Central Package Repository

The integrated development network includes a central repository housing all Apex-developed packages, accessible through the https://code.apexpl.io site.

Anyone can signup as a developer and create and publish packages for free, marking each as public, commercial, or private.

• Public - Open source and can be instantly installed on any Apex system.
• Commercial - Available for purchase at the author's defined price.
• Private - Exclusive to the author and individuals granted access.

This is similar to the Wordpress plugin ecosystem, with several key differences:

• All packages, whether public or commercial, are hosted on the central Apex network, meaning no need to collect and organize .zip files from multiple vendors.
  
  
• For security reasons, the administration panel avoids functionality for installing and managing packages, mandating package installations, removals and upgrades be done over SSH.
  
  
• Developers benefit from automatic version control for installed packages. Modifications to any Apex dependency are allowed without fear of being overwritten. Package upgrades seamlessly integrate unless conflicting modifications to the same file exist. In such cases, the standard merge conflict process is followed.

To summarize, the central package repository greatly enhances the extensibility of Apex systems. It enables the rapid setup of a customized system within minutes, paving the way for efficient development while saving valuable time and resources.