1. A method of managing object dependencies in a team-based project environment, comprising: creating a first file that defines characteristics of a software module that executes as instructions on a machine, wherein the software module is represented as a first object, the first file being carried by the first object and being particular to said first object; defining within said first file multiple relationships between the first object and other second objects associated with said team-based project environment, each of said second objects having its own second file that is particular to such second object and that defines other relationships of said each second object, and defining within the first file attributes of said first object having attribute values defined by one or more third objects; and subsequently instantiating an instance of the first object within the team-based project environment and configuring the first object on the machine in response to the relationships and attributes defined in the first file; and instantiating instances of one or more of said second and third objects based upon the relationships and attributes defined in the first file of the first object.