Fluid Component Framework Architectural Notes

Component Framework Architecture

What is a Component?

Components are recurring interactions:

• Navigation

• Forms and data

• Direct manipulation of objects

• Workflows, wizards, and sequences

On the client-side, a Fluid component consists of:

• One or more HTML templates

• One or more layers of CSS

• JavaScript for behavioural logic

• Accessibility metadata (control, presentation, etc)
  And on the server-side:

• A set of conventions for accessing service logic

• The ability to deliver the appropriate markup, metadata, and user preferences

Open

Types of Components

1. Markup-driven components are general:

   • Server delivers fully-rendered HTML

   • JavaScript manipulates DOM based on id contract

   • Greater flexibility and reuse, but greater server dependency

2. Data-driven components are smarter but slower:

   • Handle their own template processing

   • Require multiple round-trips to the server for data

   • Allow for less dependency on server-side presentation framework

Elements of the Framework

• Framework infrastructure: lifecycle supports, server-side communication, etc.

• Components themselves

• Transformation engine

• Server-side binding and delivery

• Repository of components

• Metadata standards

Open

Transformation Flow

• Compare metadata and preferences

• If okay, do nothing

• Otherwise, request an alternative component

• Select from alternatives or use initial component

Open

Component Repository

• Mirrored within the application (ie. doesn't require a dependency on a 3rd party server)

• Options:

  • Repository is just a file system: client-side transformation engine does all the work of finding matches

  • Repository is smart: implemented in Java or JavaScript or anther language, and can respond to requests from a lighter-weight client-side transformation engine