Dec 30

Technical Tutorials : Microsoft Dynamics NAV – Architecture (Client Tier – Introduction)

The Client Tier

The client tier provides the client interface to the user and also it is responsible for data presentation. 
  • Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 has the RTC and Classic client, 
  • Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 has windows client, web client web service client sharepoint client through Microsoft Dynamics NAV portal framework and  NAS service client for programming access. 

All these clients are handled by the client tier and following components are consists in it. 

  • The Microsoft Business Framework (MBF)
    • The Microsoft Business Framework (MBF) provides programming abstractions and a prescriptive architecture suitable for the development and deployment of business applications based on a distributed, service oriented architecture.

  • The Microsoft Windows Forms.
    • This set of classes in the .NET Framework enables the rapid development of powerful smart client applications. This logical form is a device-independent representation of forms/UI parts and web parts.
  • The User Interface (UI). 
    • Found in the client, the UI determines the user experience (UX). Content is delivered to the client from the data-binder layer in MBF. End-users can customize their user experience.
  • The Data Binder. 
    • The data-binding layer transports data, data state, and notifications about data from the underlying business logic to forms and controls in the display target client. It also has reverse functionality and transports input data, data state, and notifications from the client to the underlying business logic.
  • The Form Builder. 
    • This requests reading metadata for a form and builds a logical form with data binding, controls, and behavior. The logical form provides the functionality that is shared by all display targets: data binding, input validation, navigation, and possible business logic.
  • The UX Controls. 
    • These are necessary because the MBF client will not deliver all the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 controls. Therefore, native controls, or managed Windows Forms controls, are wrapped in a thin abstraction. This is the physical control.
Is there any other client for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 apart from the client for Windows?
Yes. In addition to the client for windows, Microsoft Dynamics NAV support few different client type. 
  • RoleTailored client for Windows
  • Microsoft Dynamics NAV Portal Framework
  •  Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client
  • SOAP web services
  • OData web services
  • NAS services


Does all these client types have a UI?
No they do not have a UI. You might feel some of the below listed types are not client because it does not have a UI which have user interaction. But those clients have interact with the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database through Microsoft Dynamics NAV server and therefore those clients are considered as a clients of Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Even Though the SOAP and OData web services and NAS service are considered as the client for Microsoft Dynamics NAV, they are configured through Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server. 

From next blog post let’s discuss about the different client types of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. 

Find the previous blog posts related to Microsoft Dynamics NAV architecture. 


Happy Coding!
Thank you and Regards,
Tharanga Chandrasekara

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1 comment

  1. great stuff thanks for providing helpful information.its one of the best Microsoft Dynamics Online Tutorial to learn Microsoft Dynamics Nav Online
    Microsoft Dynamics Nav Training

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