A process assembles and/or reassembles a software application. In an embodiment, assemblies are loaded from an architecture description markup language (ADML) document. Class objects and type objects are activated based on the ADML document. Components and connectors are created based on the ADML document. The components are serialized, and an architecture is assembled based on connections described in the ADML document. A main active component designated in the ADML document is then activated.