What are Mules in the context of MuleSoft?

In the context of MuleSoft, Mules refer to the runtime execution instances of Mule applications. This means Mules are the actual units that perform the processing of the integrates flows defined within the Mule application. When an application is deployed to the Mule runtime, a Mule instance is created to manage and execute the integration tasks, handle the data transformation, and maintain the connectivity between various software systems and APIs.

This distinction is critical for understanding how MuleSoft integrates different applications and services. Each Mule instance is capable of processing messages and managing the underlying logic defined in the application, such as orchestrating API calls or transforming data formats, thereby enabling seamless communication and interaction between disparate systems.

The other options describe components or features related to integrations but do not accurately define what Mules are. For instance, connectors facilitate interactions with APIs, application deployments refer to how the applications are deployed in different environments, and data transformation tools are used to modify the structure or format of data within the integration processes. However, none of these fully encapsulate the primary role of Mules as the core execution entities within MuleSoft's architecture.