Method of providing functions within an industrial automation system and an industrial automation system thereof. Functions of the automation system are made available by web applications that are combined by the client during control program execution to form interlinked web applications. The functions are provided on a user interface of the client. The web applications are provided by a standard application programming interface that comprises a cross-component application programming interface for initializing and unloading application components and a component-specific application programming interface for event handling and providing component functions. Component instances are linked by an application programming interface for stipulating interactions between application components.