Most parts of the IDE do not manipulate windows directly, but use special top components.

The Window System API provides the ability for modules to create windowlike components which can, among other things:

  1. Be docked as tabs into a container window, or undocked into their own windows.
  2. Be associated with workspaces and specify their responses to workspace events.
  3. Provide popup menus in their window icon or tab.
  4. Handle focus and node selections.
  5. Provide the ability to be cloned, and the clones monitored.
Also included is the means of communicating with tabs in the Output Window.