Integrating BIRT

Integration Points

BIRT supplies several APIs and an Example Java EE application for generating and viewing reports. The major APIs are the Design Engine API(DE API), Report Engine API(RE API) and the Chart Engine API (CE API). These pages describe the various APIs and illustrate examples on their usage. In addition to the APIs, BIRT supports scripting using Rhino within report designs. A primer is available to get started scripting.

Example Report Viewer (Java EE App/Plugin)

The BIRT Viewer can be used in a variety of ways:
Note that the BIRT Viewer requires that cookies be enabled.

• As a stand-alone, pre-built web application for running and viewing reports.


• As a starter web application that you can customize to your needs.


• Called through the BIRT tag library.


• As a plugin in existing RCP applications.

Web Viewer Links

• Integrating the BIRT Viewer explains how to deploy the BIRT viewer onto your own application server. The explanation uses Apache Jakarta Tomcat as the sample deployment target.


• Using the BIRT Viewer discusses the viewer operation URLs, parameters and settings.


• Using the Viewer from PHP discusses how to run BIRT reports from a non-Java scripting environment such as PHP.


• Viewer Tag Lirary discusses how to integrate BIRT using the Tag Libraries.


• The viewer code is available in the BIRT CVS repository in the org.eclipse.birt.report.viewer project. See the BIRT build instructions for information on how to access CVS and build the viewer.

Design Engine API

Use the Design Engine API (DE API) to create a custom report designer tool, or to explore or modify BIRT report designs. The BIRT Designer is built using this API. This API can also be called within BIRT script to modify the currently running report.

• Using the Design Engine API is a brief primer for using the DE API.


• The Design Engine code is available in the BIRT CVS repository in the org.eclipse.birt.report.model project. See the BIRT build instructions for information on how to access CVS and build the code.

Report Engine API

Use the Design Engine API (DE API) to create a custom report designer tool, or to explore or modify BIRT report designs. The BIRT Designer is built using this API. This API can also be called within BIRT script to modify the currently running report.

• Using the Engine API explains how to use the Report Engine API to create a simple command-line program that runs reports.

Chart Engine API

Use the Chart Engine API to create and render charts apart from BIRT. Several examples can be found on the BIRT Developer Center.

• Chart Engine API Webinar


• Chart Engine API Webinar Examples


• Chart Engine API Examples


• Search the BIRT Developer Center DevShare

BIRT Scripting

BIRT uses Mozilla's Rhino engine to perform server side scripting. Scripting is used in BIRT expressions and at key events during the generation and presentation phases of report creation.

• Scripting Primer explains scripting in more detail.

Extending BIRT

Your application can extend BIRT for your specific needs:

• Open Data Access (ODA) Extension API - BIRT provides a JDBC data source. Use the ODA API to create custom data sources drivers. Each driver has run-time behavior along with optional design-time UI.


• Report Item Extension API - The BIRT model is extensible; you can add new report items. Use this API to include design-time, run-time or presentation-time behavior. A two part tutuorial is available: Part 1 Part 2