# Architecture ## Framework vs. Consumer Boundary Layer 0 (Core framework). Consumers (plural, unknown) reference downward only. ### Layer hierarchy ``` Layer 0 — Core framework this solution (AyCode.Core) Layer 1 — UI framework e.g. AyCode.Blazor — Blazor/MAUI bases Layer 2 — Domain framework e.g. Mango.Nop.Core — NopCommerce-plugin bases Layer 3 — Consumer application the actual business app ``` **Dependencies flow downward only** — framework never references consumer. ### What belongs here vs. in a consumer **Yes, framework:** - Abstract base classes with hooks for consumer override - Interfaces and contracts - Options classes for consumer configuration - Generic logic parameterized by consumer types **No, consumer only:** - Business logic - Consumer-named types or namespaces - Hardcoded URLs, tenants, or product IDs ### Minimum-boilerplate ideal Aim for minimal consumer setup: ```csharp // Consumer Program.cs — ideal pattern services.Configure(config.GetSection("AyCode:Xxx")); services.AddAcXxxFactory(); ``` Verbose consumer code → incomplete framework. Promote recurring patterns to extension methods, base classes, or options. ### Promotion pattern When a pattern appears in 2+ consumer projects: 1. Identify generic vs. consumer-specific parts 2. Move generic part → appropriate framework layer (abstract base, options, or extension) 3. Leave specific part in consumer (override or configure) Pattern: **"write the base first, derive the specific later"** — plan the framework abstraction before consumer-specific code. ### Class prefix — framework-only mandate **Workspace-wide convention** — every framework-typed repo (`@repo.type = "framework"` in `.github/copilot-instructions.md`) MUST prefix its public types with a stable repo-family prefix: | Family | Prefix | Example types | |---------------|--------|-----------------------------------------------------| | AyCode.* | `Ac` | `AcDalBase`, `AcBinarySerializer`, `IAcUserDbSet` | | Mango.Nop.* | `Mg` | `MgEntityBase`, `MgDbTableBase`, `MgOrderDto` | **Product/Consumer repos** (`@repo.type = "product"` or `"consumer"`) **MUST NOT** prefix their domain types. Product types are concrete derivations of framework abstractions and use natural domain names (e.g. `Order`, `ShippingItem`, `OrderItemPallet` — no product-specific prefix). **Why:** prefix marks code as framework-bequeathed. `Order` (un-prefixed) = product concrete; `AcDalBase` = framework abstraction. Cross-repo patterns self-document: `AcDalBase` reads as "framework abstraction over product concrete" without lookup. ## Dependency Graph ``` AyCode.Utils (zero dependencies) ↑ AyCode.Interfaces → AyCode.Entities → AyCode.Models ↑ ↑ ↑ AyCode.Core ─────────────┘ │ ↑ │ AyCode.Database ────────────────────────────┘ ↑ AyCode.Services ← AyCode.Services.Server ``` **Rule:** Dependencies flow upward only — lower layers never reference higher. ## Project Roles ### Foundation Layer - **AyCode.Utils** — Zero-dependency utilities. String/DateTime extensions, lock wrappers. - **AyCode.Interfaces** — Pure interfaces. `IId` is the root abstraction. - **AyCode.Entities** — Abstract generic entity classes. Never instantiated directly. - **AyCode.Models** — DTOs and view models for service boundaries. ### Core Layer - **AyCode.Core** — Serializers (Binary, JSON, Toon), compression (Brotli, GZip, LZ4), logging framework, constants, validation. - **AyCode.Core.Serializers.SourceGenerator** — Roslyn incremental generator. Targets netstandard2.0. Generates `IGeneratedBinaryWriter` / `IGeneratedBinaryReader` for `[AcBinarySerializable]` types. ### Data Layer - **AyCode.Database** — EF Core with generic DAL pattern. Session for reads, Transaction for writes. DAL pooling via `PooledDal`. ### Service Layer - **AyCode.Services** — Client-side: SignalR client, login service, loggers, ASP.NET Core MVC formatters for AcBinary (`Mvc/` — **temporarily disabled**, see `AyCode.Services/Mvc/README.md`). - **AyCode.Services.Server** — Server-side: SignalR hub with custom binary protocol, email (SendGrid), JWT auth. - **AyCode.Models.Server/DynamicMethods** — Reflection-based tag→method dispatch used by the SignalR hub. > **SignalR Dispatch:** Both directions use a single method `OnReceiveMessage(int messageTag, int? requestId, SignalParams signalParams, object data)` with integer tag-based routing instead of standard Hub methods. Write path: zero-copy via `AcBinarySerializer.Serialize(value, output)` directly to pipe. Read path: protocol eagerly deserializes `data` to typed object via `SignalParams.SignalDataType`, or returns raw `byte[]` for `IsRawBytesData`/byte[] fast-path. See `AyCode.Services/docs/SIGNALR/README.md` for full details. ### Server Extensions - **AyCode.Core.Server**, **AyCode.Interfaces.Server**, **AyCode.Entities.Server**, **AyCode.Models.Server** — Server-only additions that don't belong in shared code. ## Project Layout — Shared/Server Split **Workspace-wide convention.** Each logical project gets one or two physical projects, named by suffix: | Suffix | Contains | Visibility | |--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | `Foo` | Code shared by client and server (DTOs, interfaces, common logic) | Both | | `Foo.Server` | Server-only code (data access, hosting, server-side services) | Server only | | `Foo.Client` | RARE — only when truly client-only code exists | Client only | **Examples already in this repo:** `AyCode.Core` + `AyCode.Core.Server`, `AyCode.Interfaces` + `AyCode.Interfaces.Server`, `AyCode.Entities` + `AyCode.Entities.Server`, `AyCode.Models` + `AyCode.Models.Server`, `AyCode.Services` + `AyCode.Services.Server`. **No `.Client` projects exist by default.** ### Why no symmetric `.Client` - Most client-relevant code is genuinely shared (DTOs, common logic). - Doubling every project to `.Client` + `.Server` would balloon the workspace without proportional benefit. - Create `.Client` only for true client-only code (rare). ### Why no security risk - The boundary is **directional**: server may reference shared; client must not reference `.Server`. - Enforcement at the **project-graph + DLL reference level**, not the suffix — a client referencing `.Server` fails to build. - Shared code is by design safe for both sides. ### When a new project is added Default: **one shared `Foo` project**. Add `Foo.Server` when server-only code accumulates. Add `Foo.Client` only for the rare case above. ## Serialization Architecture Three serializers share a common infrastructure but serve different goals: | Serializer | Primary Goal | Use Case | |---|---|---| | **AcBinary** | Speed | Wire protocol, SignalR, storage | | **AcJson** | Compatibility | REST APIs, debugging, interop | | **Toon** | LLM Accuracy | AI context, schema documentation | ## Generic Entity Pattern Entities use composition via generic type parameters: ```csharp // Interface layer interface IAcUser : IId { ... } // Entity layer (abstract) abstract class AcUser { ... } // Consuming project (concrete) class User : AcUser { ... } ``` Framework defines relationships without knowing concrete types.