In this chapter, you learned what an XMPP component is, how it augments the capabilities provided by the server, and how the separation between the server and the component is useful from a configuration management perspective.
You learned how to create both an XMPP component and a client that connects and shares information with the component.
In the next chapter, we'll create a component that provides an interesting capability to our server; it will allow for the creation of a collaborative whiteboard, which co-workers across large distances can use to share visual ideas with each other.