A unified user interface includes one or more component tables and a master table. The one or more component tables include resource information for the user interface with respect to a particular component. The master table includes resource information for the application and is merged from the one or more component tables. The component tables may be added or subtracted at any time and the master table is recreated by again merging the remaining or now existing component tables. The master table is used by a host application to build the user interface for a suite application. Components are only loaded and corresponding user interfaces built when appropriate commands are accessed. Thus, applications may be developed and components can be added or modified at a later time without rewriting the shell application or re-releasing a product.