Disclosed herein is a component architecture platform (CAP) framework that provides a mechanism to update firmware, drivers, and/or application software in an embedded system, such as in mobile electronic devices. The framework also facilitates access to generated update packages by the embedded system and provides updates to firmware, drivers, content or application software in a fault tolerant mode. Generation of update packages is more efficient and the update packages employing CAP are more compact than prior solutions. A distributed version of CAP, (DCAP), also provides access to functionality or components located at remote locations on other platforms.