Configuration Management

Overview

Configuration management for the Gustaffo Reservations Application involves managing both application-level configuration and environment-specific settings. This document describes the approach and best practices for configuration management in production environments.

Configuration Sources

The application uses the following configuration sources, in order of precedence:

1. Environment variables
2. Application properties files
3. Default values in code

Key Configuration Areas

Application Properties

Application properties are managed through Spring Boot's configuration mechanism. The main configuration files are:

• application.yml - Default configuration
• application-dev.yml - Development environment configuration
• application-test.yml - Test environment configuration
• application-prod.yml - Production environment configuration

Environment Variables

Sensitive configuration values should be provided through environment variables, especially in production environments. These include:

• Database credentials
• API keys
• Secret keys
• Integration endpoints

Database Configuration

Database connection settings including: - Connection URLs - Username and password - Connection pool settings - Transaction management

Security Configuration

Security-related settings including: - JWT configuration - OAuth2 settings - CORS configuration - SSL/TLS settings

Integration Configuration

External system integration settings: - Payment gateway configurations - Email service settings - SMS service configurations - Third-party API settings

Configuration Management Process

The configuration management process follows these steps:

1. Development: Configuration is initially created in development environment
2. Configuration in Version Control: Non-sensitive configuration is stored in version control
3. Build Process: Configuration is included in the build process
4. Configuration Packaging: Configuration is packaged with the application
5. Deployment: Application with configuration is deployed
6. Environment-Specific Configuration: Environment-specific values are applied
7. Runtime Configuration: Configuration is loaded at runtime
8. Configuration Monitoring: Configuration usage is monitored
9. Configuration Auditing: Changes to configuration are audited

Best Practices

1. Security: Never store sensitive information like passwords or API keys in version control
2. Versioning: Maintain version history of configuration changes
3. Documentation: Document all configuration options and their impact
4. Validation: Validate configuration values during application startup
5. Monitoring: Monitor configuration changes and their effects on the system
6. Auditing: Maintain an audit trail of who changed what configuration and when
7. Testing: Test configuration changes in lower environments before applying to production
8. Rollback: Have a plan for rolling back configuration changes if they cause issues

Environment-Specific Configuration

Development Environment

• Debug logging enabled
• Local database connections
• Relaxed security settings
• Development-specific integrations

Test Environment

• Test database connections
• Mock external services
• Automated testing configurations
• Performance testing settings

Production Environment

• Optimized performance settings
• Production database connections
• Full security configurations
• Production service integrations

Configuration Deployment

Deployment Process

1. Configuration changes are reviewed and approved
2. Changes are tested in non-production environments
3. Production deployment is scheduled and executed
4. Configuration changes are verified and monitored

Rollback Procedures

• Configuration backups are maintained
• Rollback procedures are documented and tested
• Emergency rollback capabilities are available
• Rollback verification procedures are in place