Webspinner is the runtime that reads a Webbase (a WBDL model) and renders a working web portal from it.
- It interprets WBDL (Webbase Description Language) to build pages, navigation, layout, and behaviors at runtime.
- It maps data sources (databases, APIs, services) to UI elements (forms, tables, trees, calendars, etc.) to deliver a consistent UX across heterogeneous backends.
- It supports modular extensions called Webbaselets—self-contained features (e.g., mail, ERP, BPMS) that plug into a Webbase.
- In short: you describe the portal declaratively in WBDL, and Webspinner “spins” it into a live application.
Figure 1: Webspinner driven portal with Spin the Web Studio enabled.
A Webbase is a declarative WBDL model that defines a portal’s structure, navigation, layout, components, data bindings, and behaviors. It maps data sources (databases, APIs, services) to UI elements (forms, tables, text, menus, trees, calendars, etc.), enabling the runtime to render a consistent user experience across heterogeneous backends. Webbases can be extended modularly with Webbaselets.
A Webbaselet is a standalone module that describes a functionality—e.g., a webmail client (POP3/SMTP), an ERP client, or a BPMS client—that can be linked to a Webbase. Each integrates with its backend while presenting a uniform UX within the portal.
Explore WBDL and the Webspinner architecture: