Abstract: A method for implementing a software application by shifting all the definition of an application into data, which need not be translated to code to be run, which is run by code which remains the same from application to application.

Abstract: A database system including a query mechanism for accessing data stored in the database. The database system includes classes comprising stored code enabling User generated database queries comprise data indicating one or more addresses at which the desired data resides. The query mechanism parses a query in to a plurality of query components. A query class in the query system instantiates a query component object for each of the query components. The query component objects are chained together to form query chains that enable message passing between the query component objects.