Web Forms: The Standalone App Revolution

Hey folks! Ever thought about how cool it would be if Web Forms could just, like, exist on their own? No more wrestling with other apps, no more CSS headaches, just pure, unadulterated form-filling goodness. Well, that's what we're diving into today! We're talking about transforming Web Forms into a standalone app, a move that promises to make life easier for everyone involved, from the folks keeping things running to the users who rely on the forms every day. This shift isn't just a technical tweak; it's a fundamental change that'll boost flexibility, simplify updates, and open the door to some seriously cool future features, including offline sync capabilities. Buckle up, because we're about to explore the ins and outs of this exciting transformation!

Overview: Setting the Stage for Web Forms Independence

Okay, so what's the big idea? The main goal is to evolve Web Forms into a standalone, Dockerized app. Imagine Web Forms living its own life, separate from the applications that currently host it, such as Central. This means it can be updated independently, avoiding those pesky conflicts that can arise when different parts of an app are updated at the same time. We're talking about a more streamlined development process, smoother releases, and a whole lot less stress for everyone. This separation also opens up exciting possibilities for the future, like the highly anticipated offline sync feature. That means you could fill out forms even when you're without an internet connection – how awesome is that?

This isn't just about technical improvements; it's about providing a better experience for form users. By making Web Forms more reliable and accessible, we're ensuring that users can access and submit forms seamlessly, regardless of the underlying infrastructure. This means fewer interruptions, more efficient data collection, and a more user-friendly experience overall. This move represents a significant step towards a more robust and adaptable platform for managing and interacting with digital forms. The standalone approach will also provide improved security and performance, ensuring that form data is handled safely and efficiently. The goal is to create a more resilient and versatile system that can adapt to changing needs and provide a superior user experience.

Goals: What We're Aiming to Achieve

Alright, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. What exactly are we trying to accomplish with this Web Forms transformation? First and foremost, we want to decouple Web Forms from the host apps. Think of it like giving Web Forms its own apartment – it can come and go as it pleases without affecting the other tenants. This independence is crucial for seamless upgrades and significantly reduces the chances of conflicts arising during updates. This means that we can update Web Forms without having to worry about breaking something else in the system.

Another key goal is to define versioned APIs. This is super important because it provides a clear and consistent way for other applications to interact with Web Forms. A well-defined API makes integration easier and allows for extensibility, meaning we can add new features and functionalities without disrupting existing integrations. This is like creating a shared language that everyone can understand, ensuring smooth communication between different parts of the system. We want to be able to introduce new features without creating compatibility issues. These APIs will ensure that all integrations remain functional, regardless of how we enhance Web Forms. This is crucial for maintaining the stability and reliability of the platform. We need to focus on seamless integrations and extensibility so that it remains a versatile platform for all users.

Finally, we need to ensure easy deployment. This involves setting up the deployment infrastructure and making it easy for users to adopt the new standalone app. This includes using proxying to simplify access and improve performance. This means making sure that the new Web Forms app is easy to install, configure, and use. We want to make it as simple as possible for people to get up and running with the new system. We are focusing on making adoption easy and straightforward so that users can quickly transition to the new standalone app. We want to make sure it is user-friendly, so everyone can benefit from the improvements. This includes setting up mechanisms for security, performance, and ensuring there are fallback options to maintain functionality. The deployment plan must prioritize ease of use so everyone can adopt the new features without difficulty.

User Stories: Putting Users First

Let's put ourselves in the shoes of the people who will be using this new system. We're going to see this from three different perspectives: the Central maintainer, the Web Forms integrator, and the form user. This gives us a really good idea of how the changes will impact each of them, and what benefits they'll get.

• As a Central maintainer: Imagine you're in charge of keeping Central running smoothly. You want Web Forms as a standalone app so that you can update Web Forms without having to make any changes to the host application (Central). This makes your life easier, because you can update Web Forms on its own schedule, and it helps you avoid conflicts and compatibility issues. This will free up valuable time and reduce the risk of breaking something. The goal is to provide a more stable and reliable system for everyone. Ultimately, the new standalone app will enhance the ability to maintain the system, giving the maintainers more control over updates and deployments.

• As a Web Forms integrator: Now, let's say you're the one integrating Web Forms into other systems. You want Web Forms to be completely independent of the host apps. This means you won't have to worry about dependencies or style conflicts, which will make your integration work much more smoothly. No more having to deal with conflicting CSS or JavaScript code! This will let you focus on what's important: building awesome integrations for the users. The standalone app provides a more flexible and adaptable platform, making it easier to integrate Web Forms into different systems. This also gives integrators greater control over how they implement Web Forms features, making their work more efficient.

• As a form user: Finally, let's look at it from the point of view of the people who actually use the forms. You want reliable access to Web Forms' forms, so that you can benefit from offline capabilities and seamless feature integration. No more worrying about spotty internet connections or disruptions! You'll be able to fill out forms even when you're offline, and all the features will work flawlessly. This ultimately leads to a better user experience. By making the forms more accessible and reliable, we're ensuring that the users can get their work done without any interruptions. The improvements will greatly enhance the overall experience for users. The aim is to create a seamless and reliable experience for all users so they can access their forms. This provides them with more options and ensures that they have a functional experience.

Scope: What's In and What's Out

To keep things clear and focused, we need to define the scope of this project. What are we including, and what are we leaving for later? This helps us stay on track and avoid feature creep.

• In Scope: This includes the deployment infrastructure, making sure the new app has a place to live, and integrating with Central APIs. This will also involve migrating UI features from Central to Web Forms, such as Central's modals. Basically, we're building the core components and making sure Web Forms can talk to other parts of the system. The focus here is on ensuring the app's foundational components are strong and that integration with Central is seamless and effective. We want to make the transition smooth, providing a fully functional standalone app that integrates well with existing systems.

• Out of Scope: While the goal is to enhance Web Forms, some items are out of the scope of this project. The offline capabilities are not included in this phase. Though we aim to support these capabilities in the future, the current focus is on the core functionality and decoupling of Web Forms. By narrowing the scope, we can focus our efforts and deliver the project on time. The improvements will be added in later phases to enhance the app. We want to make sure the core functions are ready and working before we enhance features.

Subtasks: Breaking It Down

To make this project manageable, we'll break it down into smaller, more manageable subtasks. Each of these subtasks will be created as a separate issue, and we'll keep track of their progress here.

• [x] Write proposal – (Already completed! We're here!)

• [ ] Consult with the Central team to get a complete understanding and develop the implementation plan.

• [ ] [TDB: Create a ticket with the implementation plan and update this list].

Dependencies: What We Need to Move Forward

There are not any listed dependencies for this project.

Additional Notes: Extra Thoughts and Considerations

There are not any additional notes listed at this time.

Related Issues: Keeping Things Connected

There are no related issues at this time. We will include links to related issues as they are created.

This project will bring major improvements to Web Forms! We believe in the power of the project and are excited to see the impact of these changes. We are sure it will be a success. We are enthusiastic about the potential that Web Forms has as a standalone app and are excited to see the project's impact.