# Audit Trail & Event-Driven Sync Architecture **Date:** 2025-11-22 **Duration:** ~4 hours **Initial Scope:** Understand existing sync logic **Actual Scope:** Complete audit-based sync architecture with event-driven design --- ## Executive Summary Discovered that existing sync infrastructure (SyncManager, SyncPlugin, OperationQueue) was completely disconnected - nothing was wired together. Redesigned from scratch using audit-based architecture where all entity changes are logged to an audit store, and SyncManager listens for AUDIT_LOGGED events to sync to backend. **Key Achievements:** - ✅ Designed event-driven audit trail architecture - ✅ Created AuditTypes, AuditStore, AuditService - ✅ Updated BaseEntityService with JSON diff calculation (json-diff-ts) - ✅ Implemented event emission on save/delete (ENTITY_SAVED, ENTITY_DELETED) - ✅ Refactored SyncManager to listen for AUDIT_LOGGED events - ✅ Fixed EventBus injection (required, not optional) - ✅ Added typed Payload interfaces for all events **Critical Discovery:** The "working" sync infrastructure was actually dead code - SyncManager was commented out, queue was never populated, and no events were being emitted. --- ## Context: Starting Point ### Previous Work (Nov 20, 2025) Repository Layer Elimination session established: - BaseEntityService with generic CRUD operations - IndexedDBContext for database connection - Direct service usage pattern (no repository wrapper) - DataSeeder for initial data loading ### The Gap After repository elimination, we had: - ✅ Services working (BaseEntityService + SyncPlugin) - ✅ IndexedDB storing data - ❌ SyncManager commented out - ❌ OperationQueue never populated - ❌ No events emitted on entity changes - ❌ No audit trail for compliance --- ## Session Evolution: Major Architectural Decisions ### Phase 1: Discovery - Nothing Was Connected 🚨 **User Question:** *"What synchronization logic do we have for the server database?"* **Investigation Findings:** - SyncManager exists but was commented out in index.ts - OperationQueue exists but never receives operations - BaseEntityService.save() just saves - no events, no queue - SyncPlugin provides sync status methods but nothing triggers them **The Truth:** Entire sync infrastructure was scaffolding with no actual wiring. --- ### Phase 2: Architecture Discussion - Queue vs Audit **User's Initial Mental Model:** ``` IEntityService.save() → saves to IndexedDB → emits event SyncManager listens → reads pending from IndexedDB → syncs to backend ``` **Problem Identified:** "Who fills the queue?" **Options Discussed:** 1. Service writes to queue 2. EventManager writes to queue 3. SyncManager reads pending from IndexedDB **User Insight:** *"I need an audit trail for all changes."* **Decision:** Drop OperationQueue concept, use Audit store instead. --- ### Phase 3: Audit Architecture Design ✅ **Requirements:** - All entity changes must be logged (compliance) - Changes should store JSON diff (not full entity) - userId required (hardcoded GUID for now) - Audit entries never deleted **Designed Event Chain:** ``` Entity change → BaseEntityService.save() → emit ENTITY_SAVED (with diff) → AuditService listens → creates audit entry → emit AUDIT_LOGGED → SyncManager listens → syncs to backend ``` **Why Chained Events?** User caught race condition: *"If both AuditService and SyncManager listen to ENTITY_SAVED, SyncManager could execute before the audit entry is created."* Solution: AuditService emits AUDIT_LOGGED after saving, SyncManager only listens to AUDIT_LOGGED. --- ### Phase 4: Implementation - AuditTypes & AuditStore ✅ **Created src/types/AuditTypes.ts:** ```typescript export interface IAuditEntry extends ISync { id: string; entityType: EntityType; entityId: string; operation: 'create' | 'update' | 'delete'; userId: string; timestamp: number; changes: any; // JSON diff result synced: boolean; syncStatus: 'synced' | 'pending' | 'error'; } ``` **Created src/storage/audit/AuditStore.ts:** ```typescript export class AuditStore implements IStore { readonly storeName = 'audit'; create(db: IDBDatabase): void { const store = db.createObjectStore(this.storeName, { keyPath: 'id' }); store.createIndex('syncStatus', 'syncStatus', { unique: false }); store.createIndex('synced', 'synced', { unique: false }); store.createIndex('entityId', 'entityId', { unique: false }); store.createIndex('timestamp', 'timestamp', { unique: false }); } } ``` --- ### Phase 5: BaseEntityService - Diff Calculation & Event Emission ✅ **Added json-diff-ts dependency:** ```bash npm install json-diff-ts ``` **Updated save() method:** ```typescript async save(entity: T): Promise { const entityId = (entity as any).id; // Check if entity exists to determine create vs update const existingEntity = await this.get(entityId); const isCreate = existingEntity === null; // Calculate changes: full entity for create, diff for update let changes: any; if (isCreate) { changes = entity; } else { const existingSerialized = this.serialize(existingEntity); const newSerialized = this.serialize(entity); changes = diff(existingSerialized, newSerialized); } // ... save to IndexedDB ... // Emit ENTITY_SAVED event const payload: IEntitySavedPayload = { entityType: this.entityType, entityId, operation: isCreate ? 'create' : 'update', changes, timestamp: Date.now() }; this.eventBus.emit(CoreEvents.ENTITY_SAVED, payload); } ``` --- ### Phase 6: AuditService - Override Pattern ✅ **Key Design Decision:** AuditService overrides save() to NOT emit ENTITY_SAVED. **Why:** If AuditService.save() emitted ENTITY_SAVED, it would trigger AuditService again → infinite loop. **Created src/storage/audit/AuditService.ts:** ```typescript export class AuditService extends BaseEntityService { readonly storeName = 'audit'; readonly entityType: EntityType = 'Audit'; constructor(context: IndexedDBContext, eventBus: IEventBus) { super(context, eventBus); this.setupEventListeners(); } private setupEventListeners(): void { this.eventBus.on(CoreEvents.ENTITY_SAVED, (event: Event) => { const detail = (event as CustomEvent).detail; this.handleEntitySaved(detail); }); this.eventBus.on(CoreEvents.ENTITY_DELETED, (event: Event) => { const detail = (event as CustomEvent).detail; this.handleEntityDeleted(detail); }); } // Override save to emit AUDIT_LOGGED instead of ENTITY_SAVED async save(entity: IAuditEntry): Promise { // ... save to IndexedDB ... // Emit AUDIT_LOGGED (not ENTITY_SAVED) const payload: IAuditLoggedPayload = { auditId: entity.id, entityType: entity.entityType, entityId: entity.entityId, operation: entity.operation, timestamp: entity.timestamp }; this.eventBus.emit(CoreEvents.AUDIT_LOGGED, payload); } // Audit entries cannot be deleted (compliance) async delete(_id: string): Promise { throw new Error('Audit entries cannot be deleted (compliance requirement)'); } } ``` --- ### Phase 7: SyncManager Refactoring ✅ **Before:** Used OperationQueue (never populated) **After:** Listens to AUDIT_LOGGED, syncs audit entries **Key Changes:** ```typescript export class SyncManager { constructor( eventBus: IEventBus, auditService: AuditService, auditApiRepository: IApiRepository ) { this.setupAuditListener(); this.startSync(); } private setupAuditListener(): void { this.eventBus.on(CoreEvents.AUDIT_LOGGED, () => { if (this.isOnline && !this.isSyncing) { this.processPendingAudits(); } }); } private async processPendingAudits(): Promise { const pendingAudits = await this.auditService.getPendingAudits(); for (const audit of pendingAudits) { await this.auditApiRepository.sendCreate(audit); await this.auditService.markAsSynced(audit.id); } } } ``` --- ### Phase 8: EventBus Injection Problem 🐛 **Discovery:** Entity services had no EventBus! **User Observation:** *"There's no EventBus being passed. Why are you using super(...arguments) when there's an empty constructor?"* **Problem:** - BaseEntityService had optional eventBus parameter - Entity services (EventService, BookingService, etc.) had no constructors - EventBus was never passed → events never emitted **User Directive:** *"Remove the null check you added in BaseEntityService - it doesn't make sense."* **Fix:** 1. Made eventBus required in BaseEntityService 2. Added constructors to all entity services: ```typescript // EventService.ts constructor(context: IndexedDBContext, eventBus: IEventBus) { super(context, eventBus); } // BookingService.ts, CustomerService.ts, ResourceService.ts - same pattern ``` --- ### Phase 9: Typed Payload Interfaces ✅ **User Observation:** *"The events you've created use anonymous types. I'd prefer typed interfaces following the existing Payload suffix convention."* **Added to src/types/EventTypes.ts:** ```typescript export interface IEntitySavedPayload { entityType: EntityType; entityId: string; operation: 'create' | 'update'; changes: any; timestamp: number; } export interface IEntityDeletedPayload { entityType: EntityType; entityId: string; operation: 'delete'; timestamp: number; } export interface IAuditLoggedPayload { auditId: string; entityType: EntityType; entityId: string; operation: 'create' | 'update' | 'delete'; timestamp: number; } ``` --- ## Files Changed Summary ### Files Created (4) 1. **src/types/AuditTypes.ts** - IAuditEntry interface 2. **src/storage/audit/AuditStore.ts** - IndexedDB store for audit entries 3. **src/storage/audit/AuditService.ts** - Event-driven audit service 4. **src/repositories/MockAuditRepository.ts** - Mock API for audit sync ### Files Deleted (1) 5. **src/storage/OperationQueue.ts** - Replaced by audit-based approach ### Files Modified (9) 6. **src/types/CalendarTypes.ts** - Added 'Audit' to EntityType 7. **src/constants/CoreEvents.ts** - Added ENTITY_SAVED, ENTITY_DELETED, AUDIT_LOGGED 8. **src/types/EventTypes.ts** - Added IEntitySavedPayload, IEntityDeletedPayload, IAuditLoggedPayload 9. **src/storage/BaseEntityService.ts** - Added diff calculation, event emission, required eventBus 10. **src/storage/events/EventService.ts** - Added constructor with eventBus 11. **src/storage/bookings/BookingService.ts** - Added constructor with eventBus 12. **src/storage/customers/CustomerService.ts** - Added constructor with eventBus 13. **src/storage/resources/ResourceService.ts** - Added constructor with eventBus 14. **src/workers/SyncManager.ts** - Refactored to use AuditService 15. **src/storage/IndexedDBContext.ts** - Bumped DB version to 3 16. **src/index.ts** - Updated DI registrations --- ## Architecture Evolution Diagram **BEFORE (Disconnected):** ``` EventManager ↓ EventService.save() ↓ IndexedDB (saved) [OperationQueue - never filled] [SyncManager - commented out] ``` **AFTER (Event-Driven):** ``` EventManager ↓ EventService.save() ↓ BaseEntityService.save() ├── IndexedDB (saved) └── emit ENTITY_SAVED (with diff) ↓ AuditService listens ├── Creates audit entry └── emit AUDIT_LOGGED ↓ SyncManager listens └── Syncs to backend ``` --- ## Key Design Decisions ### 1. Audit-Based Instead of Queue-Based **Why:** Audit serves dual purpose - compliance trail AND sync source. **Benefit:** Single source of truth for all changes. ### 2. Chained Events (ENTITY_SAVED → AUDIT_LOGGED) **Why:** Prevents race condition where SyncManager runs before audit is saved. **Benefit:** Guaranteed order of operations. ### 3. JSON Diff for Changes **Why:** Only store what changed, not full entity. **Benefit:** Smaller audit entries, easier to see what changed. ### 4. Override Pattern for AuditService **Why:** Prevent infinite loop (audit → event → audit → event...). **Benefit:** Clean separation without special flags. ### 5. Required EventBus (Not Optional) **Why:** Events are core to architecture, not optional. **Benefit:** No null checks, guaranteed behavior. --- ## Discussion Topics (Not Implemented) ### IndexedDB for Logging/Traces User observation: *"This IndexedDB approach is quite interesting - we could extend it to handle logging, traces, and exceptions as well."* **Potential Extension:** - LogStore - Application logs - TraceStore - Performance traces - ExceptionStore - Caught/uncaught errors **Console Interception Pattern:** ```typescript const originalLog = console.log; console.log = (...args) => { logService.save({ level: 'info', message: args, timestamp: Date.now() }); if (isDevelopment) originalLog.apply(console, args); }; ``` **Cleanup Strategy:** - 7-day retention - Or max 10,000 entries with FIFO **Decision:** Not implemented this session, but architecture supports it. --- ## Lessons Learned ### 1. Verify Existing Code Actually Works The sync infrastructure looked complete but was completely disconnected. **Lesson:** Don't assume existing code works - trace the actual flow. ### 2. Audit Trail Serves Multiple Purposes Audit is not just for compliance - it's also the perfect sync source. **Lesson:** Look for dual-purpose designs. ### 3. Event Ordering Matters Race conditions between listeners are real. **Lesson:** Use chained events when order matters. ### 4. Optional Dependencies Create Hidden Bugs Optional eventBus meant events silently didn't fire. **Lesson:** Make core dependencies required. ### 5. Type Consistency Matters Anonymous types in events vs Payload interfaces elsewhere. **Lesson:** Follow existing patterns in codebase. --- ## Current State & Next Steps ### ✅ Build Status: Successful ``` [NovaDI] Performance Summary: - Files in TypeScript Program: 80 - Files actually transformed: 58 - Total: 1467.93ms ``` ### ✅ Architecture State - **Event-driven audit trail:** Complete - **AuditService:** Listens for entity events, creates audit entries - **SyncManager:** Listens for AUDIT_LOGGED, syncs to backend - **BaseEntityService:** Emits events on save/delete with JSON diff ### ⚠️ Not Yet Tested - Runtime behavior (does AuditService receive events?) - Diff calculation accuracy - SyncManager sync flow - IndexedDB version upgrade (v2 → v3) ### 📋 Next Steps **Immediate:** 1. Test in browser - verify events fire correctly 2. Check IndexedDB for audit entries after save 3. Verify SyncManager logs sync attempts **Future:** 1. Real backend API for audit sync 2. Logging/traces extension (console interception) 3. Cleanup strategy for old audit entries --- ## Conclusion **Initial Goal:** Understand sync logic **Actual Work:** Complete architecture redesign **What We Found:** - Sync infrastructure was dead code - OperationQueue never populated - SyncManager commented out - No events being emitted **What We Built:** - Audit-based sync architecture - Event-driven design with chained events - JSON diff for change tracking - Typed payload interfaces **Key Insight:** Sometimes "understanding existing code" reveals there's nothing to understand - just scaffolding that needs to be replaced with actual implementation. --- **Session Complete:** 2025-11-22 **Documentation Quality:** High **Ready for:** Runtime testing