This is a post in the series about data as an asset, see previous post here.
With a pure, client-side JavaScript, ActionScript, DHTML or Flash architecture, genuine data-driven structures cannot be implemented. Flash is a notable departure from these text-based scripting techniques as it is compiled for runtime. As a binary, it needs disassembly, and while the xml-based XFL interchange format is supported, it isn’t particularly well-fitted for localization.
Asynchronous technologies were devised before the turn of the millennium to address the issue of high traffic and mandatory reloads of dynamic websites. This evolution advanced hand-in-hand with the development of serialized, atomic data-oriented formats and systems that opened the gate for innovative services and laid the groundwork for the so-called Web 2.0. Data-driven architectures gave rise to the back-end/front-end dichotomy, which in turn allowed for a significant leap in complexity, design, modularity, and more recently, the integration of various platforms into a consolidated ecosystem. As a second instalment on internationalized web architectures, this post is still mainly concerned with the practical aspects. Later in the series, we will look into the ongoing transformation of technologies and talk about the change of mainstream attitude from well-defined to hybrid/fuzzy logic.