Skip to main content

Metapages for developers

Metapages for Web Developers​

Links:

Metapages lets you compose web apps from “metaframes” — self-contained components typically rendered in iframes — and wire them together with declarative JSON. You can bring your own UI, services, and data, or use community metaframes, then share the whole experience anywhere by embedding or publishing it as a standalone page.

Core ideas​

  • Metaframes = components
    • Treat each iframe as a capability: a visualizer, a data source, a compute job, or an AI tool.
    • Inputs/outputs flow between metaframes so components interoperate without tight coupling.
  • Your app, your stack
    • Connect your existing web apps, APIs, and datasets into a metapage.
    • Expose data from your app to others, and consume theirs in return, using the same JSON wiring.
  • Build once, use anywhere
    • Assemble a complex workflow or app, then:
      • Embed it in docs, blogs, or internal tools via iframe.
      • Publish it directly as a shareable, interactive page with consistent, repeatable behavior.

Why it’s useful​

  • Composable: Mix visualization, data, compute, and AI without rewriting code across stacks.
  • Portable: Share a single URL or embed snippet and deliver the entire interactive experience to any audience or device.
  • Collaborative: Real-time editing and usage across teams and organizations, with predictable, reproducible runs.

Typical developer flow​

  1. Build or pick metaframes that encapsulate UI or services.
  2. Declare connections between components in metapage JSON.
  3. Load data from your app or third-party sources, and optionally expose your outputs.
  4. Ship: embed the metapage in your site or publish it as a standalone interactive resource.

In short: treat iframes as interoperable components, connect data and apps in both directions, and ship complex web apps as simple embeds or one-click publications.