# Behind the Scenes

# How it all works, in a nutshell

The web application gets a request and decides what user it is for, and the type of resource it is for.

The web application loads the user's style for that resource, and then loads each layer for that style, unless it's already loaded. (layers are selectively cached)

The S2 system builds a context which contains the property values set by the top-most layer for each property, as well as a function vtable computed the same way.

Next the web application invokes the global `prop_init()` function which the layout layer might've implemented. The job of this function is to initialize the constructional properties. Constructional properties are properties which the web app looks at to influence its subsequent data structure population. For example, FotoBilder examines the value of `$*gallery_max_page_size` to determine how many thumbnails to load and return for a gallery. However, a layout wouldn't always want to directly expose this property to the users. What if the layout was a grid and the user wanted a page size that was a prime number? How do you make an even grid out of 37 pictures? This sort of layout should ask the user for the number of rows and columns they want, then compute `$*gallery_max_page_size` in `prop_init()` by multiplying `$*rows` and `$*cols`.

The web app looks at the current context and determines both the version number of the core layer, and values of all constructional properties. Next, it builds an appropriate data-structure for the resource requested. This instantiated object is probably pretty deep, containing many instantiated objects all hanging off it.

The web app invokes the entry point method (probably called `->print()`) on the object it just instantiated. From here, S2 code runs, printing what it wants, and invoking methods on other objects in its huge data structure (which may also print).