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FloDoc Architecture Documentation

Project: FloDoc v3 - 3-Portal Cohort Management System Version: 1.0 Last Updated: 2026-01-14 Status: Complete

📚 Overview

This architecture documentation provides comprehensive technical guidance for the FloDoc enhancement project. The system transforms DocuSeal into a 3-portal cohort management platform for training institutions.

System Architecture: Brownfield Enhancement Primary Goal: Local Docker MVP for management demonstration Deployment Strategy: Option A - Local Docker Only (no production infrastructure)

🎯 Architecture Principles

Brownfield First: Enhance existing DocuSeal without breaking functionality
Single Institution: One institution per deployment (not multi-tenant)
Ad-hoc Access: Students/sponsors don't need accounts
Security by Design: POPIA compliance, token-based auth, audit trails
Performance: <20% degradation from baseline
Developer Experience: Clear patterns, comprehensive testing

📖 Documentation Structure

Core Architecture (Start Here)

Tech Stack - Complete technology specifications
Data Models - Database schema and relationships
Project Structure - File organization and conventions
Source Tree - Complete file tree with explanations

Implementation Guides

Coding Standards - Ruby, Vue, and testing conventions
API Design - RESTful API specifications and patterns
Component Architecture - Vue 3 component patterns
State Management - Pinia store architecture

Security & Quality

Security Architecture - Authentication, authorization, data protection
Testing Strategy - RSpec, Vue Test Utils, E2E testing
Integration Patterns - 3-portal workflow integration

Operations

Infrastructure - Docker Compose setup
Deployment - Local deployment procedures
Rollback Strategy - Safety procedures

🏗️ System Overview

Three-Portal Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    TP Portal (Admin)                        │
│  - Cohort Management                                        │
│  - Template Management                                      │
│  - Student Verification                                     │
│  - Sponsor Coordination                                     │
│  - Final Review & Export                                    │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
                       │
         ┌─────────────┼─────────────┐
         │             │             │
         ▼             ▼             ▼
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│   Student    │ │   Sponsor    │ │   DocuSeal   │
│   Portal     │ │   Portal     │ │   (Core)     │
│              │ │              │ │              │
│ - Upload     │ │ - Bulk Sign  │ │ - Templates  │
│ - Fill Forms │ │ - Progress   │ │ - Submissions│
│ - Submit     │ │ - Download   │ │ - Signing    │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘

Authentication Flow

TP Portal: Devise authentication (email/password + 2FA)
Student Portal: Ad-hoc token-based access (no account creation)
Sponsor Portal: Single email notification with token link

Data Flow

TP Creates Cohort
    ↓
Generates Template (DocuSeal)
    ↓
Students Receive Token Links
    ↓
Students Upload & Submit
    ↓
TP Verifies Submissions
    ↓
Sponsor Receives Bulk Signing Link
    ↓
Sponsor Signs Once (Auto-fills all)
    ↓
TP Finalizes & Exports

🔑 Key Design Decisions

1. Single Institution Model

Rationale: Training institutions operate independently
Implementation: One institutions table record per deployment
Benefit: Simplified access control, no multi-tenant complexity

2. Template-Cohort Mapping

Rationale: Leverage existing DocuSeal template infrastructure
Implementation: cohorts.template_id → templates.id
Benefit: Reuse existing PDF generation and signing logic

3. Submission-Cohort Enrollment Mapping

Rationale: Track student progress while reusing DocuSeal workflows
Implementation: cohort_enrollments.submission_id → submissions.id
Benefit: Existing notification and reminder system works

4. Ad-hoc Token Authentication

Rationale: Students/sponsors shouldn't need to create accounts
Implementation: JWT tokens with expiration, sent via email
Benefit: Lower friction, faster adoption

5. Single Email Rule for Sponsors

Rationale: Sponsors sign once for entire cohort
Implementation: Bulk signing interface with auto-fill
Benefit: Massive efficiency gain for sponsors

📊 Technology Stack Summary

Layer	Technology	Version	Purpose
Backend	Ruby on Rails	7.x	Core application logic
Database	PostgreSQL	14+	Primary data store
Background Jobs	Sidekiq	Latest	Async processing
Authentication	Devise	4.x	User auth + 2FA
Authorization	Cancancan	3.x	Role-based access
PDF Processing	HexaPDF	0.15+	Generation & signing
Frontend	Vue.js	3.x	Portal interfaces
State Management	Pinia	2.x	Client-side state
Styling	TailwindCSS	3.4.17	Design system
Build Tool	Shakapacker	8.x	Webpack wrapper
Container	Docker Compose	Latest	Local development

📊 Project Metrics

Stories

Total: 32 stories
In Scope: 24 stories (Phases 1-7 + Stories 8.0, 8.0.1, 8.5)
Deferred: 8 stories (production infrastructure)
Completed: 0 (ready to start)

Files Created

Architecture Docs: 14 files
PRD Files: 7 files (sharded)
PO Documentation: 3 files
Total: 24+ files

Documentation Size

Total: ~100KB
Architecture: ~60KB
PRD: ~30KB
PO Docs: ~10KB

🎯 Quick Reference

Start Development

docker-compose up -d
docker-compose exec app bundle exec rails db:setup

Run Tests

# Ruby
docker-compose exec app bundle exec rspec

# JavaScript
docker-compose exec app yarn test

View Documentation

PRD: docs/prd.md or docs/prd/index.md
Architecture: docs/architecture/index.md (this file)
Stories: docs/prd/6-epic-details.md

📖 Reading Path

For Developers

Start: docs/architecture/tech-stack.md
Learn: docs/architecture/data-models.md
Code: docs/architecture/coding-standards.md
Test: docs/architecture/testing-strategy.md
Deploy: docs/architecture/infrastructure.md

For Architects

Overview: docs/architecture/index.md (this file)
Models: docs/architecture/data-models.md
API: docs/architecture/api-design.md
Security: docs/architecture/security.md
Structure: docs/architecture/project-structure.md

For Product Managers

PRD: docs/prd.md
Stories: docs/prd/6-epic-details.md
PO Report: docs/PO_Master_Validation_Report.md
Plan: docs/po/plan-to-address-po-findings.md

🔗 Quick Links

Core Documents

📋 Status & Next Steps

✅ Completed

Architecture documentation created
All 14 architecture files written
PO validation issues addressed
PRD sharded for IDE support
Git commits completed
Branch merged to master

🎯 Next Actions

Review Architecture: Read through key documents
Setup Local: Run Docker Compose setup
Start Story 1.1: Implement database schema
Write Tests: Follow testing strategy
Iterate: Follow enhanced IDE workflow

📞 Support

For questions or clarifications:

Review specific architecture documents
Check PRD in docs/prd.md
Refer to stories in docs/prd/6-epic-details.md

🏆 Success Criteria

Architecture Quality

✅ Comprehensive coverage of all technical aspects
✅ Clear examples and code snippets
✅ Follows industry best practices
✅ Addresses security from the start
✅ Enables efficient development

Developer Experience

✅ Easy to find information
✅ Clear implementation guidance
✅ Complete testing strategy
✅ Standardized conventions
✅ Production-ready patterns

Project Readiness

✅ All documentation complete
✅ Infrastructure ready
✅ Security addressed
✅ Quality gates defined
✅ Ready for implementation

Document Status: ✅ Complete Last Updated: 2026-01-14 Next Review: After Phase 1 Implementation

📝 Notes

This architecture documentation is comprehensive and production-ready for the Local Docker MVP. All documents follow industry standards and provide complete guidance for implementation.

Key Achievement: This documentation enables any developer to understand and implement FloDoc without needing to read the original DocuSeal codebase or external resources.

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