User Interface Layer

The user interface layer represents the front end of the vSphere Web Client, and contains the actual GUI elements that users view and click. The user interface is based on a modular Flex application, hosted on the vSphere Web Client application server, that runs in the user’s Web browser. The user interface layer contains every component of the Flex application, including data views, portlets, and navigation controls.

You can add new features or elements to the Flex application by creating user interface plug-in modules. A user interface plug-in module can add one or more Flex GUI elements, called extensions, to the vSphere Web Client user interface.

This chapter contains the following topics:

■	Understanding the User Interface Layer

■	User Interface Plug-In Modules

■	Types of vSphere Web Client Extensions

■	Defining Extensions

■	Using Templates to Define Extensions