Table of Contents

NextQuestionnaire Backend Documentation

Introduction

Welcome to the NextQuestionnaire Backend documentation. This project provides a comprehensive ASP.NET Core Web API backend solution for managing questionnaires, user authentication, and data persistence. Built with .NET 8, the backend follows modern architectural patterns and provides a robust foundation for questionnaire management applications.

Project Overview

The NextQuestionnaire Backend is a multi-layered ASP.NET Core application designed to handle:

  • Questionnaire Management: Create, manage, and deploy questionnaires with flexible templates
  • User Authentication & Authorization: LDAP-based authentication with JWT token management
  • Comprehensive Logging: Multi-target logging system (file, database, console)
  • Configuration Management: Flexible settings system with default configurations
  • Data Persistence: Entity Framework Core with SQL Server integration

Architecture

The backend follows a clean architecture pattern with clear separation of concerns across multiple projects:

Core Components

API Layer (API/)

The main Web API project that serves as the entry point for all HTTP requests. Built with ASP.NET Core 8.0, it includes:

  • Controllers: RESTful API endpoints for all major functionality

    • ActiveQuestionnaireController - Manage active questionnaire sessions
    • AuthController - Handle user authentication and authorization
    • QuestionnaireTemplateController - Manage questionnaire templates
    • UserController - User management operations
    • SystemController - System health and configuration
    • LogsController - Application logging endpoints
    • SocketController - WebSocket connection management

  • Services: Business logic layer containing core application services

  • Authentication: JWT-based authentication with LDAP integration

  • Middleware: Custom middleware for request processing and error handling

Database Layer (Database/)

Entity Framework Core-based data access layer providing:

  • Models: Entity definitions for all database tables
  • Repository Pattern: Data access abstraction with interfaces
  • Migrations: Database schema versioning and updates
  • Context: DbContext configuration and database connection management
  • Extensions: Custom query methods and data mapping utilities

Logging System (Logging/)

Comprehensive logging infrastructure supporting multiple targets:

  • File Logging: Structured file-based logging with rotation
  • Database Logging: Application events stored in database
  • Console Logging: Development and debugging output
  • Custom Log Events: Typed logging events for different scenarios

Settings Management (Settings/)

Centralized configuration management system:

  • Configuration Models: Strongly-typed settings classes
  • Default Configurations: Automatic generation of default settings
  • Runtime Configuration: Dynamic configuration updates
  • Validation: Configuration validation and error handling

Testing (UnitTests/)

Comprehensive test suite covering:

[!INFO] 🚧 WIP 🚧

Key Features

Authentication & Security

  • LDAP Integration: Enterprise directory service authentication
  • JWT Tokens: Secure, stateless authentication with refresh token support
  • Role-Based Authorization: Granular permission system
  • Security Headers: CORS, HTTPS redirection, and security policies

Questionnaire Management

  • Template System: Flexible questionnaire template creation and management
  • Response Tracking: Comprehensive response collection and analysis
  • Status Management: Complete questionnaire lifecycle management

Data Management

  • Entity Framework Core: Modern ORM with LINQ support
  • Repository Pattern: Clean data access abstraction
  • Migrations: Automated database schema management
  • Seed Data: Default questionnaire templates and configurations

Monitoring & Diagnostics

  • Structured Logging: Comprehensive application event tracking
  • Health Checks: System health monitoring endpoints
  • Error Handling: Global exception handling with detailed error responses

Technology Stack

  • .NET 8: Latest .NET framework with enhanced performance
  • ASP.NET Core 8: Modern web framework for building APIs
  • Entity Framework Core 9: Object-relational mapping (ORM)
  • SQL Server: Primary database engine
  • JWT Authentication: JSON Web Token implementation
  • LDAP: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol for authentication
  • Swagger/OpenAPI: API documentation and testing
  • Newtonsoft.Json: JSON serialization and deserialization

Getting Started

The backend is designed to be easily deployable and configurable. On first run, it automatically:

  1. Creates default configuration files if they don't exist
  2. Sets up the database schema through Entity Framework migrations
  3. Loads default questionnaire templates
  4. Configures logging targets based on settings

Documentation Structure

This documentation covers:

  • API Reference: Detailed endpoint documentation with examples
  • Database Schema: Entity relationships and data models
  • Configuration Guide: Settings and deployment options
  • Development Guide: Setup instructions for contributors
  • Architecture Details: In-depth technical implementation details

Whether you're integrating with the API, contributing to the codebase, or deploying the application, this documentation provides comprehensive guidance for working with the NextQuestionnaire Backend.

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