A web server system selectively supplements dynamically-generated web
pages with coding that allows developers and other authorized users to
identify, and access remotely-stored information about, the executable
server components used to generate such web pages. In one embodiment, the
web server system includes a trace utility that monitors the dynamic
generation of a requested web page. The trace utility outputs a mapping
structure that maps components of the web page to corresponding server
components that were invoked. The mapping structure is embedded within
the web page along with code that is executable by an ordinary web
browser to allow a user to interactively view associations between the
page components and the executed server components. The system also
provides restricted access to development and maintenance documents and
functionality associated with the executable components.