Methods and apparatus for constructing declarative componentized applications

Abstract

Techniques for constructing a software application are provided. A data model of the application is represented as a relational model. Control logic of the application is defined as a mapping from a current state of the application data model and one or more application inputs to a new state of the application data model and one or more application outputs, described by relational algebra components.

1 . A method of constructing a software application comprising the steps of: 
 representing a data model of the application as a relational model; and    defining control logic of the application as a mapping from a current state of the application data model and one or more current application inputs to a new state of the application data model and one or more application outputs, described by relational algebra.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of representing a user-interface of the application as a declarative view component model.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in the step of representing a user-interface, the user-interface comprises text entry fields.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in the step of representing a user-interface, the user-interface enables user interaction to facilitate a change from the current state of the application data model to a new state of the application data model.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, in the step of representing a user-interface, the user interaction drives at least one of basic database operations and an application specific function.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the change from the current state to the new state of the application data model comprises the steps of: 
 evaluating one or more inputs to the data model;    updating the state of the data model in accordance with the one or more inputs; and    updating the user-interface in accordance with the state of the data model.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein, in the step of evaluating one or more inputs, the evaluation is recursive until a state of the data model or of the user interface is defined.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in the step of representing a user-interface, the user-interface components have relational outputs.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in the step of representing a user-interface, the user-interface components have relational inputs.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of defining an application controller, the mapping described by relational algebra comprises an interconnection of encapsulated components.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of defining control logic, the mapping described by relational algebra comprises a directed-acyclic graph of components.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the software application comprises a user-interactive software application.  
   
   
       13 . Apparatus for constructing a software application, comprising: 
 a memory; and    at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to: represent a data model of the application as a relational model; and define control logic of the application as a mapping from a current state of the application data model and one or more current application inputs to a new state of the application data model and one or more application outputs, described by relational algebra.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further operative to represent a user-interface of the application as a declarative view component model.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein, in the operation of representing a user-interface, the user-interface enables user interaction to facilitate a change from the current state of the application data model to a new state of the application data model.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the change from the current state to the new state of the application data model comprises the steps of: 
 evaluating one or more inputs to the data model;    updating the state of the data model in accordance with the one or more inputs; and    updating the user-interface in accordance with the state of the data model.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein, in the operation of representing a user-interface, the user-interface components have relational outputs.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein, in the operation of representing a user-interface, the user-interface components have relational inputs.  
   
   
       19 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing construction of a software application, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of  claim 13 .  
   
   
       20 . An article of manufacture for constructing a software application, comprising a machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of: 
 representing a data model of the application as a relational model; and    defining control logic of the application as a mapping from a current state of the application data model and one or more current application inputs to a new state of the application data model and one or more application outputs, described by relational algebra.