11 KiB
API Framework
Description
API Framework is a layered API software framework designed to provide a structured foundation for building maintainable, scalable, and extensible web services.
The framework separates framework capabilities, software capabilities, resource management, request processing, policy enforcement, and runtime execution into clearly defined architectural layers. It provides standardized request handling, response generation, execution pipelines, reusable utility services, and runtime orchestration while maintaining strict ownership boundaries between framework and software components.
The framework supports:
- API request routing
- Request processing
- Response generation
- Policy-driven execution
- Authentication and authorization pipelines
- Rate limiting and validation policies
- Runtime lifecycle management
- Reusable infrastructure services
The architecture is organized into four primary layers:
- Data — Framework and software resources.
- Essential — Reusable framework capabilities and infrastructure.
- Operational — Software-specific business capabilities and policies.
- Run — Runtime initialization, execution, and request processing.
This separation enables developers to focus on software behavior while relying on a consistent framework foundation for API processing, security, policy enforcement, utility services, and runtime coordination.
Purpose
API Framework exists to provide a consistent, maintainable, and extensible architecture for building API-driven softwares while establishing clear boundaries between framework responsibilities and software responsibilities.
Objectives
- Establish clear separation of concerns.
- Standardize API request and response processing.
- Distinguish framework-owned and software-owned resources.
- Provide reusable infrastructure and utility capabilities.
- Centralize policy enforcement and access control.
- Simplify software development through a structured architecture.
- Improve maintainability and scalability.
- Enable controlled software extensibility.
- Protect internal framework implementation details.
- Encourage consistent API design and execution patterns.
Design Principles
Layered Architecture
Each architectural layer is responsible for a specific concern and communicates through clearly defined boundaries.
Ownership Separation
Framework-owned capabilities remain separate from software-owned capabilities to prevent implementation leakage and architectural drift.
Extensibility
Softwares extend the framework through approved extension surfaces without modifying framework internals.
Reusability
Common functionality is implemented once and reused throughout both framework and software layers.
Encapsulation
Internal framework implementation details remain hidden behind stable interfaces.
Policy-Driven Execution
Request processing and business operations are governed through dedicated execution pipelines and policy enforcement mechanisms.
Consistency
Request handling, response generation, execution patterns, and resource management follow standardized conventions throughout the framework.
Architecture
High-Level Structure
source
├── data
├── essential
├── operational
└── run
The architecture is organized into four primary layers that collectively provide resource management, reusable framework capabilities, software capabilities, policy enforcement, and runtime execution.
Data Layer
The Data Layer stores all framework-owned and software-owned resources.
source/data
├── framework
│ ├── metadata
│ └── glossary
└── software
├── metadata
└── glossary
Responsibilities
- Store framework metadata and configuration resources.
- Store framework glossary and terminology resources.
- Store software metadata and configuration resources.
- Store software glossary and terminology resources.
- Provide centralized resource ownership boundaries.
Ownership
| Area | Owner |
|---|---|
| data/framework | Framework |
| data/software | Software |
Essential Layer
The Essential Layer contains reusable framework capabilities, infrastructure services, request processing capabilities, and shared functionality.
source/essential
├── exchange
├── hidden
└── visible
Essential Exchange
Provides the framework API interaction model.
exchange
├── router
├── request
├── response
└── imperative
Responsibilities
- API request routing.
- Request processing.
- Response generation.
- Imperative execution.
- Framework-level API orchestration.
Essential Hidden
Contains internal framework capabilities that are not intended for software consumption.
hidden
└── service
└── management
Management
Framework runtime management capabilities.
management
├── initialize
├── lifecycle
├── config
├── monitor
└── cleaner
Initialize
Responsible for framework and runtime initialization.
Lifecycle
Responsible for:
- Startup
- Shutdown
- Restart operations
Config
Responsible for runtime configuration management.
Monitor
Responsible for runtime health and operational monitoring.
Cleaner
Responsible for maintenance and cleanup operations.
Responsibilities
- Runtime initialization.
- Lifecycle management.
- Runtime configuration.
- Monitoring and observability.
- Maintenance operations.
Essential Visible
Contains reusable framework capabilities available to softwares.
visible
└── service
└── helper
Available helper capabilities include:
retriever
status
log
progress
filesystem
datetime
marker
key
hash
cipher
codec
Responsibilities
- Resource retrieval.
- Status reporting.
- Structured logging.
- Progress tracking.
- Filesystem operations.
- Date and time utilities.
- Identifier generation.
- Key generation.
- Hash calculation and comparison.
- Encryption and decryption.
- Encoding and decoding.
Operational Layer
The Operational Layer contains all software-specific behavior, business capabilities, and policy definitions.
source/operational
├── exchange
├── pipeline
└── service
This is the primary software development area.
Operational Exchange
Provides the software API interaction model.
exchange
├── router
├── request
├── response
└── imperative
Responsibilities
- Software request routing.
- Software request processing.
- Software response generation.
- Imperative execution.
- Software-level API orchestration.
Operational Pipeline
Contains software-defined policy execution capabilities.
pipeline
└── policy
├── validation
└── ratelimit
Validation
Responsible for request validation policies.
Examples:
- Schema validation
- Payload validation
- Business rule validation
Rate Limit
Responsible for request throttling and usage control.
Examples:
- Client limits
- Endpoint limits
- Resource protection
Responsibilities
- Request validation.
- Request throttling.
- Policy definition.
- Software-specific execution controls.
Operational Service
Contains software-specific business capabilities.
service
└── [service]
└── [feature]
Example:
service
├── user
│ ├── create
│ └── delete
├── customer
│ └── register
└── invoice
└── generate
Feature structure:
service
└── user
└── create
├── function.go
└── function-data.json
Responsibilities
- Implement business rules.
- Manage software workflows.
- Execute domain-specific operations.
- Consume reusable framework capabilities.
Runtime Layer
The Runtime Layer initializes, secures, coordinates, and executes API requests.
source/run
├── exchange
├── pipeline
└── main
Runtime Exchange
Receives incoming requests and dispatches execution.
exchange
├── router
├── request
├── response
└── imperative
Responsibilities
- Runtime request handling.
- Request dispatching.
- Response delivery.
- Execution coordination.
Runtime Pipeline
Provides execution-time access control and policy enforcement.
pipeline
├── access
└── policy
Access
Access control pipeline.
access
├── authentication
└── authorization
Authentication
Verifies the identity of the request originator.
Examples:
- API Keys
- JWT Tokens
- Session Authentication
Authorization
Determines whether authenticated entities can access requested resources.
Examples:
- Role-based access control
- Permission-based access control
- Scope validation
Policy
Responsible for runtime policy enforcement.
policy
└── enforce.go
Responsibilities:
- Execute policy decisions.
- Enforce validation outcomes.
- Enforce access decisions.
- Coordinate runtime controls.
Runtime Main
Software bootstrap and startup.
main
└── main.go
Responsibilities
- Framework initialization.
- Software initialization.
- Runtime startup.
- Lifecycle coordination.
- API server bootstrap.
Request Lifecycle
The framework follows a layered request processing model.
Client Request
│
▼
Runtime Exchange
│
▼
Access Pipeline
(Authentication / Authorization)
│
▼
Policy Enforcement
│
▼
Software Exchange
│
▼
Software Policies
(Validation / Rate Limiting)
│
▼
Software Service
│
▼
Framework Services
│
▼
Resource Layer
│
▼
Response
Ownership Model
| Layer | Owner | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| data/framework | Framework | Framework resources |
| data/software | Software | Software resources |
| essential | Framework | Reusable framework capabilities |
| operational | Software | Business capabilities and policies |
| run | Framework | Runtime execution and enforcement |
Extension Surface
Softwares are expected to extend the framework through the following locations:
source/data/software
source/operational
Softwares should consume reusable framework capabilities from:
source/essential/visible
Softwares should not directly depend on:
source/essential/hidden
as these components are considered internal framework implementation details and may change without notice.