Backend Architecture
Overview
This document describes the backend architecture for the Carepath Manager application, including Firebase integration, GraphQL API layer, and data flow patterns.Architecture Layers
1. Frontend Layer (Angular)
- Components: UI components for different views
- Services: Angular services that communicate with backend
- State Management: Local state management using RxJS
2. API Layer (GraphQL)
- GraphQL Schema: Type definitions for all entities
- Resolvers: Business logic for queries and mutations
- Subscriptions: Real-time data updates
- Authentication: JWT-based authentication middleware
3. Data Layer (Firebase)
- Firestore: NoSQL document database for structured data
- Authentication: Firebase Authentication for user management
- Storage: Firebase Storage for file uploads
- Real-time Database: For real-time messaging features
Technology Stack
Backend Technologies
- Firebase Firestore: Primary database
- Firebase Authentication: User authentication and authorization
- Firebase Storage: File and document storage
- Apollo GraphQL: API gateway and query language
- TypeScript: Type-safe backend code
Frontend Integration
- Apollo Client: GraphQL client for Angular
- AngularFire: Official Angular library for Firebase
- RxJS: Reactive programming for data streams
Data Flow
Read Flow
- User triggers action in UI
- Component calls Angular service method
- Service executes GraphQL query via Apollo Client
- GraphQL resolver fetches data from Firebase
- Data flows back through the chain to UI
Write Flow
- User submits form/makes change
- Component validates and calls service
- Service executes GraphQL mutation
- Resolver updates Firebase Firestore
- Real-time listeners notify subscribed components
Security Model
Authentication
- Firebase Authentication handles user login/signup
- JWT tokens issued upon successful authentication
- Tokens included in all GraphQL requests
Authorization
- Firestore security rules enforce data access policies
- GraphQL resolvers validate user permissions
- Role-based access control (RBAC) for different user types
Data Protection
- All data encrypted in transit (HTTPS)
- Firestore encryption at rest
- Sensitive data fields hashed/encrypted
- HIPAA-compliant data handling
Scalability Considerations
Database Design
- Denormalized data structure for read optimization
- Composite indexes for complex queries
- Pagination for large datasets
- Caching layer for frequently accessed data
Performance Optimization
- GraphQL query batching and deduplication
- Firestore compound indexes
- Client-side caching with Apollo
- Lazy loading for large collections
Monitoring & Logging
Application Monitoring
- Firebase Performance Monitoring
- Error tracking and reporting
- User analytics and usage patterns
- API response time monitoring
Audit Logging
- All data modifications logged
- User action tracking
- Compliance audit trails
- Security event logging
Disaster Recovery
Backup Strategy
- Automated daily Firestore backups
- Point-in-time recovery capability
- Geographic redundancy
- Backup retention policy (30 days)
Recovery Procedures
- Identify incident and scope
- Restore from most recent backup
- Validate data integrity
- Resume normal operations
- Post-incident review
API Versioning
Version Strategy
- URL-based versioning for breaking changes
- Backward compatibility maintained for 2 versions
- Deprecation warnings in responses
- Migration guides for version upgrades
Future Enhancements
Planned Features
- GraphQL subscriptions for real-time updates
- Offline-first capabilities with service workers
- Advanced caching strategies
- Multi-region deployment
- Microservices architecture for specific domains