Isolation and reliability
Each module is initialized in a protected context. An exception at startup doesn’t block the app from launching — the other modules keep working.
DockStudio · Architecture
How the platform is built
Five layers with clear boundaries. The core knows nothing about modules, and modules know nothing about each other — they communicate only through service contracts.
1
Core
Module loader, service registry, event bus, settings, background tasks and logging. The core knows nothing about specific modules.
2
Shell
Main window, dock manager, tab system, menus, toolbars and status bar. It defines how the workspace comes together.
3
Module layer
Domain modules: each registers its own panels, commands, settings and permissions. They communicate only through service contracts.
4
Windows platform
Frameless window with Aero Snap, native notifications, tray, updates and installer. A Linux version is planned.
5
SDK and extensions
Public API, a module template, module development separate from the application, plugin signing.
Rules we never break
- A module never calls another module directly — only through a registered service.
- Contracts are versioned; compatibility is kept two major versions back.
- A module failure doesn’t crash the app — the module is isolated and marked as inoperable.
- The UI contains no business logic: a panel is a view over a service.
- Any long-running operation runs in the background with progress and cancellation.
Technology stack
.NET / C++Qt / WPFPostgreSQLSQLite (offline)
gRPCRESTOpenTelemetrySerilog
Windows 10 / 11Linux — planned
Lifecycle
What happens when the app starts
Core loading
→
Reading configuration
→
Module registration
→
Dependency resolution
→
Shell assembly
→
Layout restore
→
Ready
Performance
Lazy panel loading, list virtualization for hundreds of thousands of rows, background tasks and repository-level caching.
Extension without rebuilding
Plugins are attached as separate assemblies and registered in the core registry at startup. No need to rebuild the app.
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