Application State Capture and Restoration for Rapid Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing software development models face challenges in creating customized software applications that adapt to changing user needs, as users find it difficult to save and restore application state information across updates, leading to inconsistent user experiences.
Innovation Solution
A rapid deployment environment with a state manager module that allows users to easily capture and restore application state information, even after updates, by designating eligible state information and using a state capture and restoration system integrated with the development and runtime environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If software applications are developed rapidly with frequent updates, then productivity and adaptability are improved, but user experience consistency deteriorates as users cannot restore saved states after updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing and storing the application state before updates occur. The state capture mechanism saves the current application state to a file or database before the developer deploys updates, ensuring that the original state is preserved and can be restored later if needed, thus maintaining user experience consistency despite frequent updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the application state by serializing the application's data structures and saving them to an external storage medium. This copy mechanism allows the original state to be preserved independently from the updated application, enabling users to restore previous states without being affected by updates.
2Adaptability or versatility
If software applications are highly customized for specific user bases, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as non-technical users struggle to execute customizations and upgrades
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by allowing users to automatically capture and restore application states without requiring technical knowledge. The state capture mechanism operates transparently in the background, and users can restore states through simple interface interactions, eliminating the need for users to understand complex customization processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary state management layer that mediates between the complex application customization logic and the end user. This intermediary automatically handles state capture, storage, and restoration, shielding users from technical complexity while preserving highly customized application states.
3Adaptability or versatility
If developers frequently update and redeploy applications, then adaptability to changing user needs is improved, but loss of information occurs as users cannot retrieve saved state information after updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary state capture before updates are deployed, saving the current application state to persistent storage. This preliminary action ensures that even if updates change or remove application elements, the original state information is preserved and can be restored later, preventing information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a discard-and-recover mechanism where old application states are discarded during updates but can be recovered on demand. The state capture mechanism maintains a history of application states, allowing users to recover previously saved state information even after multiple updates have discarded earlier versions.
Data Source
AI summary
A state capture designation for an element of an application within an application design environment may be received, indicating that the application, once deployed, will include a state capture functionality for capturing a state of the element, and a state restoration function for restoring the state of the element. Following deployment of the application within a runtime environment, and in response to an invocation of the state capture functionality, a captured state of the element may be stored. A state restoration request for the captured state may be received by way of the state restoration functionality, and following a re-deployment of the application with an update to the element that was included as part of an update to the application within the application design environment. The captured state may then be restored to the updated element, in response to the state restoration request, and within the runtime environment.