Technical Blueprints

Create comprehensive technical specifications that serve as the definitive guide for implementation. Technical blueprints bridge the gap between high-level architecture and actual code, providing detailed specifications for every aspect of your system.

Learning Objectives

After completing this module, you will be able to:

✅ Create Detailed System Specifications - Document every technical aspect of your system
✅ Design API Contracts - Write complete OpenAPI specifications with examples
✅ Specify Database Schemas - Create normalized schemas with migrations and constraints
✅ Plan Deployment Architecture - Design production-ready deployment configurations
✅ Generate Documentation with AI - Accelerate blueprint creation using AI tools

What are Technical Blueprints?

Technical blueprints are detailed specifications that define exactly how your system should be built:

Blueprint Components:

• API Specifications: Complete OpenAPI documentation with examples
• Database Schemas: Normalized tables with relationships and constraints
• Configuration Files: Environment-specific settings and deployments
• Infrastructure Code: Container definitions and orchestration
• Quality Specifications: Testing requirements and quality gates

API Specification Blueprints

OpenAPI Documentation Structure

Complete API Blueprint Template:

openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: Project Management API
  description: |
    Comprehensive API for project management system built with GISE methodology.
    
    ## Authentication
    All protected endpoints require Bearer token authentication.
    
    ## Rate Limiting  
    API requests are limited to 1000 requests per hour per user.
    
    ## Pagination
    List endpoints support cursor-based pagination with `limit` and `cursor` parameters.
  version: 1.0.0
  contact:
    name: Development Team
    email: dev@company.com
  license:
    name: MIT
    url: https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT

servers:
  - url: https://api.projectmanager.com/v1
    description: Production server
  - url: https://staging-api.projectmanager.com/v1
    description: Staging server
  - url: http://localhost:3000/api/v1
    description: Development server

paths:
  /auth/login:
    post:
      summary: Authenticate user
      description: |
        Authenticate user with email and password.
        Returns JWT token for subsequent requests.
      tags: [Authentication]
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/LoginRequest'
            examples:
              valid_user:
                summary: Valid login
                value:
                  email: "user@example.com"
                  password: "securepassword123"
              invalid_email:
                summary: Invalid email format
                value:
                  email: "invalid-email"
                  password: "password123"
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Authentication successful
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/LoginResponse'
              examples:
                success:
                  summary: Successful authentication
                  value:
                    access_token: "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."
                    refresh_token: "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."
                    expires_in: 3600
                    user:
                      id: "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000"
                      email: "user@example.com"
                      name: "John Doe"
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/BadRequest'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/RateLimited'

  /projects:
    get:
      summary: List user projects
      description: |
        Retrieve paginated list of projects accessible to authenticated user.
        Supports filtering by status and search by name.
      tags: [Projects]
      security:
        - BearerAuth: []
      parameters:
        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Limit'
        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Cursor'
        - name: status
          in: query
          description: Filter projects by status
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProjectStatus'
          example: active
        - name: search
          in: query
          description: Search projects by name (case-insensitive)
          schema:
            type: string
            maxLength: 100
          example: "website redesign"
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Projects retrieved successfully
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProjectListResponse'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '403':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Forbidden'
    
    post:
      summary: Create new project
      description: Create a new project with specified details
      tags: [Projects]
      security:
        - BearerAuth: []
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/CreateProjectRequest'
            examples:
              minimal:
                summary: Minimal project creation
                value:
                  name: "Website Redesign"
                  description: "Complete overhaul of company website"
              detailed:
                summary: Detailed project creation
                value:
                  name: "Mobile App Development"
                  description: "Native iOS and Android applications"
                  status: "planning"
                  due_date: "2024-12-31T23:59:59Z"
                  tags: ["mobile", "ios", "android"]
      responses:
        '201':
          description: Project created successfully
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Project'
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/BadRequest'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'

components:
  schemas:
    # Authentication Schemas
    LoginRequest:
      type: object
      required: [email, password]
      properties:
        email:
          type: string
          format: email
          maxLength: 255
          example: "user@example.com"
        password:
          type: string
          minLength: 8
          maxLength: 128
          example: "securepassword123"
      additionalProperties: false

    LoginResponse:
      type: object
      required: [access_token, refresh_token, expires_in, user]
      properties:
        access_token:
          type: string
          description: JWT access token
          example: "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."
        refresh_token:
          type: string
          description: JWT refresh token
          example: "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."
        expires_in:
          type: integer
          description: Token expiration time in seconds
          example: 3600
        user:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/User'

    # Core Entity Schemas
    User:
      type: object
      required: [id, email, name, created_at, updated_at]
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: Unique user identifier
          example: "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000"
        email:
          type: string
          format: email
          maxLength: 255
          example: "user@example.com"
        name:
          type: string
          maxLength: 255
          example: "John Doe"
        avatar_url:
          type: string
          format: uri
          nullable: true
          description: URL to user's profile image
          example: "https://api.example.com/avatars/user123.jpg"
        created_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          description: User creation timestamp
          example: "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
        updated_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          description: Last user update timestamp
          example: "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"

    Project:
      type: object
      required: [id, name, owner_id, status, created_at, updated_at]
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          example: "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000"
        name:
          type: string
          maxLength: 255
          example: "Website Redesign"
        description:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          maxLength: 2000
          example: "Complete overhaul of company website with modern design"
        owner_id:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: ID of project owner
          example: "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000"
        status:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProjectStatus'
        due_date:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          nullable: true
          description: Project due date
          example: "2024-12-31T23:59:59Z"
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
            maxLength: 50
          maxItems: 10
          example: ["web", "design", "frontend"]
        created_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          example: "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
        updated_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          example: "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"

    ProjectStatus:
      type: string
      enum: [draft, planning, active, on_hold, completed, cancelled]
      description: Current project status
      example: active

    # Request/Response Schemas
    CreateProjectRequest:
      type: object
      required: [name]
      properties:
        name:
          type: string
          maxLength: 255
          example: "Website Redesign"
        description:
          type: string
          maxLength: 2000
          example: "Complete overhaul of company website"
        status:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProjectStatus'
          default: draft
        due_date:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          nullable: true
          example: "2024-12-31T23:59:59Z"
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
            maxLength: 50
          maxItems: 10
          example: ["web", "design"]
      additionalProperties: false

    ProjectListResponse:
      type: object
      required: [data, meta]
      properties:
        data:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Project'
        meta:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/PaginationMeta'

    PaginationMeta:
      type: object
      required: [has_more]
      properties:
        has_more:
          type: boolean
          description: Whether more results are available
          example: true
        next_cursor:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: Cursor for next page of results
          example: "eyJpZCI6IjEyM2U0NTY3LWU4OWItMTJkMy1hNDU2LTQyNjYxNDE3NDAwMCJ9"
        total_count:
          type: integer
          nullable: true
          description: Total number of items (when available)
          example: 150

    # Error Schemas
    Error:
      type: object
      required: [error, message]
      properties:
        error:
          type: string
          description: Error code
          example: "validation_failed"
        message:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable error message
          example: "The request data is invalid"
        details:
          type: array
          description: Detailed validation errors
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ValidationError'

    ValidationError:
      type: object
      required: [field, code, message]
      properties:
        field:
          type: string
          description: Field that failed validation
          example: "email"
        code:
          type: string
          description: Validation error code
          example: "invalid_format"
        message:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable validation message
          example: "Email address format is invalid"

  parameters:
    Limit:
      name: limit
      in: query
      description: Maximum number of items to return
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 1
        maximum: 100
        default: 20
      example: 50

    Cursor:
      name: cursor
      in: query
      description: Pagination cursor for next page
      schema:
        type: string
      example: "eyJpZCI6IjEyM2U0NTY3LWU4OWItMTJkMy1hNDU2LTQyNjYxNDE3NDAwMCJ9"

  responses:
    BadRequest:
      description: Bad request - validation errors or malformed request
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          examples:
            validation_error:
              summary: Validation failed
              value:
                error: "validation_failed"
                message: "The request data is invalid"
                details:
                  - field: "email"
                    code: "invalid_format"
                    message: "Email address format is invalid"

    Unauthorized:
      description: Authentication required or invalid token
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          examples:
            missing_token:
              summary: Missing authentication token
              value:
                error: "unauthorized"
                message: "Authentication token is required"
            invalid_token:
              summary: Invalid token
              value:
                error: "invalid_token"
                message: "Authentication token is invalid or expired"

    Forbidden:
      description: Insufficient permissions for requested resource
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error: "forbidden"
            message: "You don't have permission to access this resource"

    RateLimited:
      description: Rate limit exceeded
      headers:
        Retry-After:
          description: Seconds to wait before making another request
          schema:
            type: integer
          example: 3600
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error: "rate_limited"
            message: "Too many requests. Please try again later."

  securitySchemes:
    BearerAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      bearerFormat: JWT
      description: |
        JWT bearer token authentication.
        
        Include the token in the Authorization header:
        `Authorization: Bearer <your-token>`

security:
  - BearerAuth: []

tags:
  - name: Authentication
    description: User authentication and authorization
  - name: Projects
    description: Project management operations
  - name: Tasks
    description: Task management within projects

externalDocs:
  description: Full API documentation with examples
  url: https://docs.projectmanager.com/api

API Blueprint Quality Checklist

Completeness:

• All endpoints documented with complete request/response schemas
• All possible HTTP status codes included
• Authentication and authorization clearly specified
• Rate limiting and pagination documented
• Error responses defined with examples

Quality:

• Consistent naming conventions throughout
• Comprehensive examples for all operations
• Validation rules clearly specified
• Deprecation notices for legacy endpoints
• Version information and changelog references

Database Schema Blueprints

Comprehensive Database Design

PostgreSQL Schema with Full Specifications:

-- =============================================
-- Project Management Database Schema
-- Version: 1.0.0
-- Generated: 2024-01-15
-- GISE Methodology Compliant
-- =============================================

-- Enable required extensions
CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS "uuid-ossp";
CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS "pgcrypto";

-- =============================================
-- USERS DOMAIN
-- =============================================

CREATE TABLE users (
    -- Primary identification
    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    email VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    email_verified_at TIMESTAMP NULL,
    
    -- Authentication
    password_hash VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    password_reset_token VARCHAR(255) NULL,
    password_reset_expires_at TIMESTAMP NULL,
    
    -- Profile information
    first_name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
    last_name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
    avatar_url VARCHAR(512) NULL,
    timezone VARCHAR(50) DEFAULT 'UTC',
    
    -- Account management
    status VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'active' CHECK (status IN ('active', 'inactive', 'suspended')),
    last_login_at TIMESTAMP NULL,
    login_count INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
    
    -- Audit fields
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    
    -- Constraints
    CONSTRAINT users_email_format CHECK (email ~* '^[A-Za-z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Za-z0-9.-]+\.[A-Za-z]{2,}$'),
    CONSTRAINT users_names_not_empty CHECK (trim(first_name) != '' AND trim(last_name) != '')
);

-- User indexes for performance
CREATE INDEX idx_users_email ON users(email);
CREATE INDEX idx_users_status ON users(status) WHERE status = 'active';
CREATE INDEX idx_users_created_at ON users(created_at);
CREATE INDEX idx_users_last_login ON users(last_login_at) WHERE last_login_at IS NOT NULL;

-- =============================================
-- PROJECTS DOMAIN
-- =============================================

CREATE TABLE projects (
    -- Primary identification
    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    slug VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    description TEXT NULL,
    
    -- Project metadata
    status VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'draft' CHECK (
        status IN ('draft', 'planning', 'active', 'on_hold', 'completed', 'cancelled')
    ),
    priority VARCHAR(10) DEFAULT 'medium' CHECK (
        priority IN ('low', 'medium', 'high', 'urgent')
    ),
    
    -- Relationships
    owner_id UUID NOT NULL REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE RESTRICT,
    
    -- Timeline
    start_date DATE NULL,
    due_date DATE NULL,
    completed_at TIMESTAMP NULL,
    
    -- Configuration
    is_public BOOLEAN DEFAULT false,
    settings JSONB DEFAULT '{}',
    tags TEXT[] DEFAULT '{}',
    
    -- Audit fields
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    
    -- Constraints
    CONSTRAINT projects_name_not_empty CHECK (trim(name) != ''),
    CONSTRAINT projects_valid_dates CHECK (
        start_date IS NULL OR due_date IS NULL OR start_date <= due_date
    ),
    CONSTRAINT projects_completed_status CHECK (
        (status = 'completed' AND completed_at IS NOT NULL) OR 
        (status != 'completed' AND completed_at IS NULL)
    )
);

-- Project indexes
CREATE INDEX idx_projects_owner ON projects(owner_id);
CREATE INDEX idx_projects_status ON projects(status);
CREATE INDEX idx_projects_slug ON projects(slug);
CREATE INDEX idx_projects_due_date ON projects(due_date) WHERE due_date IS NOT NULL;
CREATE INDEX idx_projects_tags ON projects USING GIN(tags);
CREATE INDEX idx_projects_settings ON projects USING GIN(settings);

-- =============================================
-- TASKS DOMAIN
-- =============================================

CREATE TABLE tasks (
    -- Primary identification
    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    title VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    description TEXT NULL,
    
    -- Relationships
    project_id UUID NOT NULL REFERENCES projects(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
    assigned_to UUID NULL REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
    created_by UUID NOT NULL REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE RESTRICT,
    
    -- Task metadata
    status VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'todo' CHECK (
        status IN ('todo', 'in_progress', 'review', 'done', 'cancelled')
    ),
    priority VARCHAR(10) DEFAULT 'medium' CHECK (
        priority IN ('low', 'medium', 'high', 'urgent')
    ),
    
    -- Timeline
    due_date TIMESTAMP NULL,
    started_at TIMESTAMP NULL,
    completed_at TIMESTAMP NULL,
    
    -- Organization
    position INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
    labels TEXT[] DEFAULT '{}',
    
    -- Time tracking
    estimated_hours INTEGER NULL CHECK (estimated_hours > 0),
    actual_hours INTEGER NULL CHECK (actual_hours >= 0),
    
    -- Audit fields
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    
    -- Constraints
    CONSTRAINT tasks_title_not_empty CHECK (trim(title) != ''),
    CONSTRAINT tasks_time_tracking CHECK (
        estimated_hours IS NULL OR estimated_hours > 0
    ),
    CONSTRAINT tasks_completion_logic CHECK (
        (status = 'done' AND completed_at IS NOT NULL) OR 
        (status != 'done' AND completed_at IS NULL)
    )
);

-- Task indexes
CREATE INDEX idx_tasks_project ON tasks(project_id);
CREATE INDEX idx_tasks_assigned_to ON tasks(assigned_to) WHERE assigned_to IS NOT NULL;
CREATE INDEX idx_tasks_status ON tasks(status);
CREATE INDEX idx_tasks_due_date ON tasks(due_date) WHERE due_date IS NOT NULL;
CREATE INDEX idx_tasks_position ON tasks(project_id, position);
CREATE INDEX idx_tasks_labels ON tasks USING GIN(labels);

-- =============================================
-- AUDIT AND ACTIVITY TRACKING
-- =============================================

CREATE TABLE activity_logs (
    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    
    -- Entity information
    entity_type VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    entity_id UUID NOT NULL,
    
    -- Action details
    action VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    changes JSONB NULL,
    metadata JSONB DEFAULT '{}',
    
    -- Actor information
    user_id UUID NULL REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
    user_agent VARCHAR(512) NULL,
    ip_address INET NULL,
    
    -- Timing
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    
    -- Constraints
    CONSTRAINT activity_logs_valid_entity CHECK (
        entity_type IN ('user', 'project', 'task')
    ),
    CONSTRAINT activity_logs_valid_action CHECK (
        action IN ('created', 'updated', 'deleted', 'viewed', 'assigned', 'completed')
    )
);

-- Activity log indexes
CREATE INDEX idx_activity_logs_entity ON activity_logs(entity_type, entity_id);
CREATE INDEX idx_activity_logs_user ON activity_logs(user_id) WHERE user_id IS NOT NULL;
CREATE INDEX idx_activity_logs_created_at ON activity_logs(created_at);

-- =============================================
-- FUNCTIONS AND TRIGGERS
-- =============================================

-- Update timestamp trigger function
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION update_updated_at_column()
RETURNS TRIGGER AS $$
BEGIN
    NEW.updated_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP;
    RETURN NEW;
END;
$$ language plpgsql;

-- Apply updated_at triggers
CREATE TRIGGER update_users_updated_at 
    BEFORE UPDATE ON users 
    FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION update_updated_at_column();

CREATE TRIGGER update_projects_updated_at 
    BEFORE UPDATE ON projects 
    FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION update_updated_at_column();

CREATE TRIGGER update_tasks_updated_at 
    BEFORE UPDATE ON tasks 
    FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION update_updated_at_column();

-- Project slug generation function
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION generate_project_slug()
RETURNS TRIGGER AS $$
BEGIN
    IF NEW.slug IS NULL OR NEW.slug = '' THEN
        NEW.slug = lower(regexp_replace(trim(NEW.name), '[^a-zA-Z0-9]+', '-', 'g'));
        NEW.slug = regexp_replace(NEW.slug, '^-|-$', '', 'g');
        
        -- Ensure uniqueness
        WHILE EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM projects WHERE slug = NEW.slug AND id != COALESCE(NEW.id, '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000')) LOOP
            NEW.slug = NEW.slug || '-' || floor(random() * 1000)::text;
        END LOOP;
    END IF;
    
    RETURN NEW;
END;
$$ language plpgsql;

CREATE TRIGGER generate_project_slug_trigger
    BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE ON projects
    FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION generate_project_slug();

-- =============================================
-- INITIAL DATA AND PERMISSIONS
-- =============================================

-- Create application-level user roles
INSERT INTO users (id, email, first_name, last_name, status) VALUES 
    ('00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001', 'system@app.internal', 'System', 'User', 'active')
ON CONFLICT (id) DO NOTHING;

-- =============================================
-- VIEWS FOR COMMON QUERIES
-- =============================================

-- Project summary view
CREATE VIEW project_summary AS
SELECT 
    p.id,
    p.name,
    p.slug,
    p.status,
    p.priority,
    p.due_date,
    u.first_name || ' ' || u.last_name AS owner_name,
    u.email AS owner_email,
    COUNT(t.id) AS total_tasks,
    COUNT(CASE WHEN t.status = 'done' THEN 1 END) AS completed_tasks,
    COUNT(CASE WHEN t.status NOT IN ('done', 'cancelled') THEN 1 END) AS active_tasks,
    p.created_at,
    p.updated_at
FROM projects p
LEFT JOIN users u ON p.owner_id = u.id
LEFT JOIN tasks t ON p.id = t.project_id
WHERE p.status != 'cancelled'
GROUP BY p.id, u.id;

-- User task workload view
CREATE VIEW user_workload AS
SELECT 
    u.id AS user_id,
    u.first_name || ' ' || u.last_name AS user_name,
    COUNT(t.id) AS total_assigned_tasks,
    COUNT(CASE WHEN t.status = 'in_progress' THEN 1 END) AS active_tasks,
    COUNT(CASE WHEN t.due_date < CURRENT_DATE AND t.status NOT IN ('done', 'cancelled') THEN 1 END) AS overdue_tasks,
    SUM(t.estimated_hours) AS estimated_hours,
    SUM(t.actual_hours) AS actual_hours
FROM users u
LEFT JOIN tasks t ON u.id = t.assigned_to
WHERE u.status = 'active'
GROUP BY u.id;

-- =============================================
-- PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION
-- =============================================

-- Vacuum and analyze tables for optimal performance
VACUUM ANALYZE users;
VACUUM ANALYZE projects;
VACUUM ANALYZE tasks;
VACUUM ANALYZE activity_logs;

-- =============================================
-- MIGRATION INFORMATION
-- =============================================

-- Migration metadata
CREATE TABLE schema_migrations (
    version VARCHAR(255) PRIMARY KEY,
    applied_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

INSERT INTO schema_migrations (version) VALUES ('001_initial_schema');

Database Migration Strategy

Migration Script Template:

-- Migration: 002_add_user_preferences
-- Description: Add user preferences table for customization
-- Author: Development Team
-- Date: 2024-01-20

BEGIN;

-- Check if migration already applied
DO $$
BEGIN
    IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM schema_migrations WHERE version = '002_add_user_preferences') THEN
        RAISE EXCEPTION 'Migration 002_add_user_preferences already applied';
    END IF;
END $$;

-- Create user preferences table
CREATE TABLE user_preferences (
    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    user_id UUID NOT NULL REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
    
    -- Preference categories
    notifications JSONB DEFAULT '{}',
    ui_settings JSONB DEFAULT '{}',
    project_defaults JSONB DEFAULT '{}',
    
    -- Audit fields
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    
    -- Ensure one preference record per user
    CONSTRAINT user_preferences_unique_user UNIQUE (user_id)
);

-- Add indexes
CREATE INDEX idx_user_preferences_user_id ON user_preferences(user_id);

-- Add update trigger
CREATE TRIGGER update_user_preferences_updated_at 
    BEFORE UPDATE ON user_preferences 
    FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION update_updated_at_column();

-- Create default preferences for existing users
INSERT INTO user_preferences (user_id, notifications, ui_settings, project_defaults)
SELECT 
    id,
    '{"email": true, "push": false, "digest": "weekly"}',
    '{"theme": "light", "timezone": "UTC"}',
    '{"status": "draft", "priority": "medium"}'
FROM users 
WHERE status = 'active';

-- Record migration
INSERT INTO schema_migrations (version) VALUES ('002_add_user_preferences');

COMMIT;

Configuration and Infrastructure Blueprints

Container Configuration

Complete Docker Setup:

# Dockerfile - Production-ready Node.js application
FROM node:18-alpine AS base

# Install security updates and required tools
RUN apk update && apk upgrade && apk add --no-cache \
    dumb-init \
    curl \
    && rm -rf /var/cache/apk/*

# Create app directory and non-root user
RUN addgroup -g 1001 -S nodejs && \
    adduser -S nextjs -u 1001
WORKDIR /app

# ===================================
# Dependencies stage
# ===================================
FROM base AS deps

# Copy package files
COPY package.json package-lock.json ./

# Install dependencies with exact versions
RUN npm ci --only=production --ignore-scripts && \
    npm cache clean --force

# ===================================
# Build stage
# ===================================
FROM base AS builder

# Copy package files and install all dependencies
COPY package.json package-lock.json ./
RUN npm ci --ignore-scripts

# Copy source code
COPY . .

# Build application
ENV NODE_ENV=production
ENV NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1

RUN npm run build && \
    npm prune --production

# ===================================
# Production stage
# ===================================
FROM base AS runtime

# Set production environment
ENV NODE_ENV=production
ENV NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1
ENV PORT=3000

# Copy application files
COPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
COPY --from=builder /app/.next ./.next
COPY --from=builder /app/public ./public
COPY --from=builder /app/package.json ./package.json

# Set up non-root user
USER nextjs

# Health check
HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=10s --start-period=5s --retries=3 \
    CMD curl -f http://localhost:3000/api/health || exit 1

# Expose port
EXPOSE 3000

# Start application with dumb-init for proper signal handling
ENTRYPOINT ["dumb-init", "--"]
CMD ["npm", "start"]

Docker Compose for Development:

version: '3.8'

services:
  # ===================================
  # Database Services
  # ===================================
  postgres:
    image: postgres:15-alpine
    container_name: pm_postgres
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: project_management
      POSTGRES_USER: pm_user
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: secure_dev_password
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
      - ./database/init:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d:ro
      - ./database/backups:/backups
    ports:
      - "5432:5432"
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U pm_user -d project_management"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 5
    networks:
      - backend

  redis:
    image: redis:7-alpine
    container_name: pm_redis
    restart: unless-stopped
    command: redis-server --appendonly yes --requirepass dev_redis_password
    volumes:
      - redis_data:/data
    ports:
      - "6379:6379"
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "-a", "dev_redis_password", "ping"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 5
    networks:
      - backend

  # ===================================
  # Application Services
  # ===================================
  api:
    build:
      context: ./api
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
      target: development
    container_name: pm_api
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      NODE_ENV: development
      PORT: 3001
      DATABASE_URL: postgresql://pm_user:secure_dev_password@postgres:5432/project_management
      REDIS_URL: redis://:dev_redis_password@redis:6379/0
      JWT_SECRET: dev_jwt_secret_change_in_production
      JWT_EXPIRES_IN: 24h
      CORS_ORIGIN: http://localhost:3000
    volumes:
      - ./api:/app:delegated
      - api_node_modules:/app/node_modules
      - ./logs:/app/logs
    ports:
      - "3001:3001"
      - "9229:9229"  # Debug port
    depends_on:
      postgres:
        condition: service_healthy
      redis:
        condition: service_healthy
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:3001/health"]
      interval: 30s
      timeout: 10s
      retries: 3
    networks:
      - frontend
      - backend

  frontend:
    build:
      context: ./frontend
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
      target: development
    container_name: pm_frontend
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      NODE_ENV: development
      NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL: http://localhost:3001/api/v1
      NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL: http://localhost:3000
    volumes:
      - ./frontend:/app:delegated
      - frontend_node_modules:/app/node_modules
      - ./.next:/app/.next
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    depends_on:
      - api
    networks:
      - frontend

  # ===================================
  # Development Tools
  # ===================================
  mailhog:
    image: mailhog/mailhog
    container_name: pm_mailhog
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "1025:1025"  # SMTP
      - "8025:8025"  # Web UI
    networks:
      - backend

  adminer:
    image: adminer:4-standalone
    container_name: pm_adminer
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      ADMINER_DESIGN: pepa-linha-dark
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    depends_on:
      - postgres
    networks:
      - backend

# ===================================
# Networks
# ===================================
networks:
  frontend:
    driver: bridge
  backend:
    driver: bridge

# ===================================
# Volumes
# ===================================
volumes:
  postgres_data:
    driver: local
  redis_data:
    driver: local
  api_node_modules:
    driver: local
  frontend_node_modules:
    driver: local

Production Deployment Configuration

Kubernetes Deployment:

# k8s/namespace.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Namespace
metadata:
  name: project-management
  labels:
    name: project-management
    environment: production

---
# k8s/configmap.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
  name: app-config
  namespace: project-management
data:
  NODE_ENV: "production"
  PORT: "3000"
  LOG_LEVEL: "info"
  CORS_ORIGIN: "https://projectmanager.com"
  
---
# k8s/secret.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
metadata:
  name: app-secrets
  namespace: project-management
type: Opaque
stringData:
  DATABASE_URL: "postgresql://user:password@postgres-service:5432/project_management"
  REDIS_URL: "redis://:password@redis-service:6379/0"
  JWT_SECRET: "production-jwt-secret-change-me"
  
---
# k8s/deployment.yaml
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: api-deployment
  namespace: project-management
  labels:
    app: api
    version: v1.0.0
spec:
  replicas: 3
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: api
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: api
        version: v1.0.0
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: api
        image: projectmanager/api:1.0.0
        ports:
        - containerPort: 3000
        envFrom:
        - configMapRef:
            name: app-config
        - secretRef:
            name: app-secrets
        resources:
          requests:
            memory: "128Mi"
            cpu: "100m"
          limits:
            memory: "512Mi"
            cpu: "500m"
        livenessProbe:
          httpGet:
            path: /health
            port: 3000
          initialDelaySeconds: 30
          periodSeconds: 10
        readinessProbe:
          httpGet:
            path: /ready
            port: 3000
          initialDelaySeconds: 5
          periodSeconds: 5
        securityContext:
          allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
          runAsNonRoot: true
          runAsUser: 1001
          capabilities:
            drop:
            - ALL

---
# k8s/service.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: api-service
  namespace: project-management
spec:
  selector:
    app: api
  ports:
  - protocol: TCP
    port: 80
    targetPort: 3000
  type: ClusterIP

---
# k8s/ingress.yaml
apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: Ingress
metadata:
  name: api-ingress
  namespace: project-management
  annotations:
    kubernetes.io/ingress.class: nginx
    cert-manager.io/cluster-issuer: letsencrypt-prod
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rate-limit: "100"
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rate-limit-window: "1m"
spec:
  tls:
  - hosts:
    - api.projectmanager.com
    secretName: api-tls
  rules:
  - host: api.projectmanager.com
    http:
      paths:
      - path: /
        pathType: Prefix
        backend:
          service:
            name: api-service
            port:
              number: 80

---
# k8s/hpa.yaml
apiVersion: autoscaling/v2
kind: HorizontalPodAutoscaler
metadata:
  name: api-hpa
  namespace: project-management
spec:
  scaleTargetRef:
    apiVersion: apps/v1
    kind: Deployment
    name: api-deployment
  minReplicas: 3
  maxReplicas: 10
  metrics:
  - type: Resource
    resource:
      name: cpu
      target:
        type: Utilization
        averageUtilization: 70
  - type: Resource
    resource:
      name: memory
      target:
        type: Utilization
        averageUtilization: 80

AI-Assisted Blueprint Generation

Prompt Templates for Technical Specifications

API Specification Generation:

Generate a complete OpenAPI 3.0 specification for a [DOMAIN] API with these requirements:

BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS:
- [List core business capabilities]
- [Authentication/authorization needs]
- [Data relationships and constraints]

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- [Performance requirements]
- [Security requirements]
- [Integration needs]

Please include:
1. Complete info section with description and contact
2. All CRUD operations for main entities
3. Proper HTTP status codes and error responses
4. Request/response schemas with validation
5. Security schemes and authentication
6. Comprehensive examples for all operations
7. Pagination and filtering parameters
8. Rate limiting considerations

Focus on production-ready specifications following REST best practices.

Database Schema Generation:

Create a comprehensive PostgreSQL database schema for [DOMAIN] with these requirements:

ENTITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS:
- [List main entities and their relationships]
- [Business rules and constraints]
- [Data integrity requirements]

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS:
- [Expected data volume]
- [Query patterns]
- [Scalability needs]

Please include:
1. Complete table definitions with proper data types
2. Primary keys, foreign keys, and constraints
3. Indexes for common query patterns
4. Audit fields (created_at, updated_at)
5. Triggers for automatic field updates
6. Views for common queries
7. Migration script structure
8. Data validation at database level

Use PostgreSQL-specific features where appropriate (UUID, JSONB, arrays).

Infrastructure Configuration:

Generate production-ready infrastructure configuration for [APPLICATION TYPE] with these requirements:

DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:
- [Expected traffic and scaling needs]
- [High availability requirements]
- [Security and compliance needs]

TECHNOLOGY STACK:
- [Application technologies]
- [Database and caching requirements]
- [External service dependencies]

Please provide:
1. Dockerfile optimized for production with security best practices
2. Docker Compose for local development with all services
3. Kubernetes deployment configurations with proper resource limits
4. Service definitions and ingress configurations
5. ConfigMaps and Secrets management
6. Health checks and monitoring configuration
7. Horizontal Pod Autoscaler configuration
8. Network policies and security contexts

Focus on production readiness, security, and maintainability.

Blueprint Integration and Maintenance

Living Documentation Strategy

Keep Blueprints Current:

Blueprint Validation Process:

1. Schema Validation: Ensure database changes match schema definitions
2. API Contract Testing: Validate API responses against OpenAPI specs
3. Configuration Drift Detection: Monitor infrastructure for configuration changes
4. Documentation Synchronization: Update documentation when blueprints change

Blueprint Quality Gates

Pre-Implementation Checklist:

• Completeness: All system components have detailed specifications
• Consistency: Naming conventions and patterns are consistent throughout
• Testability: Specifications include validation criteria and test cases
• Security: Security requirements are explicitly documented
• Performance: Performance characteristics and constraints are specified
• Maintainability: Documentation includes maintenance and update procedures

Post-Implementation Validation:

• Accuracy: Implementation matches blueprint specifications
• Coverage: All blueprint requirements are implemented
• Quality: Implementation meets documented quality standards
• Documentation: Any deviations from blueprints are documented
• Feedback: Implementation feedback is incorporated into blueprint updates

---

Next Steps

Continue Your Design Journey

1. Pull Request Reviews - Implement design review processes
2. Phase 3: Develop - Begin implementation with your blueprints
3. Testing Strategy - Validate implementation against specifications

Apply Your Knowledge

• Create comprehensive blueprints for your current project
• Use the Blueprint Templates
• Practice with the Blueprint Workshop

Reference Materials

• OpenAPI Best Practices
• Database Design Patterns
• Infrastructure Templates

---

Remember: Technical blueprints are the bridge between design and implementation. Invest time in creating detailed, accurate specifications to ensure smooth development and maintenance.