Architecture Overview

Understand the technical architecture and design decisions behind KiraPilot.

Technology Stack

Core Technologies

• Frontend: React 19+ with TypeScript
• Backend: Tauri v2 (Rust)
• Build Tool: Vite 7+ with HMR
• Database: SQLite via Tauri SQL plugin
• Styling: Tailwind CSS 4+ with HeroUI components
• Icons: Lucide React
• Animations: Framer Motion
• Rich Text: Tiptap editor
• Drag & Drop: @dnd-kit
• Validation: Zod schemas

Development Tools

• Linting: ESLint 9+ with TypeScript rules
• Formatting: Prettier with single quotes, 2-space tabs
• Testing: Jest with ts-jest, React Testing Library
• Git Hooks: Husky with lint-staged
• Type Checking: TypeScript 5.8+ in strict mode

Architecture Patterns

Overall Architecture

KiraPilot follows a layered architecture with clear separation of concerns:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│           Presentation Layer        │
│         (React Components)          │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│            Context Layer            │
│        (React Contexts)             │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│            Service Layer            │
│      (Business Logic)               │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│           Repository Layer          │
│        (Data Access)                │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│            Tauri Layer              │
│         (Rust Backend)              │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│           Database Layer            │
│           (SQLite)                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Component Architecture

Feature-Based Organization

Components are organized by feature rather than by type:

src/components/
├── common/          # Shared UI components
├── planning/        # Task planning and scheduling
├── timer/           # Time tracking components
├── ai/              # AI assistant interface
├── settings/        # Application settings
└── reports/         # Analytics and reporting

Component Patterns

• Container Components: Handle state and business logic
• Presentational Components: Focus on UI rendering
• Custom Hooks: Encapsulate reusable logic
• Context Providers: Manage global state

State Management

React Context Pattern

KiraPilot uses React Context for state management instead of external libraries:

// Context structure
TaskListContext; // Task and list management
TimerContext; // Time tracking state
SettingsContext; // User preferences
NavigationContext; // App navigation state
AIContext; // AI assistant state

Benefits of Context Pattern

• No external dependencies: Reduces bundle size
• Type safety: Full TypeScript integration
• React DevTools: Built-in debugging support
• Simplicity: Easy to understand and maintain

Data Flow Architecture

Unidirectional Data Flow

User Action → Context → Service → Repository → Database
                ↓
            Component ← Context ← Service ← Repository

Repository Pattern

All database operations go through repositories:

interface TaskRepository {
  create(task: CreateTaskInput): Promise<Task>;
  findById(id: string): Promise<Task | null>;
  update(id: string, updates: UpdateTaskInput): Promise<Task>;
  delete(id: string): Promise<void>;
}

Database Architecture

SQLite with Migrations

• Primary: SQLite for production
• Fallback: Mock database for development/testing
• Migrations: Versioned schema changes
• Transactions: Proper concurrency handling

Entity Design

Tasks ←→ TaskLists
  ↓
TaskDependencies
  ↓
TimeSessions
  ↓
FocusSessions

Design Decisions

Why Tauri?

1. Native Performance: Rust backend provides excellent performance
2. Small Bundle Size: Significantly smaller than Electron
3. Security: Sandboxed environment with explicit permissions
4. Cross-Platform: Single codebase for all desktop platforms
5. Web Technologies: Familiar React/TypeScript frontend

Why SQLite?

1. Privacy First: Local data storage, no cloud dependency
2. Performance: Fast queries for productivity app use cases
3. Reliability: ACID compliance and crash recovery
4. Simplicity: No server setup or maintenance
5. Portability: Single file database

Why React Context over Redux?

1. Simplicity: Less boilerplate code
2. Bundle Size: No external dependencies
3. Type Safety: Better TypeScript integration
4. Learning Curve: Easier for new contributors
5. React Integration: Built-in DevTools support

Why Repository Pattern?

1. Testability: Easy to mock for unit tests
2. Abstraction: Database implementation can change
3. Consistency: Standardized data access patterns
4. Type Safety: Strongly typed interfaces
5. Error Handling: Centralized error management

Security Architecture

Data Protection

• Local Storage: All data stays on user's device
• Encryption: Sensitive data encrypted at rest
• Sandboxing: Tauri's security model prevents unauthorized access
• Permissions: Explicit permission system for system access

Input Validation

• Zod Schemas: Runtime type validation
• Sanitization: XSS prevention in rich text
• SQL Injection: Parameterized queries only
• File System: Restricted file access through Tauri APIs

Performance Architecture

Frontend Optimization

• Code Splitting: Lazy loading of route components
• Memoization: React.memo and useMemo for expensive operations
• Virtual Scrolling: For large task lists
• Debouncing: Search and auto-save operations

Backend Optimization

• Connection Pooling: SQLite connection management
• Query Optimization: Indexed queries and efficient joins
• Caching: In-memory caching for frequently accessed data
• Background Tasks: Non-blocking operations

Build Optimization

• Tree Shaking: Remove unused code
• Bundle Analysis: Monitor bundle size
• Asset Optimization: Compress images and fonts
• Hot Module Replacement: Fast development iteration

Testing Architecture

Testing Strategy

Unit Tests (70%)     # Individual functions and components
Integration Tests (20%)  # Feature workflows
E2E Tests (10%)      # Critical user journeys

Test Organization

src/
├── __tests__/
│   ├── setup/           # Test configuration
│   ├── mocks/           # Mock implementations
│   └── integration/     # Integration tests
└── components/
    └── __tests__/       # Component unit tests

Mock Strategy

• Database Mocks: In-memory SQLite for tests
• Service Mocks: Predictable test data
• Component Mocks: Isolated component testing
• API Mocks: Tauri command mocking

Deployment Architecture

Build Process

1. Frontend Build: Vite builds React app
2. Type Checking: TypeScript compilation
3. Linting: ESLint validation
4. Testing: Jest test suite
5. Tauri Build: Rust compilation and bundling

Distribution

• GitHub Releases: Automated release pipeline
• Code Signing: Platform-specific signing
• Auto Updates: Tauri's built-in updater
• Platform Packages: Native installers for each OS

Scalability Considerations

Performance Scaling

• Database Indexing: Optimized for large datasets
• Pagination: Efficient data loading
• Background Processing: Non-blocking operations
• Memory Management: Efficient React patterns

Feature Scaling

• Plugin Architecture: Extensible AI tools
• Theme System: Customizable UI
• Localization: Multi-language support
• Configuration: User preferences system

Future Architecture Plans

Planned Improvements

1. Plugin System: Third-party integrations
2. Cloud Sync: Optional cloud backup
3. Mobile Apps: React Native companion
4. Web Version: Browser-based access
5. API Layer: External integrations

Migration Strategy

• Backward Compatibility: Database migration system
• Feature Flags: Gradual feature rollout
• A/B Testing: User experience optimization
• Monitoring: Performance and error tracking

This architecture provides a solid foundation for KiraPilot's current needs while remaining flexible for future growth and improvements.