What role does the Aggregate play in an OutSystems application?

The role of the Aggregate in an OutSystems application is primarily to fetch and manipulate data from the database. Aggregates are used to perform queries on the data model, allowing developers to retrieve data in a structured format. They offer an easy way to define what data should be retrieved, apply filters, sort the data, and even join data from different entities.

When you create an Aggregate, you can specify the source of the data, which can be from a single entity or multiple entities through relationships. Additionally, Aggregates allow for the manipulation of data through various operations like sorting, filtering, and aggregating results, thereby providing a powerful tool for data handling in an application.

This data-centric functionality is essential in the context of OutSystems, where applications often need to interact with underlying databases to present dynamic content based on user interactions or system-driven processes. Understanding how to effectively use Aggregates is crucial for building applications that rely on robust data operations.