Backend: Introduction

What does "backend" stand for?

In the Fizzyo system, backend is an umbrella term that refers to everything that runs on the Fizzyo server, or, generally, on Azure. Fizzyo server is our own Ubuntu 16.04 server deployed as an Azure Linux Virtual Machine.

At the moment, there are 3 major components:

1. Fizzyo database. This is a PostgreSQL 9.6 database that runs on Azure Database SaaS. The purpose of the database is to hold all of the data in the Fizzyo system.
2. Fizzyo web API. This is a Node.js web server that runs on the Fizzyo server. The purpose of the web API is to let external clients access and modify Fizzyo database, while providing an extra security layer (API uses various permission checks which are impossible to implement using the database alone). It is recommended that developers never modify the database directly, but rather use the relevant API endpoint.
3. Fizzyo data validator. This is a Node.js app that runs on the Fizzyo server. Its purpose is to run different scripts at fixed intervals, e.g. running a database diagnostic tool every midnight.

Check relevant pages in the sidebar for a detailed description of each component.

Production vs. staging instances