• What is it?
• Accessibility
• XML and XSLT
• Features
• Prototyping

XML and XSLT really help with browser based development, providing a clear seperation of the application logic and the presentation of the data. As a framework ARF really just produces the XML, allowing you to create the required XSLT for the HTML you want produced.

Development Consistency

Quite often with large projects there will be a numerous developers, all of whom have their preferred way of implementing functionality. Projects can easily grow and similar pieces of functionality are implemented in completely different ways, this makes support very difficult. New developers joining the project will find it difficult to diagnose problems or make simple changes.

ARF helps in this situation by defining the way all controls will work - XML and XSLT. All controls produce XML and use XSLT to produce the HTML. When new developers join the project they only have to learn this approach and they will instantly know how 90% of the site is implemented. When changes or fixes need to be made it will be easier to identify what needs to be changed, c# or XSLT.

Rapid Solution Development

ARF provides all the basic controls you need to implement an accessible SharePoint publishing site. For a lot of sites the only development required will be XSLT, and ARF provides numerous samples to help you get started.

By using this approach prototypes can be created in a matter of days, fully functional and accessible. You will also find that because XSLT is so flexible you can use the same ARF control to generate different HTML output. This is a great saving in c# development time, allowing you to concentrate on the difficult or complex requirements and letting ARF do the rest.

However, ARF will not always have the functionality you require and so it has been designed to be extended. All ARF controls can be inherited from and the functionality 'tweaked' to suit your needs. Often you can dramatically modify the behaviour of a control in a few lines of code.

Not just for developers

By using XSLT ARF empowers non-developers with the ability to modify the HTML produced. The XSLT is stored in SharePoint and can be modified in SharePoint designer. You can even use the SharePoint CheckIn/CheckOut/Approval functionality to test your modifications prior to publishing them.