Patent ID: 7367014

Claim:
A method for representing portlet configuration information in an extensible markup language (XML document, comprising: providing an extensible markup language document that describes portlet configuration information, said portlet configuration information containing metadata for describing how the portlet's graphical user interface is rendered and to what extent a user can interact with said interface, wherein the document includes: a name element including a name tag for defining the name of the portlet; a description element including a description tag for describing the portlet; and a content resource element including a content tag, the content resource element describing a resource used to generate the portlet; validating the portlet configuration information in the document by using an XML schema definition that defines data type constraints for each element in the document; initiating a request to generate a portal by invoking the resource described in the document; compiling the resource to spawn a hierarchy of interdependent rendering processes; and generating the portal by executing the hierarchy of interdependent rendering processes wherein generating the portal includes reading a portal skin that defines a look and feel of the portal including one or more of: button, banner, portlet header, back ground color and font characteristic of said portal, said portal skin customized to at least one of: individual user and group; wherein executing the hierarchy of interdependent rendering processes includes executing at least one interdependent rendering process that renders parts of its graphical user interface by invoking other interdependent rendering processes in said hierarchy such that the portlet's contents are editable by detaching the portlet whereby the portlet occupies a window independent from a browser's main window; and wherein said document enables nonproprietary tools to manipulate and render the portlet in said portal by representing said portlet configuration information in a standard way.