1. A computer-implemented method for developing network applications executable on a computer system embodying a multi-protocol software architecture, the method comprising: developing a first set of plug-in modules for a first network application of the multi-protocol software architecture, wherein each plug-in module of the first set of plug-in modules, when executed by the computer system, performs one or more discrete actions of an electronic network transaction to be processed by the first network application; forming a second set of plug-in modules from the first set of plug-in modules, wherein the first set of plug-in modules and the second set of plug-in modules each include a first data manipulation plug-in module; replacing the first data manipulation plug-in module in the second set of plug-in modules with a second data manipulation plug-in module for a second network application, wherein the replacing step further comprises: replacing a first request manipulation plug-in module in the second set of plug-in modules with a second request manipulation plug-in module, wherein replacing the first request manipulation plug-in module further comprises changing computer-executable code of the first request manipulation plug-in module to generate the second request manipulation plug-in module; and replacing a first content manipulation plug-in module in the second set of plug-in modules with a second content manipulation plug-in module, wherein replacing the first content manipulation plug-in module further comprises changing computer-executable code of the first content manipulation plug-in module to generate the second content manipulation plug-in module; and executing the second network application using the second set of plug-in modules, wherein the executing step is performed subsequent to the replacing step.