Documentation

System Architecture

The Desktop Possibility

Andromeda does not at this time provide desktop applications. However, Andromeda has a unique flexibility that makes it possible to imagine deploying existing admin interfaces on the desktop with little or no re-coding.

The Admin Screens

In a working Andromeda application, all of the business rules are implemented inside of the database server. The framework provides 'free' administration screens for entering data, but those screens themselves are generated only by reading the data dictionary and creating tables and inputs that reflect that data dictionary. No business rules are actually enforced in these free screens.

It is easy to see that desktop admin screens could be generated for gtk or .Net just as easily as they are generated for web pages, since these screens do not bear the burden of enforcing business rules.

The androPage Factor

The powerful androPage system allows programmers to produce reports, inquiries and general displays without actually writing any code. The framework generates the pages and outputs with the same type of methods used for the admin screens.

Therefore, in any case where a program is composed entirely of a database and androPages, then it could be redeployed to the desktop with zero coding.

Custom Displays

Different display methods have their various strengths and weaknesses. Desktop applications have advantages that browsers cannot match and vice-versa.

Therefore it stands to reason that a quality web application will have custom pages that simply cannot be presented on a desktop without recoding for the desktop format. If an Andromeda programmer wants to deploy on both desktop and browser, the custom displays will likely consume most of the duplicate efforts.

Other Comments

Andromeda implements design ideas that make it uniquely suited to deploy applications simultaneously on both desktop and web without duplicating business code. At this time we have no serious plans to attempt this, but the idea is discussed from time to time.