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Introduction

Frank!Framework is an open-source, low-code integration framework for building message-based adapters and connecting systems. It uses XML configuration to define pipelines that receive, transform, and route messages — without writing application code.

Key Concepts​

  • Adapter — A self-contained integration flow with a receiver (input) and a pipeline (processing logic).
  • Receiver — Listens for incoming messages (HTTP, JMS, file polling, scheduling, etc.).
  • Pipeline — A sequence of pipes that process the message step by step.
  • Pipe — A single processing unit (XSLT transformation, database query, API call, validation, etc.).
  • Sender — Delivers a message to an external system or resource.

How It Works​

You define your integrations in XML configuration files. The framework loads these at startup and exposes each adapter as a running service. A typical adapter looks like this:

<Adapter name="HelloWorld">
    <Receiver name="HelloWorldReceiver">
        <ApiListener uriPattern="/hello" method="GET"/>
    </Receiver>
    <Pipeline>
        <FixedResultPipe name="sayHello" returnString="Hello, World!"/>
    </Pipeline>
</Adapter>

This creates an HTTP endpoint at /api/hello that responds with "Hello, World!". See the FixedResultPipe reference for all available attributes.

Choose Your Setup​

Get Frank!Framework running in minutes using one of these approaches:

  • Docker — Run a pre-built image with Docker Compose. Recommended for most users.
  • Java (from source) — Build and run from source using Maven. For contributors or advanced customization.

What's Next​

Once you have the framework running, head to Further Reading for links to configuration guides, deployment options, testing tools, and more.