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Best Practices Guide

This guide outlines best practices for developing, configuring, and maintaining Axon OS nodes and workflows.

Node Development Best Practices​

Code Quality​

Follow TypeScript Standards​

  • Use strict TypeScript configuration
  • Define proper interfaces and types
  • Implement comprehensive error handling
  • Write self-documenting code with clear naming

Modular Design​

  • Keep nodes focused on single responsibilities
  • Use composition over inheritance
  • Implement reusable utility functions
  • Separate business logic from presentation

Error Handling​

try {
  const result = await processData(input);
  return { success: true, data: result };
} catch (error) {
  return { 
    success: false, 
    error: error.message,
    code: error.code || 'UNKNOWN_ERROR'
  };
}

Performance Optimization​

Memory Management​

  • Process large datasets in chunks
  • Use streaming for file operations
  • Clear unused variables and references
  • Implement proper garbage collection

Asynchronous Operations​

  • Use async/await for better readability
  • Implement proper timeout handling
  • Use Promise.all() for parallel operations
  • Avoid blocking the event loop

Caching Strategies​

  • Cache frequently accessed data
  • Implement cache invalidation strategies
  • Use appropriate cache storage (memory, Redis, etc.)
  • Consider cache size limits

Security Best Practices​

Input Validation​

  • Validate all input parameters
  • Sanitize user-provided data
  • Use schema validation libraries
  • Implement rate limiting

Authentication & Authorization​

  • Store credentials securely
  • Use environment variables for secrets
  • Implement proper token management
  • Follow OAuth best practices

Data Protection​

  • Encrypt sensitive data at rest
  • Use HTTPS for all API communications
  • Implement proper access controls
  • Follow data privacy regulations

Configuration Management​

Environment Configuration​

Development vs Production​

# Development
database:
  host: localhost
  ssl: false
  debug: true

# Production  
database:
  host: ${DB_HOST}
  ssl: true
  debug: false

Configuration Validation​

  • Validate configuration on startup
  • Provide clear error messages for invalid config
  • Use configuration schemas
  • Implement configuration hot-reloading

Secrets Management​

Best Practices​

  • Never commit secrets to version control
  • Use dedicated secret management services
  • Rotate secrets regularly
  • Implement least privilege access

Environment Variables​

# Good
export API_KEY="your-secret-key"
export DB_PASSWORD="secure-password"

# Bad - never do this
const apiKey = "hardcoded-secret";

Workflow Design Patterns​

Error Recovery Patterns​

Retry with Exponential Backoff​

const retryWithBackoff = async (operation, maxRetries = 3) => {
  for (let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
    try {
      return await operation();
    } catch (error) {
      if (i === maxRetries - 1) throw error;
      await sleep(Math.pow(2, i) * 1000);
    }
  }
};

Circuit Breaker Pattern​

  • Prevent cascading failures
  • Implement automatic recovery
  • Monitor failure rates
  • Provide fallback mechanisms

Data Processing Patterns​

Batch Processing​

  • Process data in optimal batch sizes
  • Implement checkpoint mechanisms
  • Handle partial failures gracefully
  • Provide progress monitoring

Stream Processing​

  • Use for real-time data processing
  • Implement backpressure handling
  • Design for horizontal scaling
  • Consider event ordering

Integration Patterns​

API Integration​

  • Implement proper rate limiting
  • Use connection pooling
  • Handle API versioning
  • Implement circuit breakers

Database Integration​

  • Use connection pooling
  • Implement read replicas for scaling
  • Use prepared statements
  • Implement proper indexing

Testing Strategies​

Unit Testing​

Test Structure​

describe('NodeName', () => {
  beforeEach(() => {
    // Setup test environment
  });

  it('should process valid input correctly', async () => {
    const input = { data: 'test' };
    const result = await node.execute(input);
    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
  });

  it('should handle invalid input gracefully', async () => {
    const input = { invalid: 'data' };
    const result = await node.execute(input);
    expect(result.success).toBe(false);
    expect(result.error).toBeDefined();
  });
});

Test Coverage​

  • Aim for >90% test coverage
  • Test both happy path and error scenarios
  • Include edge cases and boundary conditions
  • Test with realistic data volumes

Integration Testing​

API Testing​

  • Test external API integrations
  • Mock external services for consistent testing
  • Test error scenarios and timeouts
  • Validate response formats

Database Testing​

  • Use test databases for integration tests
  • Test transaction handling
  • Validate data consistency
  • Test connection failures

Performance Testing​

Load Testing​

  • Test with realistic data volumes
  • Identify performance bottlenecks
  • Test concurrent execution scenarios
  • Monitor resource usage

Stress Testing​

  • Test beyond normal operating conditions
  • Identify breaking points
  • Test recovery mechanisms
  • Validate error handling under stress

Monitoring and Observability​

Logging Best Practices​

Structured Logging​

logger.info('Processing user data', {
  userId: user.id,
  operation: 'data_transform',
  timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
  requestId: req.id
});

Log Levels​

  • ERROR: System errors and exceptions
  • WARN: Recoverable errors and warnings
  • INFO: Important business events
  • DEBUG: Detailed execution information

Metrics Collection​

Key Metrics​

  • Execution time and latency
  • Success/failure rates
  • Resource utilization
  • Queue depths and backlogs

Alerting​

  • Set up proactive alerts for critical metrics
  • Define clear escalation procedures
  • Include relevant context in alerts
  • Test alert mechanisms regularly

Health Checks​

Implementation​

const healthCheck = {
  status: 'healthy',
  timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
  dependencies: {
    database: await checkDatabase(),
    external_api: await checkExternalAPI(),
    cache: await checkCache()
  }
};

Deployment and Operations​

Deployment Strategies​

Blue-Green Deployment​

  • Minimize downtime during deployments
  • Enable quick rollback capabilities
  • Test deployments in production-like environments
  • Automate deployment processes

Rolling Updates​

  • Update nodes gradually
  • Monitor health during updates
  • Implement automatic rollback triggers
  • Maintain service availability

Version Management​

Semantic Versioning​

  • Use MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH format
  • Document breaking changes clearly
  • Maintain backward compatibility when possible
  • Provide migration guides for breaking changes

Dependency Management​

  • Keep dependencies up to date
  • Use lockfiles for reproducible builds
  • Regularly audit for security vulnerabilities
  • Document dependency requirements

Documentation Standards​

Code Documentation​

Comments​

  • Document complex business logic
  • Explain non-obvious implementation decisions
  • Include examples for public APIs
  • Keep comments up to date with code changes

API Documentation​

  • Document all parameters and return values
  • Include usage examples
  • Specify error conditions
  • Maintain OpenAPI specifications

User Documentation​

Setup Guides​

  • Provide step-by-step instructions
  • Include prerequisite requirements
  • Test documentation with fresh installations
  • Include troubleshooting sections

Examples and Tutorials​

  • Include realistic use cases
  • Provide complete working examples
  • Explain the reasoning behind design decisions
  • Keep examples current with latest versions

Team Collaboration​

Code Review Process​

Review Checklist​

  • Code follows established patterns
  • Tests are comprehensive and passing
  • Documentation is updated
  • Security considerations are addressed
  • Performance impact is considered

Pull Request Guidelines​

  • Keep changes focused and atomic
  • Write clear commit messages
  • Include relevant context and reasoning
  • Respond to feedback promptly

Knowledge Sharing​

Best Practices​

  • Conduct regular code reviews
  • Share learnings through documentation
  • Hold technical discussions and design reviews
  • Maintain a knowledge base

Onboarding​

  • Provide comprehensive onboarding documentation
  • Assign mentors for new team members
  • Create hands-on learning exercises
  • Establish feedback loops

Continuous Improvement​

Performance Monitoring​

Regular Audits​

  • Review performance metrics regularly
  • Identify optimization opportunities
  • Update dependencies and tools
  • Refactor legacy code

Capacity Planning​

  • Monitor resource usage trends
  • Plan for growth and scaling
  • Implement auto-scaling where appropriate
  • Optimize resource allocation

Security Updates​

Regular Reviews​

  • Conduct security audits
  • Update dependencies for security patches
  • Review access controls and permissions
  • Test security measures regularly

Process Improvement​

Retrospectives​

  • Conduct regular team retrospectives
  • Identify process bottlenecks
  • Implement improvements iteratively
  • Measure the impact of changes

Automation​

  • Automate repetitive tasks
  • Implement CI/CD pipelines
  • Use infrastructure as code
  • Automate testing and quality checks