1. A method implemented at least in part by a computer, the method comprising: receiving an identifier and a request for metadata, the metadata based on an imperative statement of a program and potentially state of the program, the program executing in a managed runtime environment, the identifier serving as at least a portion of lookup data usable to obtain the metadata, the imperative statement including one or more of: the metadata, code that when executed computes the metadata, and a reference to code that when executed computes the metadata; obtaining a parameter that indicates how to obtain the metadata; obtaining the metadata based on the lookup data and the parameter; and providing the metadata to a requestor that sent the request.