IFS Applications solutions are built from business components, which in turn are built from smaller software components that implement the functional aspects of the application. Each component has a well-defined purpose and interface that describes what the component does, but not how it does it. This allows change and evolution within a component without affecting other components.
IFS uses a combination of process modeling and information modeling to design IFS Applications. The process model describes what the application does; the information model describes the entities that make up the application and how they relate to one another.
IFS Applications architecture is layered, component based, multi-tier, and is using service oriented design principles.
To increase flexibility and robustness in the deployment of IFS Applications the middle tier is separated into two main applications/deployments.
Sections below describes the different architectural elements and principles in more details.