Looks is an SPI (service provider interface) which permits the definition of transformations from arbitrary Java objects into a form suitable for visual representation. The transformation includes conversion of object attributes into atrributes of it's visual representation and conversion of events fired from praticular object into events suitable for rearanging the visual representation.

The architecture of Looks allows for more independent modules to take part in an object visualisation. (I.e. using Looks it is possible for module A to add child objects to an object originally created and visualised by module B.)

Besides the Looks SPI this package also contains a bridge to the current NetBeans visualisation API, Nodes.

Additional information

About Looks : general information on why Looks API exists what it provides and how it is related to the Nodes API.
Looks HowTo : document describing usual usecases for the looks API including short examples of code.

WARNING: The API is still under development and may be changed. The changes will not change the general way how the looks API works and can be considered small but it is not granted that the changes will be compatoble on either binary or source level.
Especially the way how the Looks are registered on the system filesystem using module layers will likely undergo some changes when the back end of the Registry API will change.