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6. Retrieving Data from Find Service

Date: 2019-10-15

Status

Accepted

Context

We are currently working towards meeting these two main user needs:

  • Candidates want to apply to teacher training courses.
  • Training providers want to view applicants who have applied to their courses.

In order to do this the Apply service needs to retrieve data for Training Providers, Courses and Sites from the Find service.

The main areas where the Apply Service needs data from the Find Service are:

  • The Apply Service Start Page.
    • Users arrive with a course course code as a URL parameter and the corresponding course needs to be retrieved.
  • The Add a course to Application Page.
    • All current courses need to be retrieved to populate a autocomplete field.
  • The Application requirements require the Course type (Secondary or Primary).
  • The Provider UI needs to know information about the currently signed in Provider.
  • The Applications to a certain Provider's courses need to be scoped for the currently signed in Provider.

From an initial discussion and planning session we have decided on two main methods from retrieving data from the Find Service:

Ask the Find API for all information.

Keeping all information in the Find Service and contacting the Find API every time the Apply Service needs information for Provider, Course and Site.

Pros

  • This reduces the need to store information within the Apply Service.
  • The data from Find is always the latest up-to-date data.

Cons

  • This can be slow if making many requests to the Find API. (Caching could be a solution to this.)
  • Apply Service is dependent on the Find Service to function.

Create a local copy from Find data

Create local models for Provider, Course and Site. Populate these models from information from the Find API which is called periodically.

Pros

  • Apply Service is not dependent on the Find Service to function.
  • Faster to lookup local copy than make API request.
  • We have more control of local models and only need to request and save data that the Apply Service requires.
  • Easier to test local models.

Cons

  • Requires method to retrieve data from Find and create and update local models.
  • Local models can drift from information stored in find if not updated frequently.
  • Newly created courses on Find may not be created on the Apply Service until they are retrieved. (Will need to check Find service often for new data.)
  • Data deleted from the Find service will need to be reflected in the Apply Service somehow. (Possibly deleting and rebuilding Apply models from Find Data Periodically).

Decision

Create local copies of Provider, Course and Site that can be populated with data from the Find Service.

Consequences

  • Local models for Provider, Course and Site will need to be created.
  • ApplicationChoice needs to be linked to a unique Course/Site combination in some way.
  • A system for retrieving data from the Find API and creating or updating local models needs to be created.