Event and Guest Management System -
Technical Architecture
Document Information
Field Value
Version 1.0
Date June 26, 2025
Classification Private & Confidential
Author Technical Architecture Team
Status Final
Executive Summary
Project Scope
A comprehensive Event and Guest Management System with invitation management, RSVP
tracking, guest check-ins, and event analytics across three distinct user portals.
Key Architectural Decisions
Decision Area Choice Rationale
Frontend React/[Link] with SSR capabilities, type safety, SEO
Framework TypeScript optimization
Backend [Link] with Rapid development, extensive ecosystem,
Framework TypeScript type safety
Database PostgreSQL + Redis ACID compliance, performance, caching
Email Service SendGrid Reliability, deliverability, template
management
Infrastructure AWS with Docker Scalability, managed services, cost
containers efficiency
Monitoring Prometheus + Grafana Open source, comprehensive metrics,
alerting
Success Metrics
● Performance: <200ms API response times
● Scalability: Support 1000+ concurrent users
● Availability: 99.9% uptime
● Email Deliverability: >95% inbox delivery rate
System Overview
Architecture Principles
● Microservices Architecture: Loosely coupled services for independent scaling
● API-First Design: RESTful APIs with comprehensive documentation
● Type Safety: End-to-end TypeScript implementation
● Cloud-Native: Containerized services with horizontal scaling
● Security by Design: OAuth 2.0, RBAC, and encryption at every layer
● Event-Driven: Asynchronous processing for notifications and analytics
High-Level Architecture
User Portals
● Client Portal: Event organizers manage events, guests, and analytics
● Guest Portal: Attendees RSVP, access event info, and check-in
● Admin Portal: Platform administrators handle system configuration and monitoring
Technology Stack
Frontend Technologies
● Framework: [Link] 14 with React 18 and TypeScript 5
● Styling: Tailwind CSS for utility-first responsive design
● State Management: React Context + useReducer (no external dependencies) and
Tanstack query for backend data management and caching.
● HTTP Client: Axios with interceptors and error handling
● Forms: React Hook Form for performance and validation
● Charts: Recharts for analytics visualizations
● Testing: Jest + React Testing Library
Backend Technologies
● Runtime: [Link] 20 LTS with [Link] and TypeScript
● Database ORM: Prisma for type-safe database access
● Validation: Zod for runtime schema validation
● Authentication: JWT + [Link] for flexible auth strategies
● Email: SendGrid for reliable delivery and templates
● Jobs: Bull with Redis for background processing
● Real-time: [Link] for live updates
● Process Management: PM2 for production
Infrastructure Technologies
● Cloud: AWS with Docker containerization
● Compute: EC2 with Auto Scaling Groups
● Database: AWS RDS (PostgreSQL 15) + ElastiCache (Redis 7)
● Storage: S3 with CloudFront CDN
● Queues: AWS SQS for async messaging
● Monitoring: Prometheus + Grafana + ELK stack
● Load Balancing: AWS Application Load Balancer
Frontend Architecture
Application Structure
Component Strategy
● Atomic: Basic UI elements (Button, Input, Avatar)
● Molecule: Feature combinations (SearchBox, DatePicker)
● Organism: Complex sections (EventCard, GuestList)
● Templates: Page layouts (Dashboard, Event layouts)
State Management
● Local State: useState/useReducer for component-level data
● Shared State: React Context for auth, theme, global settings
● Server State: React Query/SWR for API data caching
● URL State: [Link] Router for filters and navigation
Backend Architecture
Microservices
Service Responsibility Port
User Management Auth, profiles, permissions 3001
Event Management Event CRUD, configurations 3002
Guest Guest lists, RSVPs, check-ins 3003
Management
Communication Email, notifications (SendGrid) 3004
Payment Billing, subscriptions (Stripe) 3005
Analytics Reporting, metrics aggregation 3006
File Uploads, document 3007
management
Real-time WebSocket, live updates 3008
Service Communication
● Synchronous: HTTP/REST for real-time user requests
● Asynchronous: AWS SQS + Bull queues for emails and analytics
● Real-time: WebSocket ([Link]) for live updates
● Events: Redis Pub/Sub for cross-service notifications
API Standards
APIs follow RESTful conventions with consistent JSON responses, standard HTTP status
codes, cursor-based pagination, and URL path versioning (v1, v2).
Database Design
Database Strategy
● Primary: PostgreSQL 15 on AWS RDS with multi-AZ deployment
● Cache: Redis 7 on AWS ElastiCache for sessions and temporary data
● Analytics: Read replica for reporting without performance impact
Core Schemas
● User Management: users, roles, permissions, user_roles
● Event Management: events, event_types, event_settings
● Guest Management: guests, rsvps, check_ins, guest_groups
● Communication: email_templates, email_logs, notifications
● Analytics: event_analytics, user_analytics, reports
● File Management: files, file_associations
Data Retention
User data persists for account lifetime + 30 days. Event data retains for 7 years with cold
storage migration. Analytics aggregates after 3 years, email logs compress after 1 year.
DevOps & Infrastructure
AWS Infrastructure
● VPC: Multi-AZ with public/private subnets for security layers
● Compute: EC2 with Auto Scaling Groups based on CPU and queue depth
● Managed Services: RDS, ElastiCache, S3, SQS for reduced operations
● CDN: CloudFront for global asset delivery
Containerization
● Strategy: Docker containers with multi-stage builds
● Base Images: node:20-alpine for security and size optimization
● Registry: AWS ECR for container image storage
Deployment Pipeline
● Development: Docker Compose for local development
● Staging: Smaller AWS instances for integration testing
● Production: Blue-green deployments via GitHub Actions + AWS CodeDeploy
Security Architecture
Security Layers
● Network: AWS VPC, Security Groups, WAF protection
● Application: Input validation (Zod), OWASP compliance, security headers
● Data: Encryption at rest (AWS KMS) and in transit (SSL/TLS)
● Access: JWT authentication with RBAC authorization
Authentication & Authorization
JWT tokens with access/refresh rotation handle user authentication. API authentication uses
bearer tokens with rate limiting. Service-to-service communication employs API keys with token
validation.
Data Protection
Personal data encryption ensures GDPR compliance. Payment data follows PCI DSS through
Stripe integration. Session data encrypts in Redis with secure management practices.
Integration Architecture
Email (SendGrid)
● Transactional: Account notifications, RSVP confirmations
● Marketing: Event invitations with template personalization
● Analytics: Open rates, click tracking via webhooks
● Deliverability: Automated bounce and suppression management
Payments
● Primary: Stripe API + webhooks for subscriptions and ticketing
● Alternative: PayPal SDK for broader payment options
External APIs
● Calendars: Google Calendar API, Microsoft Graph for event sync
● Maps: Google Maps JavaScript API for venue locations
Performance & Scalability
Performance Targets
API responses under 200ms (95th percentile), page loads under 2s first contentful paint,
database queries under 50ms average, email delivery under 30s for 95% of messages.
Scaling Strategy
Frontend and backend services scale horizontally via Auto Scaling Groups triggered by CPU
>70% or request queue >100. Database scales vertically with read replicas. Redis uses cluster
mode for memory optimization.
Caching & Load Testing
Multi-layer caching includes CloudFront CDN (24h TTL), Redis application cache (1h TTL), and
browser cache via HTTP headers. Load testing uses [Link] weekly for performance testing,
k6 monthly for stress testing, and quarterly spike testing with JMeter.
Monitoring & Observability
Metrics & Visualization
Prometheus collects application metrics (request rates, response times, error rates), system
metrics (CPU, memory, disk), and business metrics (RSVP rates, event creation). Grafana
provides dashboards for application overview, infrastructure monitoring, business intelligence,
and database performance.
Alerting & Logging
Critical alerts (service down, 5xx errors >5%) trigger PagerDuty + SMS. Warning alerts (high
response times, resource usage >80%) send Slack + email notifications. The ELK stack handles
centralized logging with 30-day retention for application logs, 90 days for access/error logs, and
1 year for security logs.
Development Workflow
Git Strategy
Git flow with main (production), develop (integration), feature branches
(feature/ticket-description), and hotfix branches for critical issues.
Code Quality & Dependencies
ESLint with Airbnb + TypeScript rules ensures code consistency. Prettier handles formatting with
Husky pre-commit hooks. npm manages dependencies with [Link], and Renovate
automates dependency updates via PR creation.
Release Process
Development features require peer review, integration merges need technical lead approval,
staging deployments require QA team sign-off, and production releases need product owner
approval with blue-green deployment strategy.
Project Timeline
5-Month Development Plan
Phase Duration Key Deliverables Team Focus
Phase 1: Foundation Month 1 Infrastructure setup, core services, DevOps +
authentication Backend
Phase 2: Core Month 2 Event management, guest Full stack
Features management, basic UI
Phase 3: Month 3 Email integration, RSVP system, Backend +
Communication real-time features Frontend
Phase 4: Advanced Month 4 Analytics, payments, file management, Full stack
Features mobile optimization
Phase 5: Launch Prep Month 5 Testing, optimization, monitoring, Full team
production deployment
Detailed Milestones
Month 1 - Foundation
● AWS infrastructure provisioning and Docker containerization
● PostgreSQL database setup with core schema migration
● User authentication service with JWT and RBAC implementation
● Basic API gateway and service discovery configuration
Month 2 - Core Features
● Event management service with CRUD operations
● Guest management service with import/export capabilities
● Client portal basic UI with event creation and guest list management
● Guest portal with event viewing and RSVP functionality
Month 3 - Communication
● SendGrid integration with email templates and delivery tracking
● RSVP system with conditional logic and validation
● Real-time WebSocket implementation for live updates
● Email notification workflows and background job processing
Month 4 - Advanced Features
● Analytics service with reporting dashboards and data visualization
● Stripe payment integration for subscriptions and event ticketing
● File upload service with S3 integration and document management
● Mobile-responsive optimization and PWA capabilities
Month 5 - Launch Preparation
● Comprehensive testing suite including load testing and security audits
● Prometheus monitoring setup with Grafana dashboards and alerting
● Performance optimization and caching implementation
● Production deployment with blue-green strategy and rollback procedures
Success Criteria
● All three portals fully functional with core feature set
● Performance targets met (sub-200ms API responses)
● Security audit passed with no critical vulnerabilities
● Load testing successful for 1000+ concurrent users
● Production deployment with 99.9% uptime achieved
Document End
Last Updated: June 26, 2025
Next Review: July 26, 2025