Bedouin is a web-based application framework for the generation of dynamic HTML content. This framework, as well as the applications, are developed using the Objective Caml language. Bedouin is released under a very liberal license to encourage wide-spread use of the framework in commercial, as well as open-source, environments.
Applications that use Bedouin can easily be deployed in a classic CGI environment or as part of an application server to avoid the overhead of creating a process per request. Support is also included for using external HTML templates to separate program logic and page design. Other features provided by Bedouin include persistent session variables, file uploads, and url manipulation.
Bedouin leverages the development efforts of these projects:
PCRE - Ocaml bindings for the Perl Compatible Regular Expression library.
Ocamlnet - a collection of modules for the manipulation of Internet based protocols and associated data formats.
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Bedouin will be released in several phases to provide key functionality as soon as possible.
Consolidate classic CGI. This would include a technique for generating HTML. The protocol-handling part will be developed in collaboration with Ocamlnet.
User sessions and persistency of session variables using CGI as the base technology.
External templates to make it possible to separate logic and design.
Support for an Application server - switch from CGI to a better technology that avoids creating a process per request.
In addition, there can be development outside of the defined phases, that will be experimental in nature and aim less at a certain goal.
The Bedouin project began as an outgrowth of discussion on the web-caml mailing list. As such, the initial set of developers were all active participants on that list. To maintain public awareness of the project, key milestones and deliverables will be announced on the caml mailing list. This should help encourage new volunteers to join the effort. In addition, the job posting functions of SourceForge can be utilized to find someone with particular skills.