1. A method of operating a web application comprising: receiving a request from a client web browser; processing the request with a web emulator, wherein the request can be satisfied by accessing one of an external database and a local database; monitoring a current status of a network connection to the external database; if said monitoring provides that the network connection to the external database is present, operating in a network mode wherein the operating in the network mode comprises servicing the processed request from data in the external database without accessing the local database, and switching the operating from the network mode to a local mode if the monitoring provides that the current status indicates the network connection is not present; and if said monitoring provides that the network connection to the external database is not present, operating in the local mode wherein the operating in the local mode comprises servicing the processed request from data in the local database without accessing the external database.