🖥️ AppML – Server Overview: How AppML Integrates with Backend Technologies

🧲 Introduction – Why Use AppML with a Server?

AppML is powerful on its own in the browser, but when connected to a backend, it becomes a full-stack low-code framework. With server-side integration (PHP, ASP, or Node), AppML can read and write real-time data, support authentication, and manage database-driven applications securely.

🎯 In this article, you’ll learn:

• How AppML works with backend servers
• Server-side components: AppML PHP and ASP support
• How AppML handles database CRUD operations via server scripts
• Differences between static and server-based AppML setups

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🌐 How AppML Communicates with Servers

When used with a server, AppML sends HTTP requests from the client side (via appml-data) to a server script like customers.php or products.asp. That script processes the request—fetching, updating, inserting, or deleting data from the database—and returns JSON back to the AppML client.

✅ This enables dynamic, secure, and persistent web apps.

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🧱 Basic AppML Server Architecture

HTML Page (with AppML)
     ↓
appml-data = "customers.php"
     ↓
PHP Script accesses MySQL Database
     ↓
Returns JSON to AppML Client

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📦 Supported Server Environments

🖥️ Server Language	Supported AppML Component	Common Use Case
PHP	appml.php, customers.php	LAMP stack apps, shared hosting
ASP.NET	appml.asp, data.asp	Enterprise apps with IIS
Node.js (custom)	Custom API endpoints	Modern SPAs, hybrid apps

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🛠️ Example – Using AppML with PHP

✅ HTML Page

<div 
  appml-model="models/customer-model.json" 
  appml-data="customers.php" 
  appml-message>
  
  <h2>Customer Directory</h2>
  <p>{{name}} – {{email}}</p>
</div>

📌 Explanation:

• appml-data="customers.php" sends AJAX calls to the server
• customers.php is a PHP script that connects to a database and returns results

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✅ Sample PHP Script – customers.php

<?php
include("appml.php");
$appml = new AppML();
$appml->model = "models/customer-model.json";
$appml->run();
?>

📌 Explanation:

• appml.php is the main AppML server library
• The script loads the model, handles HTTP requests, and outputs data in JSON

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🔄 CRUD Operations via AppML Server

AppML supports Create, Read, Update, and Delete operations automatically if:

• A valid model file is provided
• The server script (.php or .asp) uses the AppML class
• Data is submitted via appml-submit

You don’t need to write SQL manually. AppML’s backend handles queries based on the model file’s key and fields.

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📂 Folder Structure for AppML + Server Setup

📁 Path	📄 Contents
/models/customer-model.json	Field structure and validation rules
/customers.php	AppML server logic
/index.html	AppML-powered frontend form or view
/appml.php	Core AppML PHP class (from W3Schools)

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🧠 Server-Side Model Example

📄 models/customer-model.json

{
  "key": "id",
  "table": "customers",
  "database": "appml",
  "fields": [
    { "name": "name", "required": true },
    { "name": "email", "required": true },
    { "name": "country" }
  ]
}

📌 Explanation:

• "table": "customers" tells AppML to use the customers table
• "database": "appml" defines the target DB
• Fields define the input rules and data structure

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🔐 Can AppML Handle Login and Sessions?

Yes. AppML provides built-in support for:

• User Authentication
• Role-Based Access
• Session Management

You can define login forms using appml-login, and AppML will check against user tables.

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🧩 When to Use Server-Side AppML

Scenario	Best Setup
Static pages, demos, prototypes	Use appml-data="data.json"
Dynamic apps, large datasets	Use appml-data="products.php"
Secure backend access (auth)	Use AppML with PHP/ASP server
Multi-user CRUD systems	Use models + server API

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📌 Summary – Recap & Key Takeaways

AppML becomes a powerful full-stack solution when integrated with server-side scripts. It automates communication with databases, processes CRUD requests, and allows secure data handling—all while keeping your frontend HTML clean and low-code.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

• appml-data="file.php" connects your app to backend logic
• Use PHP or ASP to return real-time JSON from SQL databases
• Server-side models define database tables and validation
• AppML handles most backend logic—no manual SQL needed
• Ideal for dashboards, CMS, HR tools, and student portals

⚙️ Server-backed AppML apps are scalable, maintainable, and production-ready.

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❓ FAQs – AppML Server Overview

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❓ Does AppML support MySQL only?
✅ Primarily, yes. AppML server classes are built for MySQL. You can adapt them for other DBs with some PHP knowledge.

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❓ Do I need to write SQL queries?
❌ No. AppML generates SQL based on the model file automatically.

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❓ Is AppML secure for production use?
✅ With proper server setup and validation, yes. Always sanitize inputs and use HTTPS.

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❓ Can I return data as XML instead of JSON?
⚠️ AppML expects JSON as the primary format. XML would require customization.

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❓ How do I host AppML with PHP?
✅ Upload files to a PHP-enabled server (e.g., XAMPP, Apache, cPanel) and access via browser.

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