System Map
A bird’s-eye view of how Terra’s components connect.This page provides visual maps of Terra’s architecture. Use it as a reference when navigating the codebase or debugging data flow issues.
High-Level Architecture
Terra follows a layered architecture with clear boundaries between concerns:Request Flow
Every request follows a consistent path through the system:Key Decision Points
Form Submission Flow
When an applicant submits a form, here’s what happens:Timing
The applicant sees “Thank you” in ~300ms. Everything else happens in the background.
Authentication Flow
How users authenticate and how sessions are managed:Session Management
Data Model Overview
The core database entities and their relationships: For complete schema documentation, see Database Schema.File Upload Flow
How files move from the applicant’s browser to secure storage:Storage Paths
Files are stored with unpredictable paths to prevent enumeration:Async Queue Architecture
The persistent queue that powers background processing:Operation Types
Directory Structure
Where to find things in the codebase:Next Steps
Design Philosophy
Why we made these architectural choices
Database Schema
Complete table documentation