In OpenOffice API, a "service" is an abstract concept providing certain interfaces and properties. Every implementation of a particular service must provide the same interfaces. An interface is a collection of methods that provide a certain functionality and increases the reusability of code.
Let's use a car to illustrate these concepts. The abstract car provides two concrete interfaces:
XAccelerationControl and XDrivingDirection. Both interfaces export methods, the first one for accelerating and slowing down, the second one to turn the car left or right. In addition to these interfaces, the service Car has the properties Color and Seats. Services are paramount to programming in OpenOffice API: You need interfaces for virtually anything, and interfaces are provided by services. Therefore, the first thing you do in most OpenOffice API programs is to acquire a service.
The service Car, its properties Color and Seats, and its interfaces XAccelerationControl and XDrivingDirection are displayed in .