Architecture

RAPS🌼RAPSRust CLI for Autodesk Platform Services.View in glossary follows a microkernel architecture inspired by Unix OS design principles, enabling security, testability, and independent feature evolution.

Design Philosophy

The microkernel architecture separates RAPS into:

1. Minimal Kernel: Core functionality is small, audited, and battle-tested
2. Message Passing: Components communicate through well-defined interfaces
3. Isolation: Failures in extensions don’t crash the kernel
4. Extensibility: Features added via plugins, not kernel modifications
5. Security: Attack surface minimized in the trusted kernel

Architecture Layers

Kernel (raps-kernel)

The kernel is the minimal trusted foundation that all features build upon.

Contents:

• Authentication (OAuth2, SSA, token🎟️TokenCredential for API authentication.View in glossary management)
• HTTP🔗HTTPProtocol for web communication.View in glossary client (with retry logic and middleware)
• Configuration⚙️ConfigurationSettings controlling application behavior.View in glossary management
• Secure credential storage (OS keyring🔑KeychainSecure OS storage for credentials.View in glossary)
• Domain types (URN🔗URNUnique identifier for objects in APS.View in glossary, BucketKey, ObjectKey)
• Error handling with exit codes
• Logging with secret🔒SecretEncrypted sensitive configuration value.View in glossary redaction

Constraints:

• Size: Less than 3000 lines of code (target: ~2000 LOC)
• Safety: #![deny(unsafe_code)], #![deny(clippy::unwrap_used)]
• Test Coverage: Greater than 90% on critical paths
• Dependencies: Minimal external dependencies

Build Performance:

• Incremental check: Less than 5s
• Full build: Less than 30s

Service Crates

Service crates provide APS☁️APSAutodesk Platform Services - cloud APIs for CAD/BIM automation.View in glossary API🔌APIInterface for software components to communicate.View in glossary functionality:

• raps-oss: Object Storage Service📦OSSAPS cloud storage for files and models.View in glossary (buckets, objects, uploads, downloads)
• raps-derivative: Model Derivative API🔄Model DerivativeAPS service for translating and extracting CAD data.View in glossary (translations, manifests, derivatives)
• raps-dm: Data Management API📂Data ManagementAPS service for accessing files in ACC, BIM 360, and Fusion.View in glossary (hubs, projects, folders, items, versions)
• raps-da: Design Automation API🤖Design AutomationRun Autodesk desktop apps in the cloud.View in glossary (engines, activities, work items)
• raps-acc: ACC🏗️ACCAutodesk's construction management platform.View in glossary/BIM 360🔵BIM 360Legacy Autodesk construction platform (predecessor to ACC).View in glossary (issues, RFIs, assets, submittals, checklists)
• raps-webhooks: Webhooks🪝WebhooksEvent notifications sent to your application.View in glossary API (subscriptions, events, verification)
• raps-reality: Reality Capture API (photoscenes, processing, results)

Service Principles:

• Depend only on raps-kernel, not on each other
• Independent failure domains
• Can be tested in isolation
• Can evolve independently

Features

RAPS provides comprehensive coverage of Autodesk Platform Services APIs:

Core Services

• Authentication: 2-legged OAuth🤖2-legged authServer-to-server authentication without user context.View in glossary, 3-legged OAuth👤3-legged authUser-authorized authentication with browser login.View in glossary, Device Code Flow, SSA (Secure Service Accounts)
• Object Storage (OSS): Bucket🪣BucketContainer for storing objects in OSS.View in glossary CRUD, Object CRUD, Parallel Uploads, Signed URLs (S3)
• Model Derivative📤DerivativeAny output generated from model translation.View in glossary: Translation⚙️Translation JobBackground process converting CAD files to viewable formats.View in glossary Jobs, Status & Manifest📋ManifestMetadata about a translated model and its derivatives.View in glossary, Derivative Download
• Data Management: Hubs & Projects, Folders & Items, Tip Version & Derivatives

Extended Features

• Account Admin API: Account management and administration
• ACC Modules: Issues, RFIs, Assets, Submittals, Checklists
• Design Automation🤖AutomationReplacing manual processes with software.View in glossary: Engines, Activities, Work Items management
• Reality Capture: Photogrammetry processing capabilities
• Webhooks: Event subscriptions and workflow📈WorkflowAutomated process triggered by events.View in glossary automation
• Pipelines: YAML/JSON📋JSONStandard data interchange format.View in glossary workflow automation
• Plugins: Extend functionality with custom commands
• MCP Server: AI assistant integration via Model Context Protocol
• TUI: Terminal🖥️TerminalApplication for running command-line programs.View in glossary user interface for interactive operations

Build Commands

# Standard build (includes all features)
cargo build

# Minimal build (kernel + core services only)
cargo build --no-default-features --features core

Version Output

$ raps --version
raps 3.9.0

Performance Targets

RAPS is optimized for fast development feedback loops:

Build Tooling:

• Windows: lld-link linker (via LLVM)
• Linux: mold linker (in CI🔁CI/CDAutomated build, test, and deployment pipelines.View in glossary)
• All platforms: sccache for compilation caching, cargo-nextest for parallel tests

See Development Setup for local configuration.

Benefits

Security:

• Minimal attack surface in kernel
• Independent security auditing of services
• Clear security boundaries

Testability:

• Kernel can be tested in isolation
• Services can be mocked for integration tests
• High test coverage achievable

Maintainability:

• Clear separation of concerns
• Independent evolution of features
• Easier code reviews

Performance:

• Fast incremental builds
• Parallel test execution
• Optimized linker usage

Business Model:

• Core functionality remains open source
• Enterprise features enable sustainable development
• Clear upgrade path for users