- * A component represents a part of a system that requires a
- * number of interfaces and provides a number of interfaces.
+ * A component represents a part of a system that requires a number of
+ * interfaces and provides a number of interfaces.
+ *
+ * The component interface provides the meta-data for a component. After calling
+ * {@link #start(Scope)}, an actual runtime representation of the component can
+ * be created which is independent of this component. As a special case, the
+ * runtime representation may be identical to the component instance but in
+ * general it is not. This allows a component to be used as a factory for
+ * creating objects.