FastAPI application with scalable infrastructure

The goal of this project is to develop a FastAPI application that will serve as the foundation for a future chatbot API. While the API endpoints themselves will be relatively simple, the main focus of this project is on setting up the infrastructure, which requires DevOps skills to ensure scalability, security, and automation.

Key Tasks 

1. Containerization and Deployment
   • Environment Setup:
   o Set up two separate environments:
   ▪ Development/Staging: runs on port 8000
   ▪ Production: runs on port 443 (HTTPS)

   • Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD):
   o Implement a GitLab CI/CD pipeline for automated deployment.
   o Include automated tests in the pipeline (provide at least one example of a test).
   o Deploy a production instance on a virtual machine (VM) to ensure proper implementation.

2. Database and Security
   • Database Management:
   o Connect both environments to a PostgreSQL database running as a Docker service.

   • Security Measures:
   o Secure the production environment by implementing:
   ▪ NGINX as a reverse proxy/load balancer.
   ▪ HTTPS using a free SSL certificate (e.g., Certbot).

3. Caching Mechanism (Implementation using Docker)
   • Implement caching within the Docker infrastructure to enhance API performance.
   • Use Redis as a caching layer (or suggest a better option based on the specific use case).

4. Authentication and Testing
   • Authentication:
   o Implement OAuth 2.0 using Client Credentials Flow instead of traditional JWT authentication.

   • Testing:
   o Set up a suite of unit tests that will run within the CI/CD pipeline to ensure code quality and reliability.

5. API Implementation
   • Adherence to API Guidelines:
   o Follow the provided API guidelines for the correct implementation of the required endpoints.

   • Swagger UI Verification:
   o Swagger UI documentation must accurately match the expected API documentation.

Task Completion Verification and Work Assessment

To verify the successful completion of this task, the following tests will be conducted:

1. Deployment and Infrastructure:
   o Check that the application is correctly deployed on the virtual machine (VM).
   o Ensure that Docker environments are correctly set up for Development/Staging and Production.
   o Verify that the CI/CD pipeline correctly automates testing and deployment.

2. Security and Performance:
   o Confirm that the PostgreSQL database is correctly integrated and running as a Docker service.
   o Check that the NGINX reverse proxy/load balancer is correctly configured.
   o Ensure that HTTPS is enabled and secured with an SSL certificate from Certbot.
   o Test caching functionality using Redis (or the suggested better alternative).

3. API Functionality and Documentation:
   o Compare Swagger UI documentation with the expected API documentation.
   o Check that all endpoints function according to the description in the API guidelines.
   o Conduct integration tests to confirm the correct implementation of OAuth 2.0 authentication.

4. Testing and Code Quality:
   o Run the suite of unit tests to ensure they pass successfully within the CI/CD pipeline.
   o Conduct a review of code quality and structure to ensure adherence to best practices.
   
   

Thank you!