Workflow Guide by Vertical
Relay supports ten core verticals. Each section highlights the goal, recommended workflow, and where to learn more in the public docs.
Vertical Overview
| Vertical | Primary Goal | Key Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| AI / ML Models | Ship reliable model orchestration | Provider abstraction, session-aware auth, performance benchmarks |
| Microservices | Accelerate service delivery | RUFID routing, intelligent cache, observability suite |
| Serverless | Run event-driven workloads anywhere | Execution engine, sandbox isolation, queue processor patterns |
| Smart Contracts | Bridge on-chain/off-chain logic | Signing pipeline, webhook orchestration, deterministic RUFIDs |
| Edge Computing | Process close to devices/users | Edge-ready execution adapters, cache warming, monitoring runbooks |
| Compliance | Automate regulatory workflows | Retention engine, audit logging, quality gates |
| API Management | Govern APIs end-to-end | API key manager, gateway adapters, documentation automation |
| Code Sharing | Curate reusable functions | RUFID registry, session store, documentation tooling |
| Function Commerce | Monetise function libraries | Marketplace persistence, validation workflow, billing integrations |
| Performance Intel | Track latency & cost | Benchmark harness, dashboards, quality gate runner |
AI / ML Models
Goal: Orchestrate multiple providers with predictable latency and safe token management.
Workflow:
- Configure provider adapters and auth (see Authentication).
- Register inference logic via RUFIDs so history and ownership stay intact.
- Run the benchmark harness to capture cold vs. hot path metrics (
scripts/performance/benchmark_harness.py).
Microservices
Goal: Deliver modular services quickly without losing visibility.
Workflow:
- Wire service endpoints through the execution engine.
- Cache hot paths with the intelligent cache defaults (Intelligent Cache).
- Monitor service-level dashboards and alerts configured via Datadog.
Serverless
Goal: Build event-driven workloads that scale by default.
Workflow:
- Define functions using the RUFID lifecycle and registry tooling.
- Schedule background work via queue/worker patterns in the execution guide.
- Validate deployments using the quality gates (
dev_process/validation/quality_gate_runner.py).
Smart Contracts
Goal: Connect blockchain events to off-chain automation.
Workflow:
- Secure signing workflows with the cosign-enabled pipeline (
src/security/signing.py). - Consume on-chain events through webhooks and runbooks.
- Track contract integrations with automatically generated documentation bundles.
Edge Computing
Goal: Execute close to devices while keeping central governance.
Workflow:
- Deploy edge-compatible runtimes via the execution engine adapters.
- Enable cache warming tuned for edge latency.
- Monitor edge latency using the performance dashboards.
Compliance
Goal: Automate regulatory controls without ad-hoc scripts.
Workflow:
- Apply the retention engine workflows (
docs/database_utils.md). - Run documentation + quality gates to generate audit artefacts (Configuration Hardening).
- Use monitoring runbooks for incident response and reporting.
API Management
Goal: Securely expose and govern APIs.
Workflow:
- Manage API keys and JWT sessions (Authentication, JWT Sessions).
- Integrate gateway adapters or Istio control plane configuration (
docs/gateway/ISTIO_CONTROL_PLANE.md). - Publish endpoint docs using the documentation automation flows.
Code Sharing
Goal: Curate a catalog of reusable functions across teams.
Workflow:
- Store functions in the RUFID registry with metadata and tags.
- Auto-generate documentation through doc tooling and quality gates.
- Share modules via access-controlled API keys.
Function Commerce
Goal: Publish, validate, and monetise functions for partners.
Workflow:
- Manage listings through the marketplace service.
- Run validation workflow to enforce quality/security pre-publish.
- Track usage with billing integrations and entitlement dashboards.
Performance Intel
Goal: Continuously improve latency, cost, and reliability.
Workflow:
- Schedule nightly benchmarks (
scripts/performance/benchmark_harness.py). - Review performance reports (see performance docs and dashboards).
- Feed insights into the quality gate runner to block regressions.
Common Next Steps
- Run the smoke suite —
python3 scripts/testing/run_smoke_tests.py - Benchmark performance —
python3 scripts/performance/benchmark_harness.py --samples 200 - Review quality gates and audit guidance — see
docs/validation.md - Select deployment mode — work with Relay SaaS for managed/hybrid or follow the self-hosted guide (Self-hosted)