Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for automatically providing an API for a Web-based application. An API processing core receives a call, performs a variety of actions on the call prior to executing it, determines based on the actions whether the call is a valid API call to the currently existing application functionality, and if the call is a valid API call, executes it. The call syntax is constructed primarily out of elements applicable to any Web-based application using the system.

Abstract: A hosted application server system and method are disclosed. The hosted application server system includes an interface for receiving a request from one of a plurality of users, a runtime environment for running a plurality of independent applications, a core configured to receive and respond to a request from one of the applications, and an interface for sending a response to the user. The core can have access to a shared data model.

Abstract: A user accessing a first web application can request to clone that application to form a second web application, where the first web application may be owned by another user. The cloning operation involves copying at least part of a directory for the first web application to a new directory for the second web application. For example, non-private content types, queries, and/or hard-coded images and strings can be copied from the parent directory to the clone directory. The clone web application is then rendered in accordance with the content in its directory.

Abstract: Interacting with a shared data model is disclosed. Interacting includes requesting information associated with an attribute from the shared data model, forming a request for content based on the information, and sending the request.

Abstract: Selecting advertisements to deliver to a user of an electronic application system. Selecting includes storing a plurality of user defined object types for defining attributes of user contributed objects, and storing a plurality of user contributed objects, each having an object type. Selecting further includes receiving from a user a request for one or more of the stored objects, wherein at least one of the requested objects has a user defined object type, and selecting an advertisement to provide to the user based at least in part on the user defined object type of the one or more requested objects.

Abstract: A user accessing a first web application can request to clone that application to form a second web application, where the first web application may be owned by another user. The cloning operation involves copying at least part of a directory for the first web application to a new directory for the second web application. For example, non-private content types, queries, and/or hard-coded images and strings can be copied from the parent directory to the clone directory. The clone web application is then rendered in accordance with the content in its directory.