System Architecture

Technical architecture overview of Smart Shelf system components and design.

System Architecture

Smart Shelf is built on a modern, scalable architecture that separates concerns while providing seamless integration between components. This section outlines the high-level system design and component relationships.

High-Level Architecture

The Smart Shelf system follows a three-tier architecture with clear separation between presentation, application, and data layers:

┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│   Frontend      │    │   Backend       │    │   Database      │
│   (Next.js)     │◄──►│   (API Routes)  │◄──►│   (Supabase)    │
│                 │    │                 │    │                 │
│ • React 19      │    │ • Server Actions│    │ • PostgreSQL    │
│ • TypeScript    │    │ • Edge Functions│    │ • Real-time     │
│ • Tailwind CSS  │    │ • Authentication│    │ • Row Level     │
│ • shadcn/ui     │    │ • API Endpoints │    │   Security      │
└─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘

Architecture Principles

Separation of Concerns

Clear boundaries between presentation, business logic, and data
Modular components that can be developed and maintained independently
API-first design enabling future integrations

Scalability

Stateless application design for horizontal scaling
Database optimization for large datasets
CDN and edge computing for global performance

Security

Authentication and authorization at multiple layers
Data encryption in transit and at rest
Row-level security for multi-tenant data isolation

Performance

Server-side rendering for optimal loading times
Real-time updates without page refreshes
Optimized database queries and indexing

Component Architecture

The application is organized into logical modules that mirror business functions:

app/
├── (app)/              # Protected routes
│   ├── dashboard/      # Main dashboard and analytics
│   ├── inventory/      # Inventory management pages
│   ├── products/       # Product catalog management
│   ├── purchasing/     # Purchase order workflows
│   ├── sales/          # Sales order management
│   ├── warehouse/      # Warehouse operations
│   ├── analytics/      # Reports and business intelligence
│   └── admin/          # System administration
├── api/                # API routes and server actions
├── auth/               # Authentication pages
└── globals.css         # Global styles and theming

components/
├── ui/                 # Base UI components (buttons, forms, etc.)
├── dashboard/          # Dashboard-specific widgets
├── inventory/          # Inventory management components
├── products/           # Product catalog components
├── barcode/            # Barcode scanning functionality
├── auth/               # Authentication components
└── nav_sidebar/        # Navigation and layout components

Component Design Principles

Reusability

Shared UI components used across modules
Business logic components that can be composed
Consistent design patterns and conventions

Maintainability

TypeScript for type safety and documentation
Clear component interfaces and props
Standardized error handling and loading states

Testability

Components designed for unit and integration testing
Separation of UI logic from business logic
Mock-friendly interfaces for testing

Data Architecture

Database Design

Smart Shelf uses PostgreSQL through Supabase, providing ACID compliance and advanced features:

Core Tables

-- Product catalog
products (id, sku, name, description, category, price, created_at)
product_variants (id, product_id, size, color, additional_cost)
categories (id, name, parent_id, description)

-- Inventory tracking
inventory (id, product_id, warehouse_id, quantity, reserved, available)
inventory_movements (id, product_id, warehouse_id, type, quantity, reference)
warehouses (id, name, address, capacity, active)

-- Order management
purchase_orders (id, supplier_id, status, total, created_at)
purchase_order_items (id, order_id, product_id, quantity, cost)
sales_orders (id, customer_id, status, total, shipped_at)
sales_order_items (id, order_id, product_id, quantity, price)

-- User management
users (id, email, role, profile, created_at)
user_permissions (id, user_id, resource, actions)

Relationships

Foreign key constraints ensure data integrity
Indexes on frequently queried columns for performance
Views for complex queries and reporting

Real-Time Features

Supabase Real-Time

Live inventory updates across all connected clients
Instant notifications for critical events
Collaborative editing capabilities

Event-Driven Updates

// Example: Real-time inventory updates
const { data, error } = await supabase
  .from('inventory')
  .select('*')
  .on('UPDATE', payload => {
    // Update UI immediately
    updateInventoryDisplay(payload.new)
  })
  .subscribe()

Security Architecture

Authentication & Authorization

Multi-Layer Security

Authentication: Supabase Auth with email/password and social providers
Session Management: Secure JWT tokens with automatic refresh
Route Protection: Server-side validation of authenticated routes
API Security: Rate limiting and input validation

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

// User roles and permissions
enum UserRole {
  ADMIN = 'admin',
  MANAGER = 'manager', 
  EMPLOYEE = 'employee',
  VIEWER = 'viewer'
}

// Permission matrix
const permissions = {
  admin: ['read', 'write', 'delete', 'manage_users'],
  manager: ['read', 'write', 'approve_orders'],
  employee: ['read', 'write'],
  viewer: ['read']
}

Row Level Security (RLS)

Database-level security policies
User-specific data access control
Multi-tenant data isolation

Data Protection

Encryption

HTTPS/TLS for all data transmission
Database encryption at rest
Sensitive data hashing (passwords, API keys)

Privacy

GDPR compliance for EU users
Data retention policies
User data export and deletion

Infrastructure Architecture

Deployment Architecture

Vercel Platform

Edge deployment for global performance
Automatic HTTPS and CDN
Serverless functions for API routes
Git-based deployment pipeline

Supabase Backend

Managed PostgreSQL database
Real-time subscriptions
Edge functions for complex operations
Built-in authentication service

Monitoring & Observability

Application Monitoring

Error tracking and alerting
Performance metrics and APM
User analytics and behavior tracking
Uptime monitoring

Database Monitoring

Query performance analysis
Connection pool monitoring
Storage usage tracking
Backup and recovery verification

Integration Architecture

API Design

RESTful APIs

Standard HTTP methods and status codes
JSON request/response format
Consistent error handling
Comprehensive documentation

GraphQL Support

Single endpoint for complex queries
Efficient data fetching
Real-time subscriptions
Type-safe schema

Third-Party Integrations

E-commerce Platforms

Shopify, WooCommerce integration
Real-time inventory synchronization
Order import/export
Product catalog sync

Accounting Systems

QuickBooks, Xero integration
Financial data synchronization
Cost and pricing updates
Reporting integration

Shipping Providers

FedEx, UPS, DHL integration
Shipping rate calculation
Tracking number generation
Delivery status updates

Performance Architecture

Frontend Optimization

Next.js Features

Server-side rendering (SSR)
Static site generation (SSG)
Image optimization
Code splitting and lazy loading

Caching Strategy

Browser caching for static assets
API response caching
Database query optimization
CDN edge caching

Database Performance

Query Optimization

Proper indexing strategy
Query plan analysis
Connection pooling
Read replicas for reporting

Data Archiving

Historical data archiving
Partition management
Data lifecycle policies
Storage optimization

This architecture provides a solid foundation for scalable, secure, and maintainable inventory management operations. The modular design allows for future enhancements while maintaining system stability and performance.

Introduction

Core Concepts