Late and dynamic binding of pattern components

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product for enabling hot deployment of changes to an implementation of an application. An application pattern is generated. The application pattern includes one or more pattern modules, each pattern module comprising a model, a design time application component to provide content for the model, a runtime application component to execute the model with the content, and a plurality of interfaces that define dependencies between the design time component and runtime component of a first pattern module and respective design time component and runtime component of a second pattern module. The implementation of the application is bound to the plurality of interfaces, such that changes made to the application pattern are added to the implementation of the application.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a screen shot of a visual modeling tool according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of a storyboard of a visual modeling tool that is used to draw and compose model diagrams.

FIG. 3 illustrates a model-driven architecture of an application generation system.

FIG. 4 illustrates interfaces of a pattern module and binding of the interfaces to an implementation of an application.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for enabling hot deployment of changes to an application pattern.

FIG. 6 illustrates a pattern module.

FIG. 7 illustrates a development environment for a visual modeling tool.

Claims

1. A system for enabling hot deployment of changes to an implementation of an application, the system comprising: an application pattern comprising one or more pattern modules, each pattern module comprising a model, a design time application component to provide content for the model, a runtime application component to execute the model with the content, and a plurality of interfaces that define dependencies between the design time component and runtime component of a first pattern module and respective design time component and runtime component of a second pattern module; anda binder for each part of each module configured to bind the implementation of the application to the plurality of interfaces, such that changes made to the application pattern are added to the implementation of the application.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a visual modeling tool to create the application pattern.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a data repository to store the application pattern.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an enterprise portal to distribute the application pattern to one or more client systems.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein each client system includes an application running system for running the implementation of the application.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a server that stores the application pattern; andone or more client systems connected to the server via a communications network and adapted to run the implementation of the application.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the server further includes a visual modeling tool to create the application pattern.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the visual modeling tool includes a storyboard to provide a graphical representation of the application pattern.

9. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the server further includes an enterprise portal that provides the application pattern to the one or more client systems.

10. A system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a data repository connected with the server, to store the application pattern.

11. A computer-implemented method for enabling hot deployment of changes to an implementation of an application, the method comprising: generating an application pattern comprising one or more pattern modules, each pattern module comprising a model, a design time application component to provide content for the model, a runtime application component to execute the model with the content, and a plurality of interfaces that define dependencies between the design time component and runtime component of a first pattern module and respective design time component and runtime component of a second pattern module; andbinding the implementation of the application to the plurality of interfaces, such that changes made to the application pattern are added to the implementation of the application.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein generating the application pattern includes displaying a graphical representation of the application pattern.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising receiving the changes from a user to the graphical representation of the application pattern.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising generating a new plurality of interfaces based on the changes.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising binding the new plurality of interfaces to the implementation of the application to form a restructured implementation of the application.

16. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to: generate an application pattern comprising one or more pattern modules, each pattern module comprising a model, a design time application component to provide content for the model, a runtime application component to execute the model with the content, and a plurality of interfaces that define dependencies between the design time component and runtime component of a first pattern module and respective design time component and runtime component of a second pattern module; andbind the implementation of the application to the plurality of interfaces, such that changes made to the application pattern are added to the implementation of the application.

17. A computer program product in accordance with claim 16, further being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to display a graphical representation of the application pattern.

18. A computer program product in accordance with claim 17, further being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to receive the changes from a user to the graphical representation of the application pattern.

19. A computer program product in accordance with claim 18, further being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to generate a new plurality of interfaces based on the changes.

20. A computer program product in accordance with claim 19, further being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to bind the new plurality of interfaces to the implementation of the application to form a restructured implementation of the application.