SpringSource provides a set of plug-ins for the Eclipse IDE that streamline the development lifecycle of OSGi bundles and PAR applications. The Application Platform Tools build on top of the Eclipse Web Tools Platform (WTP) and Spring IDE, the open-source Spring development tool set.
The AP Tools support the creation of new OSGi bundle and PAR projects within Eclipse, convert existing projects, and deploy and debug those projects on a running Application Platform right from within Eclipse.
Currently the AP Tools support Eclipse 3.3 with the corresponding version of WTP. Downloading and unzipping the Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers is the easiest way to start.
Execute the following steps to install the AP Tools into your Eclipse.
Install Spring IDE 2.0.5 from http://springide.org/updatesite/ using the Eclipse Update Manager.
![[Note]](images/note.gif)
Note Don't try to install the "Spring IDE Dependencies (only for Eclipse 3.2.x)" from the "Dependency" category on Eclipse 3.3. This feature is intended only for Eclipse 3.2 and is to keep Spring IDE backward-compatible. You will not be able to continue with the installation if you select this feature on Eclipse 3.3. Install the SpringSource Application Platform Tools 1.0.0 Beta from http://static.springsource.com/projects/sts-ap/update/ using the Eclipse Update Manager.