1. Extending Configuration Files
   1. Figure out how to Extend a Configuration File
   2. Submit Idea to the Email Lists
2. Extending GeoServer Configuration
   1. Data Transfer Objects
      1. Data Transfer Object Extension
   2. XMLConfigReader
      1. Optimization
   3. Updating GeoServer
   4. XMLConfigWriter
3. Extending Configuration User Interface
   1. Config
   2. ActionForm (or FormBean)
   3. Action
   4. Java Server Pages
   5. ApplicationResources
4. Extending GeoServer Application
   1. GeoServer Framework (Request/Response/AbstractService)
   2. Java Server Pages
   3. Struts (Action)

This document provides a detailed walkthrough on how to add your own information to the GeoServer configuration system.

A quick checklist for those that never read the whole document:

1. Configuration files can be added to without problem
2. The new configuration information must be optional
3. Write up a propsal to the email list for review/comment:

   Be sure to include:
   name: name of configuration information
   description: what the information is needed for
   xml fragment: example extention to an existing configuration file

4. Wait for a sanity check from a project lead, or at least a biz day.
5. Extend a configuraiton file
6. Extend appropriate DTO class, along with XMLReader and XMLWriter
7. Update appropriate class in global
8. Update appropriate class in config, along with form and jsp

Note duplication of information is never cool: if you have one watch you know what time it is, if you have two watches you are never quite sure. This is most often a problem with schema.xml. XMLSchema is so powerful, and so difficult to parse, that we often wish for an easier way.

The GeoServer configuration system, is not so much a starting point for your GeoServer development as an ending point. Welcome to the final leg of your GeoServer developement, we thank you for your support.