The database has been implemented using eXist, an open source native xml database that runs in a Java Web Application Server environment. The current prototype implemented on this site is running in a Jetty environment, but the system can be deployed in other similar environments such as Tomcat, JBoss, WebLogic and WebSphere.
A thick client java application is available that gives access to the administrative interfaces (e.g. user management, access control, backup and restore). This client also supports ad-hoc XQuery and XPath queries via a separate query dialog window. The client application is available as a java webstart application, and can be launched from The Database page.
Whilst some users will always want the extreme flexibility of working directly in XQuery and XPath, and in receiving results in raw XML, it must be assumed that most users would prefer to use a simple "point and click" user interface. This should allow them to select search criteria from drop-down menus, and view results in html, perhaps receiving results in an xml file as an alternative option. It is quite possible that more than one user interface could be developed, for distinguishing between casual novice users and frequent advanced research users.
eXist supports a number of APIs, including XQuery, REST-Style, Java XML:DB, XML-RPC and SOAP. See the eXist developer's guide for details of these interfaces. It is intended that these interfaces should remain open where possible to facilitate the innovative use of the database.
Entire user interfaces can be developed with XQuery, and it is suggested that a combination of XQuery and XSLT (for query result visualisation) should be the preferred application environment for the database user interface.
All database users are currently password protected, but once the database is ready to be made public, the "guest" user password protection could be removed. However, this user will be restricted to read-only access to selected database collections. A separate user group with update and create permissions will be created for the small number of users who will be allowed to amend database content. For the time being, the focus should be on easy-to-use search and retrieval user interfaces, and not on updating database content or changing database structure.
Please contact Simon Field if you wish to discuss the possibility of developing a user interface to this database.