Patent ID: 7680935

Claim:
A method for running machine-readable code that includes a collection of components at runtime, the method comprising; grouping, by a computing device configured to run machine-readable code that includes the collection of components at runtime, at least one code component into a hierarchically-structured entity domain, wherein the entity domain is subject to a prescribed policy; and managing, by the computing device configured to run machine-readable code that includes the collection of components at runtime, said at least one code component in accordance with the policy of the entity domain, wherein the policy provided by the entity domain pertains to lifetime management of said at least one component, and the managing comprises: using the owner functionality to perform a severing of reference links from objects outside the entity domain into the entity domain; providing a shutdown notification to at least one component which has registered to receive such notification in advance; and governing the deterministic shutdown of said at least one component based on the lifetime management policy wherein the lifetime management policy accommodates lifetime owner functionality.