Invoking enhanced plug-ins and creating workflows having a series of enhanced plug-ins

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, user input for composing a first enhanced plug-in, wherein the first enhanced plug-in includes one or more logical components for invoking the first enhanced plug-in by an application running in a different framework as the first enhanced plug-in;

receiving, by the computing device, user input for creating a workflow that includes a series of a plurality of enhanced plug-ins including the first enhanced plug-in and one or more subsequent second enhanced plug-ins; and

invoking, by the computing device, the workflow, wherein the invoking the workflow causes the first enhanced plug-in to receive data from an application running on the same or different framework as the first enhanced plug-in, process the data, and forward the processed data as input data to a particular one of the one or more subsequent second enhanced plug-ins or an endpoint application.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the invoking the workflow includes directing the application to provide the data to the first enhanced plug-in via an application programming interface (API) call.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the invoking the workflow includes invoking the workflow in accordance with a schedule.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the invoking the workflow includes invoking the workflow based on the satisfaction of one or more criteria.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing information regarding availability of the workflow to a directory to cause the application to discover the workflow, wherein the invoking the workflow is performed by the application independently of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more logical components for invoking the first enhanced plug-in include at least one from the group consisting of:

a logical component implementing a doGet( )technique to process an HTTP-GET request; and

a logical component implementing a doPost( )technique to process an HTTP-POST request.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining a runtime status from the first enhanced plug-in and reporting the runtime status.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data is processed based on business rules incorporated by the first enhanced plug-in.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the receiving the user input for composing the first enhanced plug-in includes receiving the business rules,

the receiving the user input for creating the workflow includes receiving information that defines the particular one of the one or more subsequent second enhanced plug-ins or the endpoint application.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the user input for composing the first enhanced plug-in, the receiving the user input for creating the workflow, and the invoking the workflow are provided by a service provider on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device includes software provided as a service in a cloud environment.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deploying a system for creating the workflow to chain the series of the plurality of enhanced plug-ins, comprising providing a computer infrastructure operable to perform the receiving the user input for composing the first enhanced plug-in, the receiving the user input for creating the workflow, and the invoking the workflow.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enhanced plug-in includes a stack of functions, services, components, and interfaces that allows the service of the enhanced plug-in to be invoked in a standardized manner by the application that is running in a different framework as the enhanced plug-in, and

the stack of functions, services, components, and interfaces allows the service of the enhanced plug-in to be invoked in the standardized manner by a second application that is running in the same framework as the enhanced plug-in.

14. A computer program product for creating a workflow using a chained series of a plurality of enhanced plug-ins, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to:

store a first enhanced plug-in, of the plurality of enhanced plug-ins, wherein the first enhanced plug-in includes one or more logical components for invoking the first enhanced plug-in by an application running in a different framework as the first enhanced plug-in;

receive data from the application running on the same or different framework as the first enhanced plug-in;

process the data in accordance with functions defined within the first enhanced plug-in; and

forward the data to a subsequent second enhanced plug-in or endpoint application.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the one or more logical components for invoking the first enhanced plug-in include at least one from the group consisting of:

a logical component implementing a doGet( )technique to process an HTTP-GET request; and

a logical component implementing a doPost( )technique to process an HTTP-POST request,

wherein in the receiving the data from the application includes making an application programming interface (API) call.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 , further comprising reporting a runtime status from the first enhanced plug-in.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the one or more logical components include a stack of functions, services, components, and interfaces that allows the service of the enhanced plug-in to be invoked in a standardized manner by the application running in a different framework as the enhanced plug-in, and

the stack of functions, services, components, and interfaces allows the service of the enhanced plug-in to be invoked in the standardized manner by a second application that is running in the same framework as the enhanced plug-in.

18. A system comprising:

a CPU, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage medium associated with a computing device;

an enhanced plugin stored by the computing device, wherein the enhanced plugin includes:

one or more logical components for invoking the enhanced plug-in by an application running in a different framework as the enhanced plug-in;

one or more logical components for implementing business logic that define the manner in which the enhanced plug-in processes input data; and

one or more logical components to forward data processed by the business logic or configuration parameters of the enhanced plug-in to subsequent enhanced plug-ins or an endpoint application in a workflow.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the enhanced plug-in further includes a logical component for reporting the runtime status of the enhanced plug-in.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more logical components for invoking the enhanced plug-in include

a stack of functions, services, components, and interfaces that allows the service of the enhanced plug-in to be invoked in a standardized manner by the application running in a different framework as the enhanced plug-in, and

the stack of functions, services, components, and interfaces allows the service of the enhanced plug-in to be invoked in the standardized manner by a second application that is running in the same framework as the enhanced plug-in.