> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://devkit4ai.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cloud API Architecture

> Understand how the Cloud API powers your Starter Kit application.

The Dev Kit for AI Cloud API is a fully managed backend service that handles authentication, data storage, and AI features for your application.

## Core capabilities

The Cloud API provides:

**Authentication & Authorization:**

* User registration and login
* JWT token generation and refresh
* Role-based access control
* Project-scoped permissions

**Data Management:**

* Project and user data storage
* API key generation and management
* User membership tracking
* Secure credential storage

**AI Features:**

* Image generation via Replicate AI
* File upload and storage
* Generation history tracking
* Content processing

## Request/Response pattern

All API interactions follow a consistent pattern:

1. **Client sends request** with authentication headers
2. **API validates** credentials and permissions
3. **API processes** the request (creates, reads, updates, deletes data)
4. **API returns** structured JSON response
5. **Client handles** success or error state

```tsx theme={null}
// Example API interaction
const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/v1/projects`, {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${token}`,
    'X-Developer-Key': developerKey,
    'X-Project-ID': projectId,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
})

if (response.ok) {
  const data = await response.json()
  // Handle success
} else {
  const error = await response.json()
  // Handle error
}
```

## Data consistency

The Cloud API ensures:

**Atomicity:** Operations complete fully or not at all

**Consistency:** Data remains valid across all operations

**Isolation:** Concurrent requests don't interfere with each other

**Durability:** Committed data persists permanently

## Security model

Multiple layers protect your data:

**Transport security:**

* HTTPS encryption for all requests
* TLS 1.3 for secure connections

**Authentication:**

* JWT tokens with short expiry (30 minutes)
* Refresh tokens for extended sessions (7 days)
* Secure token storage in httpOnly cookies

**Authorization:**

* Project-scoped access control
* API key validation
* Role-based permissions

**Data protection:**

* Password hashing with bcrypt
* API key hashing with SHA-256
* Encrypted storage at rest

## Scalability

The Cloud API is designed to scale:

**Horizontal scaling:** Add more servers to handle increased load

**Caching:** Frequently accessed data cached for fast retrieval

**Rate limiting:** Prevents abuse and ensures fair resource allocation

**Async processing:** Long-running tasks (AI generation) processed in background

## Reliability

**High availability:** Multiple redundant servers ensure uptime

**Automatic backups:** Data backed up regularly

**Monitoring:** Real-time health checks and alerting

**Error recovery:** Automatic retry logic for transient failures

## API versioning

The API uses version prefixes:

**Current version:** `/api/v1/*`

**Stability:** v1 endpoints are stable and backward-compatible

**Deprecation:** Deprecated endpoints receive 6-month notice before removal

<Info>
  See the [Cloud API Reference](/cloud-api/introduction) for complete endpoint documentation.
</Info>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="API Reference" icon="book" href="/cloud-api/introduction">
    Explore all available endpoints
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication" icon="key" href="/cloud-api/auth/login">
    Understand auth workflows
  </Card>
</CardGroup>