DEFinition CONtrol Markup Language - Allows a user to keep all the data for thier web site in a database or text files. There is two sides to the package. First is the java objects, servlets, etc that retrieve the data and produce the pages. Second is the application that manages the data.

DEFCON ML can utilize a database to create dynamic content OR it can generate static pages from files. Either way mannually editing links and boiler plate is a thing of the past. In either case, DEFCON ML produces the HTML code that is sent over the wire and only the data has to be maintained.

DEFCON ML utilizes templates to hold data much like a book bag holds books. Special Object Handlers mine the data from the database or file system and bring that data back to the template. Once the data is mined it is inserted into the template like putting books into a book bag. As each book has its special place in the bag, each data element has its special place in the template. This is accomplished using class and id names. All elements in the template have an associated class name. All elements in the database have an associated class name also. DEFCON ML matches the class name associated with the data with the class name in the template!

Using a database, DEFCON ML executes a java servlet which retrieves page information from a database using Object Handlers. The retreived information is processed into a page template assigned to the application although more than one page template can be used in a single application. Web Application Manager (WAM) is used to manage the database.

To use a set of files or a file system... DEFCON ML uses a template which is premade and a project file that is easy to maintain. The project file identifies all the pages on the site. When the site is published, DEFCON ML uses the project file and the chosen template to produce all the pages as html files. Like the database option, DEFCON ML has both application level items (those things that must appear on every page) and page level items (those items that should only appear on a single page. Identifying that the content of a single page comes from a file is extremely easy. Just indicate the file that contains the file data and DEFCON ML process that file along with the page! Since DEFCON ML utilizes class names to match each entity in a template, the process of putting the right data in the right position on the page is simple!