MDriven Server is the runtime for developers and teams who want to deploy an application designed in MDriven Designer, store its data centrally, and support multi-user access.
What MDriven Server does
MDriven Server executes and hosts applications defined by your model. You design the domain model in MDriven Designer, including classes, associations, and business rules, and then deploy that model to the server. The server provides the runtime environment for the deployed application and its data.
For example, a team can model Customer and Order classes in MDriven Designer, deploy the model to MDriven Server, and let multiple users work with the same centrally stored customer and order data instead of each user working with local prototype data.
MDriven Server can be deployed on-premises or in a cloud environment. For a broader product overview, see Documentation:What is MDriven Server?.
Where MDriven Server fits in your workflow
Use MDriven Server when your prototype or application needs a shared backend rather than local-only storage.
| Stage | What you do | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Define the application model in MDriven Designer. | Create Customer and Order classes and connect each order to its customer. |
| Deploy | Send the model to MDriven Server. | The server receives the current model for the shared application environment. |
| Run | Connect an application or client to the server and work with shared data. | Two users can create and update orders in the same server-hosted data store. |
| Evolve | Change the model in MDriven Designer and deploy the updated model. | Add an order status to the model, then make that change available in the deployed application. |
This model-to-server loop shortens the path from a modeled idea to a shared, running application. Start with Documentation:Start Introduction if you are new to the overall MDriven workflow.
Accessing server-hosted data
MDriven Server exposes interfaces through which applications can work with the data defined by the model.
The MDriven Framework PersistenceMapper API is intended for applications built with the MDriven Framework. It supports multi-user data work, including optimistic locking, client synchronization, transactional CRUD operations, and OCL queries that execute as SQL in the database.
MDriven Server also offers JSON-based access for applications that need to perform CRUD operations on objects in the model without using the MDriven Framework. The available interfaces and their intended use are described in Documentation:MDriven Server User/Web interface.
For example, a MDriven Framework application can retrieve an order, update its status, and save it as part of a transaction. In a multi-user scenario, optimistic locking helps detect when another user has changed the same data.
Get started
- Read Documentation:What is MDriven Server? to confirm that MDriven Server is the runtime you need.
- Install the server in the environment you plan to use. For local deployment guidance, follow HowTos:Local Installation.
- Configure the server and its users before allowing application access. Use HowTos:Configure and Maintain MDriven Server as the administration starting point.
- Deploy your model from MDriven Designer to the server.
- Connect your application to the server using the appropriate server interface. See Documentation:MDriven Server User/Web interface for the available access methods.
- Check the server log when you need to verify server status or investigate an error. See Documentation:MDrivenServer log.
Deployment and administration considerations
A shared server makes the application data available to more than one user, so treat configuration and access control as part of the deployment work. Configure users and review security concerns before exposing the server to application users.
Do not rely on a published demonstration URL, a trial account, or predefined connection slots as production connection information. Use the address and connection settings for your own installed and configured MDriven Server environment.
For installation, configuration, maintenance, backup, scaling, and troubleshooting topics, use the MDriven Server documentation index.
Next steps
After the server is running, continue with the documentation that matches your task:
- To configure and maintain a server, see HowTos:Configure and Maintain MDriven Server.
- To understand application access methods, see Documentation:MDriven Server User/Web interface.
- To inspect server status and errors, see Documentation:MDrivenServer log.
- To learn the wider model-driven development workflow, see Documentation:MDriven Developer's Guide: Model-Driven Development Simplified.