Introduction

The Hashtag Framework provides a processing core for the Hashtag Markup Language.   The Hashtag Markup Language extends HTML with powerful tags for creating dynamic Web Apps.   Data is managed automatically through secure back-end services, such as SQL databases, Google Sheets, RAM caches, cloud file storage, and more.
Huh?  What?  Why? Frequent Interjections

Azure Hosting Platforms

The following Azure Products & Services could be used to host #WebApps powered by the Hashtag Framework:

Azure Virtual Machines Virtual Machines
Azure App Service App Service
Azure Cloud Services Cloud Services
Azure Functions Functions

Configurable Azure Services

Most #WebApps will require additional services, such as database servers, file storage, or shared cache.   The following Azure Services can be configured by the Hashtag Framework:

Azure SQL Database SQL Database
Azure Storage Storage
Azure Redis Cache Redis Cache
Azure Cosmos DB Cosmos DB

Integration Points

Visual Studio

Visual Studio is integrated with many Azure Services to provide a seamless development and deployment process.   A Language Service could be created for Hashtag Markup.   Common Project System Extensibility could be used for creating plug-ins.   Team Services support could be added for deploying and updating #WebApps.  

Azure Marketplace

The current PHP Web Apps available in the Azure Marketplace include: "PHP Empty Site", "Wonder CMS", and "WordPress".   Many new #WebApps could be added here, including plug-ins and themes for the #members and #workers platform.   "Hashtag Framework Empty Site" could also be added.  

VM Images / Recipes / Installer Apps

The Hashtag Foundation could provide documentation for setting up the Hashtag Framework using Azure.   VM Images provide simple environments for testing.   Recipes for Cloud Services could deploy all necessary services for a #WebApp.   Installer Apps could be used to sell instances of themselves as resellers for the Azure Marketplace.  

#WebApps

#members Platform

User authentication, role-based security groups, plug-ins, themes... everything needed as a base for most #WebApps.   Features very similar to WordPress.  

Private Family Network

Open Source #members based #WebApp for creating a family tree and sharing pictures, events, and stories with other family members, on a private members-only site. Instances of the app could be configured to share changes to family members info with other instances if everyone involved agreed to share.   privatefamily.net is a central website for documentation and marketplaces for plug-ins and themes.   Installer App to purchase an instance of the application, and have all services setup and configured on azure.  

Hashtag Framework - New Features

Cache Templates can significantly reduce page load times and latency, especially for high cost lookups, like executing a 3rd party API call.

Row Loops allow for clean lists of relational data where a single row will be created from multiple row records... such as a list of offices, with all employees listed for each office.

New router.htmx pages serve as a catch-all for 404 Not Found requests in the directory, as well as any sub-directory that doesn't have a router.htmx file of its own.   Can be used to provide URLs like /products/toothbrush instead of /products/list?name=toothbrush.   Can also be used to log invalid requests, or provide custom "Not Found" pages.

API Apps

JSON-RPC forms and workers can be used to create API clients and servers with simple HTML syntax.  

Templates

Folder based header and footer templates don't generally allow for page specific code to be processed before the header is processed... JavaScript hacks to get around it are bad for SEO... Page based conditionals in the header template must be updated for every new page.   The Hashtag Framework now supports a <# start header #> <# end header #> template at the top the page that will be processed before the header is included.

The set command now supports triple-quote syntax... helps with templates where you need to store a block of HTML to a variable.

New print if set else commands turn ugly 5 line blocks of code into a single clean line... if the template variable is set, print it, otherwise print the default.

Security

New Hashtag Framework configuration settings for modern cookie and XSS attack mitigations.   Cookies only work over secure connections, object tags can't include JavaScript, etc... A "strict" setting will result in an "A" rating for the #WebApp from the mozilla observatory.  

Lock commands provide safe transaction processing.

The include command now supports including a variable, as well as a quoted filepath.   Variable content is never processed as Hashtag Markup unless it is included.  

Hashtag Framework - Potential Features

Native support for using Office Online Docs as #WebApp pages, and Excel Files as a database.   This support already exists for Google Docs and Sheets.  

Hashtag Markup Language extensions for Azure Services, such as Machine Learning, Stream Analytics, Cognitive Services, Event Hubs, Data Factory, etc.  

Azure CAPTCHA Service integrated with Hashtag Forms.