Architecture

Inside the Mendix Model-driven Application Platform

Mendix offers a modern, fully integrated model-driven platform to build enterprise-class business apps that are easily integrated in any existing IT and business environment.

More specifically, Mendix provides you with a Model-Driven Development framework including:

• an intuitive, multi-user modeling studio (Mendix Business Modeler) to capture application requirements in visual models (DSLs)

• a scalable, high-performance run-time engine for executing model-definitions (Mendix Business Server)

• a state-of-the-art rich web client for building superior and personalized user experience

• a service layer for easily exposing and consuming Web services

• a sophisticated integration layer for integrating your Mendix application with external systems, databases or files

• a plug-in infrastructure to extend Mendix with custom widgets, plug-ins and custom code

Mendix Business Modeler

The Mendix Business Modeler is our multi-user modeling studio that simplifies and accelerates the process of designing, integrating and deploying applications.

The Mendix Business Modeler offers an integrated set of visual editors (Domain Specific Languages) that can be used by both business analysts and/or developers to define application specifications. Primary responsibility of the Business Modeler is to automatically manage the dependencies and consistencies of the provided models, therewith eliminating need for technical testing and keeping quality at the highest level.

Domain Specific Languages

Although each DSL in the Mendix Business Modeler aims at the optimal cooperation between business & IT professionals, each DSL can easily be extended by Java code – should such be needed. We distinguish between the following DSL’s:

• Domain DSL

• Rich Forms DSL

• Microflow DSL

• Business Rules DSL

• Report DSL

• Services DSL

• Security DSL

• Mapping DSL

• Internationalization DSL

• Document DSL

Mendix Business Server

At its core, Mendix is a highly scalable enterprise-class Java application. All data is stored in a database back-end, and it can connect to your company’s user directory for all user records and authorization. A robust clustering implementation means it’s possible to distribute the load over multiple machines for maximum performance.

While not Open Source, Mendix is an open system. It adheres to many open standards, features a mature Web Services implementation, and has an extensive plug-in framework. Using plugins and other customization points, it’s possible to modify the user interface or experience, develop custom features, and deeply integrate the application in your environment.

Mendix Business Server functions as the primary run-time environment for the Mendix application model. It contains all capabilities needed to function in a high-performance, scalable and secure enterprise environment. It is 100% Java based, well-documented and easily used in your favourite Java IDE (e.g. Eclipse).

Although we offer extensive support for extending the models with your own plug-ins or code, oftentimes up to 100% of  your Mendix applications can be modeled without needing additional code. However, if you want to use specific algorithms or you want to replace elements of our platform with your own plug-ins, code or open source frameworks, you can make use of our extensible model infrastructure.

Mendix Business Server is available on-premise or in the Cloud.

A personalized Portal Experience with Mendix Rich Webclient

Mendix comes with out-of-the-box capabilities to build rich ajax user interfaces that go beyond your average webform. Driving the latest standards and innovation in web technology, Mendix Forms capabilities include:

• Out-of-the-box widget library

• Smart context-behaviour

• Easily integrate complex form logic

• Conditional formatting

• Internationalization

• Easily styled themes using CSS

• Eclipse-based SDK to build your own widgets

Use of Open & Industry Standards

We are committed to the use and support of both open & industry standards. Currently our products are compliant with the following:

To learn more about the concepts and technical infrastructure of the Mendix Platform, download our technical whitepaper here