Architecture Overview

SchoolPalm is built on a modular, microservices-based architecture designed for flexibility, scalability, and reliability.

High-Level Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Client Applications                                │
│  (Web, Mobile, Desktop, Integrations)               │
└────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘
                     │
┌────────────────────v────────────────────────────────┐
│  API Gateway & Authentication                       │
│  (Rate limiting, JWT verification, CORS)            │
└────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘
                     │
┌────────────────────v────────────────────────────────┐
│  Core Services                                      │
│  ┌─────────────────┬──────────────┬──────────────┐  │
│  │  School Mgmt    │  Student Mgmt │ Attendance  │  │
│  ├─────────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┤  │
│  │  Assessment     │  Communication│ Finance     │  │
│  └─────────────────┴──────────────┴──────────────┘  │
└────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘
                     │
┌────────────────────v────────────────────────────────┐
│  Data Layer                                         │
│  ┌──────────────┐  ┌──────────────┐  ┌──────────┐  │
│  │ PostgreSQL   │  │   Redis      │  │  S3      │  │
│  │ (Primary DB) │  │ (Cache/Queue)│  │(Storage) │  │
│  └──────────────┘  └──────────────┘  └──────────┘  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Core Modules

1. School Management

Handles school administration, organizational structure, and settings.

• School profiles and information
• User management and roles
• Calendar and scheduling
• Department and class management

2. Student Management

Complete student lifecycle management.

• Student enrollment and profiles
• Family/guardian information
• Document management
• Student progress tracking

3. Attendance & Tracking

Automated attendance and student tracking systems.

• Mark attendance (daily, class-wise)
• Generate attendance reports
• Alert system for absences
• Integration with parent notifications

4. Assessment & Exams

Comprehensive exam and assessment management.

• Exam scheduling and management
• Question bank and paper generation
• Online exam proctoring support
• Result analysis and reports

5. Financial Management

School finance and fee management system.

• Fee structure management
• Student fee billing
• Payment processing
• Financial reports and analytics

6. Communication Platform

Multi-channel communication system.

• SMS and email messaging
• Push notifications
• Parent-teacher collaboration
• Announcements and broadcasts

API Layer

RESTful API with GraphQL support coming soon.

Base URL: https://api.schoolpalm.io/v1

Authentication: Bearer Token (JWT)

Rate Limits: 1000 requests/hour (default)

Data Flow

1. Client Request → API Gateway
2. Authentication → JWT Verification
3. Service Processing → Core service handles business logic
4. Data Access → Database/Cache layer
5. Response → Formatted JSON response to client

Scalability

SchoolPalm is built to scale:

• Horizontal Scaling: Services can be deployed independently
• Load Balancing: Automatic request distribution
• Caching Layer: Redis for frequently accessed data
• Database Optimization: Indexed queries and connection pooling
• Message Queues: Asynchronous processing for heavy tasks

Security

• Authentication: JWT tokens with refresh rotation
• Authorization: Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Encryption: TLS for all API communication
• Data Protection: AES-256 encryption for sensitive data
• Compliance: GDPR and local data protection regulations

Deployment Options

• Cloud Hosted: SchoolPalm Cloud (managed service)
• Self-Hosted: Docker Compose or Kubernetes
• Hybrid: Mix of cloud and on-premise components

Extension Points

SchoolPalm provides multiple extension mechanisms:

1. Webhooks - React to events in real-time
2. Custom Fields - Add school-specific data
3. Integrations - Pre-built connectors to popular services
4. Custom Services - Deploy your own services alongside SchoolPalm

Technology Stack

Performance Benchmarks

• API response time: < 200ms (p95)
• Database queries: < 50ms (p95)
• Concurrent connections: 10,000+ users
• Daily active users: 100,000+

Monitoring & Observability

• Logs: Centralized logging with ELK stack
• Metrics: Prometheus for monitoring
• Tracing: Distributed tracing with Jaeger
• Health Checks: Automated service health monitoring

Next Steps

• Explore the API Reference
• Check out SDK Documentation
• Review Marketplace for integrations