User:Pmresource/Commercial plug-ins (computing)

Category:Application programming interfaces Category:Technology neologisms Category:Software Category:Software add-ons

Commercial plug-ins or plugins (computing) are sets of software components that are distributed for the purpose of trade. Commercial plug-ins provide additional functionality or enhancements to an existing software that serve a specific set of consumers with demand for a certain feature or features that is/are still absent from the original application.

Commercial plugins versus commercial upgrades
The major distinctions between commercial plug-ins versus commercial upgrades include:
 * commercial plug-ins cover specific functions while commercial upgrades cover a set of functions for the entire software application.
 * commercial plug-ins are enhancements while commercial upgrades will typically consist of enhancements and bug remedies.
 * commercial plug-ins generally cost less compared with commercial upgrades which are in essence version releases.

Commercial plugins versus software patches
Commercial plugins are different from patches in the manner of distribution and purpose. Commercial plugins are for sale and provide additional benefits to the users of a software application. Meanwhile, software patches are typically provided for free and are intended to remedy bugs or vulnerabilities that impact the software application's users in a major manner.