The API (Application Programming Interface) defines how software engineers access the capabilities of software like the Niagara Framework. Workbench is the Niagara API — and using the Niagara Workbench, you can create and edit the control logic for your job site.
Many features found in Niagara are exposed through a set of Java APIs. In the Java world, APIs are grouped together into packages, which are scoped using DNS domain names. Software developed through the Java Community Process is usually scoped by packages starting with “java” or “javax.” It is important to understand the two types of APIs related to the Niagara framework:
The APIs developed for Baja (see About Baja for more about Baja) are all grouped under javax.baja. These are APIs that will be part of the open Baja specification and may be implemented by vendors other than Tridium. Using these APIs guarantees a measure of vendor neutrality and backward compatibility.
Software developed by Tridium which is proprietary and outside of the Baja specification is grouped under the com.tridium packages. The com.tridium packages contain code specific to how Niagara implements the Baja APIs. The com.tridium code may or may not be documented. If com.tridium APIs are publicly documented then Tridium encourages developers to use them, but does not guarantee backward compatibility. Undocumented com.tridium APIs should never be used by developers.
Tridium has developed some APIs under javax.baja even though they are not currently part of the Baja specification. These
are APIs that Tridium feels may eventually be published through Baja, but are currently in a development stage.