How to Build Scalable Web Platforms Using AOP‑Based Adaptation

What is Scalability?

Scalability is a design metric indicating a software system's ability to handle increased load with minimal changes, providing elasticity and growth potential.

Why Consider Scalability in Design?

Designing for scalability reduces future maintenance costs, improves ROI estimation, and enhances disaster recovery and user experience.

Scalability in Web Interactive Systems

It consists of platform scalability and module scalability.

Platform Scalability

Web platforms evolve; a scalable system must quickly support new platforms and gracefully retire obsolete ones.

Module Scalability

Modules should be maintainable as features are added or removed, keeping the system optimal.

Platform Classification

Platforms are divided into browser platforms and hybrid‑app platforms.

Browser Platforms

Classified by rendering engine (WebKit, Gecko, Trident, Presto, etc.).

Hybrid‑App Platforms

Include Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and PC (using CEF), each adapting to WebKit or Trident.

Applying AOP for Platform Adaptation

Using Aspect‑Oriented Programming separates cross‑cutting concerns, allowing standard business logic to remain untouched while platform‑specific patches are applied as aspects.

Benefits include decoupling main logic from platform logic, easy addition of new platform support, and configurable inclusion of platform‑specific code.

Code Comparison

Traditional approach mixes platform checks inside the main function, leading to coupling and maintenance overhead.

function doSomething(){ 
    if(isTrident){ /* TODO trident implement */ }
    else if(isWebkit){ /* TODO webkit implement */ }
    else if(isGecko){ /* TODO gecko implement */ }
    else if(isPresto){ /* TODO presto implement */ }
    else { /* TODO w3c implement */ }
}
// usage
doSomething(1,2,3);

Using AOP, the core function contains only standard logic, while platform patches are defined separately.

function doSomething(){ 
    // TODO w3c/es implement
}
// usage
doSomething(1,2,3);

Platform‑specific patches are applied via NEJ.patch, e.g., for Trident, Gecko, IE6, etc.

NEJ.define(['util/event','{platform}api.js'],function(t,h,p){
    // ...
});
NEJ.patch('TR',function(){ /* Trident logic */ });
NEJ.patch('GR',[ './hack.firefox.js' ],function(fh){ /* Gecko logic */ });

Extending and Reducing Platforms

To add a new platform, introduce a configuration identifier, implement its patch, and include the identifier in the script loader.

To remove an obsolete platform, delete its identifier from the loader, and the build process excludes its code.

The next article will discuss module scalability.