Solution Overview

Solution Overview

The project follows a Clean Architecture approach using a shared core to ensure data consistency between the background engine and the user interface.

Project Structure

Anichron.Core (Class Library)

• Single Source of Truth: Contains the AnichronDbContext and all database configuration (Fluent API).
• Domain Models: Holds the central entities (MediaAsset, Burst, Metadata).
• Shared Logic: Houses the XXHash64 implementation and path-parsing utilities used by both the Worker and API.

Anichron.Worker (Console Application)

• Ingestion Engine: Periodically crawls the NAS root folders to identify new or moved files.
• Media Processing: Executes FFmpeg commands for video transcoding and ImageSharp/ExifLib for photo metadata extraction.
• Proxy Generation: Utilises Intel QuickSync to generate thumbnails and web-optimised video versions.
• Writer: Responsible for all initial database inserts and reconciliation (soft-deletes).

Anichron.API (ASP.NET Core API)

• Query Handler: Executes optimised SQL for "On This Day" and "Calendar View" requests.
• Data Mapper: Converts internal database entities into clean DTOs for the frontend.
• File Provider: Serves the generated proxy files (and originals on request) via HTTP.
• State Manager: Handles user interactions (liking, starring, or hiding photos).

Anichron.UI (Next.js / React)

• Experience Layer: Provides the "Instagram Story" navigation (swipe/tap/hold).
• State Store: Manages client-side caching and pre-fetching of the next "memory" in the sequence.

Containers

Each component is isolated to optimise resource usage — keeping heavy media processing away from the responsive API.

Container	Base Image	Responsibility
anichron-db	postgres:17-alpine	Persists metadata, user configs, and asset relationships.
anichron-worker	mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/runtime:10.0-noble (Custom)	The "Heavy Lifter." Contains ffmpeg and intel-media-driver. Read-only access to NAS; write access to proxy storage.
anichron-api	mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/aspnet:10.0-alpine	The "Gatekeeper." Provides REST endpoints. Read-only access to both NAS and proxy storage.
anichron-ui	node:22-alpine (or nginx)	The "Interface." Serves the web assets. Connects only to the API container.

Storage Layout

Path	Mount	Who
/data/originals (NAS)	:ro	API + Worker — originals are never modified
/data/proxies (SSD)	:rw Worker / :ro API	Worker writes thumbnails and transcoded video; API serves them