⚡ Introduction
If you work in development, you've probably had to repeatedly create several similar registration forms across different screens. This leads to wasted time and an increased chance of errors when replicating code. We faced a very similar situation at JJConsulting.
⚠️ Our Problem
Some time ago, we developed a product and began deploying it to various clients. Each of them required specific fields and customized business rules. Initially, we duplicated the code for each client, adapting it to their needs. This approach quickly proved to be unsustainable.
So we decided to parameterize the rules within a single system, allowing us to activate or deactivate fields and features as needed. However, as more clients were added, the complexity of the parameterization grew exponentially, making system maintenance unmanageable.
Seeking a more effective solution, we explored open-source community alternatives and discovered the concept of a Data Dictionary. Large ERP companies use this approach to allow each client to customize the system according to their needs while maintaining a single codebase.
We couldn’t find an open-source .NET solution that met our needs for efficiently configuring fields and business rules. So we decided to create our own library: JJMasterData. At first, it seemed like a bold idea, but the results exceeded our expectations. We've adopted JJMasterData in several systems, and its flexibility and efficiency transformed our software development approach.
📘 What is a Data Dictionary?
The Data Dictionary is a centralized repository that documents everything about a system's data: field name, type, size, validation rules, origin, relationships, indexing, etc. It is the technical contract that aligns your database with your business logic.
But the dictionary alone doesn’t solve everything. How do we generate registration forms from the data dictionary? That’s where JJMasterData comes in.
JJMasterData is an open-source .NET library that allows you to create CRUDs — forms that can read, create, update, or delete data — quickly from data dictionaries, along with other features such as data export and import. Additionally, it can generate endpoints in a Web API to integrate with other systems.
When needed, you can also write custom code for JJMasterData to adapt the generated forms to your own business logic.
🔧 How JJMasterData Works
JJMasterData is a data management tool that stores the structure of your system's information and automatically generates registration screens, eliminating the need to manually code every detail.
It all starts with filling out the data dictionary, where you define the system’s tables, their fields, data types, validations, and relationships. These definitions are saved in a central table — like a "table of tables" — which serves as the basis for dynamically generating forms.
When a registration screen needs to be displayed, JJMasterData queries this dictionary and builds the interface automatically. Changes, such as adding a new field or modifying a rule, are instantly reflected in the interface without the need to recompile the system.
Additionally, JJMasterData supports the inclusion of custom business rules, such as specific validations or automatic calculations, all without changing the main source code. This speeds up development, simplifies maintenance, and significantly reduces errors.
With JJMasterData, you gain agility, flexibility, and control over your system’s data and interfaces.
🌟 Advantages of Using JJMasterData
Still unsure about using the library? Here are some benefits:
- Avoids code duplication
- Automatically generates registration forms based on the dictionary
- Quickly adapts to new business rules without changing the codebase
- Drastically reduces CRUD development time
- Easy application maintenance and evolution
- Seamless integration with other systems
- Native support for data import and export in many different extensions
This blog’s content is itself managed by a JJMasterData form 🚀.
🐙 See More on GitHub
I work on the library’s development along with Lucio Pelinson. The code is open-source, and you can access, contribute to, or even fork JJMasterData as needed. Visit our official GitHub repository to learn more.