Apache Felix is an open source implementation of the OSGi Core Release 6 framework specification.^[2] The initial codebase was donated from the Oscar project at ObjectWeb.^[3] The developers worked on Felix for a full year and have made various improvements while retaining the original footprint and performance. On June 21, 2007, the project graduated from incubation as a top level project and is considered the smallest size software at Apache Software Foundation.

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Quick Facts Developer(s), Initial release ...

Apache Felix

Screenshot Demonstration of the Apache Felix Shell GUI
Developer(s)	Apache Software Foundation
Initial release	28 July 2007; 16 years ago (2007-07-28)
Stable release	7.0.5 / June 3, 2022; 23 months ago (2022-06-03)[1]
Repository	Felix Repository
Written in	Java
Operating system	Cross-platform
Size	2.5 MB (zip) / 2.4 MB (tar.gz)
Type	OSGi Service Platform
License	Apache License 2.0
Website	felix.apache.org

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This article contains instructions, advice, or how-to content. (April 2014)

To run Apache Felix OSGi, you need to download the felix-framework-4.x.x.tar.gz or felix-framework-4.x.x.zip compressed file from the site. Once you have extracted the Felix framework distribution, from the command line in the extracted directory type the following:

java -jar bin/felix.jar

After bundles are installed and running, typing a command like help from the console will display all available commands, which are:

• bundlelevel <level> <id> ... | <id> - set or get bundle start level.
• cd [<base-URL>] - change or display base URL.
• find <bundle-name> - display bundles matching substring.
• headers [<id> ...] - display bundle header properties.
• help - display impl commands.
• inspect - inspect dependency information (e.g., packages, service, etc.).
• install <URL> [<URL> ...] - install bundle(s).
• log [<max>] [error|warn|info|debug] - list recent log entries.
• obr help - OSGi bundle repository.
• ps [-l | -s | -u] - list installed bundles.
• refresh [<id> ...] - refresh packages.
• resolve [<id> ...] - attempt to resolve the specified bundles.
• shutdown - shutdown framework.
• start <id> [<id> <URL> ...] - start bundle(s).
• startlevel [<level>] - get or set framework start level.
• stop <id> [<id> ...] - stop bundle(s).
• sysprop [-r] [<key>] [<value>] - Display, set, modify and remove system properties.
• uninstall <id> [<id> ...] - uninstall bundle(s).
• update <id> [<URL>] - update bundle.
• version - display version of framework.

Felix Framework Distribution

List of subprojects of which the Apache Felix framework consists.

The projects listed below highlight the adoption of Apache Felix:

• ServiceMix 4^[4] - An open source ESB with an OSGi core. It also includes JBI support.
• Apache Sling - OSGi-based applications layer for JCR content repositories.
• EasyBeans - open source EJB 3 container.
• GlassFish (v3) - application server for Java EE.
• JOnAS 5 - open source Java EE 5 application server.
• JORAM and JoramMQ - open source messaging: JMS, AMQP and MQTT broker.
• Project Fuji in Open ESB v3 - Light weight and modular ESB core runtime.
• Jitsi (formerly known as SIP Communicator) - open source Java VoIP and multi-protocol instant messenger.
• modulefusion - open source collection for Java enterprise applications.
• NetBeans - The free MultiLanguage IDE.
• SOA Software - API Gateway application from Akana (formerly SOA Software).
• Spring Roo - RAD tool for Java-based enterprise applications
• Opencast Matterhorn - Open Source software to produce, manage and distribute academic audio and video content, especially lecture recordings.
• JIRA - JIRA supports plug-ins as OSGi bundles.
• Adobe Experience Manager - Enterprise content management system and digital asset management developed by Adobe Inc.

• OSGi Alliance
• Apache Aries, a Blueprint Container implementations and extensions of application-focused specifications defined by OSGi Enterprise Expert Group
• Equinox
• Concierge OSGi