XML Sapiens is an XML based language for user interface form algorithm descriptions.
XML Sapiens is aimed to help at cutting down time expenses in a web-project development thus lowering project's cost and to minimize laborious system programming in web-site development. It is achieved by providing tools for user interface form logics management. By user interface forms here we mean fragments of a document able to change its state depending on user's actions.
XML Sapiens concept presumes division of a document into abstract layers: data, presentation and algorithms for user interface forms (see Model of a Managed Site).
XML Sapiens unifies descriptions of CMS user interfaces and enables developers to share their solutions in XML Sapiens Works Gallery.
Here we mean that functionality of a web site, or its part, or a separate document is a user interface allowing for interaction between site and user. The examples of functional solutions are navigational menu, document path indicator, news module, dynamic authorization form, etc. Any functional solution can be defined in a XML Sapiens document and used within the site. A functional solution can be also imported from XML Sapiens Works Gallery, then tailored to specific needs and implemented to a particular project.
The market of Content Management Systems has been dominated by two popular approaches to web site functionality management, i.e. modular and XSLT transformation. The modular approach implies that the presentation of site documents (see Presentation Template) contains pointers to CMS modules. Obviously, CMS modules determine the presentation here. Adjustment of objects returned by the CMS modules is not that flexible. On the other hand, when using XSLT templates there is a possibility to work with structured meta-data. However, XSL programming requires additional developers’ skills. In both cases there is no unique concept how to separate functionality from data presentation.
In 2003, Red Graphic Systems was challenged to make an environment for the development of web applications. This environment should efficiently manage web content, its presentation and functionality (see Model of a Managed Site). The outcome was Site Sapiens platform, which derived from a XML Sapiens language prototype. Since then Red Graphic Systems has launched over a dozen of complex web projects on Site Sapiens platform, www.cocacola.ru, www.azurconsulting.com, www.realtybeagle.com, www.kdo.ru, www.amsgroup.ru, etc. to name but few. Efficient work and excellent testimonials prove the success of the XML Sapiens technology.
You need a XML Sapiens parser to use XML Sapiens in your CMS. You may either use an available PHP solution designed by Red Graphic Systems, or develop your own parser based on the recommendations of the XML Sapiens work group (for details please refer to Model of a Managed Site).
