March 27, 2017

RAD Architecture Series: Data Model Layer

In continuation of our march towards understanding Rapid Enterprise Architecture, today we will talk about Data Model Layer in WaveMaker.

In any modern day enterprise, there are many data sources that applications integrate to, and these data sources are distributed, diverse and provide varying degrees of real time data.

Modern day applications need easy and sophisticated mechanisms for Data Manipulation and Data Management. WaveMaker abstracts out all the complexity, low level data manipulation needs and presents a unified REST API Layer for any type of Data Source, thereby significantly improving the productivity of an application developer dealing with data management and data integration.

In case of WaveMaker, application can integrate to a variety of data sources. They include,

  • All standard SQL Databases
  • SQL Queries, Stored Procedures
  • REST APIs
  • Web Service APIs
  • Web Sockets
  • RSS Feeds
  • Custom Data Source (Written using Java APIs)

The diagram below shows a unified architecture, that allows all the data sources (irrespective of its type) to be surfaced to the application as REST APIs.

As an Application Developer, one need not worry about the underlying complexity of the Data Source. WaveMaker simplifies it by presenting a REST APIs / Endpoint to connect to the Data Source and manage it seamlessly.

As mentioned in the previous blog, the data source is then managed by Variables from the application. The Variables are bound to the UI Widgets. In this way, all the complexity of the data source and business logic is hidden from the UI developer and applications can be developed in a faster pace.

When it comes to Database as the Data Source, WaveMaker has built-in features that makes it easier to manage the information model. WaveMaker supports a built-in Database Designer that makes it easy to model the database schema using drag and drop mechanism.

WaveMaker supports auto generation of the ORM layer for the database tables. The objects are then abstracted using a DAO as well as a Service (REST) Layer as shown below.

WaveMaker enables extreme productivity in developing Data Driven Applications. Most of the data driven applications needs faster response, responsive UI, easy data management and real time data visibility. Using the above architecture, WaveMaker easily supports creating UI Widgets (forms, grids, lists, charts etc.) that can be easily bound using REST APIs to any data source on the back-end. Also since all the interaction is REST based, the user experience is seamless by using SPA UI pattern.