Bufdir API Integration Service (Future)
Component Detail
Description
Placeholder service implementing the interface for future REST-based submission directly to Bufdir once they adopt an API. Currently a no-op stub; the export orchestrator calls this interface so the switch from file-based to API-based submission requires no other code changes.
bufdir-api-integration-service
Summaries
The Bufdir API Integration Service is a strategic investment in future-proofing the platform's compliance reporting workflow. Today, Bufdir requires file-based exports delivered manually; this service establishes the architectural groundwork so that when Bufdir introduces a REST API for direct digital submission, the platform can activate it with zero changes to the broader export system. For the business, this means a lower cost of adapting to regulatory changes, reduced manual overhead for staff who currently handle file delivery, and a faster submission cycle that reduces the window of compliance risk. Planning for this transition now avoids an expensive retrofit project later and signals technical maturity to funders and partners evaluating the platform.
This is a medium-complexity backend placeholder component that can be delivered at low cost now as a stub, with the main implementation deferred until Bufdir publishes their API specification. The primary delivery task in the current phase is defining and integrating the interface contract so the export orchestrator calls this service's methods rather than invoking file-delivery logic directly. This decoupling should be verified through integration tests that confirm the orchestrator works correctly with the stub implementation. The main scheduling risk is managing stakeholder expectations: the component will exist in the codebase but provide no functional API submission until Bufdir's API is live.
Clearly document the stub status in release notes. When Bufdir announces their API timeline, this component moves to the active development backlog with its own specification and testing cycle.
This backend service component implements a delivery abstraction layer between the export orchestrator and the actual submission mechanism. The key design pattern is interface-driven inversion of control: the orchestrator calls `submitReport`, `getSubmissionStatus`, `isApiAvailable`, and `getApiEndpoint` without knowing whether the underlying implementation delivers a file or calls a REST endpoint. In the current stub phase, `isApiAvailable()` returns false and `submitReport` is a no-op, allowing the orchestrator to branch on availability at runtime. When implementing the real REST client, populate `getApiEndpoint` from environment config or the schema config repository, implement OAuth or API-key auth headers as required by Bufdir's spec, and handle idempotent retry logic in `submitReport` to avoid duplicate submissions on network failure.
Keep the stub and live implementations as separate classes behind a common interface, toggled by a feature flag or environment variable.
Responsibilities
- Abstract the export delivery mechanism (file vs API)
- Implement REST submission to Bufdir API when available
- Report submission status and confirmation IDs
Interfaces
submitReport(BufdirReport report)
getSubmissionStatus(String submissionId)
isApiAvailable()
getApiEndpoint()
Used Integrations (1)
External integrations and APIs this component relies on