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BIRT Project
BIRT Project
from Wikipedia
Eclipse BIRT Project
DeveloperEclipse Foundation
Initial release2005; 20 years ago (2005)
Stable release
4.18[1] / 5 December 2024; 10 months ago (5 December 2024)
Written inJava
Operating systemCross-platform
Available inMultilingual
TypeEnterprise reporting / Business intelligence
LicenseEclipse Public License
Websitewww.eclipse.org/birt

The Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT) Project is an open source software project that provides reporting and business intelligence capabilities for rich client and web applications, especially those based on Java and Java EE. BIRT is a top-level software project within the Eclipse Foundation, an independent not-for-profit consortium of software industry vendors and an open source community.

The project's stated goals are to address a wide range of reporting needs within a typical application,[2] ranging from operational or enterprise reporting to multi-dimensional online analytical processing (OLAP). Initially, the project has focused on and delivered capabilities that allow application developers to easily design and integrate reports into applications.

The project is supported by an active community of users at BIRT Developer Center and developers at the Eclipse.org BIRT Project page.

BIRT has two main components: a visual report designer within the Eclipse IDE for creating BIRT Reports, and a runtime component for generating reports that can be deployed to any Java environment. The BIRT project also includes a charting engine that is both fully integrated into the report designer and can be used standalone to integrate charts into an application.

BIRT Report designs are persisted as XML and can access a number of different data sources including JDO datastores, JFire Scripting Objects, POJOs, SQL databases, Web Services and XML.

History

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The BIRT project was first proposed and sponsored by Actuate Corporation when Actuate joined the Eclipse Foundation as a Strategic Developer on August 24, 2004.[3] The project was subsequently approved and became a top-level project within the Eclipse community on October 6, 2004. The project contributor community includes IBM, and Innovent Solutions.

In 2007 IBM's Tivoli Division adopted BIRT as the infrastructure for its Tivoli Common Reporting (TCR) product. TCR produces historical reports on Tivoli-managed IT resources and processes.

The initial project code base was designed and developed by Actuate beginning in early 2004 and donated to the Eclipse Foundation when the project was approved.

Versions

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Eclipse BIRT Project Released Versions
Version Release Date Description
1.0 Preview March 1, 2005 Preview at EclipseCon 2005: Eclipse Report Designer, Report Engine, Chart Engine
1.0 June 6, 2005 Initial BIRT Report Designer, BIRT Report Engine, BIRT Chart Engine
1.0.1 July, 2005 Support for Eclipse 3.1; RCP version of BIRT Report Designer[4]
2.0 January 23, 2006 Major release[5]
2.0.1 February 22, 2006 Maintenance release
2.1 June 28, 2006 Major release as part of Eclipse Callisto Simultaneous Release[6]
2.0.2 August 4, 2006 Maintenance release
2.1.1 September 26, 2006 Maintenance release
2.1.2 February 27, 2007 Maintenance release
2.1.3 July 5, 2007 Maintenance release
2.2 June 28, 2007 Major release as part of Eclipse Europa Simultaneous Release[7]
2.2.1 October 2, 2007 Maintenance release
2.2.1.1 November 1, 2007 Maintenance release
2.2.2 February 27, 2008 Maintenance release
2.3 June 25, 2008 Major release as part of Eclipse Ganymede Simultaneous Release[8]
2.3.1 September 24, 2008 "SR 1" Fall Maintenance release
2.3.2 February 25, 2009 "SR 2" Winter Maintenance release
2.5 June 24, 2009 Major release as part of Eclipse Galileo Simultaneous Release[9]
2.5.1 September 25, 2009 "SR 1" Fall Maintenance release
2.5.2 February 28, 2010 "SR 2" Winter Maintenance release
2.6 June 24, 2010 Major release as part of Eclipse Helios Simultaneous Release[10]
2.6.1 September 17, 2010 "SR 1" Fall Maintenance release
2.6.2 February 25, 2011 "SR 2" Spring Maintenance release
3.7 June 22, 2011 Major release as part of Eclipse Indigo Simultaneous Release[11]
3.7.1 September 23, 2011 "SR 1" Fall Maintenance release
3.7.2 February 24, 2012 "SR 2" Maintenance release
4.2.0 June 27, 2012 Major release as part of Eclipse Juno Simultaneous Release[12]
4.2.1 September 28, 2012 Maintenance release
4.2.2 February 22, 2013 Maintenance release
4.3 June 26, 2013 Major release as part of Eclipse Kepler Simultaneous Release[13]
4.3.1 September 27, 2013 Maintenance release
4.3.2 February 28, 2014 Maintenance release
4.4.0 June 25, 2014 Major release as part of Eclipse Luna Simultaneous Release[14]
4.4.1 September 26, 2014 Maintenance release
4.4.2 February 27, 2015 Maintenance release
4.5.0 June 24, 2015 Major release as part of Eclipse Mars Simultaneous Release[15]
4.6.0 June 22, 2016 Major release as part of Eclipse Neon Simultaneous Release[16]
4.7.0 June 28, 2017 Major release as part of Eclipse Oxygen Simultaneous Release[17]
4.8.0 June 27, 2018 Major release as part of Eclipse Photon Simultaneous Release[18]
4.9.0 June 16, 2021 Minor release[19]

References

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Bibliography

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
The BIRT Project, formally known as Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools, is an initiative hosted by the that enables the creation, deployment, and embedding of data visualizations, dashboards, and reports within / applications. It integrates data from diverse sources such as databases, flat files, scripted or data sets, XML, web services to generate compelling textual and graphical outputs, supporting a wide range of reporting needs from simple lists to complex, parameterized, and interactive charts. Initiated in early 2004 by Actuate Corporation with contributions from and Innovent Solutions, the project was donated to the upon its approval as a top-level project, with its first release (version 1.0.0) occurring on May 30, 2005. Licensed under the 2.0, BIRT has evolved into a mature platform. Its architecture features an XML-based report design format, a visual designer tool built on the Platform with task-specific editors, builders, and wizards, and a runtime engine that allows seamless integration into web applications for on-demand or scheduled report generation. Key components include a dedicated charting for creating standalone or embedded visualizations, support for scripting in for custom logic, and extensibility options for modifying data access, presentation, and behavior to fit specific enterprise requirements. The project remains actively maintained, with the latest stable release (version 4.22.0) scheduled for December 10, 2025, underscoring its ongoing relevance in and data reporting ecosystems.

Overview

Introduction

The BIRT Project, formally known as Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT), is an open-source reporting system built on the Eclipse Platform. It enables developers to create data visualizations, dashboards, and reports that can be embedded into and Java EE applications to produce compelling outputs from . The primary goal of BIRT is to facilitate the transformation of data into actionable insights by integrating reporting capabilities directly within application environments, supporting both web and rich client deployments. BIRT is distributed under the Eclipse Public License 2.0 (EPL 2.0), which allows for free use, modification, and distribution while requiring that derivative works remain open source. As an Eclipse-based tool, BIRT leverages the platform's infrastructure for visual report design in an integrated development environment and for runtime execution in deployed applications.

Core Objectives

The BIRT Project aims to provide accessible reporting capabilities that empower both developers and business users to create and deploy -driven reports with minimal barriers. By offering tools for extracting, processing, and presenting in formatted layouts, BIRT supports a spectrum of needs including operational reporting, queries, and interactive , ensuring for enterprise-level handling. Its core objectives include facilitating customizable visualizations such as charts, tables, and cross-tabs, which allow users to transform into insightful representations tailored to specific business contexts. The project primarily targets Java developers seeking to integrate reporting into Java/JEE applications, BI analysts requiring intuitive tools for visualization and analysis, and organizations in need of embedded reporting solutions that scale with business demands. A key enabler in achieving these objectives is the visual designer, which simplifies report creation without deep coding expertise.

History

Origins and Founding

The BIRT (Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools) Project was proposed and sponsored by Actuate Corporation in , emerging as a direct response to the growing demand for an open-source reporting solution tailored to Java development ecosystems. Actuate, leveraging its expertise in , initiated the development of the project's initial code base in early with contributions from and Innovent Solutions to fill a gap in accessible, embeddable reporting tools for enterprise applications. This effort was motivated by the need to empower Java developers with capabilities for integrating rich data visualizations without extensive custom coding. On August 24, 2004, Actuate joined the as a Strategic Developer and formally submitted the BIRT project proposal, marking the official inception within the open-source community. The proposal outlined a framework designed to address key limitations of existing reporting tools, such as high costs, , and restricted extensibility, by delivering a standards-based, modular platform that supports formats like , PDF, and XML. This approach aimed to foster and innovation through Eclipse's ecosystem, enabling rapid report design and deployment in /J2EE environments. The approved BIRT as a top-level project on October 6, 2004, transitioning it from Actuate's sponsorship to a broader community-driven initiative. Actuate donated the foundational codebase upon approval, ensuring the project started with a robust, production-ready foundation built on Platform technologies. The early team comprised core developers from Actuate, who handled initial architecture and implementation, alongside volunteers from the community who contributed to scoping and refinement. This composition laid the groundwork for BIRT's extensible design, emphasizing interoperability and community involvement from the outset.

Key Milestones

The BIRT Project marked its initial public availability with the release of version 1.0 Preview on , 2005, providing early access to core components such as the Report Object Model and design tools for developers to begin integrating reporting capabilities into Eclipse-based applications. This preview laid the groundwork for the full 1.0 stable release later that year, enabling broader experimentation and feedback from the open-source community. A significant adoption milestone occurred in 2007 when IBM's Tivoli Division integrated BIRT as the foundational infrastructure for its Tivoli Common Reporting (TCR) product, which generated historical reports on Tivoli-managed IT assets and thereby extended BIRT's reach into enterprise environments for operational analytics. This partnership highlighted BIRT's maturity for production use in large-scale . In 2011, the project transitioned its repository from CVS to , with the official repository established on October 11 of that year, which enhanced distributed collaboration, version tracking, and integration with modern development workflows among contributors. Following a period of slower activity, the project restarted efforts in 2018, leading to revitalized development through 2021 and culminating in the "BIRT " release of version 4.9 on March 16, 2022, which addressed long-standing maintenance needs and incorporated community-driven improvements. BIRT has participated in the Eclipse Simultaneous Release trains since its early years, aligning major versions—such as 4.5 with the Mars release in 2015—with the broader ecosystem to ensure compatibility and coordinated feature delivery across projects. This synchronization has supported seamless adoption by Eclipse users seeking tools.

Technical Features

Reporting and Visualization Tools

The BIRT Project provides a suite of tools within its Designer environment for creating interactive reports and visualizations through a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. Users can incorporate various elements such as tables for structured data presentation, charts including bar, pie, and line types for graphical representation, and cross-tabs for multidimensional , allowing for pixel-perfect layouts that combine these components seamlessly. Report scripting is supported via , enabling developers to add dynamic content, handle events, and customize behaviors such as conditional formatting or data-driven interactions within reports. This scripting capability extends to scripted elements like labels, text boxes, and dynamic images, enhancing flexibility without requiring extensive coding. BIRT supports multiple output formats for distribution, including PDF for printable documents, for web viewing, Excel (XLSX) for export, DOCX for word processing, and PPTX for presentations, ensuring compatibility across various platforms as of BIRT 4.21.0 (September 2025). Built-in themes and styling options, such as color palettes and CSS-like rules, allow for professional customization to match . These tools integrate with data sources to populate visualizations, as detailed in the project's data connectivity features.

Data Connectivity and Integration

The BIRT Project supports a variety of data sources to enable flexible report generation, including JDBC for relational SQL databases, XML for structured document data, Web Services for accessing remote APIs, flat files for simple text or CSV-based inputs, and scripted sources for custom code-based access. NoSQL databases are handled through adapters built on the Open Data Access (ODA) framework or scripted integrations, such as the dedicated MongoDB ODA driver that supports queries, aggregations, and operations. BIRT facilitates the creation of data sets to retrieve and structure information from these sources, with SQL queries or stored procedures commonly used for JDBC connections and scripted transformations for non-relational or complex scenarios. To combine data from disparate sources, BIRT employs joint data sets that allow inner or outer joins based on common keys, enabling unified result sets without requiring a single underlying database. This approach supports scenarios where, for example, customer details from a JDBC source are merged with transaction logs from a flat file. Data manipulation within BIRT data sets includes filtering via SQL WHERE clauses or BIRT-specific expressions for , sorting through ORDER BY in queries or report-level , and aggregation functions like SUM or COUNT applied to tabular results. Parameterization enhances dynamism by binding report parameters to data set inputs, such as using placeholders in SQL (e.g., WHERE column = ?) to filter results based on user input at runtime. These features allow for interactive, context-aware reports while optimizing by pushing operations to the data source where possible. BIRT integrates seamlessly with Java EE environments by embedding data access through JNDI lookups for connection pooling in application servers like , ensuring secure and scalable deployment of reports within web applications. This allows data sources to be configured server-wide, with credentials protected via encrypted profiles or property files, facilitating enterprise-level usage without exposing sensitive details in report designs.

Architecture

Designer Environment

The BIRT Designer Environment is an (IDE) plugin built on the Eclipse platform, enabling developers and report designers to create and edit reports visually without extensive coding. It provides a comprehensive set of tools for building report layouts, including a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor that supports drag-and-drop functionality for placing and arranging elements. Key components include the Layout View for real-time editing of report structures, the for managing project files, and the Data Explorer for handling data sources and datasets within the report design process. Central to the design workflow is the Palette, a sidebar panel offering a categorized selection of report elements such as labels, text fields, grids, tables, images, lists, and charts. Users can drag these elements onto the Layout View to construct the report's visual structure, with support for nested containers like master pages and dynamic sections. Accompanying the Palette is the Property Editor, a dedicated sheet that displays configurable attributes for selected elements, including formatting options (e.g., fonts, colors, borders), data bindings, and visibility conditions. This allows precise customization through a graphical interface, minimizing the need for manual code entry while supporting optional JavaScript scripting for advanced logic. Additionally, the Outline view provides a hierarchical overview of the report's structure, facilitating navigation and quick modifications. Report designs created in the BIRT Designer are stored in an XML-based format (typically as .rptdesign files), which encapsulates the entire definition including layout, queries, and styles in a human-readable and machine-parsable structure. This XML format enhances portability across different environments and supports systems like , as changes can be tracked, compared, and merged using standard tools without proprietary binaries. For instance, developers can maintain multiple versions of a report in a repository, enabling collaborative editing and rollback to previous iterations. To ensure accuracy and functionality during development, the includes built-in preview and validation tools. The Preview tab, accessible directly within the report editor, renders the report using configured data sources, allowing testing against live data connections such as JDBC databases or flat files to simulate real-world output in formats like or PDF. Validation features encompass syntax checks for expressions, data type consistency in datasets, and structural integrity of the report layout, with error indicators highlighting issues like unbound parameters or invalid references. The Dataset Editor further aids validation by enabling query testing and result preview independent of the full report, confirming before integration. These tools streamline , reducing errors prior to finalization.

Runtime Components

The BIRT runtime components enable the execution and of reports within applications, separating the generation and rendering processes from design-time authoring. These components process XML-based report designs to produce outputs in various formats, such as , PDF, and XLS, without requiring the designer environment. The core of the runtime is the BIRT (RE), a that allows programmatic generation and rendering of reports. Developers can integrate the RE by adding its files to the application and using key classes like ReportEngine to manage tasks, IRunAndRenderTask for executing and outputting reports in a single step, and IRenderTask for rendering pre-generated report documents. For instance, a typical involves starting the engine with an EngineConfig, opening a report design file, setting parameters via a HashMap, running the task to produce output streams, and shutting down the engine to free resources. This supports in standalone applications, servlets, or Platform (RCP) setups, facilitating dynamic report generation based on runtime data. As of BIRT 4.21.0 (September 2025), the runtime requires 17 or higher. Complementing the RE is the Chart Engine, which provides an independent for rendering visualizations such as bar, , line, and scatter charts, decoupled from full report execution. Accessible via the Charting Engine (CE ), it supports customizable elements like axes, legends, and data series, with output to formats including , , or SWT widgets, enabling standalone chart embedding in or Eclipse-based applications. The engine supports efficient rendering in interactive environments. The Design Engine API (DE API) allows programmatic creation and modification of report designs in Java or Jakarta EE projects, providing services to handle elements, styles, and structures within the XML format. Deployment of these runtime components is flexible, supporting standalone JAR distributions for simple integration, OSGi bundles for Eclipse plugin ecosystems, and embedding within web frameworks such as via Maven dependencies on birt-runtime artifacts. In Spring applications, for example, the RE can be configured as a to handle requests in MVC controllers, leveraging the framework's dependency injection for data source management. This modularity allows deployment on Java EE servers like Tomcat without the overhead of the designer tools. BIRT's runtime extensibility relies on a plugin architecture that permits customization through the Open Data Access (ODA) framework and engine interfaces as of BIRT 4.21.0 (September 2025). Developers can create plugins for custom emitters to support additional output formats like RTF or custom images, extend data sources for non-standard providers at runtime, and implement renderers for specialized report items or chart types, ensuring seamless integration with the RE and Chart Engine during execution.

Development and Releases

Version Timeline

The BIRT Project's version timeline reflects its evolution from an initial focus on foundational reporting capabilities to advanced integrations and modern platform requirements, with releases generally aligning with major platform cycles such as Callisto (for 1.0), Europa (for 2.2), and later ones like (4.6) and Oxygen (4.7). Early releases established the core framework for report design and execution. Version 1.0, released on June 6, 2005, introduced the basic Eclipse Report Designer, Report Engine, and Chart Engine, enabling initial data visualization and reporting in /J2EE environments. Version , released on February 28, 2006, expanded on these foundations with enhanced scripting support and improved integration for embedding reports in applications. Subsequent mid-period releases built on these basics with specialized enhancements. BIRT 2.5, released on June 25, 2009, featured improved charting capabilities, including better support for report layout consistency and advanced data handling. Version 3.7.1, released on September 22, 2011, marked a shift in development practices by migrating the source code repository from CVS to , facilitating better collaborative . Following a project restart in 2018 to revitalize maintenance and updates, recent releases have emphasized compatibility with contemporary technologies. BIRT 4.9.0, released on March 16, 2022, served as the reboot milestone, updating dependencies and ensuring alignment with 2021-12 while restoring active development momentum. Subsequent versions continued this trajectory: 4.18.0 on December 4, 2024, incorporated general stability improvements; 4.20.0 on June 11, 2025, added minor enhancements for runtime efficiency; and 4.21.0 on September 10, 2025, introduced a requirement for 17 or higher along with Excel emitter improvements, such as better handling of image data URLs in cells.
VersionRelease DateKey Changes
1.0June 6, 2005Initial release with basic Report Designer, , and Chart Engine for foundational reporting.
2.0February 28, 2006Enhanced scripting and application support.
2.5June 25, 2009Improved charting, report layout, and data features.
3.7.1September 22, 2011Migration to for source control; maintenance updates.
4.9.0March 16, 2022Post-restart reboot with updated dependencies and 2021-12 compatibility.
4.18.0December 4, 2024Stability improvements and bug fixes.
4.20.0June 11, 2025Runtime efficiency enhancements.
4.21.0September 10, 2025 17+ requirement; Excel enhancements including image data support.

Current Status and Requirements

The BIRT Project continues as an active and mature open-source initiative under the , with maintenance focused on quarterly releases to support ongoing compatibility and enhancements. The next release, version 4.22.0, is scheduled for December 10, 2025. The most recent release, version 4.21.0 from September 2025, emphasizes support for JDK 21 () and the Tomcat 9.x series, including specific versions like 9.0.7x through 9.0.10x, while requiring JVM arguments such as -add-opens=java.base/java.net=ALL-UNNAMED for optimal runtime performance. Key enhancements in this release include the addition of image data URL handling in Excel cell content processors and improvements to the Maven build system, such as the removal of outdated log files to streamline development workflows. System requirements specify 17 as the minimum version; the Report Designer is provided as an all-in-one package, or for custom setups, requires the Eclipse IDE for Java and Report Development (2024-12 or later). BIRT runtime components integrate with modern web servers like Tomcat 9.x but do not support Tomcat 10 or 11. Development and contributions occur via the project's repository, with issue tracking managed through Issues for bugs and enhancement requests.

Adoption and Community

Commercial and Enterprise Use

The BIRT Project has been integrated into IBM Tivoli products since 2007, where it serves as the foundational infrastructure for Tivoli Common Reporting (TCR), enabling the generation of historical reports on operations and performance metrics. This integration allows enterprises to leverage BIRT's reporting engine within 's ecosystem for standardized, embeddable analytics on data. In enterprise automation tools, BIRT powers reporting capabilities in Broadcom's CA Workload Automation DE (formerly CA Workload Automation), with updates as recent as May 2025 enhancing its role in creating operational dashboards for job scheduling and workload management across distributed environments. These dashboards facilitate real-time monitoring and analysis of enterprise workflows, integrating seamlessly with the tool's desktop client for custom design and execution. BIRT finds application in for embedded reporting solutions that support compliance requirements, such as generating audit-ready documents from transactional to meet regulatory standards like SOX or GDPR. For instance, organizations like NASCO, a healthcare administrative services provider handling financial claims processing, have used BIRT-based tools to streamline report development for billing and reimbursement compliance, reducing costs by up to 50% compared to traditional methods. In healthcare, BIRT enables data visualization for operational and clinical reporting, as seen in Health Quality Ontario's Dashboard, which uses BIRT to deliver drill-down reports and trend analyses on patient outcomes and resource utilization from large-scale health datasets. This supports evidence-based decision-making while ensuring data privacy compliance under standards like HIPAA. Enterprises adopt BIRT for its scalability in handling large datasets, allowing efficient processing of millions of records without performance degradation in production environments, which is particularly valuable for high-volume needs. Additionally, as an open-source solution, BIRT offers significant cost savings over proprietary tools like by eliminating licensing fees and enabling in-house customization.

Open-Source Contributions

The BIRT Project is governed by the as a top-level open-source project, following standard Eclipse processes for electing committers and managing development. Initial sponsorship came from Actuate Corporation in 2004, with ongoing committers drawn from organizations including Actuate, , Innovent Solutions, Compex Systemhaus GmbH, InetSoft, and , alongside independent contributors. This structure ensures collaborative oversight, with decisions on project direction made through Eclipse's consensus-based model. Contributions to BIRT are facilitated through multiple channels, including pull requests on the project's repository at eclipse-birt/birt, where developers can submit code changes, bug fixes, and enhancements after signing the Eclipse Contributor Agreement. Eclipse community forums provide a platform for discussions, issue reporting, and collaboration among users and developers. Additionally, participants engage at EclipseCon and other foundation events, where BIRT sessions allow for knowledge sharing and feedback on project evolution. The BIRT ecosystem supports extensibility through third-party plugins that enhance core functionality, such as the Open Data Access (ODA) framework for custom data sources. For instance, integration is achieved via scripted data sources or JDBC drivers like CData's, enabling reporting on data without native engine modifications. Custom renderers can be developed using extension points for output formats, allowing tailored visualizations like gauges or industry-specific charts beyond standard HTML, PDF, and XLS exports. Other examples include plugins for union joins in datasets from contributors like Artezio. Documentation for BIRT users and contributors is maintained through official resources on the website, including installation guides, overviews, and integration tutorials. Practical examples, such as report templates and engine demonstrations, are available to illustrate common use cases like reports in web applications. The Eclipse Wiki hosts additional community-curated content, including FAQs, extension tutorials, and historical details, serving as a key reference for onboarding new developers. The was restarted in through community efforts, revitalizing development and leading to subsequent releases up to version 4.21.0 as of September 2025, with over 12 million downloads and serving approximately 2.5 million developers across 157 countries.

References

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