Software Foundation

Recently i BATIS became a part of the Apache Software Foundation. We chose to
move to Apache because we believe in their mission and respect their attitude.
Apache is more than a bunch of servers and infrastructure; it's a system and a true
home for open source software. Apache focuses on the community that surrounds
software rather than the technology behind it, because without a community the
software is a dead project.
What this means to i BATIS users is that i BATIS is not under the direction of a sin-
gle entity, nor is it dependent on a single entity. Nobody owns i BATIS —it belongs to
the community. Apache is there to protect the software and ensure that it stays that
way. That said, the Apache license does not restrict the use of open source software
as some licenses such as the GPL might. The Apache license is not a viral license,
which means that you can use the software freely in a commercial environment
without worrying about being compliant with unreasonable conditions.