Generic download and upload functionality in a client/server web application architecture

1. A computer-implemented method for downloading files from a server to a client, the method comprising:

sending, from a browser application at the client to the server, a request to download at least one file;

receiving, by the client, a transmission from the server;

parsing, by one or more processors at the client, the transmission from the server to identify a control command;

parsing, by the one or more processors at the client, the control command to determine if the control command comprises a download command;

in response to determining that the control command comprises a download command, parsing, by the one or more processors at the client, the transmission from the server to detect a download manifest that is associated with the download command and executable code included in the download manifest; and

executing, by a background agent application at the client, the executable code to download the at least one file from the server, the background agent application being independent from the browser application.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

authenticating the transmission from the server as being authorized to provide download commands to the client.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the background agent continues downloading the at least one file after the browser application at the client is terminated.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the browser application at the client is a web email application.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one file includes an email message.

6. A computer-implemented method for downloading files from a server to a client, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server from the client, a request to download at least one file, the request being sent by a browser application at the client;

generating, by one or more processors at the server, a transmission to be transmitted to the client, the transmission including a control command and the at least one file to be downloaded by the client, the control command including a download command and an associated download manifest, and the download manifest including executable code that, when executed by the client, will perform the download of the at least one file from the server to the client; and

sending, from the server, the transmission to the client,

wherein, in response to receiving the transmission from the server, the client parses the transmission to identify the control command, parses the control command to determine that the control command comprises the download command, parses the transmission to detect the download manifest that is associated with the download command and the executable code included in the download manifest, and executes the executable code included in the download manifest to download the at least one file by a background agent application at the client that is independent from the browser application.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one file includes an email message.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the request to download the at least one file is received at a web email application at the server.

9. A computer-implemented method for uploading files from a client to a server, the method comprising:

sending, from a browser application at the client to the server, a request to upload at least one file;

receiving, by the client, a transmission from the server;

parsing, by one or more processors at the client, the transmission from the server to identify a control command;

parsing, by the one or more processors at the client, the control command to determine if the control command comprises an upload command;

in response to determining that the control command comprises an upload command, parsing, by the one or more processors at the client, the transmission from the server to detect an upload manifest that is associated with the upload command and executable code included in the upload manifest; and

executing, by a background agent application at the client, the executable code to upload the at least one file from the server, the background agent application being independent from the browser application.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

authenticating the transmission from the server as being authorized to provide upload commands to the client.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the background agent continues uploading the at least one file after the browser application at the client is terminated.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the browser application at the client is a web email application.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one file includes an email message.

14. A computer-implemented method for uploading files from a client to a server, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server from the client, a request to upload at least one file, the request being sent by a browser application at the client;

generating, by one or more processors at the server, a transmission to be transmitted to the client, the transmission including a control command, the control command including upload command and an associated upload manifest, and the upload manifest including executable code that, when executed by the client, will perform the upload of the at least one file from the client to the server; and

sending, from the server, the transmission to the client,

wherein, in response to receiving the transmission from the server, the client parses the transmission to identify the control command, parses the control command to determine that the control command comprises the upload command, parses the transmission to identify the upload manifest that is associated with the upload command and the executable code included in the upload manifest, and executes the executable code included in the upload manifest to upload the least one file by a background agent application at the client that is independent from the browser application.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one file includes an email message.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the request to upload the at least one file is received at a web email application at the server.