Developing and executing applications with configurable patterns

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for developing user interface applications using configurable patterns and for executing such pattern-based applications. The techniques include receiving an identification of a pattern, generating configuration data for the pattern, and storing the configuration data separately from the pattern. The pattern includes a predefined arrangement of user interface elements and specifies predefined actions that can be performed using the user interface elements. The configuration data specifies associations between one or more of the user interface elements and one or more entities in a back-end system, and further specifies customization data for the user interface elements.