The ability to integrate micro-distributed applications into a content management system such as WordPress demonstrates the flexibility that is afforded through MDAs. In this case study, the challenge is undertaken to define the requirements that would be needed in order to create a restaurant table reservation system that would integrate directly into WordPress, thus giving the solution an immediate benefit to existing restaurant websites that utilize the WordPress engine. This case study illustrates the leverage that may be created for the author's of MDAs such as the one undertaken here whereby the benefit of indexing becomes immediately afforded to these creators and whereby the dynamic lends itself to help elevate the status of the authoring domain with the search purveyors. The solution presented here demonstrates a seamless integration that affords a consistent experience to the client, a benefit from current practice.
TopIntroduction
In this chapter an alternative case study in the form of a Micro Distributed Application that integrates seamlessly into the WordPress framework (www.OpenTable.com). This endeavor brings to light the flexibility that is afforded to developers through MDAs. MDAs are not simply applications that may be created exclusive of JavaScript but can rather be woven into the fabric of already existing frameworks whereby the benefit afforded through the framework can be leveraged and enhanced. The benefit that is afforded because of JavaScript cannot be understated as it provides the developer the ability to create dynamic content where the remainder simply become the details of the implementation. While it is true that WordPress has its own framework for the development of its plugins, what remains constant in the equation are the JavaScript components that can be utilized and which can continue to function as has been proposed and seen already all without intervention to the base solution. In the case of WordPress however the applications become ingrained within the context of their host, the ecosystem that WordPress has become. A system of this nature that can adapt to its surroundings has an inherent property of malleability that make them desirable, a domain of MDAs as has been seen throughout this text.
As of this writing it is estimated that there are over 455 million websites that utilize WordPress and as such it allows for a large market capitalization. Given that WordPress facilitates the creation of websites without having to know the intricacies of web development it becomes imperative to ensure that the offering created be as simple as possible, with as few configurations and dependencies as needed. Given that MDAs are simple drag and drop utilities that take it upon themselves to download their own dependencies, they facilitate the creation of WordPress plugins. Given the adoption of WordPress, it becomes a potentially lucrative proposition for a business to explore this domain as an avenue for additional link equity. As a side note, there is already an existing WordPress plugin for OpenTable, whereby reservations can be made directly through this plugin. The particular plugin was not created by OpenTable and as such helps to further appreciate the degree of unawareness that there currently is in the space for the utility that may be derived by way of link equity and Distributed Micro Applications. It should also be noted that in this case, the plugin does not necessarily denote an awareness of MDAs as it is created within the confines of the WordPress framework, which typically denotes the utilization of resources directly within the implementation of WordPress, a clear divergence with the ideology of MDAs. The WordPress framework is structured in such a manner that dependencies are created and housed in specific locations within the directory structure of the application, in the case of MDAs however the resources needed are distributed and as such allow the developer to place them as needed throughout the internet. Even though the architectural structure of WordPress is such that resources can be found with minimal network traffic, it is the distributed nature of the dependencies that is sought as these dependencies facilitate a mode of operation where functionality can be enhanced and distributed in real time to facilitate code robustness. This dynamic also allows the creator to keep the WordPress footprint to a minimum whereby the functionality desired is derived in the vast part from the JavaScript files that may be loaded dynamically. This mode of operation helps to further maintain homeostasis with the paradigm of MDAs as it is by way of its distributed nature that the desired benefit of link equity is derived.