Backend

As explained in Building User-Friendly DSLs

The server-side part of a software system that provides services, storage, and processing for its frontend.

A backend is the service-side part of a Domain IDE. It exposes an API for the frontend and stores business knowledge in a repository. Together with the frontend, it supports domain experts editing DSL content while a build system uses that content to generate and build the Runtime. section 1.2.2 section 1.5

A simple persistence backend can:

• Store one serialized AST as a JSON file on disk. section 7.0
• Serve the stored content through a REST API: the frontend retrieves it with GET and replaces it with PUT. section 7.0
• Serialize AST objects to JSON for storage and HTTP transport, then deserialize JSON to reconstruct the AST. section 7.0
• Preserve reference relations during serialization and deserialization so the reconstructed AST retains its intended structure. section 7.0

Persisting an edited DSL model

A frontend sends an edited AST to the backend with PUT. The backend replaces its JSON file; a later GET retrieves that JSON, and deserialization reconstructs the AST for editing. section 7.0

Figure 1.14 The architecture of the Domain IDE

Use the architecture diagram to trace the frontend, backend API, repository, build system, generator, and Runtime as one system. section 1.2.2

How Building User-Friendly DSLs covers it

How deep it goes

Implements a deliberately simple REST backend with JSON-file persistence, serialization, deserialization, and reference handling.

Examples

Uses a JSON file on disk with GET retrieval, PUT replacement, and AST reconstruction through deserialization.

What it assumes

Assumes a frontend already edits an in-memory AST and teaches persistence, transport, and reference-aware reconstruction.

What you can do after

Build a simple REST backend that persists, transports, and reconstructs an AST for a frontend client.

How it connects

Connects frontend, REST API, repository, AST, JSON serialization, deserialization, HTTP, DSL, and build system.

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Also explained in

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  Rust Servers, Services, and AppsA backend service is a server-side application component that implements application functionality and exposes it to clients or other services.
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  Deep Learning with Python, Third EditionThe underlying execution framework that a machine-learning library can target to run models.
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  Deep Learning with R, Third EditionA backend engine is a software system that executes the numerical and machine-learning operations required by a higher-level framework.

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Related concepts

• web applicationpart of · A web application is software that provides functionality through web technologies and is accessed by users through a browser or other web client.
• databaseuses · A database is an organized collection of persistent data managed by software for storage, retrieval, querying, and modification.
• natural language interfaceused by · A natural language interface enables interaction with a system through human-language text or speech.
• frontend developmentcontrasts with · Frontend development is the practice of building the user-facing, client-side interfaces and behavior through which people interact with software.
• JAXincludes · JAX is a Python library for high-performance array-based numerical computing with composable transformations including automatic differentiation, compilation, vectorization, and parallelization.
• contractuses · An API contract is a specification of the operations, data, and behavioral expectations that govern interactions between software components.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Building User-Friendly DSLs. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.