1. A method comprising: on a web application system, receiving a database notification from a database server, the database notification indicating that an update of a user interface item has occurred in a database, the database notification being generated by the database server in response to a request from a user device, the user device including a browser, the request being a request to receive information when any state change occurs at the database server; from the web application system, initiating communication with the user device without responding to a specific request requesting the update from the user device; at the web application system, generating instructions for refreshing the user interface item in the browser; and pushing the instructions to the user device for refreshing the user interface item as displayed in the browser according to the update in the database.