The Data class is part of the Widgets API. It aims to abstract all data access for the widget and to perform low-level data refining (like caching etc.) transparently.

The goal is not to abstract all interaction with the original data, but to provide a access layer for the most common actions and for core refining.

Following this principle, cached data access will be abstracted. However, widgets are still expected to manage their own cache without the help of Data (also for granularity's sake).

Data should be integrated within the WidgetBase class, which Widgets extend. Thus accessing data can be done as:

$mydata = $this->data->getPicture('romeo@montague.com');

The following functions are planned to be implemented within Data:

• getFullRoster()
• getVcard($jid)