### Examples of using the HDS API

The HDS API is flexible and convenient to use. Before you implement it, you should make an overall consideration of the architecture. JReport provides you with several scenarios which use the JReport HDS API. You can refer to them for assistance.

- You can import an XML format hierarchical data source directly from an external data source to JReport Designer using the JReport built-in classes. See Example 2: Importing an HDS from an XML file to a catalog.
- You can also develop your own classes to implement the HDS APIs, and then import your customized hierarchical data source. See Example 1: Adding a general HDS to a catalog.