INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING AND TECHNOLOGIES REVIEWER
MOUDLE 1:
WHAT IS INTEGRATION?
- Integration in software engineering means combining software parts (so-called subsystems) into
one system.
- Integrated systems demonstrate better performance comparing to the sum of all independent
ones.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO INTEGRATE?
- Leveraging Specialized Tools- integrating specific tasks requires software tools
- Improved Functionality – could access broader range of functionalities
- Faster Development - process of integration could be fasten if it by using libraries, frameworks
and services
- Scalability – micro-services architectures which often involves integrating multiple platform
allows application to be more scalable
- Cross-Platform Compatibility- enables to run on multiple devices and operating systems
- Data Integration and Analysis – can lead to better decision-making and improved business
intelligence.
- Collaboration and Interoperability - could help collaboration and efficient integration.
CHALLENGES:
- Compatibility Issues - Ensuring compatibility between systems can be complex.
- Data Silos – organization often stored in separate systems or databases
- Security Concerns -combining encryption, secure coding practices, regular updates, and robust
monitoring
- Scalability- achieving scalability is both a technical and architectural challenge.
- Latency and Performance -Poor latency (response time) and suboptimal performance can
degrade the overall user experience and system reliability.
- Error Handling and Recovery
- Versioning and Updates
- Test and Debugging
- Change Management
- Documentation and Knowledge Share
INTEGRATION ARCHITECTURE:
- the set of applications and technologies that bind together disparate applications, enabling
them to communicate and work together
- For a very simple example, consider Microsoft Office. Word and Excel are different applications
with different file structures, but it is still possible to insert an Excel table into a Word document
that is linked back to an existing spreadsheet, due to Microsoft’s integrations.
- An integration in which two applications are directly linked is known as a point-to-point link.
TYPES OF ARCHITECTURE:
- Point-to-point- Direct connections between two systems or applications
- Hub-and-spoke - centralized hub manages all integrations between systems, acting as a
mediator for data and communication.
- Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) Architecture - A middleware solution that facilitates
communication between multiple systems using standard messaging protocols.
- Microservices Integration Architecture- Each microservices is an independent unit that
communicates with others via lightweight protocols such as REST, gRPC or message queues.
- Event-Driven - Systems communicate asynchronously by producing and consuming events.
- API-Led Integration- Systems interact through well defined APIs, with three main layers, System
layer, Process, and Experience
- Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)- Uses services to integrate applications and systems, with
a focus on reusable components and standard-based communication
- Data Integration- Focused on consolidating data from multiple sources into a unified system or
data warehouse
- Cloud-Native Integration- Designed to work with cloud-native services, leveraging serverless
functions, containers, and managed services for integration.
- Hybrid Integration- Combines on-premises and cloud-based systems, enabling interoperability
between legacy and modern systems.
PATTERNS:
- Message Patterns -Messaging patterns deal with the exchange of information between systems
using message queues or brokers.
- Data Transformation - Data transformation patterns handle the process of converting data
formats, structures, or schemas.
- Routing Patterns- Routing patterns manage the flow of messages or requests to the appropriate
endpoints.
- Communications - These patterns define how systems interact synchronously or asynchronously
- Error Handling - These patterns deal with managing and recovering from errors in integration.
- Workflow Management - These patterns focus on orchestrating tasks and processes across
systems
- Security Pattern - These patterns ensure secure communication and data exchange.
- Hybrid Patterns- Some integrations may use multiple patterns combined to address complex
workflows.
MODULE 2;
DATABASE CONNECTIVITY AND INTEGRATION
WHY DO WE HAVE TO INTEGRATE DATABASE?
- to enable sharing, improve workflows, and enhance functionality.
WHYTO HAVE:
- Unified data access
- Eliminate data silos
- Real-time synchronization
- Enhanced decision-making
- Improved efficiency and automation
- Support for advanced analytics
- Scalability for business growth
- Compliance and data governance
- Improved customer experience
- Competitive advantage
BEST PRACTICES:
- Use Connection Pooling - Efficiently reuse connections to avoid overhead from frequent
opening/closing.
- Secure Connections- Use encryption (SSL/TLS) for secure communication between applications
and the database.
- Parameterize queries- Prevent SQL injection by using parameterized queries or prepared
statements.
- Object-Relational Mapping (ORM)- Simplify database interactions using ORMs
- Close Resources- Always release database connections and resources after use.
- Monitoring and Optimize- Monitor database performance and optimize queries or indexing
where necessary
MODULE 3:
REST API DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
- Representational State Transfer API is a web service
BECAUSE IT IS;
- Resource-Based- Rest treats everything as a resource
Resources are identified using URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers)
- Statelesness- Each API request must contain all the information needed to process it (e.g.
authentication tokens, parameters)
Server does not retain client context between requests
UNIFORM INTERFACE :
Consistent and predictable endpoints, HTTP methods and status codes ensure ease of use.
HTTP METHODS:
- GET (Retrieve Data)
- POST (Create Data)
- PUT (Update/replace Data)
- PATCH (Update/modify Data)
- DELETE (Remove Data)
REPRESENTATION:
- Resources can be represented in different formats (e.g., JSON, XML).
- JSON is the most commonly used format for REST APIs due to its simplicity and readability.
STATELESS CACHING:
- Use caching headers (e.g., Cache-Control, ETag) to reduce server load and improve
performance.
LAYERED SYSTEM:
- Client should not know whether it is communicating directly with the server or through an
intermediary (e.g., a Load Balancer.)
HATEOAS:
- Hypermedia As The Engine Of Application State: Provide links in responses to navigate the API
dynamically.
STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTING REST API:
- Define API Requirements
- Design endpoints
- Choose the right tools/frameworks
- Handle error response
- Implement authorization and authentication
- Validation security and test
BEST PRACTICES;
- Use Consistent Naming Convention - Use nouns for resource names and avoid verbs.
- Paginate Large Response- Use query parameters to limit results
- Version the API- Use versioning in the URI to avoid breaking changes
- Document the API- Use tools like Swagger/OpenAPI or Postman to document endpoints,
request formats and response.
- Implement rate limiting - Protect the API from abuse by limiting the number of requests from a
client
SOAP (simple object access protocol)web services :
- is a protocol for exchanging structured information in distributed environments, typically over
HTTP or SMTP.
- It is widely used for building web services that require a high level of security, reliability, and
interoperability.
KEY FEATURES:
- Protocol-Based - It defines strict rules for message format and communication.
- XML-Based Messaging - SOAP message are structured in XML, ensuring platform and language
independence.
- Platform and Language Agnostic- SOAP can work across any operation system or programming
language that supports XML and HTTP
- Standardized Specification- SOAP is backed by standards defined by the World Wide Web
Consortium
- Built-In Error Handling-Has a standard error handling mechanism(<Fault>)
- Extensibility- Allows additional features through WS-* standards, such as WS-Security, WS-
ReliableMessaging
WHEN TO USE:
- High security- Financial or healthcare systems where data integrity and confidentiality are
critical
- Reliability- Applications requiring guaranteed message delivery.
- Standardized protocols - Environments that need strict compliance with established standards
- Complex operation- Scenarios involving distributed transactions or multiple operations in a
single request.
API DOCUMENTATION :
- is critical part of any software development process
- It serves as a comprehensive guide for developers, describing how to effectively use and
integrate with an API.
- Good API documentation ensures ease of use, reduces development time, and improves the
user experience.
COMPONENTS:
- Overview
- Authentication
- Base URL
- Endpoint
- Parameters
- Request examples
- Response Examples
- Error codes
- Rate limiting
- Versioning
- SDKs and libraries
- Interactive Tools
BEST PRACTICES:
- Be clear and concise
- Be consistent
- Include code examples
- Use openAPI/Swagger
- Include interactive documentation
- Document edge cases
TESTING AND DEBUGGING web sevices:
- are critical steps in the development of web services to ensure functionality, reliability,
performance and security.
- Propper techniques and tools help identify and fix issues, optimize the service, and ensure it
meets user and business requirements.
WHY TEST AND DEBUG?:
- Ensure functionality
- Detect errors
- Optimize performance
- Validate security
- Improve reliability
