# Technology Stack

## Overview

The Research Platform is built using a modern, type-safe technology stack optimized for developer productivity, maintainability, and performance. The stack emphasizes TypeScript throughout, ensuring type safety from database to UI.

## Core Technologies

### Runtime & Framework

**Node.js 18+**
- JavaScript runtime for server-side execution
- Required for Next.js and all build tools

**Next.js 14.2.0**
- React framework with App Router
- Server Components for optimal performance
- Built-in API routes for backend functionality
- Automatic code splitting and optimization
- Image optimization
- Built-in TypeScript support

**React 18.3.0**
- UI library for building interactive interfaces
- Server Components for server-side rendering
- Client Components for interactivity
- Concurrent rendering features

## Programming Languages

### TypeScript 5.5.0

**Primary Language**: All application code is written in TypeScript

**Benefits**:
- Static type checking catches errors at compile time
- Better IDE support and autocomplete
- Self-documenting code through types
- Refactoring safety

**Configuration**:
- Strict mode enabled
- Path aliases (`@/*` → `./src/*`)
- ES2020 target
- Module resolution: bundler (Next.js)

## Frontend Technologies

### Styling

**Tailwind CSS 3.4.4**
- Utility-first CSS framework
- Rapid UI development
- Consistent design system
- PurgeCSS for minimal bundle size

**PostCSS 8.4.38**
- CSS processing
- Autoprefixer for browser compatibility

**CSS Modules**
- Component-scoped styles
- Used for global styles (`globals.css`)

### UI Components & Icons

**Lucide React 0.427.0**
- Modern icon library
- Tree-shakeable icons
- Consistent icon set

**Custom UI Components**
- Built on Tailwind CSS
- Reusable components in `components/ui/`
- Includes: buttons, cards, inputs, selects, badges, etc.

### Forms

**React Hook Form 7.52.0**
- Performant form library
- Minimal re-renders
- Built-in validation integration

**Zod 3.23.8**
- TypeScript-first schema validation
- Runtime type checking
- Form validation schemas

**@hookform/resolvers 3.9.0**
- Integration between React Hook Form and Zod

### Data Visualization

**Recharts 2.12.7**
- Composable charting library
- Built on D3.js
- Used for dashboard charts and analytics

### Mapping

**Leaflet 1.9.4**
- Open-source JavaScript library for interactive maps
- Mobile-friendly
- Plugin ecosystem

**React Leaflet 4.2.1**
- React components for Leaflet
- Type-safe wrapper

**leaflet.markercluster 1.5.3**
- Clustering plugin for map markers
- Improves performance with many markers

### Utilities

**clsx 2.1.1**
- Conditional className utility
- Cleaner class name composition

**tailwind-merge 2.5.2**
- Merge Tailwind classes intelligently
- Resolve conflicts automatically

**date-fns 3.6.0**
- Date manipulation and formatting
- Lightweight alternative to Moment.js

## Backend Technologies

### API Framework

**Next.js API Routes**
- Built-in API functionality
- RESTful endpoint creation
- File-based routing for APIs

### Authentication

**NextAuth.js 4.24.7**
- Complete authentication solution
- Multiple provider support (currently Credentials)
- JWT session management
- Built-in CSRF protection
- Session callbacks for role management

### Password Security

**bcryptjs 2.4.3**
- Password hashing
- 10 rounds for security/performance balance
- Synchronous API (acceptable for auth flow)

## Database & ORM

### Database

**PostgreSQL 14+**
- Relational database management system
- ACID compliance
- Advanced features (JSON, arrays, etc.)
- Excellent performance and reliability

**PostGIS** (Extension)
- Spatial and geographic objects support
- Required for geospatial queries
- Enables location-based features

### ORM

**Prisma 5.19.0**
- Next-generation ORM
- Type-safe database client
- Automatic migrations
- Prisma Studio for database management
- Connection pooling built-in

**@prisma/client 5.19.0**
- Generated TypeScript client
- Type-safe queries
- Auto-completion in IDE

## Data Processing & Export

### File Processing

**papaparse 5.4.1**
- CSV parsing and generation
- Used for data import/export
- Handles large files efficiently

**xlsx 0.18.5**
- Excel file generation
- Read/write .xlsx files
- Used for export functionality

**jspdf 2.5.1**
- PDF generation
- Client-side PDF creation
- Used for report generation

## Development Tools

### Build Tools

**TypeScript Compiler**
- Type checking
- Transpilation to JavaScript
- Integrated with Next.js

**Next.js Build System**
- SWC compiler (faster than Babel)
- Automatic optimization
- Tree shaking
- Code splitting

### Code Quality

**ESLint 8.57.0**
- JavaScript/TypeScript linting
- Catches bugs and enforces style

**eslint-config-next 14.2.0**
- Next.js-specific ESLint rules
- Best practices enforcement

### Development Utilities

**ts-node 10.9.2**
- TypeScript execution environment
- Used for scripts (seed, migrations, etc.)
- Enables running TypeScript directly

## DevOps & Deployment

### Build Configuration

**Next.js Standalone Output**
- Optimized production builds
- Minimal dependencies
- Docker-friendly

### Environment Management

**Environment Variables**
- `.env` for local development
- Next.js built-in env variable support
- Type-safe access through TypeScript

## External Services (Potential)

### Current Integrations
- None currently (self-contained application)

### Future Integration Points
- **File Storage**: AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage (for document uploads)
- **Email Service**: SendGrid, AWS SES (for notifications)
- **Monitoring**: Sentry, DataDog (for error tracking)
- **Analytics**: Google Analytics, Plausible (for usage analytics)

## Package Management

**npm**
- Node package manager
- Lock file for reproducible installs
- Scripts defined in `package.json`

## Browser Support

### Target Browsers
- Modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
- Last 2 versions of each
- Mobile browsers (iOS Safari, Chrome Mobile)

### Polyfills
- Next.js includes necessary polyfills
- Core-js for additional compatibility (if needed)

## Performance Optimizations

### Bundle Size
- Tree shaking (automatic with Next.js)
- Code splitting by route
- Dynamic imports for heavy components (maps, charts)
- Optimized package imports (`optimizePackageImports` in next.config.js)

### Runtime Performance
- Server Components reduce client JavaScript
- Prisma connection pooling
- Database query optimization
- Image optimization (Next.js Image component)

## Security Dependencies

### Authentication Security
- **bcryptjs**: Password hashing
- **NextAuth.js**: Secure session management
- **HTTP-only cookies**: XSS protection

### Input Validation
- **Zod**: Schema validation
- **TypeScript**: Compile-time type checking

### Dependency Security
- Regular updates via npm
- Dependabot configured (`.github/dependabot.yml`)
- Security advisories monitoring

## Development Dependencies

### Type Definitions
- `@types/node`: Node.js type definitions
- `@types/react`: React type definitions
- `@types/react-dom`: React DOM types
- `@types/bcryptjs`: bcryptjs types
- `@types/leaflet`: Leaflet types
- `@types/papaparse`: PapaParse types

### Build & Development
- `autoprefixer`: CSS vendor prefixing
- `postcss`: CSS processing
- `tailwindcss`: CSS framework

## Version Management

### Current Versions (as of repository analysis)
- Next.js: 14.2.0
- React: 18.3.0
- TypeScript: 5.5.0
- Prisma: 5.19.0
- Node.js: 18+ (required)

### Update Strategy
- Regular dependency updates
- Automated via Dependabot
- Major version updates require testing
- Lock file ensures consistent installs

## Technology Decisions Rationale

### Why Next.js?
- **Full-stack framework**: Frontend and backend in one
- **Server Components**: Optimal performance
- **Developer experience**: Excellent tooling
- **Ecosystem**: Large community and resources
- **Deployment**: Easy deployment options (Vercel, self-hosted)

### Why Prisma?
- **Type safety**: Generated types from schema
- **Developer experience**: Excellent tooling (Prisma Studio)
- **Migrations**: Version-controlled schema changes
- **Performance**: Optimized queries, connection pooling
- **Modern**: Active development, good documentation

### Why PostgreSQL?
- **Reliability**: Battle-tested, ACID compliant
- **Features**: Advanced SQL, JSON support, full-text search
- **PostGIS**: Essential for geospatial data
- **Performance**: Excellent for complex queries
- **Open source**: No licensing costs

### Why TypeScript?
- **Type safety**: Catch errors before runtime
- **Developer experience**: Better IDE support
- **Maintainability**: Self-documenting code
- **Refactoring**: Safe code changes
- **Team collaboration**: Clear contracts between modules

## Future Technology Considerations

### Potential Additions
- **Redis**: Caching and session storage
- **Elasticsearch**: Advanced search capabilities
- **GraphQL**: Alternative API layer (if needed)
- **WebSockets**: Real-time features
- **Docker**: Containerization for deployment
- **Kubernetes**: Orchestration (if scaling required)

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*This technology stack is chosen for its modern capabilities, strong TypeScript support, excellent developer experience, and proven reliability in production environments.*