The XML Application Platform

The XML application platform is a framework for implementing enterprise-class applications whose core data-models are encoded in XML. The platform has been optimized for a class of applications we characterize as "form data moving within and between organizations." The platform allows developers to represent data models, business rules, and workflow specifications as externalized XML documents, rather than mixing and scattering them throughout application code.

User interface design principles are embodied in XSL transforms that can automatically generate browser-based user interfaces from the application's data model represented as XML schemas. Likewise, custom views of information for different users, devices, or contexts can be created with different transforms.

The platform is implemented on top of a J2EE application server, but Java programming skills are not needed for many applications because application-specific functionality is represented in XML schemas, XSL transforms, and externalized XML-based configuration files. Orbeon’s OXF “pipeline” processor is used to control the generation and layout of screens and the transition logic between them. “Long running transactions” and the management of states between user sessions are controlled by a workflow engine that interprets an XML representation of state transition logic.

http://istpub.berkeley.edu:4201/bcc/Fall2003/ctrdoceng.html