Application program interface for network software platform

An application program interface embodied in one or more computer storage media, comprising:

• a first group of services related to information associated with a HTTP request;
• a second group of services related to managing HTTP output to a client, wherein the second group of services is further related to obtaining information regarding capabilities of a browser application running in the client;
• a third group of services related to accessing server-based utilities;
• and
• a fourth group of services related to creating web services;
• a fifth group of services that provide for the creation of a user interface on a web page, wherein the fifth group of services comprises a one or more classes each class being selected from at least one of:
• a set of classes that allow a user to create server controls on a web page;
• a set of classes that allow a user to create HTML server controls on a web page;
• and
• a set of classes that allow a user to create web server controls on a web page;
• a sixth group of services related to sharing global information across multiple sessions associated with an application;
• and
• a seventh group of services related to caching frequently used resources.

A method of creating an application program interface, the method comprising:

• creating an HTTP request class configured to provide information regarding a HTTP request;
• creating an HTTP response class configured to manage an HTTP output stream to a client, wherein the HTTP response class is further configured to manage information regarding capabilities of the client;
• and
• creating an HTTP server utility object configured to provide access to server-based utilities;
• creating control classes configured to enable the creation of HTML server controls that are executed on a server and map to standard HTML tags;
• creating a class configured to facilitate the creation and usage of web services;
• creating a class configured to facilitate caching of frequently used resources;
• creating a class configured to facilitate obtaining information regarding a platform type associated with a client;
• and
• creating at least one class configured to facilitate sharing of global information across multiple sessions and requests within an application, whereby the method facilitates the creating of the application program interface.

An application program interface embodied in one or more computer storage media, comprising:

• web controls that allow a user to create web server controls on a web page, wherein the web server controls are executed on a web server and include form controls;
• a first class configured to provide information regarding an HTTP request;
• a second class configured to manage HTTP output to a client, wherein the second class is further configured to obtain information regarding capabilities of the client;
• a third class configured to facilitate sharing of global information across multiple sessions associated with an application;
• a fourth class configured to facilitate sharing of global information across multiple sessions associated with an application;
• a fifth class configured to facilitate caching of frequently used resources;
• a sixth class configured to facilitate obtaining information regarding a platform type associated with a client;
• and
• an object configured to provide access to server-side utilities and processes.