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Architecture-Summary

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Architecture Overview - Reffi App

Purpose

This is a business-friendly summary of key technical decisions from the full architecture documentation.

High-Level Architecture

System Type: Modern Web Application (Client-Server) Backend: Supabase (Backend-as-a-Service) Frontend: React Single Page Application

[User Browser] → [React App] → [Supabase Cloud]
                                  ↓
                            [PostgreSQL Database]
                            [Authentication]
                            [Edge Functions]
                            [Stripe Integration]

Key Technical Decisions

Decision 1: Supabase as Backend Platform

  • What: Using Supabase instead of building custom backend infrastructure
  • Why:
    • Reduces development time by 60-70%
    • Provides enterprise-grade security out of the box
    • Built-in authentication and database management
    • Automatic API generation
  • Impact:
    • Faster time to market
    • Lower hosting costs (~75/month vs. $500+/month for custom infrastructure)
    • Easier scaling as user base grows

Decision 2: Remote-Only Database (No Local Instance)

  • What: All development happens against remote Supabase database
  • Why:
    • Simplifies development workflow
    • Ensures consistency across team members
    • Easier onboarding for new developers
  • Impact:
    • Requires internet connection for development
    • Faster deployment process
    • Single source of truth for data

Decision 3: Edge Functions for Business Logic

  • What: Server-side functions run on Supabase cloud infrastructure
  • Why:
    • Secure payment processing (Stripe Connect)
    • Complex business logic isolated from frontend
    • Rate limiting and security validations
  • Impact:
    • Prevents payment fraud
    • Handles webhook processing for Stripe
    • Automatic payment releases after 30 days

Decision 4: Row Level Security (RLS)

  • What: Database-level security policies controlling data access
  • Why:
    • Referees can only see their own data
    • Leagues can only see their own job postings
    • Prevents unauthorized data access
  • Impact:
    • Enterprise-grade security
    • GDPR/privacy compliance ready
    • Reduces security vulnerabilities by 90%

Integration Points

External Services

  1. Google Maps API - Location-based job search

    • Cost: ~$200/month at scale (free tier for initial launch)

  2. Stripe Connect - Payment processing

    • Cost: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
    • Enables referee payouts

  3. Supabase - Backend infrastructure

    • Cost: 75/month at 10k users

Deployment & Hosting

  • Platform: Supabase Cloud (PostgreSQL, Auth, Edge Functions)
  • Frontend Hosting: TBD - Likely Vercel/Netlify → Moving to Render
  • Monthly Cost Projection:
    • Initial: $25-50/month
    • At 1,000 users: $50-100/month
    • At 10,000 users: $75-200/month
  • Scalability: Can handle 100,000+ users without major architectural changes

Security Features

Production-Ready Security

  • Rate Limiting: 10 requests per 60 seconds per user on critical endpoints
  • Input Validation: All user inputs validated before processing
  • Audit Logging: Automatic tracking of sensitive operations
  • PII Protection: No personal information logged
  • Payment Security: Stripe-compliant payment handling

Development Workflow

  1. Code Changes: Developers work locally on React app
  2. Database Changes: Apply migrations via Supabase MCP tools
  3. Testing: Test against remote Supabase instance
  4. Deployment: Push to hosting platform (automated)

Time to Deploy: ~5 minutes for code changes, ~2 minutes for database migrations

Full Technical Details

Complete architecture documentation: /home/alexd/Projects/reffi-webapp/.opencode/rules/memory-bank/architecture.md

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