UNDER THE HOOD
Morphic Architecture Design
RTW is based on MAD, an architectural model with four independently controlled layers.
The Real-Time Web is based on Morphic Architecture Design (MAD), an architectural model first introduced by technology inventor Paal Kristian Levang in 2008.
Like the World Wide Web, RTW uses semantic principles to describe resources and their relationships. However, RTW extends beyond the document and application layer by coordinating several concurrent layers of the communication architecture.
MAD defines a minimum of four logical ownership and operational layers.
Independent control
In the conventional Web, standards primarily define how resources are identified, described, requested, and presented at the Web and application layers. The underlying networking infrastructure is provided through technologies and standards operated by hardware manufacturers, telecommunications providers, Internet service providers, and network operators.
Identity, sessions, payments, and access control are then frequently implemented separately by each application or domain. The result is millions of independent login systems, user accounts, payment integrations, and proprietary trust mechanisms.
MAD proposes a multi-layer network stack in which the four logical layers can be configured and updated independently at runtime.
A change in one layer does not need to redefine the entire network relationship. Instead, the semantics, data structure, access rules, and transformation logic associated with a resource can evolve while its fundamental network identity and relationships remain intact.
This design allows different participants to control their respective layers:
- Infrastructure providers control their infrastructure.
- Network and security providers manage connectivity and trust.
- Service developers own their applications and transformation logic.
- Resource owners control access to their data and endpoints.
The objective is to preserve ownership and privacy at each layer without preventing the other participants from performing the functions necessary to deliver and transform data.
A simple example
Consider sending a message to a friend. All four layers participate, but they do not necessarily have the same owner.
| Layer | Independent participant | Role in a message |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Hardware / connectivity provider | Operate devices and transport the message |
| Network / security | Network operator | Identify, authenticate, and protect the communication |
| Domain / application | Application developer | Construct, process, send, and receive the message |
| Resource / ownership | End user | Create the message and decide to share it |
Infrastructure
Hardware / connectivity provider
Operate devices and transport the message
Network / security
Network operator
Identify, authenticate, and protect the communication
Domain / application
Application developer
Construct, process, send, and receive the message
Resource / ownership
End user
Create the message and decide to share it