--- schema_version: "1" id: 8a1872586324e98a039c14245ece08a87ece20d5ebd7a13a315aa808231c06ec title: Learning the Module Model collection: mulesoft version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/mulesoft/current/en-us/mule-sdk/latest/module-structure.md canonical_url: https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/module-structure source_site: docs.mulesoft.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 5ede8a99389ca5a71a27bc4c361ea6c1e4b166ec32c3ddfb427fa09146b2eab3 description: MuleSoft Documentation Site release: "1.13" latest: true --- --- product: Mule SDK version: 1.13 is-latest-version: true keywords: mule, sdk, module, extension, components, structure --- # Learning the Module Model > For the full documentation index, see: https://docs.mulesoft.com/llms.txt The entry point for building a Mule module is the `@Extension` annotated class. This class is used to export all the module functionality and all the elements associated with it. > [!WARNING] This class **must** be a public, non-abstract class. The `@Extension` annotation cannot > be used on interfaces, abstract classes, private/protected classes, or typed classes (with > generics). ```java @Extension(name = "basic") public class BasicModule { } ``` When using the `@Extension` annotation, you need to provide a descriptive and concise name for your module. You should not use `extension`, `module`, or `connector` in the module name. If you do, the SDK will trim them. Optionally, you can specify the attribute `vendor` and the attribute `category` (See [Licensing](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/license)). Once you have created an empty module, you can start adding elements to it. ![Model of a basic module](/mulesoft/current/en-us/mule-sdk/latest/_images/model.png) Figure 1. Basic Module Structure At a high level, the elements are: - [Components](#components-2) - [Operations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/operations) - [Sources](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/sources) - [Functions](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/functions) - [Routers](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/routers) - [Scopes](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/scopes) - [Connection Providers](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/connections) - [Configurations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/configs) - [Parameters](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/parameters) ## Components Components are the key to the functionality of a module. Given a set of parameters, they can be executed to produce or alter messages in a flow. Sources and Operations are the most common components in a module: - [Operations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/operations) are components that process an incoming message and generate a result. - [Sources](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/sources) are components that receive or generate new messages to be processed by the Mule Runtime. ## Configuration Configurations are a set of configurable parameters that affect the behavior of the Module. [Sources](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/sources) and [Operations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/operations) typically depend on a Configuration for parameters that determine their behavior. However, some can work on their own without a Configuration. There is no requirement to declare a Configuration for a Module, but you can declare as many as you need. Different configurations might provide a different set of parameters and specify a set of [Operations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/operations) and [Sources](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/sources) that are only available when using that configuration. ## Connection Providers A [Connection Provider](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/connections) is the Module element in charge of handling connections, which are created from a [Configuration](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/configs). They centralize the logic and parameterization to provision and release connections of some specific type. Like the [Configurations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/configs), [Sources](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/sources), and [Operations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/operations), Connection Providers typically depend on a connection in order to be executed. A connection is not required but is common. Connections used by [Operations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/operations) and [Sources](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/sources) are provided by the [Connection Provider](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/connections). [Connection Providers](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/connections) are bound to [Configurations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/configs). [Configurations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/configs) can have none, one, or many [Connection Providers](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/connections) that create different types of connections, for example, one `ConnectionProvider` for HTTPS and another for (non-secured) HTTP connections. ## Parameters `Parameters` are the most granular elements on the module model, and they are used in all these elements: [Operations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/operations), [Sources](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/sources), [Configurations](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/configs), and [Connection Providers](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/connections). They represent configurable elements that accept the values for elements to execute, or they hold the configured values. ## Other Elements A module can have other element types, for example, [Routers](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/routers), [Scopes](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/scopes), [Functions](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/functions), or [Errors](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-sdk/latest/errors). The ones described here are the core elements that most modules are likely going to have.