JFire
| Company type | Free software |
|---|---|
| Industry | Enterprise resource planning, Customer relationship management, Accounting software |
| Predecessor | NightLabs |
| Founded | January 2006 |
| Defunct | January 1, 2015 |
| Fate | Project discontinued after NightLabs dissolved |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | ERP, CRM, Accounting, Retail, Online commerce, Financial reporting |
| Owner | VIENNA Advantage (from late 2009) |
JFire was a comprehensive enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) solution developed entirely in Java, built upon Java EE 5, JDO 2, and the Eclipse RCP 3 framework. This design enabled straightforward enhancement of both server and client elements, allowing tailored adaptations for various industries or individual businesses.
Starting from November 2009, stable versions of JFire incorporated numerous modules, including user and access rights management, accounting functions, retail operations, direct online commerce such as web shops, an interactive 2D graphical editor, along with additional plugins. A financial reporting component based on the BIRT platform facilitated the creation and display of reports, analytics, and documents like invoices.
Conceived as a versatile software framework to streamline the development of sector-specific applications, JFire also delivered ready-to-use modules geared toward small and medium-sized enterprises.
By utilizing JDO as its persistence mechanism, JFire maintained database independence, minimizing the necessity for manual SQL programming. It was compatible with multiple relational and object-oriented databases through the JDO2 reference implementation DataNucleus, thereby improving both flexibility and developer productivity.
Although the use of Java EE, JDO, and Eclipse RCP offered considerable advantages, these technologies demanded more extensive training periods compared to legacy platforms.
Initially released in January 2006 under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL), JFire was distributed as free software permitting unrestricted redistribution, modification, and usage without charge.
The project ceased development following the dissolution of its originator company, Nightlabs, on 1 January 2015.
History
The inception of JFire dates back to 2003 when NightLabs aimed to create an integrated ticketing sales and distribution system grounded in an ERP suite. To realize this vision, they embarked on developing an ERP framework employing technologies such as JDO and Eclipse RCP that supported extensibility for future projects.
Upon its launch in January 2006, JFire quickly gained prominence within the Eclipse ecosystem. It was featured in both German and Indian editions of Eclipse Magazines, received an invitation to EclipseCon 2006, and was presented at the 2007 Eclipse Forum Europe where its graphical parameter workflow builder notably impressed the BIRT development team.
By late 2009, ownership of JFire transitioned to VIENNA Advantage, signaling a strategic realignment in its commercial direction.
Architecture
JFire’s structure consists of a server component alongside several client variants. The main interface is a rich desktop application complemented by a JSP-based web client providing limited functionalities such as web shop management. Certain deployments include mobile clients tailored for specific use cases like access control systems (for example, the Yak system). The architecture enables inter-company collaboration by allowing servers to function as clients to one another. Each enterprise maintains its own JDO datastore to ensure robust data privacy while exchanging only necessary business information.
Built with modularity at its core, JFire’s client side operates through OSGi plug-ins within the Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP), whereas the server is composed of Java EE EAR modules. This modular foundation allows JFire to be utilized as a base for non-ERP applications requiring fewer components, such as those focused solely on user and rights administration.
Server
The Base Module is responsible for managing authentication, user permissions, and facilitating interactions between organizations and servers. Built on this foundation, the Trade Module oversees accounting functions, store operations, reporting, and supports the broader distribution sales network.
Within the Trade Module, there are interfaces designed to connect with external systems such as third-party payment gateways and delivery services. Additionally, it provides the capability to extend functionality by creating custom business applications on the JFire platform.