This approach can be used if the external applications expose their functionality thru an http (or https) interface. There are different options to achieve the integration and following factors affect the choice:
- Format of data provided by the application.
- Flexibility provided by the application to customize the look and feel and other aspects
- Complexity of the end application itself
One of the major techniques using this approach is “Web clipping” the external application.
Okay gotta sleep now. Watch this space. Meanwhile, here’s an initial draft of our thoughts on different integration approaches. Let me know your comments.