TEMPLATE BASED SOFTWARE CONTAINER

A hierarchical template framework may include lower tier templates that identify groups of software components for discrete software services. The template framework also may include upper tier templates that include one or more lower tier templates and identify software components for a prearranged group of the software services configured to support and operate with an associated category of core software functions. A software developer may build a software application from the software components identified in a selected upper tier template, lower tier templates, and any other core software components identified for the core software functions. The templates prevent the software developer from having to manually locate and test all of the software components for different software services used in a software application.