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DEPLOYMENT_ARCHITECTURE.md

CeloHT edited this page Aug 10, 2026 · 1 revision

CeloHT Deployment Architecture

Version: 1.0 Project: CeloHT Deployment Model: Cloud + Blockchain + GitHub CI/CD Blockchain: Celo


1. Purpose

This document describes the production deployment architecture for CeloHT applications and services.

The deployment model separates source control, continuous integration, application hosting, databases, APIs, blockchain infrastructure, and monitoring.


2. High-Level Deployment Architecture

                              DEVELOPERS
                                  │
                                  ▼
                           ┌─────────────┐
                           │   GITHUB    │
                           │ Repositories│
                           └──────┬──────┘
                                  │
                                  ▼
                           ┌─────────────┐
                           │ GitHub      │
                           │ Actions CI  │
                           └──────┬──────┘
                                  │
                    ┌─────────────┼─────────────┐
                    ▼             ▼             ▼
                 Frontend       Backend      Contracts
                    │             │             │
                    ▼             ▼             ▼
                 Hosting       API/Server    Celo Network
                    │             │             │
                    └─────────────┼─────────────┘
                                  ▼
                            Data Services
                                  │
                                  ▼
                            Monitoring

3. Source Control

GitHub is the primary source-control environment.

Repositories contain:

  • Application source code
  • Smart contracts
  • Tests
  • Documentation
  • Configuration templates
  • CI/CD workflows

Production deployments should be traceable to a specific Git commit.


4. Continuous Integration

Every production-capable repository should use automated validation.

Git Push / Pull Request
        │
        ▼
   GitHub Actions
        │
        ├── Install
        ├── Lint
        ├── Type Check
        ├── Test
        ├── Build
        ├── Security
        └── Artifact
        │
        ▼
     Deployment

Only validated builds should proceed toward production.


5. Frontend Deployment

A CeloHT frontend may be deployed on a modern web-hosting platform.

Conceptually:

GitHub
  │
  ▼
CI/CD
  │
  ▼
Frontend Build
  │
  ▼
Hosting Platform
  │
  ▼
CDN
  │
  ▼
User Browser

The frontend should use environment-specific configuration.


6. Backend Deployment

Where backend services are required:

Frontend
   │
   ▼
API Endpoint
   │
   ▼
Backend Service
   │
 ┌─┼─────────────┐
 ▼ ▼             ▼
DB API        Blockchain
   │             │
   └──────┬──────┘
          ▼
       Response

Backend services should be stateless where practical to simplify scaling.


7. Database Deployment

Off-chain application data should use a managed database where appropriate.

Conceptually:

Application
     │
     ▼
Database API / ORM
     │
     ▼
PostgreSQL
     │
     ├── Users / Profiles
     ├── Program Data
     ├── Agent Data
     ├── Content Metadata
     └── Analytics Data

Database credentials must never be exposed to the browser.


8. Blockchain Deployment

Blockchain components are deployed independently of the web application.

Developer
   │
   ▼
Contract Repository
   │
   ▼
Tests
   │
   ▼
Deployment Script
   │
   ▼
Celo Network
   │
   ▼
Contract Address
   │
   ▼
Verification

Every production contract should have a documented deployment record.


9. Wallet Integration

The frontend communicates with wallet infrastructure.

User Browser
     │
     ▼
CeloHT dApp
     │
     ▼
Wallet
     │
     ▼
User Approval
     │
     ▼
Celo Network

The application should never receive or store a user's private key.


10. Environment Architecture

CeloHT deployments should distinguish:

                    ENVIRONMENTS

Development ───► Testing ───► Staging ───► Production

Development

Used for local implementation.

Testing

Used for automated and integration testing.

Staging

Used to validate production-like deployments.

Production

Used by real users.


11. Production Deployment Flow

Developer
   │
   ▼
Pull Request
   │
   ▼
Code Review
   │
   ▼
CI Checks
   │
   ▼
Merge
   │
   ▼
Production Build
   │
   ▼
Deployment
   │
   ▼
Health Checks
   │
   ▼
Production

12. Deployment Artifacts

Every production deployment should be associated with:

  • Git commit
  • Build identifier
  • Deployment timestamp
  • Environment
  • Version
  • Deployment status

For smart contracts:

  • Contract address
  • Network
  • Deployment transaction
  • Contract version
  • Verification status

13. Secrets Management

Sensitive values must be managed outside source control.

Examples:

DATABASE_URL
PRIVATE_DEPLOYER_KEY
RPC_URL
API_SECRET
AUTH_SECRET

Production secrets should be stored in the deployment platform's secure environment configuration or another dedicated secrets manager.

Never place secrets inside:

  • Git commits
  • README files
  • Public documentation
  • Screenshots
  • Client-side JavaScript

14. CI/CD Security

The deployment pipeline should protect against:

  • Secret exposure
  • Unauthorized deployments
  • Dependency compromise
  • Malicious pull requests
  • Supply-chain attacks
  • Unreviewed production changes

Recommended controls include:

  • Protected branches
  • Required reviews
  • Environment protection
  • Limited deployment permissions
  • Secret isolation
  • Dependency scanning
  • Code scanning

15. Infrastructure Separation

CeloHT infrastructure should maintain clear boundaries:

              ┌────────────────────┐
              │    Source Control  │
              └─────────┬──────────┘
                        │
              ┌─────────▼──────────┐
              │       CI/CD        │
              └─────────┬──────────┘
                        │
        ┌───────────────┼────────────────┐
        ▼               ▼                ▼
   Frontend          Backend         Blockchain
        │               │                │
        ▼               ▼                ▼
      CDN             API             Celo
        │               │
        └───────┬───────┘
                ▼
             Database

This separation reduces operational coupling.


16. Monitoring

Production systems should monitor:

Application

  • Availability
  • Response times
  • Errors
  • Traffic

API

  • Request failures
  • Latency
  • Error rates

Database

  • Availability
  • Connection errors
  • Performance

Blockchain

  • Transaction failures
  • Confirmation delays
  • RPC availability
  • Contract errors

17. Health Checks

Services should expose appropriate health information.

Conceptually:

Health Check
     │
     ├── Application
     ├── API
     ├── Database
     └── Blockchain Connectivity

A failed dependency should be distinguishable from a failed application.


18. Rollback Architecture

If a deployment causes a critical failure:

Production
    │
    ▼
Incident Detected
    │
    ▼
Deployment Identified
    │
    ▼
Rollback / Fix
    │
    ▼
Validation
    │
    ▼
Production Restored

Rollback procedures should be tested before they are needed.


19. Smart Contract Deployment Safety

Smart-contract deployments require additional safeguards.

Before mainnet deployment:

  • Tests passing
  • Deployment parameters reviewed
  • Network confirmed
  • Contract permissions reviewed
  • Security review completed where appropriate
  • Deployment wallet secured
  • Transaction reviewed
  • Contract verified
  • Address documented

20. Database Backup

Production databases should have an appropriate backup strategy.

Backups should be:

  • Automated
  • Protected
  • Tested
  • Retained according to operational requirements

A backup that has never been restored should not be assumed to be reliable.


21. Disaster Recovery

The recovery model should cover:

Application Failure
       │
       ▼
Redeploy Application
       │
       ▼
Database Failure
       │
       ▼
Restore Backup
       │
       ▼
Blockchain Integration Failure
       │
       ▼
Switch / Restore RPC Infrastructure

Blockchain state itself is externally maintained by the Celo network, but application-side indexing and databases still require recovery procedures.


22. Domain & HTTPS

Production web applications should use:

  • HTTPS
  • Secure cookies where applicable
  • Proper domain configuration
  • Security headers
  • DNS protection

The public CeloHT domain should point to the production deployment.


23. CDN & Performance

Static assets should be delivered through a CDN where practical.

User
 │
 ▼
CDN
 │
 ├── HTML
 ├── JavaScript
 ├── CSS
 ├── Images
 └── Static Assets

Dynamic API requests should be routed separately.


24. Deployment Observability

Every production deployment should answer:

  • What version is running?
  • Which Git commit produced it?
  • When was it deployed?
  • Who authorized it?
  • Did health checks pass?
  • Are errors increasing?
  • Are blockchain transactions functioning?

25. Production Readiness Checklist

Code

  • Build succeeds
  • Tests pass
  • Lint passes
  • Type checks pass
  • Dependencies audited

Security

  • Secrets protected
  • Authentication configured
  • Authorization reviewed
  • Security scanning enabled

Infrastructure

  • Domain configured
  • HTTPS enabled
  • Database configured
  • Monitoring configured
  • Backups configured

Blockchain

  • Correct Celo network
  • Contract addresses documented
  • Contracts verified
  • Wallet integration tested
  • Transaction monitoring configured

Operations

  • Rollback procedure documented
  • Incident procedure documented
  • Deployment traceability enabled
  • Health checks verified

26. Recommended Production Flow

                    ┌──────────────┐
                    │   GitHub     │
                    └──────┬───────┘
                           │
                           ▼
                    ┌──────────────┐
                    │ GitHub CI/CD │
                    └──────┬───────┘
                           │
              ┌────────────┼────────────┐
              ▼            ▼            ▼
         Frontend       Backend      Contracts
              │            │            │
              ▼            ▼            ▼
          Hosting       API/Server     Celo
              │            │            │
              └────────────┼────────────┘
                           ▼
                        Database
                           │
                           ▼
                       Monitoring
                           │
                           ▼
                         Users

27. Deployment Philosophy

CeloHT deployment should prioritize:

  1. Reproducibility
  2. Security
  3. Traceability
  4. Automation
  5. Minimal downtime
  6. Fast rollback
  7. Infrastructure isolation
  8. Blockchain transparency
  9. Data protection
  10. Operational simplicity

Status

Document: Deployment Architecture Version: 1.0 Project: CeloHT Deployment Model: CI/CD + Cloud Infrastructure + Celo Blockchain

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