byukan / fstream

A minimalistic text-based social media platform with broadcasting of ephemeral messages

Technical Design Document for FSTREAM

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide a detailed technical overview of the "fstream" social media application. This document covers the architecture, design decisions, and considerations for scalability to accommodate millions of users.

1.2 Scope

The scope of this document includes the architecture, key components, and scalability considerations for the "fstream" application. It does not cover detailed implementation details but serves as a guide for developers and stakeholders.

2. Architecture Overview

2.1 Components

The "fstream" application consists of the following key components:

• Flask Web Server: Handles HTTP requests and serves as the main entry point for the application.
• Message Stream (List): Stores the ephemeral messages published by users.
• User Management: Manages user data and relationships.

2.2 Technologies Used

• Flask: Web framework for handling HTTP requests.
• Python: Programming language for backend logic.
• In-memory Data Structures: Simple lists and dictionaries for storing data (consideration for future database integration).

3. Scalability Considerations

3.1 Current State

The current implementation is based on an in-memory list for storing messages and lacks scalability features. It is suitable for a small user base but may face performance issues with millions of users.

3.2 Scaling Strategy

Database Integration

To accommodate millions of users and improve data persistence, consider integrating a database (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB). This allows for efficient data retrieval, storage, and scalability.

Caching

Implement caching mechanisms for frequently accessed data to reduce the load on the server and improve response times.

Load Balancing

Implement load balancing strategies to distribute incoming requests across multiple servers, ensuring even resource utilization and improved performance.

Asynchronous Processing

Consider using asynchronous processing for tasks such as message delivery to optimize resource utilization and improve system responsiveness.

4. Testing Strategy

4.1 Unit Testing

Implement comprehensive unit tests for individual components, ensuring each function and endpoint behaves as expected.

4.2 Integration Testing

Conduct integration tests to verify the interaction between different components of the system.

4.3 Performance Testing

Perform scalability and load testing to identify bottlenecks and optimize the system for handling a large number of concurrent users.

4.4 Security Testing

Conduct security testing to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities, including input validation, authentication, and data protection.

5. Conclusion

The "fstream" application, with its simple architecture, provides a foundation for a text-based social media platform. To ensure scalability for millions of users, future enhancements should focus on database integration, caching, load balancing, and asynchronous processing. A comprehensive testing strategy is crucial for maintaining the reliability and security of the system.

This document serves as a guide for developers and stakeholders, outlining the key considerations for both the current state and future improvements of the "fstream" application.