Coding Patterns

This section outlines code and architectural patterns used throughout Ed-Fi API v8.

ASP.NET Core

Ed-Fi API v8 is built on Microsoft ASP.NET Core. As a mature and robust platform for building web APIs, this framework is familiar to tens of thousands of software developers and fully supported by Microsoft. Ed-Fi API v8 takes advantage of well-known ASP.NET Core features such as route mapping, middleware pipeline, authorization filters, and the built-in dependency injection extension points to provide its advanced features.

Inversion of Control and Dependency Injection

Inversion of Control and Dependency Injection (DI) are a technique and set of practices for creating testable, modular software systems. Ed-Fi API v8 uses the ASP.NET Core built-in dependency injection framework (Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection).

In a nutshell, the set of software components representing desired functionality are registered and linked together in the DI container. When the top-level application components are resolved, each component runs agnostically using whatever implementations were registered in the configuration. This approach decouples components, makes testing easier, and allows for easier modification and customization.

Ed-Fi REST API Design & Implementation Guidelines

The Ed-Fi Data Standard includes guidelines for the design and implementation of APIs. Those guidelines describe the properties to which an API specification and related implementation must adhere in order to be considered aligned to Ed-Fi technology standards. Ed-Fi API v8 follows those guidelines. The guidelines are described in the API Design & Implementation Guidelines documentation.

Ed-Fi Data Model Extension Patterns

The Ed-Fi Data Standard has a set of conventions collectively known as the Ed-Fi Extensions Framework. This framework defines the patterns for extending the Ed-Fi Data Model in concrete technology components. MetaEd simplifies authoring extensions following the patterns defined in the Ed-Fi Extensions Framework and produces the core technical artifact required by Ed-Fi API v8: the ApiSchema.json file. This single file drives the API surface, database provisioning, authorization structures, and Swagger documentation. The Extensibility & Customization section in this documentation provides information on integrating data model extensions with Ed-Fi API v8.