Browsing by Author "Dias, G. K. A"

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Open Access
Abstract concepts: A contemporary requirement for Rich Internet Applications engineering
(2016) Dissanayake, N. R; Dias, G. K. A
Rich Internet Applications are very advanced and complex systems, and for their development there are numerous tools, frameworks, libraries, techniques, and technologies are available. The underplaying concepts of the Rich Internet Applications are still have not been defined well, and the tools, frameworks, or libraries do not improve these underlying concepts; instead they might use their own forms of the concepts. If we can understand the abstract fundamental concepts of Rich Internet Applications, we can gain some advantages like: increased realization, knowledge sharing, and lower learning curves. These aspects have not being much discussed or researched within the domain; therefore, we attempt to pinpoint the importance of having abstract concepts for Rich Internet Applications engineering, as a contemporary requirement. This knowledge will help to look at the researching in Rich Internet Application engineering in a different perspective, and will lead to introduce abstract concepts, for Rich Internet Applications.
Open Access
Balanced abstract web-MVC style: an abstract MVC implementation for web-based applications
(GSTF Journal on Computing (JoC), 2017-05-10) Dissanayake, N. R; Dias, G. K. A
The features and the capabilities of web applications are growing rapidly, and the complexities and difficulties of web applications engineering are also growing in parallel. If the architectural formalism of these advanced web applications is well realized, the complexities could be understood, thus the difficulties could be reduced. Model-View-Controller (MVC) has been recognized as a well-formed architectural style, and has been widely used in web applications engineering in various forms of implementations. These MVC implementations are heavily dependent on specific set of technologies and/or some other facts; hence, they do not provide an abstract realization to be used in a wider range of web application engineering. We propose an implementation of MVC in more abstract form, which – we think – will increase the realization of the advanced web applications, thus lower the engineering complexities and difficulties of web applications. We believe that this implementation is more applicable in a wider range of environments and technologies, and will upturn the architectural properties like performance and modifiability. Based on this implementation we introduce an MVC based architectural style for web applications. In future, we expect to improve this further towards supporting Rich Internet Applications.
Open Access
A comparison of delta-communication technologies and techniques
(2017) Dissanayake, N. R; Dias, G. K. A
Delta-Communication can be seen as the power of Rich Internet Applications, and there are different Techniques and Technologies available for the development of Delta-Communication, which should be selected carefully into the Rich Internet Application development. Enough discussions are not available, which compare and contrast these Delta-Communication development Techniques and Technologies towards supporting decision making of selecting them. This paper provides an overview of the contemporary Techniques and Technologies available for the Delta-Communication development, contextually compares them aligning to some selected criteria, and finally discusses some facts to be considered when selecting them for the Rich Internet Application development. A literature survey on the Delta-Communication development Technologies and Techniques was conducted, which was followed by a series of experiments towards getting the empirical evidence for the comparison. During the contextual comparison, the Simple Pull Delta-Communication was identified as the least complex technique and the Websocket was noted as the highest complex technology.
Embargo
A CONCEPT OF BALANCED-CLIENT FOR RICH INTERNET APPLICATIONS
(SAITM, Malabe, 2015-04-25) Dissanayake, N. R; Liyanage, G. U; Dias, G. K. A
The Rich Internet Applications engineering is marked as complex and difficult, since they lack of architectural formalism. If we can identify the separation of the modules clearly and generalize the architectural structure in Rich Internet Applications, it might increase the realization of the system, hence reduce the complexities and speed up the development too. We propose an architectural structure based on Model-View-Controller pattern, which describes the separation of the logic; and the distribution of the modules and related components; between the client and the server, which we expect to specify as a standard and balanced layout, we name it the “Balanced-client”, referred to the concepts of Thin-client and Thick-client. We expect to incorporate this concept to design a general architectural model for Rich Internet Applications, to provide a good realization, which can addresses the complexities in Rich Internet Applications engineering.
Open Access
Delta communication: the power of the rich internet applications
(IACSIT Press, 2017-06-01) Dissanayake, N. R; Dias, G. K. A
Web applications have evolved into much complex Rich Internet Applications, providing rich features and enhanced user experience. Proper definitions, which deliver abstract realization of the fundamental concepts of the Rich Internet Application are still missing. Definitions provide proper understanding of the subject and help in increasing the realization of the characteristics of the same. This paper focuses on conceptually identifying the characteristics of the rich communication model of the Rich Internet Applications – commonly known as the “Asynchronous Communication” – suggesting a better term “Delta-Communication”, followed by a definition for it. Based on the definition, we propose a term and a definition for the abstract model of the simplest rich communication technique, which is exploited in AJAX. Additionally, based on the proposed definition for the rich communication model, the paper proposes a new term to replace the term AJAX to overcome the limitations expressed by the term AJAX. These terms and definitions specify and express the fundamental characteristics of the abstract concepts of the rich communication model of the Rich Internet Applications.
Open Access
Essential features a general AJAX rich internet application architecture should have in order to support rapid application development
(IACSIT Press, 2014-10-01) Dissanayake, N. R; Dias, G. K. A
Rich Internet Applications have gained a good demand in web engineering, and AJAX plays a major role as a script based technique to develop Rich Internet Applications, even though its adoption is considered difficult due to various complexities. If the root cause for these complexities can be identified and the difficulties can be overcome, we can simplify the AJAX based Rich Internet Applications engineering and support the Rapid Application Development methodology to produce Rich Web Apps faster, while maintaining the quality. We have identified the importance of a general architecture for Rich Internet Applications – which is capable of addressing the difficulties in AJAX adoption – and we propose some essential features which need to be expected from the general architecture; based on the knowledge gained from a survey and a series of experiments. These features are supposed to be used, to design a general hybrid Rich Internet Application architecture – which increases the support in Rapid Application Development – in our ongoing research.
Open Access
RIA-Bus: A conceptual technique to facilitate the AJAX-based rich Internet application development
(Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2015-01-29) Dissanayake, N. R; Dias, G. K. A
Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) have become quite popular in this era of Web2 (Lawton, 2008). Compared to the traditional Web Applications, RIAs are faster, responsive and they have rich Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) (Paulson, 2005). Among plugin-based approach and script-based approach, Asynchronous Javascript And Xml (AJAX) – which is a script-based technique to develop RIAs – grabbed the demand of the engineers due to many good features of AJAX. AJAX uses stable languages HTML, CSS, JavaScript; it is free; and do not need third party plugins (Farrell & Nezlek, 2007). However the complexity of the AJAX based RIAs are considered high due to various reasons (Li & Peng, 2012) (Mesbah & Deursen, 2007). Hence, the application of Rapid Application Development (RAD) practices are not supported adequate in AJAX based RIAs engineering (Dissanayake & Dias, The Significance of Importance of an Architectural Pattern for AJAX Based Rich Internet Applications, 2014). To maintain the sustainability of both the developed RIA and the engineering project – not only in the initial development life cycle, but also in post deployment stages – it is important to identify the main cause of these complexities and address it. Methodology We conducted a literature survey to gain the background knowledge of the RIAs, AJAX, RAD, architectural patterns and the relationship between these areas. The main intention was to identify and understand the complexities and difficulties of enabling RAD in AJAX based RIA engineering. As we gain the knowledge and identify some facts related to the complexities in AJAX based RIA engineering, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to verify the facts identified in literature survey. Also understanding of the up to date nature of the AJAX based RIA development was gained by analyzing the data gathered in the cross-sectional survey. The targeted crowed was the individuals engaged in AJAX based RIA engineering; specifically in the design and development phases. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire with closed end questions and analyzed using statistical methods. Parallel to the surveys, a series of experiments were conducted to understand and get the experience of AJAX based RIA designing and development techniques, tools, and complexities. This series of experiments was conducted as a prototype based incremental development. In each and every incremental complexities were identified, and some techniques to address the identified complexities were tested. The knowledge gained in the early iterations was applied to the later iterations. We used HTML5 and CSS3 for GUI development, JavaScript for client-side development along with jQuery library, and PHP as the server-side development language. Apache server was used to host the web application and for databases MySQL serer was used. Results and Discussion The key finding of the literature survey is, that the main reason for the complexities engaged in AJAX based RIAs engineering is, the lack of availability of architectural formalism for AJAX based RIAs engineering (Dissanayake, Dias, & Jayawardena, 2013). In the analysis of the cross-sectional survey, we derived and highlighted the following results. The understanding of the general AJAX architecture is not difficult, and there is a good usage of Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools in AJAX RIA development. However, the difficulty level of implementing AJAX features in the same page increases, with the number of AJAX features in the page (Dissanayake & Dias, 2014). One of the complexities we noted throughout the series of experiments is that the difficulties engaged in the file management of the project. Referring to the AJAX general architecture, standard practice when implementing an AJAX feature is, pointing the AJAX request to a dedicated PHP script file in the server. This dedicated script file contains the code for the logic, to provide the complete respond for the particular request. Usually these script files contain few lines of codes, needed to handle the single request. When the number of AJAX requests increases, the number of the script files also increase parallel. To provide more rich features in the application, the need for more AJAX features grows, and as more AJAX features implemented, probably the AJAX request handling script files will be piled up in the server. As the number of script files increases, the logic could be scattered and it may create a complex environment, where the management of the server-side implementation is difficult. This setting will lower the realization of the architectural structure of the system too. Furthermore – due to the aforementioned facts – in the needs of modifications of the RIA, the effort needed will be higher, and this environment may affect the sustainability of the project too. To control this situation we propose a conceptual technique, we name it as the RIA-Bus (Dissanayake & Dias, 2014). Instead of maintaining numerous small script files in the server to handle the AJAX requests, we advise to keep a single script file – what we call the RIA-Bus – which contains the code to receive all the AJAX requests; direct the processing of the request to the necessary scripts or functions; and respond back the client, with the results returned from the functions in the other script files. Figure 01 illustrates the architectural structure of the RIA-Bus. A parameter will be sent to the RIA-Bus along with the request by the AJAX engine, to indicate the type of the AJAX feature, which requests the service. Based on the type of the feature, the RIA-Bus can decide, to where the processing should be passed. RIA-Bus is responsible for reading all the data sent by the AJAX engine – using either GET or POST method – and pass the data to the function dedicated for processing the data. Figure 02 shows a sample PHP code of a RIA-Bus. The script files may contain code for all the logic of the application and organized in a way easy to manage. For an example all the user related functions may be written in one file and products related function may be written in another file. These files can be included into the RIA-Bus as needed and the functions in them can be called according to the type of the feature of the AJAX request.
Open Access
Rich web-based applications: an umbrella term with a definition and taxonomies for development techniques and technologies
(International Journal of Future Computer and Communication, 2018-03) Dissanayake, N. R; Dias, G. K. A
There is a wide range of web-based applications, which use a rich communication model such as Rich Internet Applications, mobile apps, cloud-based systems, Internet of Things based systems, etc.; however, a proper term to address them all and a definition, which covers and explains the common characteristics of them are missing. A definition of a concept is important as the definition provides a precise common understanding of the focused artifacts, which helps in increasing the realization of these artifacts towards proper utilization of them. We propose the umbrella term Rich Webbased Application to address the aforementioned types of applications, and also propose a definition for it, aligning to the common architectural characteristics of these applications. In addition, we deliver a set of taxonomies to classify the techniques and technologies related to the development of Rich Web-based Applications, in the direction of improving the understanding of the proper utilization of them. In future, we expect to introduce an architectural style for these Rich Webbased Applications, based on the proposed definition.
Embargo
RiWAArch Style: An Architectural Style for Rich Web-Based Applications
(Springer, Cham, 2020-11-05) Dissanayake, N. R; Dias, G. K. A
Push Communication is an integral requirement in modern Rich Web-based Applications, to implement the features like push notifications or real-time updates. Aspects like push-communication related concepts and their development technologies – focusing on the roots of them and the rationale behind their advancements – are not collectively discussed in any available forum. An intensive literature survey was conducted on identifying the very roots of the push-communication and its evolution towards understanding the abstract architectural formalism of the push-communication in Rich Web-based Applications, also focusing on the aforementioned aspects. We collected and documented the literature regarding the evolution of the push-communication, for archiving and also for reviewing and comparing the reasoning behind the improvements of them over time. We also tried to capture the knowledge to answer some important questions like is push-communication important and how difficult to integrate push-communication into the Rich Web-based Applications? We expect to study the artefacts identified through the survey to identify the abstract characteristics of the push-communication to realize the integration of the push-communication into the Rich Web-based Applications in the form of Delta-Communication.