11. A computer-implemented method for generating a platform-independent data application, comprising: receiving, in a platform-independent format, a definition of application information for providing a description of the platform-independent data application, wherein the application information comprises meta-information about the platform-independent data application; receiving, in the platform-independent format, a definition of a data schema for defining data types and definition relationships between the data types; receiving, in the platform-independent format, a definition of a form for displaying and editing data stored in the data types through a display device and a definition of a report for presenting the data stored in the data types through a printing device; receiving, in the platform-independent format, a definition of business logic at a data level for enforcing validation rules and actions associated with the data types and a definition of business logic at a form level for enforcing validation rules and actions associated with the form; and generating the platform-independent data application in a markup language file including the definition of the application information, the definition of the data schema, the definition of the form, the definition of the report, the definition of business logic at the data level, and the definition of business logic at the form level, the markup language file implementing the platform-independent format and being executable within an application program from the definitions of the data schema, user interface, and business logic.
11. A computer-implemented method for generating a platform-independent data application, comprising: receiving, in a platform-independent format, a definition of application information for providing a description of the platform-independent data application, wherein the application information comprises meta-information about the platform-independent data application; receiving, in the platform-independent format, a definition of a data schema for defining data types and definition relationships between the data types; receiving, in the platform-independent format, a definition of a form for displaying and editing data stored in the data types through a display device and a definition of a report for presenting the data stored in the data types through a printing device; receiving, in the platform-independent format, a definition of business logic at a data level for enforcing validation rules and actions associated with the data types and a definition of business logic at a form level for enforcing validation rules and actions associated with the form; and generating the platform-independent data application in a markup language file including the definition of the application information, the definition of the data schema, the definition of the form, the definition of the report, the definition of business logic at the data level, and the definition of business logic at the form level, the markup language file implementing the platform-independent format and being executable within an application program from the definitions of the data schema, user interface, and business logic. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein one portion of the platform-independent computer application is capable of being copied and inserted into a second platform-independent computer application, and wherein the second platform-independent computer application is capable of being implemented without access to other portions of the platform-independent computer application.