JADE is a dependency mapping tool for Maya as well as a stand alone desktop application which will allow you to handle bundled lots of customizable nodes by simply editing the XML node descriptions. Here, Ivano Ras presents an overview for using the JADE dependency mapping tool for Maya which is provided as OpenSource.
Overview of JADE mapping tool which is a simple cross-platform data-driven dependency mapping tool for Autodesk Maya and Desktop, written in Python 2.6 and using the library PyQt
It is certainly a novel concept, to be able to create and edit Maya dependency nodes without actually being in Maya to do so. JADE is available cross platform being written in Python and using the PyQT libraries. JADE offeres floating tags that are self resizing that are based on the number of connections so that it can avoid big tags which unused hooks that will clutter the workspace. Check out the JADE page at GitHub here you can download both the Maya scripted plugin and the desktop application for JADE.