A framework for the efficient production of Web applications

To date developers can exploit a wealth of existing languages and tools when designing and implementing Web applications; however, comprehensive and automated tools and techniques for producing these applications are still conspicuously lacking. Here we describe a framework for efficient production of Web applications, which synergistically integrates techniques for automatic code generation with some of the most recent technologies for Web development, such as the J2EE application server and XML. We also describe a general-purpose architecture for Web applications and our mockup-driven fast-prototyping methodology (MODFM), which is based on well-tried techniques such as rapid prototyping and mockup-driven software design. Finally, we discuss an example of a Web application developed with our methodology, a comprehensive university administration system that was recently deployed at a research university. Our initial experience with this system indicates that MODFM and related tools can provide dramatic improvements in developer productivity, while also enhancing the reliability of the resulting applications.