[[CamelContext-CamelContext]]
=== CamelContext

The
http://camel.apache.org/maven/current/camel-core/apidocs/org/apache/camel/CamelContext.html[CamelContext]
represents a single Camel routing rulebase. You use the CamelContext in
a similar way to the Spring
http://static.springsource.org/spring/docs/3.0.x/javadoc-api/org/springframework/context/ApplicationContext.html[ApplicationContext].

See link:lifecycle.adoc[Lifecycle] to understand the overall lifecycle
of the CamelContext.

[[CamelContext-SeeAlso]]
==== See Also

* link:route-builder.adoc[RouteBuilder]
* link:routes.adoc[Routes]
* link:lifecycle.adoc[Lifecycle]
* link:architecture.adoc[Architecture]

