Patent ID: 8201144

Claim:
A method for distributing software components, comprising: establishing a distribution hierarchy, wherein the distribution hierarchy comprises a plurality of nodes associated with a plurality of software components that correspond to one or more versions of an executable software application; determining a distribution path in the distribution hierarchy, wherein the distribution path comprises one or more of the plurality of nodes that are associated with a particular executable software application; assembling a particular version of the executable software application by traversing the determined distribution path to select the one or more plurality of software components associated with the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the distribution path, wherein assembling the particular version of the executable software application comprises selecting one software component having a particular data attribute from the plurality of software components having the particular data attribute when the plurality of software components having the particular data attribute are associated with the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the distribution path; and distributing the particular version of the executable software application.