Composite Application Framework |
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Application frameworks are standard structures specifically created for an application. Frameworks are bundles of reusable, repetitive code, the use of which can help you reduce the development time of an application. Application frameworks promote a consistent, standard structure for interface development, and became popular with the increasing use of graphic user interfaces (GUI). Traditionally, object-oriented programming techniques have been used to implement application frameworks.
Process Platform provides a Composite Application Framework (CAF) that enables the creation of rich, composite web applications based on the latest Web 2.0 technology. Process Platform CAF provides a comprehensive studio comprising various tools and wizards that enable you to use the existing business logic to test and deploy Web services. Moreover, applications designed using Process Platform CAF can be used for both web and mobile applications.
A typical business environment comprises multiple applications, but lacks a single interface that can provide common access to them. This imposes several challenges that must be overcome to achieve a smooth workflow:
- Complex workflow to retrieve relevant and reliable data needed for routine operational decision-making.
- Less-than-optimal productivity of personnel who need to work with a large number of diverse applications. This also results in higher training costs.
- High costs incurred when deploying new applications or upgrading existing ones.
Process Platform CAF is an advanced Rich Internet Application (RIA) framework that enables you to solve these business challenges. You can use the features provided by Process Platform CAF to design consolidated user interfaces that ensure a unified, single-view user experience across a multitude of back-end services and applications. You can, thus, consolidate and present data from disparate sources, including the operational data that you input as part of business activities in a unified workplace.
Such composite applications and end-user mash-ups created with Process Platform CAF are based on the latest Web 2.0 technology and enable you to achieve higher productivity. Process Platform CAF uses standards such as HTML, CSS, AJAX, XForms, and SOAP to combine the advantages of an easy-to-deploy web application with performance capabilities and features of a rich desktop application.
Building Rich Internet Applications
Process Platform provides the following to enable you to build rich internet applications.
Process Platform Web Workplace: It is a unified and customizable user interface framework for composite applications and is based on standards. It enables the consolidation and presentation of data from disparate sources to attain a unified and personalized workplace.
Process Platform Composite Application Designer: It is a development environment that provides tools for visualizing and creating interactive, rich internet applications. You can use it to combine and manipulate data from any source. The Process Platform Composite Applications Designer comprises an XForms Designer, a comprehensive AJAX Toolkit, and many out-of-the-box widgets to create Web 2.0 compliant applications based on standards like HTML, CSS, HTTP(S), XML and SOAP.
Process Platform Composite Application Developer: It is a development environment that makes possible the wrapping or extending of existing business logic to create business services. You can also expose these services as standards-based composite services. The Process Platform Composite Application Developer provides tools to facilitate developer activities and enhance developer productivity, to achieve shorter application-development time.
You can use Process Platform CAF to make your applications future-proof and provide exceptional user experience. Process Platform CAF enables you to:
- Achieve rich user experience with great performance, without the 'click and refresh' disadvantage of traditional applications. Process Platform CAF uses the AJAX Toolkit to help you achieve this.
- Help improve the productivity of your users by enabling access to data from multiple sources from a single interface.
- Create and implement a zero-client model throughout your enterprise by deploying browser-based applications that are also easy to maintain.
- Create and implement a truly unified interface for all your users. End users, business users, developers, and administrators can view customized versions of a single interface based on their information requirements, access rights, and particular preferences.
- Reuse your applications without redesigning them for future standards, next generation browsers, or emerging technology trends.