Abstract: A system that facilitates customizing a software package by modifying an implementation of a target method defined within an application programming interface (API) for the software package is presented. The system operates by receiving additional code for integration into a target method defined within the API and a command to integrate this code, wherein the API defines a plurality of methods that operate on objects. This command is received through a pre-defined method within the API. In response, the system links the additional code into the target method so that the additional code is executed upon invocation of the target method. In one embodiment the API defines: a method that creates an object; a method that deletes the object; a method that fetches the object; and a method that updates the object. In one embodiment the additional code causes the target method to operate on data from an alternative source.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that retrieves metadata from a memory within a server, so that the server does not have to access a database in order to retrieve the metadata. The system operates by receiving a request from a client, which causes an operation to be performed on data within the database. In response to the request, the system retrieves the metadata through a metadata object, which retrieves the metadata from a random access memory in the server. Note that this metadata specifies how the data is stored within the database. The system then performs the operation on the data within the database by using the metadata to determine how the data is stored within the database. Note that this metadata object can be used to service requests from a plurality of clients. Hence, client sessions can share the same metadata, which can greatly reduce the amount of memory used by client sessions.