The compiler or framework uses this specification, together with pre-defined code templates, to generate the final code that the application can use to create, read, update and delete database entries, effectively treating the templates as a "scaffold" on which to build a more powerful application.
Design time scaffolding produces files of code that can later be modified by the programmer to customize the way the application database is used.
When the line scaffold :model_name is added to a controller, Rails will automatically generate all of the appropriate data interfaces at run time.
Scaffolding techniques based on the application database typically involve Server side frameworks.
Alternatively, Client side development often uses frameworks that perform data transport operations instead of directly accessing the database.
They can perform run time scaffolding of web forms on the Client side to create, read, update and delete database entries.