Abstract: A method for generating application content includes specifying an application definition or model in a flexible grammar, defining a set of templates that define generalized content output forms, and specifying a control definition for transforming the application definition into application content based on the templates. A transformation engine accesses the application definition and performs output generation under the control of the control description.

Abstract: View templates for use in generating application content are created by analyzing and categorizing existing application examples to derive reusable abstractions of application artifacts. Example application artifacts or source modules are categorized by role and function. Based on the categorized artifacts, a generalized, abstract view for the role and function is defined. View templates are created for each abstract view and contain static content and dynamic content that varies for each instance of the template. The view templates are stored in a template library for use in a model driven application generator.

Abstract: A process for developing a software application as a service using an open model drive architecture. The business problem is analyzed to develop an application definition in a first flexible grammar. A number of view templates are accessed using a controller definition that interprets the grammar to transform the application definition into content output. The output content is generated by applying application attributes to dynamic content descriptors.

Abstract: A method for protecting custom coding an application generation system. An application generator uses a view template to generate content based on a specified application definition. The view template contains one or more custom code blocks. As the application content is generated, custom code blocks are generated and each assigned a unique identifier. The resulting custom code block can be modified by an application developer. When application code is regenerated it first tests the output to determine whether custom code blocks having the generated code block identifier already exist. If matching custom code blocks exist they are not replaced. If they do not exists, the custom code blocks are generated into the content output.