Application Builder Node Type Managers for Component Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional application builder systems require users to separately configure and manage numerous components, such as forms, containers, and fields, leading to inefficient use of computing resources and increased design time due to the need for independent metadata customization for each page and component.
Innovation Solution
An application builder system utilizing node type managers to generate and manage rendering instructions in a tree structure, allowing components to be connected and modified efficiently, with node types managed separately to reduce redundant configuration and optimize resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If components are separately configured and managed in conventional application builder systems, then each component can be independently customized, but computing resources are depleted and design time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the application into a hierarchical structure of pages, components, and fields, where each level can be independently configured and reused. Components are defined once at the component level and can be instantiated multiple times across different pages, eliminating redundant configuration while maintaining full customization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Components are designed as universal, reusable entities that can be deployed across multiple pages and applications. A single component definition serves multiple purposes through instantiation, allowing the same component to appear on different pages with different data bindings while maintaining a single source of truth for its configuration.
2Ease of operation
If numerous components are separately configured, then detailed control over each component is achieved, but memory and storage resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration data is segmented into hierarchical levels (page-level and component-level metadata), allowing the system to store only essential information at each level. Components reference their definitions rather than duplicating full configuration data, significantly reducing memory and storage requirements while maintaining detailed control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing full component definitions repeatedly across pages, the system uses references and pointers to component definitions. Pages contain lightweight references to component identifiers rather than complete component configurations, reducing storage overhead while enabling detailed component control when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If components are independently defined, then each component can be customized, but the instructions occupy and deplete computing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The instruction generation process is segmented and optimized by leveraging the hierarchical structure. The system generates rendering instructions by composing references to pre-defined component templates rather than processing complete component definitions from scratch, significantly reducing processing resources while maintaining full customization capability through the component hierarchy.
4Stability of the object's composition
If entire pages are reconfigured when components are modified, then consistency is maintained, but design time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the configuration into page-level and component-level metadata, allowing modifications to be applied at the component level without affecting the entire page. When a component is modified, only the specific component instance and its direct references are updated, while other components and page elements remain unchanged, maintaining consistency where needed while avoiding unnecessary reconfiguration elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines the scope of updates based on the hierarchical structure and reference relationships. Modifications propagate only to the extent necessary to maintain consistency, using the component hierarchy to intelligently scope updates rather than forcing blanket page reconfiguration, thus balancing consistency with design efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An application builder system includes an application builder server and a client side application builder application. The application builder server includes a plurality of node type managers that correspond to different node types that may be included in an instance of a page requested by a user device. The server generates rendering instructions for a requested page using the different node type managers and transmits the rendering instructions to the user device for display at the user device. A user may modify the components of the page, and the client side application builder application modifies the rendering instructions of nodes corresponding to the modified components. The modified rendering instructions may be saved at the application server by the node type managers.