Desktop Protocol (easyea://) & Native Plugins

While EasyEA includes a modern browser canvas, many enterprise architects rely on dedicated desktop power tools such as Archi Tool, Draw.io Desktop, or Camunda Modeler.

Via the Desktop Protocol Handler (easyea://), EasyEA establishes a seamless, bi-directional bridge between the browser and desktop modeling software.

1. How the `easyea://` Desktop Protocol Operates

Clicking “Open in Archi” or “Edit in Draw.io” triggers an automated round-trip:

sequenceDiagram
    autonumber
    actor User as Architect (Web Browser)
    participant B as Browser (Chrome/Firefox)
    participant OS as OS Scheme Handler (easyea://)
    participant A as Desktop Tool (Archi/Draw.io)
    participant S as EasyEA Backend

    User->>B: Clicks "Open in Archi Desktop"
    B->>S: Request Temporary Session Token & Diagram Lock
    S-->>B: Issues Secure Ephemeral Token & Locks Schema
    B->>OS: Invokes URL: easyea://open?schema_id=...&token=...
    OS->>A: Launches desktop app via local handler script
    A->>S: Fetches diagram, opens active view, enables jArchi tools

The browser requests an exclusive lock and ephemeral session token.
The operating system hands off the easyea:// invocation to easyea-handler.py.
The desktop tool opens with the requested diagram loaded and synchronized.

2. Archi Tool 5.x Plugin & Smart Modeling Scripts

EasyEA ships with pre-configured jArchi scripts that turn Archi Desktop into a connected client:

EasyEA_ExpandNeighbors.ajs (Smart Modeling):
- Select any element on an open Archi diagram and run the script.
- EasyEA queries the central database, retrieves all 1st-degree upstream and downstream connected elements, and renders them onto the canvas with their formal relationships automatically.
EasyEA_InspectElement.ajs (Desktop 360° Inspector):
- Displays live APM metrics (TCO, SLA, Technical Fitness) and reverse-usage links inside Archi.
EasyEA_ExportToSaC.ajs / EasyEA_ImportFromSaC.ajs:
- Direct export and import using the Schema-as-Code declarative JSON format.

3. Draw.io Desktop Integration

Bundled EasyEA ArchiMate 3.x Shape Palette with canonical colors and notation shapes.
One-click Save to EasyEA action committing revisions directly into the schema repository.

4. Camunda Modeler Desktop Plugin (BPMN 2.0)

Bridge connecting executable BPMN 2.0 tasks (ServiceTask, UserTask) to EasyEA application components and business actors.
Maintains formal traceability between process execution engines and the enterprise architecture graph.