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@ParkerRex
Created June 6, 2025 06:20
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Essential Technical Documentation Guides for Full-Stack Codebases

1. Authentication & Authorization Architecture

How user identity, sessions, and permissions work across the entire system

Why Critical: Every feature touches auth; inconsistent implementation creates security vulnerabilities

  • Multi-provider authentication flows (Supabase, OAuth, MFA)
  • Session management and token lifecycle
  • Team-based permissions and role hierarchies
  • API key management for external integrations
  • Security boundaries and access control patterns

2. Component Architecture & Design System

How UI components are structured, composed, and maintained

Why Critical: Affects every frontend feature; inconsistency creates UX debt and maintenance overhead

  • Component composition patterns and prop interfaces
  • Design system implementation with Tailwind/shadcn
  • Theme management and customization strategies
  • Accessibility patterns and ARIA implementation
  • Performance optimization and code splitting

3. State Management Architecture

How application state flows between client, server, and persistence layers

Why Critical: Poor state management creates bugs, performance issues, and development friction

  • Client-side state patterns (React Query, Zustand, form state)
  • Server-side caching and invalidation strategies
  • Real-time state synchronization patterns
  • Optimistic updates and conflict resolution
  • State persistence and hydration between SSR/CSR

4. Background Jobs & Event Processing

How asynchronous work is queued, processed, and monitored

Why Critical: Financial platforms require reliable async processing; failures can affect business operations

  • Job queue architecture (Trigger.dev integration)
  • Event-driven patterns and message flow
  • Error handling and retry strategies
  • Job monitoring and failure recovery
  • Workflow orchestration for complex processes

5. File Storage & Document Processing

How files are uploaded, processed, stored, and served

Why Critical: Core to financial document management; affects user experience and compliance

  • Upload strategies and file validation
  • Document processing pipelines (OCR, PDF generation)
  • Storage architecture (Supabase Storage, CDN)
  • Security and access control for sensitive documents
  • Backup and retention policies

6. Database Architecture & Data Patterns

How data is modeled, accessed, and maintained across the system

Why Critical: Foundation for all features; poor patterns affect performance and data integrity

  • Schema design patterns and relationship modeling
  • Multi-region database strategy and replication
  • Migration patterns and versioning
  • Query optimization and indexing strategies
  • Data consistency and transaction patterns

7. Error Handling & Logging Architecture

How errors are caught, logged, monitored, and debugged

Why Critical: Essential for production operations; poor error handling makes debugging impossible

  • Structured logging patterns and log levels
  • Error boundary implementation and fallback strategies
  • Distributed tracing across services
  • Monitoring and alerting configuration
  • Debug workflows and troubleshooting guides

8. Testing Architecture & Quality Assurance

How code quality is maintained through automated testing

Why Critical: Prevents regressions; establishes confidence for rapid development

  • Testing pyramid and strategy (unit, integration, E2E)
  • Test data management and fixtures
  • Mocking patterns for external services
  • CI/CD integration and quality gates
  • Performance and security testing approaches

9. Integration Architecture & External Services

How the system connects with third-party APIs and handles external data

Why Critical: Financial platforms depend on bank APIs, payment processors; failures affect core functionality

  • Third-party API integration patterns (banking, payments)
  • Webhook handling and event processing
  • Rate limiting and circuit breaker patterns
  • Data synchronization and reconciliation
  • API versioning and backward compatibility

10. Deployment & Infrastructure Architecture

How code moves from development to production and scales under load

Why Critical: Affects development velocity, system reliability, and operational costs

  • Environment management and configuration
  • CI/CD pipelines and deployment strategies
  • Container orchestration and scaling patterns
  • Infrastructure as Code and resource management
  • Monitoring, alerting, and incident response

Prioritization Rationale

Tier 1 (Immediate Impact on Daily Development)

  • Authentication & Authorization - Every feature needs this
  • Component Architecture - Every UI change touches this
  • State Management - Core to React development patterns

Tier 2 (Foundational Knowledge for System Understanding)

  • Background Jobs - Critical for financial operations
  • File Storage - Core business functionality
  • Database Architecture - Foundation for all data operations

Tier 3 (Operational Excellence & System Reliability)

  • Error Handling & Logging - Essential for production
  • Testing Architecture - Quality and confidence
  • Integration Architecture - External dependencies
  • Deployment & Infrastructure - System operations
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