Software Application Framework

A Software Application Framework is a software framework designed to create software application systems (that support the development, deployment, and management of software application).

• Context:
  • It can (typically) provide pre-built modules and libraries that simplify common development tasks like database management, authentication, and routing.
  • It can (typically) support rapid prototyping, allowing developers to build and test software applications quickly.
  • It can (often) enforce a structured architecture, such as Model-View-Controller (MVC) or Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM), to promote maintainability and scalability.
  • It can (often) provide mechanisms for handling security concerns, such as encryption, authentication, and authorization, to protect the software application and its users.
  • ...
  • It can support a Software Design Paradigm, such as Convention over Configuration, Single Source of Truth/Don't Repeat Yourself (DRY), which encourages best practices in application development.
  • It can provide tools for building user interfaces, managing backend services, and integrating with external APIs.
  • It can be used to ensure consistency in code structure and development processes, reducing the need for repetitive code and increasing productivity.
  • It can range from lightweight frameworks optimized for specific tasks, such as web or mobile development, to comprehensive platforms supporting full-stack application development.
  • It can include built-in testing tools or integrate with external testing frameworks to ensure application reliability and performance.
  • It can offer deployment pipelines and tools for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), streamlining the delivery of applications to production environments.
  • It can support version control systems and offer tools for managing dependencies, ensuring that application components remain up-to-date and compatible.
  • It can offer cross-platform support, allowing developers to write code once and deploy it across multiple operating systems or device types, such as web, desktop, and mobile applications.
  • It can provide comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and community support, making it easier for developers to learn and use the framework effectively.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • A Web Application Framework, such as Ruby on Rails or Django, that facilitates the development of dynamic web applications by offering built-in tools for routing, templating, and database management.
  • A Desktop Application Framework, such as the .NET Framework, that provides a comprehensive environment for building Windows-based applications with a rich graphical user interface.
  • An iPhone Application Framework, like SwiftUI, which enables developers to build iOS applications with a declarative syntax and integrate with Apple's ecosystem.
  • An Android Application Framework, like Jetpack Compose, that offers modern tools for building native Android applications using a component-based architecture.
  • An AI Application Framework that includes tools for developing, training, and deploying machine learning models in various environments.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • A Software Library that provides specific functionality (e.g., string manipulation or data formatting) without enforcing any design or structural guidelines.
  • A Development Environment like IDEs (Integrated Development Environments), which support the development process but do not provide pre-built architectural patterns or templates.
  • Ad-Hoc Programming Approaches where applications are built without reusable components or formal frameworks, leading to higher complexity and reduced scalability.
• See: Distributed Processing Framework.

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References

2013

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_framework
  • In computer programming, a software framework is an abstraction in which software providing generic functionality can be selectively changed by additional user-written code, thus providing application-specific software. A software framework is a universal, reusable software platform to develop applications, products and solutions. Software frameworks include support programs, compilers, code libraries, tool sets, and application programming interfaces (APIs) that bring together all the different components to enable development of a project or solution.

    Frameworks contain key distinguishing features that separate them from normal libraries:

    • inversion of control: In a framework, unlike in libraries or normal user applications, the overall program's flow of control is not dictated by the caller, but by the framework.
    • default behavior: A framework has a default behavior. This default behavior must be some useful behavior and not a series of no-ops.
    • extensibility: A framework can be extended by the user usually by selective overriding or specialized by user code to provide specific functionality.
    • non-modifiable framework code: The framework code, in general, is not supposed to be modified, excepting extensibility. Users can extend the framework, but should not modify its code.

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