Editing a database while previewing a virtual web page

Abstract

To provide a method and a system that update a back-end database that includes a data set that is populated to a plurality of web pages of a website.SOLUTION: A method comprises the steps of: receiving a plurality of data elements via a user interface; storing a group of data elements in a database; and generating a plurality of virtual web pages. Each virtual web page is a preview of a corresponding actual web page before the corresponding actual web page is launched. The method also comprises the steps of: displaying each group of data elements on an individual page of the plurality of virtual web pages; displaying an editing tool to allow a user to edit a virtual web page from the plurality of virtual web pages; converting edits to the virtual web pages into update for the database; and displaying a corresponding actual web page with the database updated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 26

Claims

1. 1. An online website building system configured to enable a website builder to add back-end functionality to a centrally hosted website, the centrally hosted website including web pages indexable by a search engine, the system comprising: an online database configured to store a library of website building elements for constructing a front end of an indexable web page; sending first instructions to a client, the first instructions enabling the client to access the stored library via a unified interface displayable by the client and enabling a user to select website building elements from the stored library for building the front end of the indexable web page, the unified interface providing the user with access to both the website building elements from the stored library and dynamically customized back-end functionality associated with the indexable web page; automatically accessing code associated with the selected website building elements based on rules stored in the online database and making the code available to the client; enabling the user, via the unified interface, to configure programmable events to activate user-editable code that provides dynamically customized back-end functionality associated with the indexable web pages; storing the user-editable code in a code storage system in communication with the online database; executing the user-editable code for implementing the dynamically customized back-end functionality in response to a trigger associated with the programmable event; At least one processor configured to: An online website building system comprising:

2. The user-editable interface for implementing dynamically customized back-end functionality. The online website building system of claim 1 , wherein execution of code occurs based on a hook that triggers execution of the user-editable code.

3. The online website building system of claim 2 , wherein the hook is at least one of a web hook, a data hook, or a data binding router hook.

4. 2. The online website building system of claim 1, wherein the automatically accessed code includes a function associated with the website building element selected by the user and a snippet of code associated with the function.

5. 2. The online website building system of claim 1, wherein the unified interface displayable by the client includes a front-end website editing window and a customized back-end editing window.

6. The trigger is A data activity including a particular data set associated with the dynamically customized backend function; updates entered on said indexable web page; A page transition on the indexable web page; or A defined interaction between the user and the indexable web page. The online website building system of claim 1 , comprising at least one of:

7. 2. The online website building system of claim 1, wherein in response to the trigger associated with the programmable event, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the user-editable code to implement a plurality of dynamically customized back-end functions.

8. 2. The online website building system of claim 1, wherein in response to a plurality of triggers associated with a plurality of programmable events, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the user-editable code to implement the dynamically customized back-end functionality.

9. 2. The online website building system of claim 1, wherein the code storage system is configured to store code for a software-based router that processes incoming client requests for the indexable web pages.

10. 2. The online website building system of claim 1, wherein said code storage system and said online database are the same storage system.

11. The online website building system of claim 1 , wherein the client operates on at least one of a personal computer, a mobile device, or a tablet device.

12. 1. A computer-implemented method for building an online website with customized back-end functionality, the method comprising: maintaining an online database configured to store a library of website building elements for constructing an indexable web page front end; sending first instructions to a client, the first instructions enabling the client to access the stored library via a unified interface displayable by the client and enabling a user to select website building elements from the stored library for building the front end of the indexable web page, the unified interface providing the user with access to both the website building elements from the stored library and dynamically customized back-end functionality associated with the indexable web page; automatically accessing code associated with the selected website building elements based on rules stored in the online database and making the code available to the client; enabling the user, via the unified interface, to configure programmable events to activate user-editable code that provides dynamically customized back-end functionality associated with the indexable web pages; storing the user-editable code in a code storage system in communication with the online database; executing the user-editable code for implementing the dynamically customized back-end functionality in response to a trigger associated with the programmable event; 4. A computer-implemented method comprising:

13. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising, in response to the trigger, obtaining data external to the online database and external to the client for use in executing the user-editable code to implement the dynamically customized back-end functionality.

14. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the user-editable code is made accessible for editing to the user in the form of a selectable segment of code.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein execution of the user-editable code to implement the dynamically customized back-end functionality occurs based on a hook that triggers execution of the user-editable code.

16. 16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the hook is at least one of a web hook, a data hook, or a data binding router hook.

17. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the automatically accessed code includes a function associated with the website building element selected by the user and a snippet of code associated with the function.

18. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the unified interface displayable by the client includes a front-end website editing window and a customized back-end editing window.

19. The trigger is A data activity including a particular data set associated with the dynamically customized backend function; updates entered on said indexable web page; A page transition on the indexable web page; or A defined interaction between the user and the indexable web page. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , comprising at least one of:

20. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the indexable web page is a dynamic web page that changes appearance based on the dynamically customized back-end functionality.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the client operates on at least one of a personal computer, a mobile device, or a tablet device.

22. 1. An online website building system configured to enable a website builder to add back-end functionality to a centrally hosted website, the centrally hosted website including web pages indexable by a search engine, the system comprising: an online database configured to store a library of website building elements for constructing a front end of an indexable web page; receiving, from a user, a selection of website building elements for building the front end of the indexable web page; automatically accessing code associated with the website building element selected by the user based on rules stored in the online database and transmitting the code to the user; receiving, from the user, a programmable event configured by the user to activate user-editable code, the user-editable code providing dynamically customized back-end functionality associated with the indexable web page; receiving user edits to the user-editable code to implement the dynamically customized backend functionality associated with the programmable event; storing the user-editable code in a code storage system in communication with the online database; executing the user-editable code for implementing the dynamically customized back-end functionality in response to a trigger associated with the programmable event; At least one processor configured to: An online website building system comprising:

Images