User Interface

The REDfly user interface uses the ExtJS JavaScript application framework while all domain logic is provided by a RESTful API. This API is available to collaborators and allows for direct access to REDfly data for inclusion or ingestion by other tools. API documentation is provided at redfly.ccr.buffalo.edu/api/explorer.php.

REDfly uses the Command-Query Responsibility Segregation (CQRS) paradigm. While similar to the Model View Controller (MVC), CQRS separates read and write operations on the data model allowing for more streamlined application logic at the controller level and improves support for asynchronous operations, such as simultaneous querying of multiple external data sources. This is beneficial for supporting our curation workflow in cases where a curator uploads a large number of new entries at once, as it allows us to efficiently query several disparate data feeds to gather necessary related information.