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Introduction
The approach to Internet development has changed dramatically over the years. The days of prewritten pages and static content sites are numbered. We are helping to usher in a new era in website development and deployment. Using server side components to manage data and information stored in a soft model database and transforming user requests through a series of site specific styling sheets it is possible to deliver web pages that are simple interfaces to a complex online, data storage and retrieval system.
Database
Using a database, we create a meta-modelled structure that acts as a central repository for all site data. The soft nature of that database layer allows users to define their own item constructs. By building custom attributes and grouping them together as item definitions users are able to create items with that are described according to their unique needs. A similar structure is used for describing users and their permissions. Groups of system tasks can be grouped together to form user roles, this enables a site administrator to grant separate access privileges to individual users.
Data Manipulation Objects
A collection of dedicated objects that work separately or as part of an event chain, are called when a visitor performs and action or request. Each action is transformed into a database message that is transmitted to the central database. The resulting data or a message detailing operation status is returned, categorised, described and finally merged with the currently assigned style sheet. Because these objects and the database form the core of the doLithe system and are shared by all sites then any changes and updates are instantly inherited by all the websites that utilise their functionality.
Styling Sheets
The styling sheets, also know as site skin, are a site-specific collection of templates that transform and present the messages and responses in an elegant manner. This is where a businesses individual look and feel are added and the resulting page is displayed in a normal web browser and its source appears no different from a conventional static HTML web page.
Timeframe
Because request processing is performed on the web server rather than the visitors computer execution is rapid, the speed of the connection being the biggest limitation to site performance. Since the database structure is global and pre-prepared the time taken to deploy a site is minor.
webCatalogue
The doLithe webCatalogue technology is built around the concept of reusable Internet components. The webCatalogue toolset is a prime example of this idea. Using open source applications and cutting edge methodologies doLithe has harnessed the power of the Internet and combined it with a database driven structure that allows businesses to build and manage their own online catalogues.
The Underlying System
Beneath the simple interface is a myriad of servers, systems and applications all fine-tuned to run in perfect harmony. The basic operating system is a reengineered Linux kernel. This system supports a variety or servers including Apache web server, PostgreSQL database server, and systemMail. Coexisting with this more common software is a collection of object wrappers developed in Java. This is the eSemble structure, and allows these shared modules to continually expand. eSemble acts as data channels between the database and the user.
Data Route
When the user performs an action that requires a new page the request is caught by the eSemble layer, mapped to relevant objects and the matching data extracted from the database. This resulting data is then cast into a predefined data structure modelled in XML. The XML is then streamed into a pool containing the current style sheets used to render the data into the next page. | | 
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