Patent ID: 8239849

Claim:
A method for a first software component in a class loading delegation network to obtain a class definition for a serialized software object, the software object implementing a software interface defined by a second software component and having associated a class defined by a third software component unrelated to the first software component, the method comprising, performing via at least one processor, the steps of: accessing an application programming interface (API) of the class loading delegation network that maintains a list of software components that import interfaces in the class loading delegation network, the API being separate from the first software component, the second software component, and the third software component; obtaining a reference to the third software component from the API of the class loading delegation network using an identifier of the software interface; requesting the class from the third software component; requesting the class from the second software component, the second software component providing feedback to the request; wherein the steps of obtaining a reference to the third software component and requesting the class from the third software component are in response to the feedback from the second software component; and wherein the feedback comprises an indication that the second software component is unable to provide the class, and the steps of obtaining a reference to the third software component and requesting the class from the third software component are in response to the indication that the second software component is unable to provide the class.