flow_chat 0.8.1 → 0.9.0

data/docs/async-background-processing.md

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+# Async Background Processing
+
+FlowChat supports asynchronous background processing to decouple flow execution from webhook request-response cycles. Webhook endpoints respond immediately (< 100ms) while flows process in background jobs.
+
+## Quick Start
+
+### Option 1: Using Factory Pattern (Recommended)
+
+The cleanest approach uses the Factory pattern for centralized configuration:
+
+```ruby
+# config/initializers/flow_chat.rb
+FlowChat::Factory.register :whatsapp do |controller|
+  processor = FlowChat::Processor.new(controller) do |config|
+    config.use_gateway FlowChat::Whatsapp::Gateway::CloudApi
+    config.use_session_store FlowChat::Session::CacheSessionStore
+    config.use_session_config(boundaries: [:flow])
+    config.use_async(factory: :whatsapp)  # Self-referencing for async
+  end
+  processor.run(WhatsAppFlow, :start)
+end
+
+# app/controllers/webhooks_controller.rb
+class WebhooksController < ApplicationController
+  def whatsapp
+    FlowChat::Factory.execute(:whatsapp, controller: self)
+  end
+end
+```
+
+**Benefits:**
+- No custom job class needed
+- Configuration defined once in initializer
+- Works seamlessly in both webhook and background contexts
+
+See [Factory Pattern Documentation](factory-pattern.md) for more details.
+
+### Option 2: Custom Job Class
+
+For advanced use cases, create a custom job class:
+
+```ruby
+# app/jobs/my_flow_job.rb
+class MyFlowJob < FlowChat::AsyncJob
+  def execute(controller, **job_params)
+    # Access job params passed from use_async
+    deployment_id = job_params[:deployment_id]
+
+    # Build and run your processor
+    processor = FlowChat::Processor.new(controller) do |config|
+      config.use_gateway FlowChat::Whatsapp::Gateway::CloudApi
+      config.use_session_store FlowChat::Session::CacheSessionStore
+      config.use_session_config(boundaries: [:flow])
+    end
+
+    processor.run MyFlow, :start
+  end
+end
+
+# app/controllers/webhooks_controller.rb
+class WebhooksController < ApplicationController
+  def whatsapp
+    processor = FlowChat::Processor.new(self) do |config|
+      config.use_gateway FlowChat::Whatsapp::Gateway::CloudApi
+      config.use_session_store FlowChat::Session::CacheSessionStore
+      config.use_async MyFlowJob, deployment_id: params[:deployment_id]
+    end
+    processor.run(MyFlow, :start)
+  end
+end
+```
+
+## Configuration
+
+### Session Store
+
+Use a centralized cache store e.g. `CacheSessionStore` for async processing:
+
+```ruby
+config.use_session_store FlowChat::Session::CacheSessionStore
+```
+
+### ActiveJob Backend
+
+```ruby
+# config/application.rb
+config.active_job.queue_adapter = :sidekiq  # or :resque, :delayed_job
+```
+
+### Queue Configuration
+
+Set queue in job class:
+
+```ruby
+class MyFlowJob < FlowChat::AsyncJob
+  queue_as :support_flows
+
+  def execute(controller)
+    # ...
+  end
+end
+```
+
+Configure priorities:
+
+```ruby
+# config/sidekiq.yml
+:queues:
+  - [critical, 2]
+  - [support_flows, 1]
+  - [default, 1]
+```
+
+## Passing Parameters to Jobs
+
+### Job Params
+
+When using custom job classes, you can pass additional parameters via `use_async`:
+
+```ruby
+# In controller
+config.use_async(MyFlowJob, deployment_id: 123, flow_name: "SupportFlow")
+
+# In job execute method
+class MyFlowJob < FlowChat::AsyncJob
+  def execute(controller, **job_params)
+    deployment_id = job_params[:deployment_id]  # => 123
+    flow_name = job_params[:flow_name]          # => "SupportFlow"
+
+    # Use params for business logic
+    processor = FlowChat::Processor.new(controller) do |config|
+      # ... configuration
+    end
+    processor.run(MyFlow, :start)
+  end
+end
+```
+
+**Note:** Request params (from `controller.params`) are automatically available in the background job via the reconstructed `controller.params`. Job params are for additional data specific to job execution logic.
+
+### Factory with GenericAsyncJob
+
+When using `factory:` param, additional params are ignored by `GenericAsyncJob` but can be used by the factory:
+
+```ruby
+config.use_async(factory: :whatsapp, extra_data: "value")
+# extra_data is passed to perform but not used by GenericAsyncJob
+```
+
+## Gateway Support
+
+| Gateway | Async Support | Nil Response Handling |
+|---------|--------------|----------------------|
+| WhatsApp Cloud API | ✅ | ✅ Returns silently |
+| Intercom API | ✅ | ✅ Returns silently |
+| HTTP Simple | ✅ | ✅ Returns `{type: :skip}` JSON |
+| USSD Nalo | ❌ (synchronous protocol) | ❌ Requires immediate response |
+
+### Middleware Nil Response Handling
+
+Async-capable gateways support middleware that returns `nil` instead of a response tuple. This is useful for middleware that handles responses directly (e.g., `AgentHandoffMiddleware`):
+
+```ruby
+class AgentHandoffMiddleware
+  def call(context)
+    if should_handoff_to_agent?
+      # Middleware handles response directly
+      send_to_agent(context)
+      return nil  # Signal that response was handled
+    end
+
+    @app.call(context)  # Continue to next middleware
+  end
+end
+```
+
+When middleware returns `nil`:
+- **HTTP Simple**: Returns JSON response `{type: :skip, session_id, user_id, timestamp}`
+- **WhatsApp/Intercom**: Returns silently (message already sent by middleware)
+- **USSD**: Not supported - synchronous protocol requires immediate response
+
+**Note**: USSD cannot support middleware that returns nil because the USSD protocol requires an immediate synchronous response to every request.
+
+## How It Works
+
+### Execution Paths
+
+FlowChat's async system automatically routes requests through one of three paths:
+
+#### 1. Webhook → Async Job (async enabled, webhook context)
+
+```
+1. Webhook request arrives at controller
+2. Processor.run() called with use_async configured
+3. Gateway checks: should_enqueue_async?
+   - Not in background? ✅
+   - Async enabled? ✅
+   - Gateway supports async? ✅
+4. Gateway serializes request context:
+   - params (session_id, user_id, input, etc.)
+   - method (POST/GET)
+   - headers (Content-Type, User-Agent)
+5. Gateway enqueues job: JobClass.perform_later(request_context: {...})
+6. Gateway returns immediately (< 100ms)
+7. Background worker picks up job
+8. AsyncJob.perform creates BackgroundController from request_context
+9. User's execute() called with controller
+10. Flow processes normally with reconstructed request
+```
+
+#### 2. Background Job → Inline (async enabled, background context)
+
+```
+1. Background job executes
+2. AsyncJob.perform creates BackgroundController
+3. User's execute() creates new processor
+4. Processor.run() called
+5. Gateway checks: should_enqueue_async?
+   - Not in background? ❌ (BackgroundController detected)
+   - Async enabled? ✅
+   - Gateway supports async? ✅
+6. Gateway processes inline (prevents double-enqueueing)
+7. Flow executes, calls controller.render (no-op in background)
+8. Job completes
+```
+
+#### 3. Webhook → Inline (async not configured)
+
+```
+1. Webhook request arrives
+2. Processor.run() called without use_async
+3. Gateway checks: should_enqueue_async?
+   - Not in background? ✅
+   - Async enabled? ❌
+   - Gateway supports async? ✅
+4. Gateway processes inline
+5. Flow executes
+6. Response returned to webhook provider
+```
+
+### Key Components
+
+**AsyncJob**
+- Base class users inherit from
+- `perform(request_context:, **job_params)` entry point
+- Creates `BackgroundController` from serialized request
+- Calls user's `execute(controller, **job_params)` method
+
+**GenericAsyncJob**
+- Built-in job that uses Factory pattern
+- Automatically used when `use_async(factory: :name)` is called
+- Executes registered factory in background context
+- Validates factory is registered before execution
+
+**BackgroundController**
+- Duck-types as Rails controller
+- Provides `request`, `params`, `render`, `head` interface
+- `params` delegates to `request.params` (mimics Rails controller)
+- `render` and `head` are no-ops in background context
+- `is_a?(FlowChat::BackgroundController)` returns true for detection
+
+**BackgroundRequest**
+- Reconstructs full Rails request interface from serialized data
+- Provides `params`, `method`, `headers`, `host`, `path`, `remote_ip` accessors
+- HTTP method predicates: `post?`, `get?`, `head?`
+- Rails compatibility methods: `request_method`, `user_agent`, `ssl?`
+- Request body support: `body` returns object with `read()` and `rewind()` methods
+- Body content is serialized from webhook and reconstructed in background
+- Returns empty hash for `cookies` (not available in background context)
+
+**GatewayAsyncSupport**
+- Concern mixed into all gateways
+- `should_enqueue_async?` decision logic
+- `in_background?` detection via `BackgroundController`
+- `enqueue_async_job` serializes and enqueues
+- `async_supported?` override for gateways like USSD
+
+### Decision Logic
+
+The gateway's `should_enqueue_async?` method checks three conditions:
+
+```ruby
+def should_enqueue_async?
+  processor = @context["processor"]
+
+  !in_background? &&                # Prevent double-enqueueing
+    processor&.async_enabled? &&    # User opted in
+    async_supported?                # Gateway allows it
+end
+```
+
+**All three must be true** to enqueue. If any condition is false, the flow processes inline.
+
+This ensures:
+- Background jobs never enqueue another job
+- Users explicitly opt in per processor
+- Synchronous protocols (USSD) always process inline
+