This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Peter + AI
⚠️ This blog post was created with AI assistance to help explain technical concepts in a simpler way.
📖 What Are Dynamic Server Pages?
Dynamic Server Pages (DSP) are special components in Uniface 10.4 that create interactive web pages. Think of them as smart web pages that can update themselves without reloading the entire page. They work both in web browsers and mobile apps.
When you run a DSP, it generates HTML code that shows your data and layout in the browser. The clever part is that DSPs are split into two parts: one part runs on the server, and another part runs in your browser or mobile app.
💡 How Do They Work?
The two parts of a DSP communicate with each other using HTTP requests and responses over the internet. A JavaScript engine in your browser handles the connection between the client side (your browser) and the server side.
Example: Imagine you're filling out a form on a website. With traditional pages, every time you click "Submit," the whole page reloads. With DSP, only the specific parts that changed get updated. If you update your email address, only that field refreshes—not the entire page!
✨ Key Features
🔄 Incremental Updates
Unlike older web pages that reload completely every time, DSPs can update just small parts of the page. This means faster loading and better performance because less data needs to travel between your browser and the server.
Example: In a shopping cart, when you add an item, only the cart icon updates with the new count—the rest of the page stays the same.
🎮 Client and Server Data Control
DSPs let you work with data both on the server and in the browser. Uniface provides a JavaScript API (a set of tools) that lets you treat data like JavaScript objects. This means you can change how fields look or move data between components without asking the server every time.
Example: You could change a button's color from red to green based on user input, all in the browser, without sending a request to the server.
💾 Offline Data Storage
DSPs can store data on your computer or phone as JSON documents. This is useful for saving things like user preferences, temporary data, or bookmarks that you want to keep even when offline.
Example: A mobile app could save your shopping list locally, so you can view it even without an internet connection.
🎨 Rich HTML5 Widgets
DSPs come with built-in widgets (user interface elements) based on HTML5. These widgets look different depending on whether you're using Windows, Android, or iOS, but they work the same way.
Example: A date picker widget will look like the native date selector on an iPhone when viewed from iOS, but like a Windows date picker when viewed on Windows.
👁️ Multiple Views
One DSP can have several different layouts for the same data. You can switch between these views using JavaScript. This is perfect when you want to show the same information differently on phones versus desktop computers.
Example: A product catalog could have a "grid view" with images and a "list view" with detailed descriptions—both using the same data.
📦 Nested Components
DSPs support something called DspContainer widgets, which let you embed multiple components inside a single page. This helps organize your code and lets you update just the parts you need.
Example: A dashboard page could contain separate components for weather, news, and stock prices—each updating independently.
⚙️ Technical Details
When the Uniface Server receives the first request for a DSP, it creates an HTML document and sends it to your browser. This includes:
- JavaScript files for the Uniface runtime engine
- CSS files for styling
- The actual page layout
After the initial load, data flows between client and server as JSON streams. These streams contain information about entities, occurrences, and fields.
The HTML document connects fields in the component to HTML elements using id attributes. This binding tells the page which data goes where.
⚠️ Important Notes
- JavaScript Must Be Enabled: DSPs won't work if JavaScript is disabled in your browser.
- Security Warnings: Some browser-operating system combinations (like Internet Explorer 8 on Windows Server 2008) might show security warnings. You'll need to add Uniface as a trusted provider.
- File Loading Order: The order in which CSS and JavaScript files load matters. You can control this by defining placeholders in your layout.
🎯 When to Use DSPs
Dynamic Server Pages are perfect for:
- Rich interactive web applications that need frequent updates
- Cross-platform mobile apps that work on different devices
- Applications where performance matters and you want to minimize data transfer
- Projects that need offline functionality
🏁 Conclusion
Uniface 10.4 Dynamic Server Pages offer a powerful way to build modern, interactive web applications. Their ability to update incrementally, work offline, and adapt to different devices makes them suitable for many business applications. The split architecture between client and server, combined with JavaScript APIs, gives developers flexibility while maintaining good performance.
Whether you're building a web application or a mobile app, DSPs provide the tools you need to create responsive, user-friendly interfaces that work smoothly across different platforms. 🌟
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Peter + AI
Peter + AI | Sciencx (2025-10-02T17:33:29+00:00) 🚀 Understanding Uniface 10.4 Dynamic Server Pages (DSP). Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/10/02/%f0%9f%9a%80-understanding-uniface-10-4-dynamic-server-pages-dsp/
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