MADS V5 frequently asked questions
The most common questions about the platform. If yours is not here, email us at mads@sivicom.cat.
What is MADS V5?
It is Sivicom Engineering's platform for building modular Java applications. You define each module with metadata (data, domains, texts and parameters) and MADS generates the entity model, the texts and the foundations of the code, with a build, test and deployment cycle automated with Maven.
What are the advantages over building without a platform?
Less boilerplate, a common structure in every module and, above all, fewer bugs: since columns, tables and texts are generated from the metadata, changes in the model are caught at compile time rather than in production. Modules are reused across applications and versioned independently.
What do I need to get started?
A JDK 8 or later, Maven, the mads tool and, recommended, Visual Studio Code with the MADS extension. The installation guide explains how to install everything on macOS, Linux and Windows.
Which operating systems does it run on?
The mads tool runs on macOS and Linux (installed with Homebrew) and on Windows (installed with Scoop). The generated applications run wherever Java runs.
What kinds of applications can I build?
Desktop applications, back-end web services and mobile or cross-platform apps with Flutter, all from the same module model.
Which databases are supported?
MADS supports Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, IBM Db2 and AS/400, Apache Derby and ODBC connections, plus SAP integration through JCo.
Is the Eclipse plugin still available?
No. The MADS V5 development environment is Visual Studio Code with the MADS extension, together with the mads tool. The Eclipse plugin update site (versions up to 5.0.5) has been retired.
How do I update the mads tool?
With the package manager you installed it with: brew upgrade mads on macOS and Linux, or scoop update mads on Windows. The tool itself tells you when a new version is available.
Can I migrate modules from MADS 4.6?
Yes. mads migrate module migrates a module from MADS 4.6 to MADS V5 and mads fix module fixes a module so it is compatible with the current version.
Can I use MADS in continuous integration?
Yes. mads module test, build and deploy work the same on a CI server as on your machine. Set MADS_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=1 to turn off the version check. There is an example in Maven and continuous cycle.
Where are the XML schemas?
The schemas that validate the metadata are published at https://mads.sivicom.cat/xsd/, for example Descriptor-1.1.xsd.
How do I get support or access to the platform?
Contact Sivicom Engineering at mads@sivicom.cat or on +34 634 734 366. More about the company at sivicomeng.com.